Recruiter - October 2015

Business intelligence for recruitment and resourcing professionals

www.recruiter.co.uk

RARE IS SO REAL

October 2015

INCORPORATING Recruitment Matters

GLOBAL MOBILITY The talent management dilemma DESIGN FOR LIFE Sarah McCullock’s brilliant career GRADWEB REPORT Future perfect for graduate talent?

Raphaell Mokad des, founder of diverrsity y spe ecialistt Rare e Recruitm ment, on why he won’t be shutting up shop justt yet

01_recruiter_cover_oct.indd 1

15/09/2015 10:12

We can support your temporary agency’s expansion plans with a software solution that won’t break the bank.

As your temporary worker numbers increase, Flo rapidly reduces booking and timesheet admin with a slick system that automatically generates payroll and invoice information. Our clever software also provides automated AWR tracking and right-to-work checks.

Contact us to set up a no-obligation demo: info@flo.co.uk.

Automated Payroll and Invoicing

Management Information

Saving time and money Compliance Management

Client Timesheet Portal

All the features your temporary agency could need from a software solution including: SMS Integration, Real Time Visibility, Candidate & Client Management, Easy Bookings.

REC.10.15.002.indd 2

15/09/2015 10:40

20

C R ONT ENT S 40

ING PORAT INCOR itment Recru ers Matt

COV ER IMAG E | PA L H ANSEN

A

D

NEWS

20 THE BIG STORY

05 Single standards

Rare Recruitment’s Raphael Mokades on his goal of eliminating inequality in the UK

Has the time come for a uniform standard for the recruitment industry? stakeholders discussed the issue

26 Insight on Future Talent

A new report by GradWeb finds the market is looking bright for savvy graduates who know their apps from their elbows

06 Equitable approach Veritas Education gives staff a stake in its future

07 Antal Envestors Offering a different level of investing in recruitment

E COMMUNITY

07 Thoughts from...

Sinead MacManus, Trudi Scrivener and Colin Woodward

37 Social Network 38 Careers Agency/In-house 40 My brilliant recruitment career: Sarah McCullock 42 Business Advice 44 Employability 48 Movers & Shakers 49 Recruiter Contacts 50 The Last Word

07 Star recruit: Ashley Madison’s Noel Biderman 09 Investing in winners Who came out on top at Recruiter’s Investing in Talent Awards

10 This was the month that was...

12 Contracts & Deals

B

FEATURES

TRENDS

26

A

14 Insight

“Think ahead and anticipate hiring staff before you need them — and not six to 12 weeks after”

The conundrum of mobilising global talent

17

Tech & Tools Pulling people in through company career portals

C

INTERACTION

18 Agency View: Ray Worrell 19 Web chat 19 Soundbites

MICHAEL BOWDEN

18 50 IMAGES | AKIN FALOPE / ISTOCK

p03_recruiter_contents.indd 3

50

WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 3

17/09/2015 12:17

Industry Leading Recruitment Software

‘‘Â? ™Š‘ǯ• –ƒŽÂ?‹Â?‰ǤǤǤ “A great product provided by a business that understands customer serviceâ€?

“The support process is superb... First Choice listens to our requests�

Simon Samuel

Mark Dainty Director

“V l ffor money “Value and return on investment are essential in today’s business world and RDB delivers just that�

“...the team at First Choice have always been highly supportive and responsive to our business needs.

I believe RDB ProNet is the best product in the market, backed up with responsive, intelligent support�

Patrick Bell Director

Ian Walters Managing Director

“...categorically the best software on the market today...RDB ProNet is an integral part of our business�

Rohan Shah Managing Director

...about the Ƥ”•– …Š‘‹…‡ ‹Â? ”‡…”—‹–Â?‡Â?– •‘ˆ–™ƒ”‡

„‘‘Â? ƒ †‡Â?‘Â?•–”ƒ–‹‘Â? Â?‘™ –‡Žǣ Ύ͜͜ Č‹Í˜ČŒÍ™ÍšÍ?Íž ͙͛͘͘͜͞ ™‡„ǣ ˆ‹”•–…Š‘‹…‡Ǥ‘”‰Ǥ—Â?

ProNet people I process I placements

Giving back First Choice Software are proud sponsors of the following 2015 events

REC.10.15.004.indd 4

Developed by

•‘ˆ–™ƒ”‡ „—‹Ž– ˆ‘” „—•‹Â?॥ •‹Â?…‡ ͙ͥͥ͞

2015 Charity Ball HEADLINE SPONSOR

HEADLINE SPONSOR

Global Recruiter Industry Awards

Ri

Recruitment International Awards HEADLINE SPONSOR

Ri

Top 500 Summer Party

first choice software ft wa arre part of Access Group

Marketing & Digital Recruitment Awards

Awards Category sponsor

15/09/2015 10:41

W E LCO M E

UPDATE

Single standard WE LCO M E

LEADER

O

ur lead story this month focuses on the prospect of developing a BSI standard for the UK recruitment sector. Do we need it?

We would say yes, and concur with the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) that one is needed. There are currently so many qualifications and accreditations available in this industry that it is nothing short of a nightmare for employers, candidates and anyone else who comes into contact with the sector to navigate. And how is anyone to know “We also which one is the believe that best, the most any new credible, and so on? standard In the magazine should be a publishing world, collaborative for instance, there effort” is the recognised ABC audit, which certifies circulation. But in recruitment, it is a different matter.

While we believe that a standard offers the industry — and a collection of businesses in our view is an industry — a chance to erase the mysticism from the labyrinth of standards, we also believe this offers the industry’s professional bodies an exciting opportunity. That would be to get out of the business of ground-level certification and focus more on enhancing professionalism, increasing the industry’s sophistication.

We also believe that any new standard should be indeed a collaborative effort between a variety of stakeholders and get past the clique syndrome that too often is present in our industry.

We look forward to hearing from you!

DEEDEE DOKE

WOULD A SINGLE, independent professional standard better serve the recruitment sector, its clients and candidates than the variety of standards currently on offer to UK recruiters?

Industry opinion was mixed as recruiters, suppliers and professional body representatives debated that issue last month [September] at an Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) members’ meeting.

With BSI [British Standards Institute], APSCo has been exploring the feasibility of building a standard for the recruitment sector, and is seeking consensus and involvement from the sector’s other bodies to create one together, along with additional stakeholders.

APSCo chief executive Ann Swain told the audience: “This could be awfully big. Could it work? It could, but it will take a lot of work. As recruiters, we like a bit of instant gratification. This isn’t it.”

However, she added, the potential to produce a meaningful standard would be “weakened” if only APSCo participated.

Commenting that he believed “there is a real appetite” for a unified approach to professional standards, CIPD CEO Peter Cheese said that the focus should be on principles instead of on a mapping-out of recruitment processes.

“Values, principles — that’s what good businesses are about,” he said.

A standard’s benefits to recruiters could include a basic criteria for helping SMEs more easily win places on public sector framework programmes and serve as a recognisable quality standard to employers across the board, as pointed out at various times during the discussion.

However, not all recruiters were convinced of the need for a BSI standard for recruitment. Paul Farrer, chairman of media recruiter Aspire, said he favoured a return to licensing and a levy put on the £28.5bn recruitment industry that would fund an independent body to enforce licence issues “and kick out the cowboys”.

Swain said she believed a UK-led recruitment standard could also potentially be developed for international use. At the end of the discussion, she said she “absolutely” believed a standard could be a way forward to reflect the sector’s professionalism. ●

DeeDee Doke, Editor WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 5

p05_recruiter_news.indd 5

17/09/2015 12:17

NE WS

UPDATE

@Recruitermag

26,181 FOLLOWERS AS OF 17 SEP 2015

Equity essential for Poole’s Veritas SARAH MARQUET

Spengler Fox looks to extend network GRAHAM SIMONS

•‒‒‒‒‒‒→

Setting up Veritas Education as a stakeholder business from day one will drive motivation and ensure retention, predicted its founder and chief executive Philip Poole.

Currently London-focused, Veritas launched on 1 July with an aggressive growth plan and a finite agenda.

Hiring senior recruiters Poole already knew was part of ensuring the business would get off to a flying start, but giving them equity was what he hoped would ensure they are as invested in the business plan as he is.

His first three recruits were given hard equity, “so they stand to make a life-changing amount of money if we hit our plan”, the former Synergy Group chief executive told Recruiter.

For the rest, he has set up a staff equity scheme, “so literally everyone in the business will have some sort of equity-based incentive to encourage them to stick with it for the full term of the business plan”.

Depending on what each consultant bills per year, they will get an “equity pot”, which will be banked until the business is floated or sold, when they will get a cash payout as per their equity share.

Poole acknowledged that he put a similar scheme in place at when at Synergy Group, part of the Human Capital Investment Group (HCIG). However, that scheme was capped at three years though, and was not set up until the business had been running for 13 years. ●

Some of the team at Veritas Education, with founder Philip Poole (front, centre)

Global talent consultancy Spengler Fox seeks to spread its partnership network to Japan and Australia over the next couple of years.

Previously part of the Grafton Employment Group, the firm operates with partnership organisations across consumer goods, life science, technology and industry manufacturing. Extending this network to Asia-Pacific is the firm’s next step, Spengler Fox chairman Mark Hamill (pictured above) told Recruiter.

US and Europe-based clients seek to build their businesses in those areas of Asia-Pacific specifically, Hamill said.

A partnership rather than an organic expansion of Spengler Fox is preferable, he said, as the firm does not have the local knowledge or insight that recruiters operating in the region would have.

Both partners would benefit from an internal fee share agreement of around 25-30% depending upon how the candidate was referred.

He said he would be selective in choosing potential partners for the firm to work with.

Clearwater International takes over FAST 50 reins Clearwater International is the new research and analysis partner for Recruiter’s annual FAST 50 list of the 50 fastest-growing UK recruitment companies.

Succeeding Boxington Corporate Finance, Clearwater becomes part of an annual tradition that was launched in January 2009.

Partner Marcus Archer will oversee the project for 6 RECRUITER

p06_07_recruiter_news.indd 6

OCTOBER 2015

Clearwater, supported by Mark Maunsell.

“The Clearwater International team have been working with the recruitment industry for years and have advised on many successful transactions,” Archer said.

“The FAST 50 is highly regarded in the industry, and we are delighted to partner with Recruiter.”

Recruiter editor DeeDee Doke said: “We are so pleased to be working with Marcus, Mark and an organisation of Clearwater’s calibre on this project.

“We also want to extend our thanks to Tim Evans and Mark Kingston at Boxington for their years of commitment to the FAST 50 and wish them well in their future endeavours.”

For questions about the 2016 FAST 50 research, which is underway now, email Marcus.Archer@cwicf. com or Mark.Maunsell@ cwicf.com Marcus Archer and Mark Maunsell will speak at The Recruiter Show on 19 November about the launch of the European FAST 50 and a review of international M&A trends.

Find more daily news stories at recruiter.co.uk/news 17/09/2015 12:17

THOUGHTS FROM…

SINEAD MACMANUS

C HIE F E XECUTIVE AND CO-FOUNDER OF FLUE NCY, A DIGITAL SKILL S START-U P, SPE AK ING AT THE ‘ THE WAR FOR TALENT AND WHAT WOMEN WANT ’ EVENT IN LONDON

“I read these job descriptions from all these start-ups and they’re looking for these unbelievable unicorns, to pay them £16k a year, have all of these skills and be in the top 1% of people … these people, they just don’t exist. I always try to say to them ‘what about some nice, well-trained ponies’?”

EXCLUSIVE

Antal Envestors offers new layer DEEDEE DOKE

TRUDI SCRIVENER

M ANAG ING DIREC TOR , UNIVERSAL CARE, ON THE IM PAC T OF THE LIVING WAGE ON SOCIAL C A RE RECRU ITMENT AGENCIES

“The local authorities are not providing the level of funding to even allow people to pay more than the minimum wage. In some places around the country, there are local authorities that are paying a home care agency as little as £13 an hour.

If you’ve got to pay somebody £7.20 or £8 an hour out of that, it doesn’t leave very much.”

CALL IT “above the crowd” funding: serial entrepreneur Tony Goodwin’s Antal Ventures has agreed a deal with private investor network Envestors that provides a digital platform to connect potential investors with recruitment start-ups and scale-ups.

Antal Envestors, the Financial Conduct Authority-regulated myedash investor digital platform, enables investors and high-growth companies to meet, interact and finance growth. A minimum £25k investment is required.

Recruitment firms seeking financing must undergo due diligence before Envestors can list them on the site to ensure their business is viable.

Goodwin told Recruiter the investment required represents “a marzipan layer” between crowdfunding, which offers investment opportunities to micro-investors, and at the higher level, investors with millions to inject into companies. “That marzipan layer is a rich source of financing,” Goodwin said.

Antal Envestors will focus on the international recruitment market. A bonus for foreign investors who invest a minimum of £200k could be a UK Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa, which allows holders to live and work in the UK for up to three years and four months.

Antal Ventures, a private investor group, will make “a few percentage points” from every deal agreed, Goodwin said. However, he said, “the whole point is to further encourage and grow the UK recruitment industry. This is singularly not about Tony Goodwin getting involved in all of the start-ups in the UK. This is a brokerage”. ●

COLIN WOODWARD

D IRE C TO R AT CONSTRU C TION RECRUITER CO NTR AC T SCOTLAND, ON A CIPD REPORT SH OWING 58.8% OF U K GR ADUATES ARE IN NO N- GR ADUATE ROLES, PARTICULARLY WITHIN CONSTRU C TION

“When these graduates come out to the job market into a job market where there are no jobs, unfortunately you’ve got this mismatch. The difficulty is not so much the graduates aren’t capable of undertaking jobs — it’s the volatility of the construction industry.”

I M AG E | R E X

p06_07_recruiter_news.indd 7

STAR R E C R U I T

Lisa Greenhalgh, director at Finlay Jude Associates, advises Noel Biderman, former CEO of

online infidelity dating site Ashley Madison, on his next role…

I suggest that Noel Biderman’s next career move, based on his company slogan ‘Life is short. Have an affair’ and using the skills he has already obtained, would most certainly be as a marriage guidance

counsellor. themselves The Of course this Impact Team stole would involve his company’s celebrities, as he is customer data, due a move up the including email ladder. Maybe the addresses, names, marriage of Katie credit card details, Price and Peter among other Andre could have things. With this been saved if he in mind he could had intervened. almost certainly be As we all know, in the running for Biderman was the role of a data caught with his compliance officer pants down when — a perfect career a group calling move!

WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 7

17/09/2015 12:18

AWARDSS

C REC.10.15.008.indd 8

M O Ea

rly

I

G N

N O O S

e n i dl

ry t n

5 1 0

2

1.

1 .

12

a e d

b

e d ir

VISIT RECRUITERAWARDS.CO.UK

15/09/2015 10:43

N E WS

UPDATE

Investing in people – investing in talent From looking after their own staff to going the extra mile to take care of their flexible workforce, leading recruiters were showcased at Recruiter’s Investing in Talent Awards 2015 This year’s Investing in Talent Awards event was held at The Brewery, a prestigious venue in the heart of the City of London.

Winners of the 19 categories were announced at the lunchtime event, which was attended by more than 300 recruitment professionals and guests. Special guest speaker Greg Orme, a leadership and organisational specialist, offered the audience insight into business creativity and suggestions on becoming an inspiring leader.

Repeat winners from last year were financial recruiter Goodman Masson and industrial/technical recruiter TXM Recruit, proving their policy of investing in people is long term and engrained in the company ethos.

For more on this year's winners and news and pictures from this year's ceremony, see November's Recruiter magazine

Best contractor care (International/Global) ⍟ Tangent International

Most effective flexible working strategy ⍟ Firefly Human Capital

Best contractor care (UK) ⍟ Caritas Recruitment

Most effective pay & benefits strategy (UK staff) ⍟ Goodman Masson

Best employee share/equity scheme ⍟ La Fosse Associates Best temporary workforce care – specialist ⍟ Caritas Recruitment Best workplace environment ⍟ Evolution Recruitment Solutions Most effective diversity & inclusion strategy ⍟ PageGroup ● Highly Commended: Kaleidoscope Most effective employability strategy ⍟ Gi Group

I M AG E S | A K I N FALO P E

p09_recruiter_awards.indd 9

Most effective professional development for newcomers ⍟ Purple Consultancy ● Highly Commended: PageGroup Most effective professional development for managers &/or executives ⍟ Amoria Bond Most effective team motivation event ⍟ Goodman Masson Most innovative benefit ⍟ Goodman Masson Best recruitment company to work for — Small (fewer than 50 employees) ⍟ TXM Recruit ● Highly Commended: Henderson Scott The Asoria Group

Best recruitment company to work for — Medium (fewer than 100 employees) ⍟ Digital Gurus ● Highly Commended: Evolution Recruitment Solutions Best recruitment company to work for — Large (more than 100 employees) ⍟ Amoria Bond ● Highly Commended: Phaidon International Most inspiring newcomer ⍟ Freddie Short — Opus Recruitment Solutions ● Highly Commended: Tom Rankin – Understanding Recruitment Most inspiring team leader/ manager ⍟ Joseph Knowles — Eden Brown Most inspiring recruitment leader ⍟ Matthew Churchward — The Asoria Group

WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 9

17/09/2015 09:45

NE WS

THIS WAS THE MONTH THAT WAS… Here is a round-up of some of the most popular news stories we have brought you on recruiter.co.uk since the September issue of Recruiter was published A U G U S T •‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒→ MON, 3 AUG

MON, 24 AUG

KELLY OVERSEES SYNARBOR HANDOVER

DBS CHECKS MAY NOT REVEAL ASBOS

Synarbor chief executive Dean Kelly is set to stay on at the education recruiter to oversee its handover to new owners following the company’s £18.4m sale to private equity specialist Sovereign Capital Partners.

Kelly told Recruiter: “Over the foreseeable months, I’ll be doing a timed and careful handover to an incoming CEO, yet to be named, after which I will be concentrating on the RDLC [Recruitment Directors Lunch Club] but also investing in recruitment start-ups outside of education and working with recruitment companies in non-executive director capacity.”

The recruiter involved in placing a nonemergency ambulance driver, who has since been jailed for fraud, has warned other recruiters that not everything shows up in a background check.

Leigh Westerman, a convicted fake paramedic, tricked his way into the job in April, less than three years after being banned from posing as a member of the emergency services.

Jigsaw managing director Chris Percival told Recruiter Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks don’t reveal to a recruiter whether someone has an ASBO [anti-social behaviour order], like Westerman did in this case. because ASBOs are a civil order and not considered a criminal conviction — unless breached.

A DBS spokesperson subsequently told Recruiter an enhanced DBS check can show if a person has an ASBO, provided local police think it’s relevant to the role being applied for.

More: http://bit. ly/1M1WLj2

TUE, 11 AUG

T H U, 2 0 A U G

PRIME TIME DENIES EMPLOYING ILLEGAL WORKERS

BBC LOOKS TO FILL HR ROLES IN BIRMINGHAM

Multi-sector recruiter Prime Time Recruitment has “strongly refuted” any claims it has employed illegal workers following a swoop on a London factory by immigration officers.

In August, the Mail on Sunday reported immigration officers launched a dawn raid at a sandwich-making factory in Bromley-by-Bow run

by Prime Time’s client Greencore as part of a major Home Office crackdown on the employment of illegal migrants.

But in a statement sent to Recruiter, Prime Time Recruitment said it “strongly refutes” any claims it has employed illegal workers at the Greencore Bow factory, adding none of the workers arrested were Prime Time registered candidates.

Greencore also told Recruiter in a statement it is working closely with the immigration service and the police, and it has been established that the individuals concerned used high quality false documentation to illegally obtain employment in the UK. ●

The BBC is recruiting for more than 100 HR roles at its new HR service centre at The Mailbox, a shopping and office development in Birmingham.

Roles range from HR administrators and HR systems advisers to team leaders.

More: http://bit. ly/1KIVd09

More: http://bit. ly/1Kd5pHE

More: http://bit.ly/1ESoLpJ

10 RECRUITER

OCTOBER 2015

p10_11_the month that was.indd 10

Find more daily news stories at recruiter.co.uk/news 16/09/2015 16:45

31

MON, 7 SEP

Gerard Butler is… The Headhunterr Ever wondered what it would be like e to star alongside Scottish actor Gerard Butler? er? •‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒→ According to Hollywood Reporter, Butler has signed d up to star in The Headhunter’s Calling, in which he will play a “ruthless” ecruiterr Butler headhunter. When contacted, a spokesperson told Recruiter was not giving any interviews about his latest venture.

More: http://bit.ly/1JP2b02

DAYS

←‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒• S E P T E M B E R

MON, 1 SEP

RECRUITMENT GENIUS’S GALLIHAWK DIES DURING FUNDRAISING TRIATHLON Recruitment Genius advertising consultant Paul Gallihawk , who tragically died while competing in a triathlon on Saturday, has been labelled a man of “outstanding character” with “great integrity”.

Speaking to Recruiter, Recruitment Genius founder Geoff Newman said: “He was a man of outstanding character… he never compromised on his integrity and so for me he always had a win, even if he didn’t get the business.” ●

T H U, 3 S E P

FRI, 4 SEP

SPRING PERSONNEL PUTS STEPS IN PLACE AFTER EX-MANAGER JAILED FOR THEFT

ADECCO’S SEARLE LEAVES FOR NEW CHALLENGES

Office, technical and industrial recruiter Spring Personnel is taking “necessary steps” to avoid future incidents, after a former recruitment manager was jailed for six months for stealing almost £20k owed to agency workers.

Stafford Crown Court heard former Spring recruitment manager Lisa Phillips diverted the money from the workers’ accounts to her own bank account and then altered the records to cover her tracks.

Alex Fleming, Spring Personnel’s managing director, told Recruiter in a statement the company fully supported the decision by the court to charge Phillips for fraud, adding the decision represents justice for those affected by her actions while working for the agency.

The statement adds: “In early 2013 we contacted the relevant authorities and brought this issue to their attention.

Since then we have co-operated with the relevant authorities and ensured they have had all the information they required to complete their investigation.

“All our employees undergo the mandatory industry checks before being placed in employment and we take every step to ensure that our clients’ contracts •‒‒‒‒‒→ and financial records are secure. In light of this investigation, we are now taking the necessary steps to avoid any further incidents.” ●

Outgoing Adecco chief executive of UK & Ireland Peter Searle is exploring setting up a global mobility group as his next challenge.

Searle, who has amassed almost 28 years’ service on and off at the group, has stepped down from his role at the recruitment giant, to be replaced

by US national John Marshall in the role of CEO for UK & Ireland.

More: http://bit. ly/1Km1mNA

STEALING ALMOST

£20K

OWED TO AGENCY WORKERS.

More: http://bit.ly/1Y3SQbT

28 YE AR S’ SE RV IC E

More: http://bit.ly/1iJwOuP

“He never compromised on his integrity … For me, he always had a win, even if he didn’t get the business” GEOFF NEWMAN

I M AG E S | A L A M Y / EY EV IN E / ISTO C K / PA / P ER H A N SEN / ROSS PARRY SYNDICAT ION / REUT ERS

p10_11_the month that was.indd 11

WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 11

16/09/2015 16:45

NE WS

£7m

CONTRACTS

IS THE POTENTIAL VALUE FOR BERRY RECRUITMENT OF ITS NEW CONTRACT WITH GESTAMP

CONTRACT & DEALS

Berry Recruitment Specialist recruiter Berry Recruitment has won a contract with Spanish-owned car parts manufacturer Gestamp in Cannock, Staffordshire. The deal, potentially worth £7m annually, sees the recruiter supplying up to 350 temporary staff across a range of roles, including general operators, engineers, forklift drivers and welders.

CDI US-based engineering and IT recruiter CDI has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire ScaleneWorks People Solutions, a privately-held talent acquisition solutions provider in India, for an undisclosed sum. The company also announced a partnership with recruiters Acro Service and Mastech to supply services to Congruent Talent, a newly-formed, minority-owned company.

Cross Country Healthcare US healthcare staffing specialist Cross Country Healthcare has completed the previously announced sale of its education business, Cross Country Education, to non-profit organisation PESI for US$8m (£5.2m), plus potential consideration of $0.5m. Net proceeds from the transaction will finance further investments for revenue growth, including future acquisitions, according to a company statement.

Experis IT, finance and engineering recruiter Experis, part of ManpowerGroup, is to acquire the majority ownership of Canadian IT consulting firm Veritaaq. The deal complements Experis’s organic growth in Canada.

Kelly Services Global recruiter Kelly Services’ US arm was awarded a three-year, US$585m (£383m) contract with the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The deal will see Kelly provide scientific, technical and other professional support services to all of the 27 NIH institutes and centres. The NIH is part of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Reffind Mobile employee engagement app Reffind has signed a deal with the Asia-Pacific arm of global recruiter Randstad. Randstad’s technologies division can use the app to push relevant job vacancies to candidates in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

Servoca acquires A+ Teachers Specialist outsourcing and recruitment solutions provider Servoca has bought A+ Teachers for an initial £1.55m. In addition, Servoca will pay a further £2.13m, subject to A+ Teachers meeting certain profit targets for the two years following acquisition.

The deal adds to Servoca’s education recruitment business in Hertfordshire, a geographical area where it did not have a presence.

DEAL OF THE MONTH

OUTSOURCING Japanese recruiter OUTSOURCING is on the acquisition trail, carrying out deals in both Australia and Europe.

next few years, OUTSOURCING will make additional payments, bringing the total price up to an estimated ¥1,814m.

It acquired Australian recruiter Bluefin Resources Group in August for ¥1,728m (£8.8m). Based on Bluefin’s financial results over the

Melbourne and Sydney-based Bluefin provides specialist recruitment services across technology, risk, banking and marketing sectors.

12 RECRUITER

p12 contract deals.indd 12

OCTOBER 2015

OUTSOURCING has since bought a 65% stake in UK and Belgium-based Ntrinsic Holdings and Ntrinsic Consulting Resources. The companies provide independent, freelance Oracle software consultants in 18 European countries. The total price tag was ¥1,241m.

Solutions Driven and ORS Partners Scotland-based multi-sector recruiter Solutions Driven has formed a strategic partnership with Philadelphia, USbased recruiter ORS Partners. The partnership allows both firms to expand their international operations, leveraging each other’s strengths.

StaffingBoss Singaporeheadquartered applicant tracking software platform StaffingBoss has partnered with international Japanese recruiter Intelligence. The deal is intended to help Intelligence’s Indonesian expansion.

Wise Group Swedish recruiter Wise Group is to acquire the Swedish operations of talent management system provider Comaea International. Wise is to pay SEK19.5m (£1.5m) in cash, plus an additional sum dependent on Comaea’s sales development this year and next. It has also invested in Norwegian app Instacruit, which connects recruiters and jobseekers, paying SEK2m for a 25% stake and a position on the board.

More contract news at recruiter.co.uk/news 16/09/2015 14:19

NEW OPTIONS FOR THE NEW ERA New Brochure - New Insights - New Approach Z ^ 'ƌŽƵƉ ŚĂƐ ĚĞǀĞůŽƉĞĚ Ă ǀĂƌŝĞƚLJ ŽĨ ŇĞdžŝďůĞ ƉĂLJƌŽůů ƐŽůƵƟŽŶƐ ĨŽƌ ƚĞŵƉŽƌĂƌLJ ƌĞĐƌƵŝƚĞƌƐ ĂŶĚ ĐŽŶƚƌĂĐƚŽƌƐ ĚĞƐŝŐŶĞĚ ƚŽ ĐŽŵƉůLJ ǁŝƚŚ Ăůů ŶĞǁ ůĞŐŝƐůĂƟŽŶ ďĞŝŶŐ introduced in April 2016.

We invite agency owners and consultants to join RACS 'ƌŽƵƉ Ăƚ Ă ǀĂƌŝĞƚLJ ŽĨ ĞdžŚŝďŝƟŽŶƐ ĂŶĚ ƐĞŵŝŶĂƌƐ ƚŽ ĮŶĚ ŽƵƚ ŵŽƌĞ ĂďŽƵƚ ŽƵƌ ŶĞǁ ƉƌŽĚƵĐƚ ŽƉƟŽŶƐ ǁŚŝĐŚ ĨƵůůLJ ĂĚŚĞƌĞ to all HM Revenue & Customs guidelines, both now and in the new era. dŽ ƉƌĞͲĂƌƌĂŶŐĞ Ă ĐŽŶƐƵůƚĂƟŽŶ ǁŝƚŚ ŽƵƌ ƐĞŶŝŽƌ ƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ Development team at any of these events, please email agencycare@racsgroup.com or telephone 0845 604 0571.

JOIN US AT THESE EVENTS...

Recruitment Agency Expo

TES SEN Show

Recruiter Show

Wednesday 30th September & Thursday 1st October NEC STAND Birmingham C17

Friday 9th & Saturday 10th October Business Design Centre London

Wednesday 18th & Thursday 19th November Barbican Centre STAND London G7

Head Office RACS Group House, Three Horseshoes Walk Warminster, Wiltshire. BA12 9BT

REC.10.15.013.indd 13

STAND

195

0845 604 0571 info@racsgroup.com racsgroup.com

15/09/2015 10:45

TRE NDS

INSIGHT

THE CONUNDRUM OF MOBILISING GLOBAL TALENT With the growth of expatriate talent set to rise, Colin Cottell looks behind the latest research on the state of play within global mobility

T

he number of internationally mobile employees in large international companies is set to grow by 50% by 2020, according to PwC’s Talent Mobility 2020 report.

Global organisations are already hosting assignees in more countries than ever before, says PwC, and this is set to rise still higher to an average of 33 countries in 2020.

Such an unprecedented explosion in global mobility of talent heightens the need for companies to constantly improve the way they design, implement and manage their internationally mobile talent and global mobility (GM) programmes and strategies. So a report by the RES Forum, a community of senior in-house HR professionals from more than 35 countries, is timely.

The report, ‘Strategic Global Mobility & the Talent Management Conundrum’, is published in the forum’s annual report 2015. Based on a survey of the forum’s members, it reviews the current state of play within global mobility. While it finds evidence of good practice, it also finds considerable room for improvement, leading to a number of important conclusions and recommendations.

The report, authored by Michael F Dickman, professor of international human resource management at Cranfield University School of Management, finds that by far the most important driver for expatriation of talent is to address an immediate business need, with 84% of respondents saying this is very important or important. The next

14 RECRUITER

p14_15_recruiter_trends.indd 14

OCTOBER 2015

most significant drivers are providing country/business leaders and developing senior future leaders.

The survey emphasises how important it is for multinational companies (MNCs) that their talent is internationally mobile, with 71% saying this is vital for them to assess their key talent.

Despite the clear benefits to MNCs of having talent that is globally mobile, the report reveals that up to 31% of organisations have less than 40% of the assignees they need. This is despite 80% of MNCs stating that an overseas assignment is important for the career progression of their executive and senior managers. The report notes that only a quarter of companies assess whether employees are likely to be internationally mobile when they are first recruited into the organisation.

In light of this, the report suggests MNCs do more to market the career and personal development benefits of international assignments to their employees. That might be easier said than done, because although a third of companies say international assignments benefit assignees’ careers, a further third are unsure whether this is the case, admitting this is not something they monitor.

Although the absence of this data casts some doubt on whether being globally mobile benefits an employee’s career, the report finds there are other positive effects, including higher levels of employee engagement. However, this is not uniform across the workforce, with engagement at 88% being highest among 25-34-year-olds, and only 20% for those aged between 55 and 64.

One of the key measures of success

ONE OF THE KEY MEASURES OF

SUCCESS IN GM IS WHAT HAPPENS AFTER AN ASSIGNEE RETURNS HOME

in GM is what happens after an assignee returns home. Research has shown there is a heightened risk of repatriates leaving the organisation within a year of returning. A key factor influencing whether a repatriate leaves or is retained is whether they gain a position that builds on the new skills they have developed abroad, and whether the employee sees their new

IM AGE | SHUT T ERSTOCK

16/09/2015 14:20

POWER POINTS

1 2 3

When selecting individuals for an international assignment, choose those who are open-minded, behaviourally flexible, resilient, and have the ability to deal with uncertainty and ambiguity.

Choose a job for the candidate that is a stretch assignment, but not too much of a stretch. Remember: adjusting to a new team and environment abroad is already a big challenge.

Before the assignee goes abroad, have a detailed discussion with them about the assignment and how it fits in with their career plans and objectives.

Equally, ask yourself whether the move and the assignee’s future career plans are consistent with the longer-term strategic talent needs of the organisation.

4 5 6

Provide cultural training and language classes aimed at helping the individual integrate into the new environment. And don’t forget to provide help and support for the expatriate’s family.

Allocate the assignee a host country/mentor or ‘buddy’ to whom they can go for support and advice.

After an assignee returns to their home country, help them to reintegrate back into the environment and into their new role.

Assign the repatriate a ‘repatriation champion’, who is responsible for placing them into a new role.

↗ MICHAEL F DICKMAN is author of the report ‘Strategic Global Mobility & the Talent Management Conundrum’, and is professor of international HR management at Cranfield University School of Management

role as career progression. According to the report, the evidence is mixed on how seriously companies take this issue.

While 55% of MNCs guarantee employment on return, only 31% actually have a person assigned as a ‘repatriation champion’ within their organisation, who is responsible for placing repatriates. Companies with higher ranking ‘repatriation champions’ are seen as more effective in securing the right type of position for returning employees than more lowly managers.

Another issue referred to in the report exposes a lack of long-term career planning, with only 43% of MNCs considering the expatriate’s future role

at the point of assignee selection.

However, the report also notes areas of good practice, such as how MNCs are making efforts to take into account the views and experiences of assignees, and using this to inform and refine their GM and international talent programmes and strategies.

Almost a quarter of firms use an annual assignee satisfaction survey, while others use post-arrival assignment surveys to assignees.

MNCs are also focusing a lot of attention on measuring the return on investment (ROI) of their GM programmes and talent strategy, says the report. As well as considering the employee’s effectiveness in the role, and whether the business objectives have

been achieved, 31% of firms surveyed indicate that post-assignment employee retention is an important factor in assessing whether an international assignment is a good ROI. More than one in three (35%) say that development of local talent is a key factor.

All in all, while GM and HR professionals are doing some things well, they must up their game if the voracious appetite for internationally mobile talent is going to be met. ●

JOSE SEGADE of the RES Forum will be speaking at Recruiter’s The Recruiter Show at London’s Barbican Centre on 18-19 November.

WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 15

p14_15_recruiter_trends.indd 15

16/09/2015 14:20

Payroll • Credit Control • Invoicing • 100% Funding • Debt Protection

WE ARE DIFFERENT.

We stand out from the crowd when it comes to service.

Call us on 01 260 280 290 For more information on our unique service, go to

www.backofficesupportservices.co.uk/different

REC.10.15.016.indd 16

15/09/2015 10:46

T R E N DS

TECH & TOOLS

Pulling people in through portals Get your gateway right and you’ll keep hold of your talent SUE WEEKES

DEFINED: IMPO RTANCE O F PO RTAL S A web portal is a specially designed web page bringing information together, often considered as an entry point or gateway to a main website. Why do we need a portal when we have career site with vacancies, employee videos and other information about working for the organisation? True, a portal can feature similar/duplicate information but the key difference is that a portal can take the relationship with the candidate a stage further than the corporate careers site. It can also reinforce the brand values and demonstrate good practice in the recruitment process far more than a career site can. You can respond to the candidate’s queries, keep them informed about their application and, if they aren’t successful this time round, explain that they have been moved to a talent pool.

There is a fine line between a corporate careers site and a career or candidate portal but they both perform different functions.

“Once a candidate is in the realms of a portal, they expect self-service tools and the ability to communicate with the recruitment team, whether it is about career routes, the application process or onboarding,” says Chris Bogh, technical director at recruitment

F IVE KEY POINTS

software provider Eploy. “You need to think of them as two different things that work together.”

A candidate or career portal, which establishes a personalised and live connection between a prospective employee and an organisation, can make the difference between an individual simply browsing your corporate site for vacancies or deciding that your company is a great place to work.

➊ GIVE THEM OWNERSHIP

➋ INTERACT AND ENGAGE

➌ OBEY THE RULES

➍ SEAMLESS JOURNEY

➎ ENSURE

The portal’s function is to build the relationship between the organisation and the candidate. These aren’t people who have casually checked out your job vacancies and quickly moved on; they are showing a real interest in working for the organisation.

Personalise the experience as much as possible and make sure they feel ownership of their section of the portal. Make it easy for them to register and create a user profile.

“I would expect to be able to use a social profile to register and to upload my CV from cloud storage,” says Bogh.

Do not overload the portal with dry and textheavy content. “A great career portal relies on interactive tools that really engage users,” says Joanne Parker, head of digital and communications at People 1st, which has created portals for the hospitality industry.

“Our career map [on the Hospitality Guild site] is a great example of this, giving users a visual representation of the progression routes available.”

Similarly, don’t simply post a list of job vacancies but allow a candidate to click through to an authentic ‘day in the life’ of an employee in that position. “Candidates are not just looking for advice, they want to hear firsthand from others who’ve experienced the industry,” Parker explains.

A career portal may perform a different function to a career site but clients sometimes forget that many of the same rules relating to usability and ease-ofaccess still apply, says Russell Dalton, director of Basis Media, which provides career sites and related online services to a number of organisations.

“The goal is for candidates to apply or register so we can begin to build a talent database,” he says, adding that while employers should “think big” because this is essentially their shop window, “even wow-factor ideas need to be quickly understood”.

And ensure this user experience extends to the mobile environment.

“Remember, 86% of users will visit your site on a mobile device,” he says.

Typically, the portal will intersect with the organisation’s applicant tracking system (ATS) once an individual applies for a position. How it does this can make the difference between keeping and losing a candidate. “Candidates want to remain on the same site,” says Dalton. “So ensure this is a seamless journey.”

As well as a smooth experience technically, it also needs to be seamless in terms of the brand.

Bogh says even some big consumer names still aren’t following through with their own branding once the candidate applies and finds themselves in the ATS. “You really need to think about the journey and ensure you try the candidate experience for yourself,” he says. “The website/portal will have been built by a third party or internally, and the ATS provided by the software vendor. The discussions sometimes happen separately, but the two sides need to work together.”

This consistency should apply to every aspect of the portal and its content.

Dalton explains that candidates expect the brands they know and love to put the same level of care and excitement into their career offering as they do their consumer site. “Same impact, same creative delivery,” he says.

And Bogh agrees, adding that a consistent voice is crucial. “If the brand talks in one way but the job descriptions and emails/ communication from the recruitment team talk in another, a candidate will notice. It is vital everyone involved takes on board the importance of tone of voice.”

I L L UST RAT I O N | ISTO C K

p17_recruiter_techandtools.indd 17

CONSISTENCY

WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 17

16/09/2015 14:21

C

INTE R AC TIO N

AGENCY VIEW

Firefighting has changed Assessment should move with the times RAY WORRELL

ecently I read in the local paper about a firefighter who was retiring after 30 years in the service. While he did not consider himself to have had a remarkable career, his story brought home firefighters’ incredible range of skills and abilities, not to mention their bravery.

Many a child has dreamt of being a firefighter and, each year, thousands of people apply to join the service. Most won’t make the grade.

Identifying those who genuinely make the grade is critical, especially given how the service has changed over recent years and continues to develop.

A focus on prevention has reduced the number of fires, but firefighters are involved in a greater range of incidents, including water rescues and chemical spillages. New technology and communication systems require new skills, and diversity issues and cultural awareness have a higher profile. Perhaps most significantly, extensive cuts have taken their toll.

Changing requirements must be considered when looking at how to recruit and assess such highly skilled individuals.

Is the national process used by a number of fire services

R

+ RAY WORRELL is client partner and sector lead for emergency services, TMP Worldwide

18 RECRUITER

OCTOBER 2015

p18_19_recruiter_agency_soapbox.indd 18

“The real benefit of a more rigorous testing process is a higher standard of recruit that should, in turn, lead to more lives being saved”

still fit for purpose? Does it reflect the changing landscape and the capabilities required? Does it mark out the best candidates for progression to strategic leadership roles? Is it relevant to a broad range of groups, taking into account cultural, race and gender considerations? Does it make best use of resources while treating candidates in the most appropriate manner as they go through the process?

Our only option is to review recruitment and assessment processes. It’s the only way we can ensure we recruit the best talent to a service that meets today’s challenges and requirements.

To compare recruitment with technology: what would happen if today’s firefighters were using the same equipment as they did in the 1980s when the firefighter mentioned above started out? There were no thermal imaging cameras and no GPS, and breathing apparatus was less sophisticated. Firefighters would still do a phenomenal job but at greater risk and fewer lives would be saved. There are obvious differences, but abilities can be considered in a similar way.

We recently worked with West Midlands Fire and Rescue, and spoke to managers and firefighters who knew the job inside out.

The conclusion was that, to get the best candidates, how they were tested and assessed early in the process had to change. Online tests were created, and a situational judgement test ensured candidates’ decision-making and team-working skills were robustly measured.

The results were a better organisational fit at a much lower cost and a shorter time to hire.

These and other elements brought the process up to date, created new challenges for candidates and improved the possibilities of success and career development once in post.

Over time, we will find out if retention improves. The real benefit of a more rigorous testing process is a higher standard of recruit that should, in turn, lead to more lives being saved.

We need to move with the times, and do things differently to make sure we continue to get the best people as roles develop (and don’t lose any along the way). The risks are too great not to. ● IM AGE | ISTOCK

16/09/2015 14:23

T WEET I N T E R AC T I O N

SOUNDBITES S OA P BOX / W EB CHAT

NHS CAP IS A CRUDE, BLUNT INSTRUMENT

“Is there an issue around jobseekers with visible tattoos and if so, how do you deal with it?”

HUGH WOODS BALLARD

In response to NHS agency cap divides recruiters (2 September, recruiter.co.uk), it is positive that recruitment agencies who charge excessive rates are being targeted and we support the government in its aim to reduce overall agency spend on staff. We also agree that using framework agencies supports this goal by managing charge rates and ensuring patient safety through the agency audit system that these frameworks follow.

However, introducing an overall cap, just as the pressures of winter are about to start, is a crude and blunt instrument that doesn’t address the real issue — the lack of qualified nurses within the NHS. It is unclear whether the proposed caps, between 3% and 12% of overall staff spend, is comparative to current spending and so it is impossible to judge whether these proposals are realistic or not.

Any measures must be carefully considered before being introduced. For example, the confusion over capping pay and margin rates, if done together, would appear anti-competitive. I would suggest a cap on rates would be more realistic.

This is not forgetting the non-framework agencies whose businesses will be wiped out unless they are somehow allowed onto a framework.

In short, this is a knee-jerk reaction that will cause everyone — the NHS and agencies alike — pain in the short term.

TAKE CARE OVER AGENCY MARGINS LIZ C

Recruiters back care homes warning over ‘living wage’ (20 August, recruiter.co.uk) is an interesting article. I would be really interested to know the average margin an agency would charge on a typical £7.20 per hour care worker. Similarly, whether the private and local authority care homes have knowledge and visibility of the margin levels.

High-volume, low-paid roles should equate to low margin for agencies. If this is shown not to be the case then I absolutely believe the agency margin should absorb a large proportion of this additional cost.

I’ve heard some horror stories of agencies charging 50%+ and clients having absolutely no idea what the pay vs charge rates are.

MAX BARNARD RES OURCIN G A N D BR A N D IN G MA N AG ER , S OUT H LON D O N A N D MAUDS L EY N H S FOUN DAT I ON T RUST

“For us, it’s not a problem — we’re very much inclusive.

Mental health as an industry attracts a wide range of people. If you walk around our wards and even around our corporate offices, you will see people with tattoos on their hands, arms and necks. We’re engaging with service users from a wide variety of backgrounds as well, so we may well be dealing with someone that’s got 100 tattoos or no tattoos. We’re not really that interested in appearance in terms of what’s on someone’s skin.

It’s much more about: Are you listening to me? Are you engaging with me? Are you making time for me? Are you following through with what you say you’re going to?”

JOE HETHERINGTON T EA M L EA D ER , S UBS URFACE A N D EN G IN EERI N G , EX IM I U S E N E RGY

“As a recruitment consultant to the energy sector, I haven’t encountered an issue with visible tattoos. Certainly in the subsurface and engineering market, what’s important is candidates’ experience and quality of work. I don’t believe there should be discrimination against candidates with tattoos. However, if there is an issue across certain industries and roles, perhaps the client should make the final judgement rather than the recruiter. We focus on assessing a candidate’s ability to fulfil the requirements of the role and to fit within the client’s team.”

JASON WALKER MA N AG IN G D I REC TOR , H AYS IN N EW Z EA L A N D

“As tattoos become more commonplace, New Zealand employers have become more accepting of jobseekers with visible tattoos than employers in many other countries. Having said this, a client would never disclose whether or not a tattoo played a part in their decision not to hire a candidate. Certainly, employers will ask if a candidate is happy to cover a tattoo if they are interviewing for a customer-facing role; however, it is unlikely that candidates of Maori descent [indigenous to Aotearoa New Zealand] with a traditional ta moko tattoo would ever be told they must cover it up. Our advice to candidates is to find out before interviewing for a position whether a tattoo is acceptable in the workplace.”

WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 19

p18_19_recruiter_agency_soapbox.indd 19

16/09/2015 14:23

TH E B IG STO RY R APHAEL MOK ADES

RAPHAEL MOKADES: A RARE CHANCE TO GET RID OF INEQUALITY PHOTOGRAPHY PAL HANSEN

BY COLIN COTTELL

20 RECRUITER

p20_25_recruiter_bigstory.indd 20

OCTOBER 2015

16/09/2015 14:24

“I would love to say there is no inequality anywhere and basically we have done our job, let’s wind up”

WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 21

p20_25_recruiter_bigstory.indd 21

16/09/2015 14:24

TH E B IG STO RY R APHAEL MOK ADES

R In keeping with the name of his company, Raphael Mokades, founder and managing director of Rare Recruitment, has an unusual approach to his chosen profession. So when, near the end of a long interview with him at Rare Recruitment’s offices in London’s Clerkenwell, he announces, “I would love to put myself out of business”, it hardly comes as a surprise.

It may appear an odd ambition for a man, who after setting up Rare Recruitment in 2005, and growing it into a seven-figure annual turnover firm with an enviable client list, clearly continues to relish what he is doing.

But in fact, there is absolutely no mystery about it.

For the fast-talking and erudite Mokades, recruitment has never simply been about placing people into jobs.

He has always had at least one eye on the bigger picture: the greater goal of eliminating inequality in employment in the UK. “I would love to say there is no inequality anywhere and basically we have done our job, let’s wind up,” he says. However, he adds: “I think that day is some years off.”

Government statistics from May this year that 37% of people from a black and ethnic minority (BME) background aged 16-24 are unemployed, compared with 20% of white people, bear out the continuing extent of the problem.

Yet for Mokades, disadvantage on the grounds of ethnicity and social background not only covers employment, but education, the ▶ 22 RECRUITER

p20_25_recruiter_bigstory.indd 22

R

“If you want to have the best people, you have to give people from different backgrounds an equal chance to succeed by creating a level playing field”

OCTOBER 2015

16/09/2015 14:25

Expert opinion SPO NSO RE D COLUMN A N D E R S O N G R O U P

Preparing for the squeeze on agency margins In last month’s Expert Opinion, I looked at how the changes to the Travelling and Subsistence expenses (T&S) rules, due to come into force next April, are likely to affect contractors. This month, I gaze into my slightly murky crystal ball and try to predict what impact these amendments will have on recruitment agencies in the temporary worker sector.

B

y now, most medium to large agencies will be operating a Preferred Supplier List (PSL) or, in the absence of a PSL, an Approved Supplier List (ASL).

With Onshore Intermediary Legislation reporting well and truly upon us and with it, the need to have only compliant suppliers, it would be foolish not to have either of these in place by now. Many will have also negotiated a ‘processing’ fee or ‘management’ charge back to those Umbrella companies, who also benefit from such an arrangement, by receiving consolidated and clean time/ invoicing data from the agency. (Incidentally, there is nothing wrong with this mutually beneficial arrangement).

However, in the face of the loss of Umbrella workers’ tax benefits when claiming T&S expenses at source, it is unlikely that most Umbrella companies will be able to justify their fees (at least, at historic levels). In addition, the new rules affecting Salary Sacrifice and Dispensations also call into question exactly how Umbrellas will operate after April 2016.

Although we do not yet know the exact wording of the new regulations, the one thing we can be sure of is that Umbrella companies will no longer have sufficient margin to maintain agency processing/management fees at today’s level.

In addition, agencies will come under increasing margin pressure from contractors, whose take-home pay will be reduced by the loss of tax-free T&S. The compound effect of all these changes is bound to have a profound impact on agency margins. Indeed, with contracting no longer as appealing to contractors who, in their eyes at least, will be receiving a raw tax deal in return for remaining part of a flexible workforce, the ready supply of contractors is also likely to become scarce.

While there is no doubt that contracting will continue after April 2016 and with it, the need for agencies to remain in business to supply temporary workers; the most successful agencies must plan ahead and think about how to remain profitable. If gross margin is squeezed, then overheads must reduce to compensate. Now is the right time to think about outsourcing noncore functions to specialist partners, who can process tasks faster, more efficiently and at lower cost than an agency. A good business process outsourcing (BPO) firm will soon become an integral part of any successful agency’s operations and enable it to focus on fee earning activities instead. Typical processes that suit outsourcing include CV verification, wake-up calls, time sheet data collection, sales and supplier ledger, monthly accounting and reporting, for example.

Some agencies may be reluctant to consider outsourcing as part of their future strategy but it is far better to investigate the options now, rather than being forced to do so in a panic sometime next year. ●

+ Barry Roback, Director, Anderson Group

Barry Roback is a director of Anderson Group who operate employment solutions for many thousands of contractors, as well as BPO services for recruitment and non-recruitment businesses, from a network of global offices.

↗ ANDERSON GROUP specialise in providing employment management solutions to recruitment agencies and their temporary contractors.

For further information please visit: www.andersongroup.uk.com Telephone: 0333 8000 800 Email: enquiries@andersongroup.uk.com

WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 23

REC.10.15.023.indd 23

16/09/2015 17:09

TH E B IG STO RY R APHAEL MOK ADES

gateway into good jobs and satisfying careers.

So what gets him out of bed in the morning? He cites a 2014 statistic from education charity the Sutton Trust. “[The fact that] five elite schools sent as many students to Oxbridge in one academic year as 1,800 state schools put together isn’t a bad place to start,” he says.

Rare tools Further evidence of Mokades’ continuing commitment to the cause of eradicating inequality comes from a new product launched at the beginning of September. Rare Recruitment’s contextual recruitment system (CRS) is designed to redress what Mokades sees as the inherent unfairness in the way employers recruit.

Tailored for graduate recruitment and undergraduate work placements, Mokades says the idea is to help employers identify candidates who don’t necessarily shine on paper, but who, when their background is taken into account, turn out to be the “jewels” that would otherwise be missed. “If you want to have the best people, you have to give people from different backgrounds an equal chance to succeed by creating a level playing field,” he says, W H O I ShisHphilosophy.

E? summarising He invents two fictional graduates, Sarah and Mary, to explain how if using traditional paper-based recruitment methods, Sarah may lose out. This is not because Mary is brighter, but because of Mary’s privileged background, education and “snazzy work experience”, he explains.

Even though both achieved AAB at A-Level, the CRS flags up that Sarah actually outperformed the rest of her school by 40%, whereas Mary underperformed her classmates. “If you can see that Sarah outperformed by that much, and you can see the personal context, you can say she is a) smart and b) resilient. I want to interview her, and I don’t care if she has no snazzy work experience because looking at her social 24 RECRUITER

background, it is not a sign of anything except that she is working class, which this software tells me.” In addition to the candidate’s school, other pieces of data used to flag up applicants that would otherwise not have made the cut include whether they were eligible for free school meals, and whether they were the first person in their family to attend university.

After successfully integrating Rare’s 5,000-strong candidate database, including contextual data with seven different applicant tracking systems (ATSs) in the market, the new tool is being marketed completely separately to the firm’s retained services.

The system has already been used by a number of Rare Recruitment’s law firm clients, who have been provided with contextualised data for the candidates that Rare has been sending them since last year. So far, among eight law firms there has been a 44% year-on-year increase in the number of Rare’s candidates taken on, with most of those coming from disadvantaged backgrounds. “You can’t prove causality, but any normal person looking at that would conclude that

some people who are being brought through to interview would otherwise not have been seen,” says Mokades.

A spokesperson from City law firm Ashurst agrees the contextual data helped it to spot “how totally exceptional certain candidates were” and led it to interview candidates “it wouldn’t have seen otherwise”.

Mokades is aware of the argument that the use of contextual data moves away from the principle of recruitment on merit. However, he is forthright in

W H O I S H E?

Raphael Mokades 2005 to present Founder and managing director, Rare Recruitment 2002-2005 Diversity manager, Pearson 2001-2002 Management trainee, Financial Times 1997-2001 Oxford University

Rare Recruitment Founded 2005 Staff 23 Around 70% of staff from black and minority ethnic backgrounds 5,000+ candidates on firm’s database. 95%+ from ethnic minority backgrounds and 80% from state schools Makes more than 900 placements graduate and undergraduate placements a year Clients include Slaughter & May, Boston Consulting Group, Civil Service Fast Stream , Teach First and KPMG

OCTOBER 2015

p20_25_recruiter_bigstory.indd 24

16/09/2015 14:25

T H E BIG STORY R A PH A E L M O K A D E S

its defence. “No one will get rejected because of contextual data,” he says.

“The yeses will remain yeses and the nos will remain nos. This system helps recruiters make decisions on borderline cases. This is extra information that helps you make a decision… It’s about a true meritocracy — colour blind, class blind, access blind.” He points out that the use of contextual data is nothing new, with many universities using it as part of their student admission process.

Perhaps it is no surprise that Mokades, who when writing about his own background in the Guardian, described himself as “I’m black and I’m brown and I’m a brother and I’m Indian and I’m Jewish and I’m Muslim”, has managed to combine the business of recruitment with the quest for social justice. “I have always been interested in social justice,” he says, recalling how at Oxford University, he worked on a scheme to get inner city and ethnic minority pupils into higher education.

Rare career path After starting his career as a management trainee at the Financial Times, Mokades moved to education publisher Pearson where, as diversity manager, he doubled the proportion of employees from ethnic minorities from 5% to 11%, achieved in part by his insistence that recruitment agencies provided data on the ethnicity of the candidates they submitted.

When one of Pearson’s four agencies suggested that the reason for their 3% figure was because “we know what kind of people are successful here”, Mokades pointed out that the success rate of their candidates was far inferior to that of the other three agencies. “I suggested to them they should think again. Lo and behold,” he continues, “three months later they were at 17%, which tells you that they were deliberately holding people back on the grounds of race. I am sure that sort of thing is unusual, but I have seen it and I think it’s not right.”

It was also at Pearson, where Mokades says he came to the realisation that more needed to be done to help young people, particularly from black and ethnic minority backgrounds. “I could see that there were a lot of very good people from under-represented groups coming out

of universities and that firms were keen to improve their diversity but for one reason or another at that time the two weren’t connecting.

“I could see there was a role for somebody to really listen to these young people to help them work out what they want to do, and to connect them with employers.”

However, after setting up Rare Recruitment in 2005, he began to realise that simply connecting

forms and interviews, to group exercises and assessment centres.

A closely related strand of the firm’s work is Target Oxbridge, a programme that helps pupils from under-represented groups get into Oxbridge. “If you have severe underrepresentation of a particular group at those universities, it is almost inevitable that you have this same underrepresentation in the top echelons of employment and public life,” argues

“It’s about a true meritocracy — colour blind, class blind, access blind” disadvantaged people with employers wasn’t enough. The next phase was to help address what he describes as “deficits in social and cultural capital and knowledge” that can make all the difference between a candidate being selected and not selected.

Rare environment To help them feel at home in a working environment, candidates accepted onto Rare’s books spend time in client companies, he says, while Rare is “very big on giving people things that lawyers, techies or civil servants actually do”, such as a real case study or a real coding exercise. “They start to feel not only that they can be in a place like this but they can ‘do’ in a place like this,” he says. Candidates also go through gruelling one-on-one interview-type sessions.

Every candidate is provided with one-to-one personal development sessions and given a coach. To help prepare them for their applications, they also receive help with everything from numeracy tests to applications

Mokades. The 40% success rate of those on last year’s programme compares favourably with the pro bono initiatives of top independent schools, he says.

While development programmes remain a vital part of Rare’s work, Mokades has come to believe they are not enough to overcome the biases within recruitment resulting from candidates’ backgrounds. Although “the best firms are now bending over themselves to be fair” to candidates, and things “have got much better” at the entry level since he started the company. “It remains difficult to have a completely fair process,” he says.

“Despite working very hard and having very good grades, many candidates weren’t getting interviews, which is why we became involved in our clients’ assessment processes, understanding why people were and weren’t getting through, and that is where the idea of contextual data came from.” With a new tool in his armoury, and his passion undimmed, it is unlikely Mokades will be realising his ambition to wind down Rare Recruitment any time soon. ● WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 25

p20_25_recruiter_bigstory.indd 25

16/09/2015 14:25

INSIG HT O N FUT U RE TALENT

A

A new report by GradWeb finds the UK is currently a seller’s market for savvy graduates for the first time in eight years — meaning a generation who knows their apps from their elbows

BY MIKE NESBIT

he goal of every recruiter is to be able to read their candidate’s potential performance at a company and hence predict their ability to progress in the role for which they are being considered.

To do this, they need robust assessment processes, interviews and tests. It’s a long process and no more so than when the assessment process is for upcoming graduates.

To nudge the industry closer to the ideal, graduate recruitment specialist GradWeb’s ‘Future Talent Insights Report 2015’ aims to answer some key questions and also makes some recommendations to improve the process.

The two-part report, now in its second year, analysed hundreds of thousands of items of data at various stages of the recruitment process, across a number of sectors and organisations. The result is an attempt to lay out for its readers an educated path built to help them do the right things, in the right ways and in the right places to maximise their chances of success in what it anticipates is going to be the most fiercely contested graduate jobs market for nearly a decade.

T

TENSE TIMES; FUTURE PERFECT? Seller’s market

Skills gaps across sectors, disciplines and even basic employability knowhow are so well known as to be a cliché in the UK, with many graduates not meeting the hiring requirements even if they are available and interested in the roles on offer.

According to the Association of Graduate Recruiters’ (AGR) last Winter Survey, its members reported 1,422 vacancies went unfilled, despite

26 RECRUITER

p26_43_recruiter_feature.indd 26

OCTOBER 2015

16/09/2015 14:28

national headlines saying that 15% of young people were unable to find work in the first year of leaving full-time education.

The issue though is not just the fault of seemingly inexperienced graduates but also that of off-the-mark employers, the report suggests. It is often the recruiters who need to get better at tapping into graduates’ true capability and thus avoid accidentally screening out appropriate candidates who have the potential to succeed in employment.

It also behoves the employer to establish deeper relationships with local universities to provide support to students as they prepare to enter the world of work — and thus identify talent earlier in the recruitment process. It’s a move that will also enable recruiters to build an emerging talent strategy that’s viable to the current graduate market.

The report finds that in 2015, a seller’s market is in place for the first time since 2007. Graduates who have been both successful academically and have built up such strengths as resilience, communicating & influencing, innovation, analytical thinking, strategic thinking and adaptability/managing change have always been in demand, but will be ▶

5

TOP FIVE UNIVERSITIES BY SECTOR ‘F U T U R E TA L E N T I N S I G H T S R E P ORT 2 0 1 5 ’

Automotive ➊ Loughborough ➋ Sheffield ➌ Birmingham ➍ Strathcylde ➎ Nottingham

Transport & Logistics ➊ Sheffield Hallam ➋ Loughborough ➌ Lancaster ➍ Birmingham ➎ York

Banking & financial services ➊ Warwick ➋ University College London ➌ London School of Economics ➍ Imperial College London ➎ Oxford

Engineering ➊ Nottingham ➋ Sheffield ➌ University College London ➍ Oxford ➎ Manchester

Key questions asked in the ‘Future Talent Insights Report 2015’ ➊ What key criteria most effectively predict future success? Has this changed from 2014? ➋ Which exercises are more effective than others at predicting success in a recruitment process? Has this changed from 2014? ➌ What action can recruiters, employers and even graduates take to improve their conversion rates further? ➍ How can we minimise adverse impact or bias and improve diversity? ➎ How can we standardise our assessment processes so they can be utilised globally? ➏ What innovative solutions can we introduce (ie, what is particularly important in 2015 and are there any new developments from last year?)

p26_43_recruiter_feature.indd 27

Fast-moving consumer goods ➊ Birmingham ➋ Nottingham ➌ Manchester ➍ Sheffield ➎ Loughborough Oil, gas & energy ➊ Imperial College London ➋ Durham ➌ Strathclyde ➍ Nottingham ➎ Oxford

Technology ➊ Loughborough ➋ Aston ➌ Portsmouth ➍ Kent ➎ Sheffield

Public sector ➊ Birmingham ➋ Manchester ➌ Leeds ➍ Sheffield ➎ King’s College, University of London

WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 27

16/09/2015 14:28

EARLY CAREER & GRADUATE SCHOOL

ASSESSMENT SOLUTIONS

7

UNIVERSITY

out of

now find their job through

18-24 year olds

social media

10

Is your application process seamless?

Our modern and impactful early career and graduate assessments ensure a seamless, technology driven, valid assessment process from the moment your candidates apply.

To request one of our new online early career and graduate assessment packs, please contact us at info@savilleconsulting quoting RECMAG2015.

Visit: www.savilleconsulting.com T: +44(0)20 8619 9000 E: info@savilleconsulting.com or Tweet: @savilleconsult REC.10.15.028.indd 28

15/09/2015 10:47

10 I N S IG H T O N F U T U R E TA L E N T

TOP 10 MATHS IS THE FASTEST-GROWING SUBJECT AT A-LEVEL 2005 / 53,000 students taking A-Level maths

2014 / 90,000 students taking A-Level maths

even more firmly in the driving seat this year. The finite population of graduates who meet these criteria required by most graduate recruiters will be in control.

Hurdles Economic recovery is gathering pace in the UK but recruiters are having to do their jobs with more or less the same budget as previous years. Seldom do they see their own department’s funding and resources boosted in line with their own company’s improving financials.

This can present a significant problem for recruiters who are being forced to employ even greater levels of ingenuity and skill to provide comprehensive search strategies that cover all the bases, however often they may change. As a result, recruiters are having to work longer and harder to secure the right candidates for their clients and companies.

Process Building on last year’s inaugural report, the authors of the ‘Future Talent Insights Report 2015’ found that any end-to-end solution needs to be based on job analysis findings to ensure that the ‘success’ criteria are valid.

Briefly this means employers need to critically analyse the roles they are hoping to fill, tailor their interviewing and recruitment tools to suit, take into account the wider social and economic context of applicants, and only then will they have the best chance of achieving a ‘success’ recruitment.

As far as possible the tools and exercises employed in the job analysis need to reflect the organisation’s culture and values as much as possible to give candidates a realistic preview of what the role is really like.

During the assessment process,

‘FUTURE TALENT INSIGHTS REPORT 2015’

TOP 10 UNIVERSITIES FOR APPLICATIONS

TOP 10 UNIVERSITIES FOR CONVERSION RATES

Ranking by number of applications made by university’s students and graduates to participating employers:

Ranking by conversion rate of applications to hires:

➊ University of Manchester ➋ University of Nottingham ➌ University of Warwick ➍ University of Birmingham ➎ University College London ➏ Loughborough University ➐ Imperial College London ➑ University of Leeds ➒ Durham University 10 Aston University

➊ Oxford University ➋ University of Cambridge ➌ Loughborough University ➍ University of Strathclyde ➎ University of St Andrews ➏ University of the West of England ➐ University of Bristol ➑ University of Bath ➒ Imperial College London 10 Bournemouth University

Very little change from 2014 with Manchester, Nottingham, Warwick and Birmingham taking the top slots for numbers of applications their students made to employers.

Oxbridge dominated for the second year. But it does raise the concern that, given the challenges that under-privileged students have in securing a place at a Russell Group university, employers are not really driving change in line with the social mobilty agenda.

TOP 10 UNIVERSITIES FOR OFFERS

TOP 10 UNIVERSITIES FOR WEIGHTED RANKING

Ranking by number of offers made to students by participating employers: ➊ University of Warwick ➋ Loughborough University ➌ University of Birmingham ➍ University College London ➎ University of Manchester ➏ University of Nottingham ➐ Imperial College London ➑ University of Sheffield ➒ Oxford University 10 Aston University The huge engineering departments at Warwick and Loughborough helped keep the two in the top slots. Birmingham saw the biggest increase, up 14 places, while UCL enjoyed an 11 places jump to fourth place.

for example, the use of situational judgement tests (SJT) can be an effective tool in sifting through candidate performance levels at an early stage. SJTs can be designed in different formats, such as text, video or avatar based, to make them as realistic as possible and offer candidates an engaging preview of the typical tasks in the work role.

Also, when it comes to psychometric

➊ Loughborough University ➋ Oxford University ➌ University of Warwick ➍ University of Cambridge ➎ Imperial College London ➏ University College London ➐ University of Birmingham ➑ University of Sheffield ➒ University of Bristol 10 Aston University Figures based on percentage of total hires provided by each university multiplied by the percentage conversion rate of each university’s applications to hires.

tests, the results of the report showed there were significant relationships between high scores on numerical and logical reasoning tests and high performance at later stages in the assessment programme.

The authors gathered data from more than 60 employers, which between them received 470,000 applications in Part 2 continues on p32 ▶ 2013-14.

WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 29

p26_43_recruiter_feature.indd 29

16/09/2015 16:41

REC.10.15.030.indd 30

15/09/2015 10:48

Issue 30 October 2015

RECRUITMENT MATTERS The View and The Intelligence

A Life Transformed

Legal update and the IRP

Events and training

Jobs transform lives and more p2-3

The good a job can do p4

Social media and Peter Searle p6-7

A dinner with Sir Clive Woodward p8

JOIN THE FCSA, REC TELLS UMBRELLA COMPANIES All umbrella companies in the REC’s Business Partner programme will be asked to join the Freelancer and Contractor Services Association (FCSA).

The trade body is also telling members to use only accountancy companies who are FCSA compliant.

The partnership comes amid concerns about the use of umbrella companies by recruitment agencies and contractors.

FCSA members must follow a compliance code, following rigorous

@RECPress RM_OCT_15.indd 1

assessment of their business practice by a team of accountants and lawyers. All audits are then shared with HMRC. REC chief executive Kevin Green says the FCSA’s standards mirror the REC’s push for greater compliance within recruitment.

“FCSA membership is difficult to achieve, putting organisations through a robust assessment to check compliance with their strict code of conduct,” he says.

Kevin Green says REC members will minimise their

risk by using an FCSA approved company.

FCSA chief executive Julia Kermode says the organisation is delighted to be working with the UK’s largest recruitment trade body and says REC members can be assured of the highest standards.

The FCSA has looked to broaden its membership in recent months. It announced in May a new associate programme designed to broaden representation in the contracting sector.

Kermode says contractors, who form a significant part of the recruitment industry, need a powerful voice.

“We have never seen such a sustained attack on the flexible workforce as we have witnessed in the last year.

It has become clear that as a fragmented industry we have been unable to make our voice heard,” she says.

“Whether it is by politicians, trade unions or the media, the whole industry has been tarnished by the actions of a few unscrupulous providers, cost cutting in the supply chain, ill-informed commentators and a lack of enforcement activity of existing legislation.”

The move to welcome Associates comes on the back of the Employment Intermediaries Travel and Subsistence Legislation proposed by the Government earlier this year.

www.rec.uk.com 15/09/2015 12:30

Leading the Industry

THE VIEW

Recruiters are the key to labour market success says Tom Hadley, REC director of policy and professional services

A job means everything, explains Kevin Green, REC chief executive

Over the next few months you’re going to be hearing a lot from the REC about how jobs transform lives.

The REC is keen to promote everything that’s great about recruitment, and it’s very clear to us that we need to talk more about the remarkable things that recruiters do every day. That is, to get people jobs. We may become blasé about this, but to the people we help it is incredibly important.

We recently asked the general public this question: what are the most important life decisions that people make?

The results didn’t surprise us. Seventy-seven per cent of respondents said ‘What to do as a job’, which was a higher result than decisions about when to start a family, where to live, if to get married and which political party to support.

So there you have it: the work we do not only helps businesses get the talent they need and enables the UK economy to be successful – we also help people make the most important decisions about where and how they work, and in doing so we transform people’s lives.

We have won the business and economic debate about

2 RECRUITMENT MATTERS OCTOBER 2015

RM_OCT_15.indd 2

MAKING IT WORK

the value of a flexible labour market. We now have to up our game and show that for those people who want to progress, recruiters are the facilitators of progression. We will be making this argument and I can’t tell you how excited I am about the work we are embarking on. It goes to the heart of what we do and the difference we make. However, to make this live – to change perception and enhance our reputation – we need you, our members, to take this message and reinforce it with clients, your local media, your MPs and everyone you talk to.

This is the big final step in the repositioning of our industry. We are now bigger than ever before: we get 630,000 perm jobs every year and we put 1.15m people into temp positions each day.

We are a professional service industry, which needs to be recognised not just for its economic contribution but because we are on the front line of the labour market and we transform lives.

I am keen to talk to members and their clients – let me know if I can help get the message across.

You can follow Kevin on Twitter @kevingreenrec

Jobs transform lives. That’s why we are working in partnership with government and with Jobcentres across the land to pre-empt labour market developments and to drive co-operation between private and public sector employment professionals.

So what’s the deal? I recently pendolinoed it to sunny Nuneaton for a regional roundtable which demonstrated how this collaboration benefits jobseekers, as well as recruiters. Discussions that day echoed the positive data in our Report on Jobs – which shows demand for staff in the Midlands at an 18-month high – and provided a window into the challenges that apply across all regions.

One core message was that demand for staff is strong, despite the recent blip in employment figures. Our latest JobsOutlook shows that 76% of employers plan to hire staff in the next three months, underlining the major supply challenge businesses face. This is a key reason for the public/private sector love-in, with Jobcentres putting forward candidates that agencies can place with their clients.

Discussions in Nuneaton also confirmed an important truth: the vast majority of people want to work and want to progress. We need to find ways of raising skills and aspirations as well as addressing practical barriers like lack of funding for training, particularly in shortage sectors like driving, and transport issues which can obstruct access to opportunities in warehouse/distribution roles and in care.

The government’s focus on productivity and full employment means that jobs and skills will remain at the forefront of the political agenda. It is important that we talk about the social benefits that work provides and of the pivotal role our industry plays. In the words of George Elliott, one of Nuneaton’s most famous figures (alongside Larry Grayson): “Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.”

Co-operation between public and private sector employment professionals is helping more people into the job market and is unleashing the transformative power of work.

You can follow Tom on Twitter @hadleyscomment

www.rec.uk.com

15/09/2015 12:30

80%

THE INTELLIGENCE Jobs transforming lives is just the beginning says Diana Beech, REC senior researcher Have you ever stopped to think about the importance of your job in transforming people’s lives? If not, perhaps you should.

In August the Office of National Statistics reported that there were 31.03m people in work in the UK. That means there are now 354,000 more people in work than there were this time last year. What is more, 22.76m of these people are working full time. That’s 352,000 more than for a year earlier. For many people, their lives have been enhanced by access to a job, which is important for their social integration, personal well-being and self-realisation. And you as recruiters have played a big part in that process.

STILL GROWING STABILISING I have been talking for some time about how recruiters have been seeing welcome continuing revenue growth, but that the rate of growth has been declining.

Pleasingly June was the first month for some time that saw revenue stabilise – in fact, it accelerated slightly from 7.7% in May to 7.8% in June this year (Figure 1). Additionally, a quarter of RIB members are seeing revenue growth of over 20% – a stunning

www.rec.uk.com

RM_OCT_15.indd 3

ACCORDING TO THE AUGUST EDITION OF OUR JOBSOUTLOOK SURVEY

TODAY, 8 IN 10 HIRERS IN THE UK ARE USING AGENCY WORKERS TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE KEY STRATEGIC SKILLS

86% OF EMPLOYERS PLAN TO ADD PERMANENT HEADCOUNT OVER THE NEXT QUARTER

explained by the fact that 74% of employers believe that economic conditions are improving domestically, which is ultimately helping to boost their confidence in making important hiring and investment decisions. In addition, 95% of employers report to have little capacity to take on more work without more staff.

Research conducted for our latest report exploring career progression for low-paid workers in the UK revealed that the majority of agency workers found employment by approaching recruitment agencies directly and bypassing other sources of careers advice and information. This

Figures from our Recruitment Industry Trends Survey show that recruitment agencies placed 634,608 people in work in permanent contracts last year (2013/14). The prospects for getting more people into work over the coming months are also strong. As of August this year, there were 735,000 reported job vacancies in the UK and this number only looks set to rise.

According to the August edition of our JobsOutlook survey, 86% of employers plan to add permanent headcount over the next quarter, while 98% plan to hold or increase agency worker levels during the same period. This is likely

Figure 1: Recruiter turnover growth

30 20 10 0 -10 -20

Jul 13

Aug

Nov

Feb 14

performance when inflation is hovering around zero.

Worryingly more than a quarter of RIB members are seeing revenues lower than a year ago, a situation that has persisted for

May

98% PLAN TO HOLD OR INCREASE AGENCY WORKER LEVELS DURING THE SAME PERIOD

means that, as recruiters, you are often the first port of call for many in search of the ‘jobs match’ they desire.

When you place someone in a job, you are not only helping them as an individual. Today, 8 in 10 hirers in the UK are using agency workers to gain access to the key strategic skills that their businesses need.

So, by effectively matching candidates’ CVs to existing skills shortages, you are not only transforming lives but also contributing to the wider success of the UK economy.

While revenues are important, it is the bottom line that defines success for a business. Pleasingly the net profit margin has been improving throughout 2015, expanding from 2.1% at the turn of the year to 3.7% in June this year.

40 ■ Upper Qtile ■ Median ■ Low Qtile

%

A BIG TRANSFORMATION

Aug

Nov

Feb

over a year. This extreme divergence in revenue growth demonstrates the importance of bench marking performance against other recruiters to maximise performance.

Jun 15

Chris Ansell is chief financial officer at Recruitment Industry Benchmarking (RIB). The RIB Index provides bespoke confidential reports on industry trends.

See www.ribindex.com; info@ribindex.com: 020 8544 9807. The RIB is a strategic partner of the REC.

RECRUITMENT MATTERS OCTOBER 2015 3

15/09/2015 12:30

The BIG talking point

JOBS TRANSFORM LIVES

A LIFE TRANSFORMED Blue Arrow agency chef Jane Baker tells Michael Oliver how jobs have transformed her life for the better

A YOUNG EYE FOR FOOD

STEPPING UP

I started in the trade as a weekend girl washing up in the local pub, which then progressed to full time when I left school. At 17, I joined the Royal Air Force as a steward working in the sergeants and officers’ mess. I learned about the day-to-day running of a kitchen and preparing food for formal functions for the Air Force bigwigs.

I left the Air Force in 1991 and was kind of lost. I didn’t know what to do with myself.

I found work in chicken and mushroom factories, but still worked part time in catering, behind bars and waiting tables.

I moved onto a part-time job in a little bistro inside a business park. Within three weeks the chef left without warning. So in steps little old me to fill the gap. I ended up doing 90 bums-on-seats in my first session and fell in love with the job.

After a year helping my family get their new pub off the ground, I became a catering-restaurant manager for a garden centre in Bury St Edmunds. It was there I met the best chef I know.

4 RECRUITMENT MATTERS OCTOBER 2015

RM_OCT_15.indd 4

TRANSFORMATION That chef’s name is Stephen Symonds. He’s an absolutely

www.rec.uk.com

15/09/2015 12:30

“A SHORT TIME LATER, I MET WITH THE TEAM AT BLUE ARROW ABOUT MY OPTIONS. WITHIN A WEEK, I HAD MY FIRST ASSIGNMENT AND LOVED IT FROM DAY ONE. THE WORK HAS NOT STOPPED ROLLING IN”

awesome bloke whom I’m still friends with today. He was running the garden centre’s restaurant but was a Blue Arrow chef on a temp appointment. We only worked together for three months and he introduced me to the idea of agency work.

But as you’ve probably noticed, I tend to get itchy feet. Once a challenge from a job has gone, I move on.

A short time later, I met with the team at Blue Arrow about my options.

Within a week, I had my first assignment and loved it from day one. The work has not stopped rolling in.

ALWAYS SMILING Since then, I always go to work with a big smile on my face. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. I can honestly say I love my job.

I have the variety and the challenge that I crave on a daily basis. Some weeks I work in six different kitchens,

www.rec.uk.com

RM_OCT_15.indd 5

and I’ve never had to worry about having no work – I’m one of the lucky ones.

I was working at a lovely care home in Bury St Edmunds a couple of weekends ago and the chef there had so much respect for agency chefs, saying we were the best chefs to have as we have to be able to work in every section of a kitchen.

He’s bang on – we are the best of the best.

I can honestly say I’m going to be an agency chef until the end of my career because I love it that much. I’m excited to go work and do something different every day, meeting new people and I’ve learned more in the last three years than I would have in a normal kitchen.

I would recommend anyone and everyone to look at becoming an agency chef.

As I like to say to people: “I’m not just a chef, I’m a Blue Arrow chef.”

RECRUITMENT MATTERS OCTOBER 2015 5

15/09/2015 12:31

Legal update

THE RISE AND RISKS OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Shutterstock

By Ryan Huggett, legal advisor at the REC

Social media has had a transformative impact on the recruitment industry in recent years. As competition in the recruitment industry intensifies, recruitment businesses have turned to different social media platforms to gain a competitive edge in the market.

However, the rise of social media has also caused multiple legal problems.

This article focuses on two common social media queries we receive on the REC Legal Helpline.

that information relating to protected characteristics impacted on the recruitment business’s decision of whether to provide work-finding services.

It is important that recruitment businesses have appropriate procedures in place to ensure that information relating to protected characteristics on a work-seeker’s social media profile does not illegally influence the decision to provide work-finding services.

USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO SCREEN CANDIDATES

As social media can be used in both a personal and professional capacity it is

Due to the volume of people using sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, screening candidates based on the information on their profile could be seen as a faster and more efficient way for recruiters to assess their suitability – but this can be risky.

A candidate’s social media profile can reveal characteristics that are protected under the Equality Act 2010. The nine protected characteristics are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex and sexual orientation.

Recruitment businesses can use social media to assess a candidate’s suitability but they risk a discrimination claim if a work-seeker can establish

6 RECRUITMENT MATTERS OCTOBER 2015

RM_OCT_15.indd 6

INAPPROPRIATE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

unsurprising that a major legal issue involves the inappropriate use of social media by employees. There have been a number of cases in this area, which in particular highlight how employees can damage the reputation of their employer through their posts on social media.

In Crisp v Apple Retail (UK) Ltd, an employee posted derogatory comments on Facebook about Apple products and the company generally. The employee was later dismissed and it was held that the employee had not been unfairly dismissed. Similarly, in Weeks v Everything Everywhere, it was held that an

individual depicting their work as ‘Dante’s Inferno’ on Facebook could have a detrimental impact on the reputation of their employer.

The individual’s dismissal was upheld. A more recent case is British Waterways Board v Smith, in which the Employment Appeal Tribunal held that an employee’s derogatory description of their work on Facebook was sufficient to justify dismissal.

These cases demonstrate the importance in having appropriate social media policies and procedures in place to educate employees on the possible disciplinary consequences of using social media inappropriately. The policies should clearly set out how social media is to be used both during the course of employment, as well as the possible ramifications of employees using their personal accounts in a way which negatively impacts on their employer. Recruitment businesses may want to consider providing additional training to employees on how to use social media safely.

The REC has a model social media policy, as well as clauses in our model employment contract covering the use of social media. These can be found on our website.

For more information REC members can contact the legal helpline on 020 7009 2199 or legal@rec.uk.com

www.rec.uk.com

15/09/2015 12:31

Inspiration

BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE INSTITUTE OF RECRUITMENT PROFESSIONALS

The View

Susie Ankrett is the e director at Plum Personnel

Peter Searle is the outgoing UK & Ireland chief executive of Adecco Group

IRP MEMBER

WHAT I KNOW

How has 2015 been for Plum?

2015 has been a really buoyant year on the whole – we’ve taken on some fabulous new clients and we’ve seen the return of ‘passive’ clients.

Great sales people make great managers When you’re a manager, you’re actually a facilitator. You sometimes get into a position where you think you’re managing people, but you’re actually leading people and facilitating them to do their job better. What you have to remember when you change from being a salesperson to a manager is that when you’re a salesperson, you only work with customers externally and you spend all your time selling to them. When you become an internal leader, you don’t get the power to tell people what to do. The reality is you just switch from selling externally to selling internally.

You need to add value to your people. If you’re an intelligent salesperson, you can become a high-flying manager.

Place of the recruitment industry right now?

It’s changed and I believe for the better. The industry’s contribution to UK plc is becoming more valued. We’re seeing less of being considered as a transactional relationship. Employers are valuing the consultative approach and specialist recruitment knowledge.

What kind of challenges are recruiters facing?

We recruiters are great optimists and our glasses are often overflowing, let alone half full. That said, there are always going to be challenges.

The lack of talent has opened up conversations with employers about looking at recruiting from talent pools they had not previously considered. A good example of this is the great contribution part-time workers can make.

What recruiters need to do more of and less of?

I came into the industry in my forties, so to say I was a late starter in recruitment is an understatement. My first big shock was that the industry was so sales orientated.

We need to be proud of our contribution to the economy and how we not only change the lives of individuals but also how we make a massive impact on the future success of organisations by finding them the people that will enable them to turn their vision reality. Without a doubt I think we’re worth it.

What kind of person makes an ideal recruiter?

You need to be someone who is full of determination, a completer/finisher, a negotiator, someone who can build rapport, work at a pace and deal with conflicting priorities.

Passion is key The biggest learning curve was that I had to give and take more responsibility from the individuals directly running our businesses. I had to trust other people to have the same level of motivation and passion about running the company as I did. In our industry there are a lot of people who’ve gained the knowledge but have lost the passion. I would rather find someone young with lots of passion and teach them how to do the job. When you go into an industry, you can’t think of it as nuts and bolts and figures on a spreadsheet. You have to be passionate about it otherwise you’re not doing your job.

Think like an entrepreneur People are going to be the core of your business. When I find a successful business, it’s very rarely been done by someone on their own. I see four or five key individuals around them who have shared their skillset and the synergy between them has enabled them to be successful. You need to bring other people in to help you.

Listen to the full interview with Peter Searle at rec.uk.com/ scale-up

To keep up to date with everything the Institute of Recruitment Professionals is doing, please visit www.rec-irp.uk.com

www.rec.uk.com

RM_OCT_15.indd 7

RECRUITMENT MATTERS OCTOBER 2015 7

15/09/2015 12:31

Events and training

EXECUTIVE FORUM THE SECOND ANNUAL STAFFING INDUSTRY ANALYSTS EXECUTIVE FORUM IS TAKING PLACE IN LONDON ON 5-7 OCTOBER. RECRUITMENT MATTERS SPOKE WITH SIA’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL RESEARCH JOHN NURTHEN ABOUT THIS YEAR’S EVENT RM: What is this year’s

JN: We’ve got a special

Executive Forum about?

keynote address on the European Union. The UK has a referendum coming up about staying in the EU, so we will debate the issue from both sides with an eye to the staffing industry. We’ll also be looking at legal issues across Europe and staff management too.

JN: It’s an opportunity for senior staffing executives to get together and discuss any issues affecting the market, both trends and threats. We’ve done this event for 25 years in the US and last year was the first time we’ve held it in Europe. Europe, by definition, is a little more international in perspective, and that’s largely where our focus will be.

RM: What would appeal to REC members?

JN: They will be attracted RM: What are some of the highlights of this year’s event?

by the agenda. The forum features a number of

keynotes and roundtables with some of the biggest names in staffing management. It’s also an opportunity to network with an audience predominantly made up of senior executives – chief executives, chairmen and owners. It’s an excellent opportunity to meet and share ideas.

For more information To register for this year’s SIA Executive Forum, visit www.staffingindustry.com/ Conferences-Webinars/ Conferences

MANCHESTER – DON’T MISS GREG SAVAGE! The complexion of the market has changed. There is a massive demand for candidates – more than 90% of employers are looking to increase their workforce numbers.

For more than 30 years, Greg Savage has had his finger on the pulse of world recruitment. The founder of leading global brands like Firebrand Talent

Search, People2People and Recruitment Solutions, he’s sought after at conferences around the world.

And the REC is bringing him back to the UK for two unique half-day classes in Manchester: The Greg Savage Masterclass for Recruiters, and the Greg Savage Masterclass for Recruitment Owners and Managers.

When: 21 October Where: The Midland, Manchester Price: Masterclass for Recruiters – £89 + VAT for REC & IRP members Masterclass for Recruitment Owners and Managers – £175 +VAT for REC & IRP members

AN EVENING WITH WORLD CHAMPION COACH SIR CLIVE WOODWARD The REC and charity KidsOut invite you to an exclusive black tie evening with England’s World Cup winning coach Sir Clive Woodward.

Don’t miss a chance to hear and ask questions from one of the UK’s most successful sports leaders, hot on the heels of this year’s big rugby event.

When: 5 November Where: London Price: £275 + VAT Email carol@rec.uk.com to register your interest, or call us on 020 7009 2100

Book online at rec.uk.com/savage

RECRUITMENT MATTERS

Membership Department: Membership: 020 7009 2100, Customer Services: 020 7009 2100 Publishers: Redactive Publishing Ltd, 17 Britton Street, London EC1M 5TP. Tel: 020 7880 6200. www.redactive.co.uk Editorial: Editor Michael Oliver michael.oliver@redactive.co.uk. Production Editor: Vanessa Townsend Production: Production Executive: Rachel Young rachel.young@redactive.co.uk Tel: 020 7880 6209 Printing: Printed by Precision Colour Printing

The official magazine of The Recruitment & Employment Confederation Dorset House, 1st Floor, 27-45 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NT Tel: 020 7009 2100 www.rec.uk.com

© 2015 Recruitment Matters. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, neither REC, Redactive Publishing Ltd nor the authors can accept liability for errors or omissions. Views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the REC or Redactive Publishing Ltd. No responsibility can be accepted for unsolicited manuscripts or transparencies. No reproduction in whole or part without written permission.

8 RECRUITMENT MATTERS OCTOBER 2015

RM_OCT_15.indd 8

www.rec.uk.com

15/09/2015 12:31

Re

s to ason

coun

ea m ayStr P n o t

: #11

Know every link in your supply chain PSL At PayStream, as the leading provider of umbrella and accountancy services, we’ve been advising agencies to operate Preferred Supplier Lists for a while now.

When it comes to assessing your suppliers’ compliance, there are a number of things you can do:

With legislation continually evolving, it’s becoming increasingly important to fully understand your supply chain.

2. Check actual payslip calculations

We have robust processes and controls, audited by a strong internal compliance team and we invite external companies in to audit our audits.

1. Send out compliance questionnaires 3. Review third party audits 4. Carry out your own site visit For the best assessment of your key suppliers, we recommend that you use all of the above.

Call 0800 197 6516 e: info@paystream.co.uk or visit www.paystream.co.uk

REC.10.15.039.indd 39

15/09/2015 10:49

INSIG HT O N FUT U RE TALENT

SHIFTING SUBJECTS ▶ Continued from p29

he latest generation of potential university applicants are beginning to realise that choosing the right subject to study is paramount to their future career success, with science and technical subjects on the rise.

Computing, chemistry, physics and mathematics in particular are enjoying a renaissance. The candidates are getting smarter about the job process long before they’ve even spoken to their first recruiter.

Subjects that have declined in popularity the most since student fees were introduced in 2012:

T ⦁ Drama ⦁ French ⦁ Law

⦁ Physical Education

The authors of the ‘Future Talent Insights Report 2015’ believe it is safe to assume, therefore, that STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects have stepped

32 RECRUITER

p26_43_recruiter_feature.indd 40

B From applications to hires The report found the huge increase in application volumes has reduced to a much more manageable ratio. Current data indicates there are an average of just 51 applications for each person hired. This is because graduates are more confident as the economy improves but also because the effects of graduates postponing their entry to the workplace — as they pursue Masters qualifications or go travelling — have dissipated.

OCTOBER 2015

16/09/2015 16:41

into the void — clearly good news for those employers who cry out for these graduates with such knowledge and skills.

Just as recruiters are becoming more discerning in their methods, potential candidates have also become more savvy.

For instance, video interviewing as a core part of a recruitment process is unlikely to faze a generation brought up on Facebook, Instagram and other instant forms of social media.

The average number of assessment stages — number of different tools or exercises a candidate had to complete before moving on to the next stage — was four: ➊ Application form ➋ Psychometric/cognitive ability test ➌ Telephone interview ➍ Assessment centre

Meanwhile, 35% of employer respondents are now using a situational judgement test (SJT) or situational strength test (SST) in the early stages of the application process.

The report’s authors also recommend more of a shift to what they refer to as ‘contextualised screening’ whereby candidates’ achievements are looked at in context instead of in the absolute terms of application forms and Q&A sessions (see The Big Story on p20). This points out the rise of diversity to near the top of the list of recruiters and employers’ agendas.

THE GRADWEB REPORT EXPLORES TRENDING ISSUES FOR GRADUATE CANDIDATES IN GENDER BALANCE, DISABILITY AND ETHNICITY

GEND ER B AL ANCE The report says this year it noted a slight improvement in the gender balance, with male applicants down from 64.07% last year to 61.91% this year. Although certain sectors such as engineering, logistics & transport are traditionally skewed to male applicants, this year construction stood out, with a whopping 86.96% of male applicants.

Last year only FMCG [fast-moving consumer goods] showed a female bias in applications; this time four more sectors achieved parity or bettered it. ⦁Leisure/hospitality ⦁Pharmceutical ⦁Public sector ⦁Retail

POSITIVELY TRENDING SUBJECTS

ETHNI C I TY The report states that the most significant difference is the reduced percentage of both applications and more significantly hires from the White/British category. It’s a significant shift from the 60.91% recorded in last year’s report.

The fact remains, however, that from only 37% of applications, this hiring volume suggests that candidates who declare themselves to be White/British are at a significant advantage over all other groups.

This year, Asian candidates improved their hiring percentage to almost 15% from 10.4% last year.

But many sectors continue to struggle to attract women to their graduate programmes.

The report noted that: “We were therefore disappointed to see that, while there was a reduction in the dominance of ‘White-British’

NEGATIVELY TRENDING SUBJECTS

MATHS ENGINEERING COMPUTING CHEMISTRY PHYSICS

D ISAB IL ITY Disabled candidates performed strongly in assessment processes with 52:1 application-to-hire ratio compared with a 70:1 for those without a disability.

The report states that the pool does not proportionately represent the number of graduates who have a disability, so either they are not applying to the types of organisations (generally large and high profile) that contribute their data to the report, or they are not stating during the application process that they have a disability.

DRAMA LAW PHYSICAL EDUCATION FRENCH

applicants, they are still faring remarkably better through assessment processes than those from other ethnic backgrounds, especially black candidates who account for only 9% of applicants, and even worryingly, 3.89% of offers.

“We are aware of a few employers who are bucking this trend in a significant way and have been having a number of deeply interesting conversations with clients about analysing their processes for adverse impact and developing strategies to tackle the issues underlying their disappointing diversity performances.” ● If you would like to find out more or contribute to the Insights Report, contact insights@gradweb.co.uk

WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 33

p26_43_recruiter_feature.indd 41

16/09/2015 14:29

#RecruiterShow

SHOW 2015

REGISTER FOR FREE 18-19 November 2015 / Barbican Centre, London

Daring to be different... The Recruiter Show will inspire, inform, engage and entertain during a packed two-day show of top-quality content and a thriving business exhibition. Don’t miss out!

Show highlights: • INSIGHT from 25+ industry pioneers and revolutionary recruitment practitioners • CHOOSE from a number of thought-provoking content sessions and expert-led streamed workshops • LAUNCH Recruiter – Clearwater International European FAST 50 and review of international M&A trends • NETWORK with more than 2,200 recruitment professionals • DISCUSS your business needs and CONNECT with suppliers at the lively conference exhibition • And much more!

For mo re inf orm ati on , vis it:

recruiter-show.co.uk

REC.10.15.042-043.indd 42

15/09/2015 14:45

Speakers include: KEYNOTE SPEAKER Dr John Sullivan, internationally-renowned HR and recruitment thought-leader from Silicon Valley THE FUTURE RECRUITMENT CONSULTANT Ricky Martin, founder and managing director, Hyper Recruitment Solutions and 2012 winner of The Apprentice Lee McQueen, founder, Raw Talent Academy and 2008 winner of The Apprentice Jane Vincent, managing director, Candelisa People and star of Channel 4’s The Job Centre CREATING PROFESSIONAL CAREER PATHS FOR YOUR RECRUITMENT AGENCY WORKFORCE

GLOBAL MOBILITY: RECRUITMENT’S ‘SLEEPING GIANT’ Susannah Timlin, group head of talent acquisition and global mobility, Hays Graeme Lewis, group commercial director, Air Energi

TARGETING, RECRUITING AND ASSESSING SPECIAL POPULATIONS Stefanie Nennstiel, global lead for business leading Autism at Work programme, SAP GOING FOR GOLD STANDARD TALENT Tom Hovington, director of talent acquisition EMEA, adidas Group

Jill Thornton, people and strategy development director, Blue Arrow

Show enquiries +44(0) 20 7880 6226 @

emilia.tosner@redactive.co.uk

Sponsors & Exhibitors include:

For sponsorship enquires please contact: tom.culley@redactive.co.uk or +44(0) 20 7880 7607

REC.10.15.042-043.indd 43

15/09/2015 14:45

think this is scary? try using a competitor.

discover the ultimate in recruitment software REC.10.15.044.indd 44

To download our latest whitepaper, visit our website at www.itris.co.uk

15/09/2015 10:52

CO M M U N I T Y

SOCIAL NETWORK WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO? GET IN TOUCH!

E

From jumping around to jumping out of planes, here’s what you’ve been getting up to outside recruitment HIGH FLYER VIA Athona Recruitment’s compliance and resource manager Michelle Fargeot n recently took to the skies, then threw herself out of a plane — all in the name of charity. She or has raised more than £800 for Saint Francis Hospice.

SIMPLICITY SUPPORTS VIA

PERTEMPS CHIPS IN FOR CHARITY VIA

The winning team from DTZ Birmingham with (back row, second from right) Spoon ambassador and former England rugby star Tim Stimpson

Employment specialists Pertemps People Development Group organised a golf day in the West Midlands and raised £6.2k for the Wooden Spoon charity. Wooden Spoon is a UK grant-making charity, dedicated to helping disabled and disadvantaged children and young people through rugby. Spoon ambassador Tim Stimpson, who was part of the team that recently travelled to the North Pole and broke the Guinness World Record for the highest game of rugby ever played, presented the prizes.

PROVIDE’S JUMP START VIA Yorkshire-based Provide Education put on a sponsored ‘jumpathon’ to help the Phoenix Special School in Keighley achieve its goal of raising £7k to kit out its soft play room. Bouncing around non-stop for eight hours, the five-member team raised a total of £217.62, with some additional sponsorship money still to come in.

ARROWS’ ORPHANAGE VIA

Recruitment supplier Simplicity has raised £500 in support of The Milestone School in Gloucester, a school for children with special needs aged two to 16 years old. The firm, which provides outsourced back office and financial solutions to the recruitment industry, asked its UK-wide customer base which local charity they would like Simplicity to support. The Milestone School was chosen and managing director David Thornhill (at the back) went to the school to present the cheque to the students.

TW I TT E R Stanton House@stantonconnect Sep 8 Will @GerardButler accept our offer & which office will he pick; London, Reading, Edinburgh or Hong Kong?

Recruiter Magazine @RecruiterMag Gerard Butler gets #headhunted for internship https://shar.es/1v8bdo @GerardButler@stantonconnect #headhunting #recruitment Richard Turrell @Richard_Turrell Sep 8 Will Gerard Butler make a good recruiter? Everyone @stantonconnect would like to find out … via@RecruiterMag

The Arrows Group Foundation is working with the Udayan orphanage in the city of Gurgaon in India near Delhi, helping the girls at one of the orphanage’s homes learn about the world of work by offering them internships in Arrows Group’s Gurgaon office.

COREcruitment @COREcruitment Sep 8 He’s very welcome to join our offices any time he wants!

Recruiter Magazine@RecruiterMag Gerard Butler is... The Headhunter

A DOG’S LIFE VIA The adorable Huck recently joined the recruiting team at US staffing group The Davis Companies. He looks a little unsure about his new role — wonder how many other recruiters felt like this on their first day?!

@RecruiterMag instagram.com/recruitermagazine/ recruitermagazine.tumblr.com/

WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 37

p45_recruiter_social.indd 45

16/09/2015 14:34

E CAREERS CO M M UNITY

Let’s get smart about holidays Even recruiters need a break from it all!

BY TARA LESCOTT

↗

LIKE MANY OF you, I have just returned from a two-week holiday, and I just love how time away from my desk, team and branches gives me perspective.

As the day-to-day brain clutter of candidates, jobs, interviews, management, marketing and admin fades, you suddenly have room to think; you have distance and can gain some enlightening perspective.

Every single time I have a break, I come back not only refreshed and recharged, but with lots of new ideas too. I may have lost some activity but what I have gained is far more valuable.

Why, then, does the recruitment industry still offer some of the TARA LESCOTT is managing director lowest holiday allowances for their staff ? We all know that recruitment of rec-to-rec agency is a pressurised occupation — so there’s definitely just cause for a Recruiter Republic decent holiday allowance. However there’s still an old-fashioned view that time away from your desk represents a loss of fees.

The constant stress around fee performance makes senior management very resistant to additional leave. I understand that; I used to be the same. But if holidays were handled a little differently I think businesses as a whole would enjoy a far greater performance through having a less stressed and more energetic workforce — and we all know that leads to reduced staff turnover.

Fortunately, there are forward-thinking firms out there, and I have been lucky enough to work with many of them — in fact, several now offer a minimum of 25 days for entry-level staff with the option to add more days through their flexible benefits scheme.

It makes commercial sense. The cost of replacing an experienced recruiter is now around £36k in lost fees, hire costs and salary before income is generated. An additional five days of holiday would cost around £3.5k in lost activity based on an average £150k per year biller. Even that amount could be reduced if firms had a more robust holiday plan.

Here are a few great processes and ideas implemented by some of the best firms when it comes to managing holidays, resulting in a greater holiday allowance to staff and higher staff retention:

➊ BUDDY UP Partner with consultants on similar desks with the agreement that one always covers for the other when either is off. (Note: ensure both are not off at the same time!)

This works quite well with temp and perm counterparts too. As long as a full handover is in place before the holiday then the Buddy Consultant can be trusted to handle any incoming enquiries professionally. Make

sure agreements are in place regarding fee splits.

➋ GET IN FRONT OF IT Consultants should spend the two weeks before a holiday letting clients know in advance that they will be away, so pending vacancies should be declared NOW for action.

This should improve job flow in the weeks before their holiday and also increase activity — lessening the impact of the time off.

➌ SCHEDULE MAIL SHOTS Prepare client and candidate e-shots in advance to be sent out in the second half of your holiday period — this will allow your Buddy Consultant to screen responses and set up meetings and candidate registrations for the first week you are back. ➍ TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES A consultant being away gives your up-and-coming

trainee/resourcer a chance to practise their vacancy generation/business development skills.

Your clients won’t mind a service/ update from a colleague. This practice doesn’t put too much pressure on a trainee but does give them live, friendly clients to talk to and generate full job details from.

Some companies I know have roving consultants at trainee level who cover all leave

and gains them experience of all desks.

➎ ACTIVITY BLAST On return from holiday, book some activity blasts to gain momentum again. Several firms set additional bonus targets for the month after a holiday to incentivise consultants to stabilise their fees — a £500 additional bonus to hit target will hurt much less than a £10k loss in fees.

So come on recruiters and managers — let’s get smart about holidays. We all need them, and a little change in thinking and planning could produce major results.

38 RECRUITER

p46-47_recruiter_careers.indd 46

RECRUITMENT JOB ACTIVITY ANALYSIS of data compiled through Recruiter Jobs, Recruiter magazine’s job board, reveals a huge increase in demand for jobs in the education and legal sectors, though locations did not always marry with demand.

E D U CATIO N S E CTO R

The education sector saw a 547% increase in applications per job and a 171% increase in applications per user.r.

547% 171% INCREASE IN APPLICATIONS PER JOB

INCREASE IN APPLICATIONS PER USER

LE G AL S E CTO R

The legal sector saw a 417% increase in applications per job, though a 38% increase in active users and a 38% increase in applications meant applications per user remained equal.

417% 38%

INCREASE IN APPLICATIONS PER JOB

INCREASE IN ACTIVE USERS AND APPLICATIONS

OCTOBER 2015

17/09/2015 09:20

CO M M U N I T Y

CAREERS Find your next move in recruitment on jobs.recruiter. co.uk

E

Where have all the leadership roles gone?

Changing structures at the top

BY ANDREW MOUNTNEY

↗ ANDREW MOUNTNEY is founding partner at in-house recruitment specialist Aspen In-House

Ad Advertised jobs for this sector we were mostly in the Yorkshire & HHumber region (22.22%), fol followed by West Midlands an and South-West England (bo (both 13.89%), with demand, me measured by a region’s share of applications, mainly coming fro from the West Midlands (37 (37.78%). Applications for ed education sector jobs across th the rest of England and Wales wa was relatively low (6-8%) an and non-existent in Scotland, No Northern Ireland and all int international locations.

27.78% SOUTH-EAST

16.67% YORKSHIRE & HUMBER

16.67% ASIA-PACIFIC

M M

SOUTH-WEST

p46-47_recruiter_careers.indd 47

M

22.22% YORKSHIRE & HUMBER

13.89% WEST MIDLANDS

Advertised jobs for this sector were mostly in the South-East of England (27.78%), followed

by Yorkshire & Humber and Asia-Pacific (both 16.67%), with demand, measured by a region’s share of applications, mainly coming from Greater London, South-East England, Yorkshire & Humber and Asia-Pacific (all 20%).

M

M

13.89%

M

A NOTABLE CHANGE to the in-house recruitment market in recent years has been the lack of senior permanent positions available and with it the lack of opportunity for the best in the industry to impart change in talent acquisition functions needing to improve.

A few years ago it became evident that each time there was a headline move, the organisation losing the recruitment leader of note did not replace them. At the same time we’ve had the opportunity to work with some talented recruitment leaders as candidates, and here’s the thing: if they’re in a permanent job and want a permanent job, the chances are they are still where they were when we first spoke.

What’s happened to leadership roles if the in-house market is supposed to be booming? ● Rightly or wrongly, organisations believe they have a recruitment strategy that should work and regard issues of performance as relating to execution and transaction of service If the strategic leader who comes up with the plan is not the person to deliver the operational piece long term, the outgoing person is often replaced by a more junior delivery manager. ● Organisations are more savvy about their structures and budgets It’s rare to find a first-generation function seeking a head. When strategic change is required, businesses see a project today rather than a job. As with many departments, recruitment will identify a new agenda as a change programme and appoint a change IM AGES | SHUT T ERSTOCK

agent. The strategic role goes interim. ● Recruitment leaders are wiser, too Heads of talent acquisition (TA) who love the set-up, the new strategy, implementation and change increasingly see their career as a portfolio of projects. While it may be circumstance that takes them into the interim market — often post-redundancy — it becomes a lifestyle that is financially attractive and holds a workload that is more interesting.

There’s evidence people are specialising: change programmes, RPO [recruitment process outsourcing] tenders, employer branding and ATS [applicant tracking system] projects are focus areas no longer sitting with the permanent recruitment leader. ● The rise of outsourcing RPO is not just a delivery machine as many people like to think in today’s landscape. It’s often a firstphase supplier of change services.

It’s notable there’s a number of players in the market offering a range of early stage TA solutions. A look at the leadership structures of RPOs reveals a group of in-house leaders who have moved across. ● The internal candidate Across functions, organisations want to demonstrate development of internal talent. TA functions are, and should be, no different.

In lean structures packed with experience, if you need to hire at the top, you promote from within.

The promotion for the internal candidate prevents market moves, but for all the right reasons. ● WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 39

17/09/2015 09:26

E CAREERS CO M M UNITY

“I would like to go to Vietnam. Vietnam was the one place I didn’t get to do before I came back to the UK” MY BRILLIANT RECRUITMENT CAREER Earliest dream job: A sports

rd, e th k ha y e b or be liv ra ‘W and e W nt rd ma y ha pla d’ kin

physiotherapist.

How did you get into recruitment?

↗

My first job was as a permanent recruitment consultant in commercial, so anything from admin, secretary, reception up to HR management to HR director level — a vast mixture.

SARAH MCCULLOCK ULLOCK urcing partner is resourcing (support office), Oliver Bonas

What do you love most about your our current role? It’s definitely the people ple and the culture. We live by the mantra a ‘Work hard, play hard and be kind’, and I think that filters into everything we do here. We’re design-led and entrepreneurial, and we want people to embrace their uniqueness and develop it.

What has been the most brilliant moment of your career? I think my experience working for a massive mining company called Rio Tinto in the Northern Territory [Australia] in a remote mining town called Nhulunbuy [on Aboriginal lands]. It was a 12-hour drive or an hour-and-a-half flight out of Darwin. Most Australians haven’t heard of it. My role was to recruit miners across each state and bring them over to Nhulunbuy, so I wasn’t just selling the roles, the company, the core values — it was selling them a lifestyle. Our food, materials, everything used to come over on a barge once a week.

Your ‘can’t do without’ office tool besides your phone? My Outlook calendar.

Stay-cation or a holiday abroad? I would like to go to Vietnam. I’ve been to Thailand, I’ve travelled all around Australia. Vietnam was the one place I didn’t get to do before I came back to the UK. 40 RECRUITER

p48_recruiter_brillcareer.indd 48

OCTOBER 2015

Sarah McCullock Outsid the office, where would Outside ou ulld u you like to interview a candidate dat ate at or be interviewed? I’m going to change the question. What I would love is for the candidate that I’m interviewing for a role to ‘flip reverse’ it, and interview me for the role.

What is your top job to fill at the moment? If I gave you one above the others, then it would cause conflict. At the moment the most difficult job to fill is project operations manager looking after our omni-channel. It’s a brandnew role.

Laugh or cry — which did your most memorable candidate make you want to do and why? Many years ago, I worked for [business support recruiter] Huntress Group, and I was recruiting for a customer service adviser, high volume.

A really lovely, smiley chap

came in with i h a basket ith b an and put it in the centre of the tabl table. He started to get out these pro props, which he said represented how his former colleagues would have h described his work characteristics — a big sun for the ray of sunshine he would bring to work, bubbles for his bubbly personality. He put so much effort into it. I did hire him actually.

What’s the best or worst interview question you’ve ever heard? I can’t think of one that stands out!

Make us an offer we can’t refuse.

If you want to be part of a creative, happy, design-led culture, come and join team OB. We are expanding and have lots of opportunities available. Watch this space! ● IM AGES | ISTOCK / OLIVER BONAS / AKIN FALO PE

16/09/2015 14:35

See your recruitment agency?

Now see it with REC.10.15.049.indd 49

...

15/09/2015 10:53

E BUSINESS ADVICE CO M M UNITY

PIRATE TALK How do recruitment business founders ensure the growth and longevity of their enterprise?

B

42 RECRUITER

OCTOBER 2015

p50_recruiter_businessadvice.indd 50

↗

eing a genuine meritocracy, while inspiring staff to be the best that they can be, helps not only position the brand and culture, but also creates an upwardly mobile and aspirational environment focused on the long term.

Growth and longevity were the talking points at a recent gathering of the Recruitment Directors Lunch Club (RDLC), or Pirates, attended by about 30 recruitment business founders. Having a raft of people progress from consultant to team leader, then step up into management and then a director functions as the ultimate inspirational incentive. Kudos is a key driver for every human being; we go to work to provide for personal choices, making a good living is the default of doing a good job.

Just make sure the ambitions for the business are clearly explained, large enough to offer a great career and there is clarity around the lines of progression.

A big part of the doing is the believing. Perception is reality!

A few of the mantras thrown around were: ➊ Double or die ➋ Manage or be managed ➌ Make or break ➍ World domination Here’s a crib sheet from our minutes:

GARY GOLDSMITH and DEAN KELLY are the founding partners of the Recruitment Directors Lunch Club (RDLC). Contact them @RDLC_PIRATES on Twitter

Gary Goldsmith & Dean Kelly

# Selecting the right people ● Map common traits of your best performing managers, then add to the competencies of the role. ● Set triggers for stepping up, critical success factors and imperatives that must be met. ● A ‘gut feel’ is a combination of your experience, domain knowledge and perception telling you something.

But make sure it’s not the ‘Halo effect’. Check the commonalties you’re measuring.

group take ownership for its role in the business? ● Do your team leaders and managers own their targets and budgets?

# Drivers ● Is there a shared plan that explains the long-term aim and career management? ● Is the plan deliverable and believable? ● Do you have ‘Magic Milestones’ that trigger meaningful events for everyone?

# Aspirational

# Science

● Have you made the role desirable, exciting, challenging and accountable? ● Have you got the right ratio of risk to reward? ● Do you have the right structure in place? ● Is your retention model an attraction or a distraction?

● Are you an artist or a scientist when it comes to building structure and rewards? (Always consider both tendencies.) ● Are you teaching processes that can be scaled to bring your plan to life? ● Does the plan have malleability? Can it evolve with the business?

# Responsibility ● Do you delegate well? ● Does your management

# Learning ● What skills are you

imparting regularly on the next wave? ● Are you always searching for what is working well to share it across the team? ● Does everyone understand their domain and its behaviours?

# Loyalty ● What are you doing to encourage affinities, allegiance and longevity? ● Never be held to ransom by anyone as it weakens your core and devalues your brand! ● Passion is the thing that will help you create the highest expression of your talent; it is contagious, magnetic and fosters loyalty.

Great business growth and longevity require that you build a business full of ordinary people who you trust to do amazing things.

Once you have let them loose, they will drive your business to places you only dreamt of seeing. ●

IM AGE | PAL HANSEN

16/09/2015 14:36

See your recruitment agency through Eploy.

It’s your business. You know what it needs to succeed.

If you want to achieve your goals, you need to visualise WKHP ȴUVW :LWK (SOR\ 5HFUXLWPHQW 6RIWZDUH \RX FDQ set your targets‌ then smash them.

(SOR\ +HDGV 8S 5HFUXLWPHQW

Jane Emerson

Jobs on this week : 28 Perm GP this month : ÂŁ21,886 Perm GP target : ÂŁ20,000

Connected calls : 65 CV’s sent this week : 53

Brad r d Whitehead ead d

Jessica Smith

Connected calls : 50 Jobs on : 22

Sarah Fry

Placement GP this month : ÂŁ26.4K Interviews this week : 35 Candidate meetings this week : 5

Team Stats CV’s sent

Team GP this month : ÂŁ127,687 Jane Emerson Sarah Fry Brad Whitehead Sienna Holmes Jessica Smith John Wyatt

ÂŁ28,265 ÂŁ26,451 ÂŁ21,886 ÂŁ18,431 ÂŁ16,760 ÂŁ15,894

178% 178 %

Tom

105 5%

Brad

98% 98 % 143% 143 %

Jessica John

Team CV’s sent vs Target

eploy.co.uk/see REC.10.15.051.indd 51

15/09/2015 10:54

E EMPLOYABILITY CO M M UNITY

LOVELOCALJOBS HELPS KIDS BE THE CHANGE

BY SARAH MARQUET

E

mployability begins not with teaching someone how to write a CV or how to conduct themselves in an interview, but by empowering and engaging young people to recognise and realise their potential, according to the founder of job board LoveLocalJobs.com.

Founder and chief executive Gary Peters recently put this theory to work at a motivational event aimed at encouraging 100 disengaged 13-to-15year-olds from Brighton and Hove to take control of their lives and careers.

The event, Be the Change, featured talks by leaders from business, sport and the public sector about how they had overcome trials and tribulations in their own lives to achieve career success.

Held at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, Be the Change was co-hosted by the job board and social enterprise Humanutopia, along with local employers and local authorities. The young people had been identified by their schools.

Peters told Recruiter: “[It] was about getting in the hearts and minds of young people, to raise their aspirations and make them see that regardless of what’s going on around them, or however disillusioned or freaked out by the whole employment market that they may be, that they all have an amazing opportunity to grab their life now and make the best of it, because there is ample opportunity out there.”

As a country, Peters said, the UK has for too long “banged on about” how young people were not ready for work because, for example, they did not know how to write a CV. However, he countered, it was primarily disengaged youth who face barriers to work.

By helping young people tackle their 44 RECRUITER

Young people at the Be the Change event in Brighton, co-hosted by LoveLocalJobs and Humanutopia

LoveLocalJobs was a finalist in the Most Effective Employability Strategy category at Recruiter's Investing in Talent Awards 2015

“The young people realised that the potential in their lives was absolutely down to them” G A RY P E T E R S

personal issues, they will make better decisions about staying in school, attending higher education courses, or entering the world of work, Peters said.

Be the Change succeeded, Peters said, because at the end of the day, the young people “realised that the potential in their lives was absolutely down to them and regardless of what was or is going on around them, [and] they have an opportunity to just disregard that or turn that negative into a massive positive and take it on to the world of work”.

They understood, he added, that

even at their young age, they might be employable despite a lack of specific skills but because of other skills or their personalities.

Peters said the event was a pilot, with a view to creating a sustainable programme in which young people from each conference will be recruited as “heroes” to help deliver the event the following year.

Peters is clear about his ambitions — he wants to see this programme in every secondary school across the UK, though “whether we’re able to do that on our own, that’s something else”. ●

OCTOBER 2015

p52-53_recruiter_employability.indd 52

17/09/2015 09:46

APSCO INTERNS IMPRESS AT IMPELLAM’S CARBON60

BY SARAH MARQUET

A

difficulty in staffing its Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire office has seen recruiter Carbon60 turn to interns, such as those recruited by the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo).

Now in its second year, the APSCo intern programme brought in 13 university students who spent 12 weeks of their summer holiday getting a taste of the world of recruitment at agencies across the UK. But as Alexis Waddington, HR director at Impellam Group’s Carbon60 said, the decision to take on three of those interns was not just about creating a talent pipeline or giving the students employability skills, it was about a very real need to staff an office.

Due to Aylesbury’s proximity to London, local residents generally choose to commute to the capital to work, she said.

“[It] has been so successful we will probably think about home-growing a lot more than we have done”

“[It] is an area that we struggle to recruit in and also, during the summer period, we have got some high levels of people going on annual leave and we needed to get the right level of cover.

“The only other option we had was maybe bring on a temporary administrator… but by getting the interns, we are supporting them to give them exposure to the business environment anyway so it works out well for them and well for us.”

Collectively, the APSCo interns — Shannon Ivey-Bracken, Robin Newport and Nikhil Seedher — secured two placements and 14 interviews for Carbon60 in the first three weeks.

They also taught Carbon60’s veterans new tricks, such as how to better use computer programmes to produce spreadsheets and presentations.

In return, the staff taught the interns about practices and techniques for researching that could help them with university studies.

Their positive experience with the interns has convinced Carbon60 to rethink its recruitment strategies for filling roles at other offices where it occasionally struggles to find staff.

“We always try to find people with experience but this has been so successful that we will probably think about home-growing a lot more than we have done,” Waddington said. ●

From intern to recruiter…

APSCo chief executive Ann Swain said there was “great feedback” from both interns and companies that took part in last year’s inaugural programme.

“The fact that one of last year’s interns is starting a trainee position in the recruitment profession this September is a great testimonial of our mission to position recruitment as a longterm career choice.”

That former intern, Ruth Ng, has just started a permanent job with IT sales recruiter Finlay James in its Manchester head office, after graduating from the University of Nottingham with a first-class degree in philosophy.

Ng told Recruiter following a job offer from the recruiter in summer 2014: “I don’t think there was really ever any doubt I would be coming back.”

John Gaughan, Finlay James managing director, told Recruiter last year he had taken on interns to help develop a talent pipeline. Ng was one of four he took on in 2014. The company took on three this year.

While Ng was the only intern at Finlay James who was about to graduate, Gaughan hopes all of the others might also come back into the company, or spread the word to their networks.

In terms of speed to competency, Gaughan says Ng’s internship means she was already well ahead of expectations for a “normal hire”.

A L E X I S WA D D I N G T O N

WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 45

p52-53_recruiter_employability.indd 53

17/09/2015 09:46

E RECRUITMENT WWW. RE CRUITE R .CO.UK

View the latest jobs at www.recruiter.co.uk To place your advertisement E: emmanuel.nettey@redactive.co.uk or T: 020 7880 6234

PLAN YOUR NEXT MOVE

on the move

New features available through your smartphone See the latest job listings View all the jobs from the website Search or browse to find the right opportunities Create and update your live email job alerts View jobs directly from your email alerts Save and apply for jobs Save jobs to your profile Email jobs to yourself or friends Apply for the right jobs first using your saved CV Keep track of all your jobseeking activity

Âť Go to www.recruiter.co.uk/jobs 46 RECRUITER

REC Oct15.indd 46

OCTOBER 2015

15/09/2015 10:58

W W W. R E C RU I T E R .CO.U K

View the latest jobs at www.recruiter.co.uk To place your advertisement E: emmanuel.nettey@redactive.co.uk or T: 020 7880 6234

RECRUITMENT

E

Chase R2R the Agency for Recruiters Chase R2R place recruitment staff into roles across sector, throughout the UK. • Branch Manager, South Yorkshire

• Manager, Construction: Leeds

• Recruitment Consultant, London

• Business Manager: Cambridge

• Senior Legal Rec Con, London

• Trainee/Consultant: Midlands

Fantastic packages available for Consultants!

Upgrade your life in 2015 – now is the best time for recruiters to demand an excellent package. Invest in yourself today.

Some benefits of being with us are:

D Access to roles, not seen elsewhere D Discretion at all times D We work for you D Best packages available

www.chase-r2r.com info@chase-r2r.com 0114 223 6000 WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 47

REC Oct15.indd 47

15/09/2015 10:58

E CAREERS CO M M UNITY

A L L EN A USTIN : The US executive search firm has recruited Chris Reinsvold as a partner within its industrial practice.

healthcare recruitment brands Synergy Personnel Solutions and Lifeline Recruitment Solutions have appointed Olivia Spruce as managing director.

COSTAI N : Michaela Poust has been promoted to head of recruitment at the engineering and technology solutions provider.

A DVA N C E: Shaun Critchley joins the recruitment industry and contractor workforce management company’s board of directors.

GIBBS S3: Hybrid workforce solutions specialist Gibbs S3 has hired Jacqueline Vasey as director of talent management solutions for EMEA.

CA R EERX R OADS:

HE I DRI CK & ST RUGGLES:

Talent acquisition firm CareerXroads has hired Chris Hoyt as partner.

The global executive search firm has appointed Debbie Cozart, a former consultant at the company, as partner-incharge of its office in Perth, Western Australia.

Recruitment giant Adecco has appointed John Marshall as chief executive for UK & Ireland. He succeeds Peter Searle, who had been with the Adecco group on and off for 28 years.

Marshall was previously executive vice president responsible for Adecco’s finance, office and legal business in North America since 2010.

He will also become a member of the Adecco Group executive committee, reporting into Adecco Group CEO Alain Dehaze. Relocating from Jacksonville, Florida, Marshall takes up his new role from 1 October.

Commenting on his appointment, Marshall said: “The last 14 years of my career have focused a great deal on both professional staffing and permanent placement, which will be important in this new role as a large portion of our business is in these two areas.”

HCIG: Andrew Burchall joins the recruitment agency investment group as chief financial officer.

CAST U K : The senior level procurement, supply chain and logistics staffing specialist has promoted Gary Robinson to sales director.

C IP R EC R U ITM E N T S ERV IC ES : The group’s 48 RECRUITER

OCTOBER 2015

p56-57_recruiter_peoplemoves.indd 56

HARVE Y N ASH: The

INT ERQUEST: Gary Ashworth has assumed the position of executive chairman at the specialist digital and analytics staffing specialist.

He was previously chairman.

executive search firm has hired Tanya Lau to lead its consumer and retail practice in Asia Pacific.

INVEST IGO: Lee Cooper joins the international recruiter as director.

JSA: Joining the specialist accountancy and payroll and employment services provider to contractors and freelancers is Jeff Blakemore, who becomes JSA’s commercial director.

Email people moves for use online and in print, including a short 16/09/2015 14:36

J OBV ITE: The recruitment technology provider has appointed Rachel Bitte as chief people officer. Bitte is joined by Bill Loller as chief product officer, Robert Tsao as vice president of strategic operations and Matt McLaughlin as vice president of mid-market and enterprise sales.

N A K A MA GROUP: The international IT, digital and business change recruiter has a new chief executive in the form of Rob Sheffield.

OPTION IS : The professional services group for the staffing industry has appointed Robert White as managing director of its SME division.

OS CA R : The energy and technology staffing specialist has promoted Matthew Southworth to director.

PAG E EX ECUTI VE : Ross Gordon is the new director of the interim division of PageGroup’s executive search division.

P E DE RSE N & PART NERS: The international executive search firm has promoted Kaspars Kauliņš to country manager for Estonia, while Darcie Murray has been appointed head of North America following the opening of the firm’s first US office in Houston.

P E N N A CONSULT ING: Penny de Valk, managing director of Penna Talent Practice, joins the international HR consulting group’s board as executive director.

Explore Group Trainee recruitment consultant Marketing, sales £18k-£45k Berkshire Fresh Partnership Recruitment manager Generalist, commercial £30k-£35k Manchester TD Group Recruitment consultant Healthcare, rec-to-rec Buckinghamshire

For more jobs, people moves and career advice go to ● recruiter.co.uk/jobs ● inhouserecruiterjobs.co.uk ● internationalrecruiterjobs.com

EDITORIAL +44 (0)20 7880 7606 Editor DeeDee Doke

RECRUITMENT ADVERTISING +44 (0)20 7880 7556 Giorgio Romano

deedee.doke@recruiter.co.uk

giorgio.romano@redactive.co.uk

Reporters Sarah Marquet, Graham Simons sarah.marquet@recruiter.co.uk graham.simons@recruiter.co.uk

Contributing writers Colin Cottell, Sue Weekes Production editor Vanessa Townsend vanessa.townsend@recruiter.co.uk

Creative director Mark Parry Picture researcher Akin Falope

PRODUCTION +44 (0)20 7880 6209 Production executive Rachel Young rachel.young@redactive.co.uk

PUBLISHING +44 (0)20 7880 8547 Publishing director Aaron Nicholls aaron.nicholls@redactive.co.uk

ADVERTISING +44 (0)20 7880 7607 Sales manager Tom Culley tom.culley@recruiter.co.uk

recruiter has appointed Tina Flooks as learning & development manager.

Senior sales executive Josh Hannagan

RECRUITER AWARDS/ INVESTING IN TALENT AWARDS +44 (0)20 7880 6236 Events Rebecca West

josh.hannagan@recruiter.co.uk

rebecca.west@redactive.co.uk

CIRCULATION and SUBSCRIPTIONS To receive a regular copy of Recruiter, the leading magazine for recruitment and resourcing professionals, telephone +44 (0)20 8950 9117 or email redactive@abacusemedia.com • Recruiter is also available to people who do not meet our terms of control: Annual subscription rate for 12 issues: £29.99 UK; £35 Europe and Rest of the World • To purchase reprints or multiple copies of the magazine, contact Abacus e-Media T: +44 (0)20 8950 9117 or email redactive@abacusemedia.com

SAGE: Sandra Campopiano joins the technology company as chief people officer.

TI ME S RE SOURCES: The IT recruiter has appointed Nick Adams as director.

TRAVI S P E RKINS: Rebecca Martin-Cortez has been promoted to head of resourcing at the builders’ merchant.

CONTRIBUTIONS Contributions are invited, but when not accepted will be returned only if accompanied by a fully stamped and addressed envelope. Articles should be emailed. No responsibility can be taken for drawings, photographs or literary contributions during delivery, transmission or in the editor’s hands. © 2015 Redactive Media Group. All rights reserved. This publication (and any part thereof) may not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in print or electronic format (including but not limited to any online service, any database or any part of the internet) or in any other format in any media whatsoever, without the prior written permission of Redactive Media Group.

Redactive Media Group accepts no liability for the accuracy of the contents or any opinions expressed herein. The publishers cannot accept liability for any loss arising from the late appearance or non-publication of any advertisement for any reason whatsoever. ISSN 1475-7478

Total average net circulation between 1 July 2014 & 30 June 2015 – 18,667.

Recruiter is also sent to all REC members

TSB BANK: Kim Clarke is the bank’s new director of HR business partnering and employee relations.

biography, to recruiter.editorial@redactive.co.uk p56-57_recruiter_peoplemoves.indd 57

CONTACTS

RUBI CON RECRUIT MENT GROUP : The Poole-based

YOUR NEXT MOVE A selection of vacancies from recruiter.co.uk

Redactive Publishing Ltd 17 Britton Street, London EC1M 5TP 020 7880 6200

Scan here to get your own copy of

16/09/2015 14:36

E THE LAST WORD CO M M UNITY

Michael Bowden Developing a potential employee pipeline

Businesses that hire with apparent minimal effort and fuss are constantly building their ‘potential employee pipeline’. They don’t wait for someone to leave or to receive a new project before looking for new staff.

Think ahead and anticipate hiring staff before you need them and not six to 12 weeks after. Here are a few ideas: N A M E-G AT H E R I N G ➊ Are you name-gathering from your candidates?

Who else do they work with? What did they think of them? Add names to a tracking system and headhunt the best. ➋ Have you asked your clients if they rate anyone?

Add them to a tracking system and headhunt the best. ➌ When interviewing consultants for your business ask about colleagues they rate. ➍ Inspire your current workforce to generate referrals. Run an internal competition, and set up visuals for a referral league table of who has introduced the most potential recruits.

A DV E RT I S I N G ➊ Develop an SEO [search engine optimisation] strategy for specific keywords — for instance, ‘work in recruitment London’, ‘finance recruitment London’ and so on. ➋ Do you have quality/ powerful adverts to sell to recruiters’ hotspots? Who writes them? Would it be 50 RECRUITER

worthwhile outsourcing?

Find out where your target consultants look on a daily basis. ➌ What kind of media presence do you have? Do you have news to share with business media? Are your LinkedIn profiles suitable to attract people? Have you joined/are you participating in appropriate groups? Are you tweeting your news? ➍ Advertise for part-time recruiters who are interested in flexible working. ➎ If recruiting for trainees, hold a Saturday assessment day.

N E T W OR K I N G ➊ Build relationships at trade shows/client pitches. ➋ Find out where target recruiters congregate after work. ➌ Maintain relationships with interviewees you liked but who didn’t join for some reason. ➍ Has anyone left the company that you were sorry to see go? Are you continuing a relationship with them? ➎ Proactively invest time in meeting one recruiter from a competitor each month to share ideas and network.

This will lead to building a relationship with a potential hire. ➏ At Apple each manager has five names given to them of world-class talent that they must build relationships with for six-24 months down the line. Can your managers do the same?

E X T E R N A L LY ➊ Are you ready to attract people to your business? Do you have job specifications that actually sell the opportunity — for trainees, researchers, consultants, managers and directors?

All will need to be sold to differently. Include the criteria for moving up to the next rung. ➋ Have a ‘We are hiring’ page on your website/social media. ‘We are hiring’ has much more impact than ‘Work for us’. ➌ Recruitment-torecruitment firms will send their best candidates to only a few clients. Consider how to become one. Invite eight to 10 into the office, and sell them the benefits of working with you. You want to be on the rec-to-recs’ preferred supplier lists (PSLs) for the best candidates. ➍ Whatever you do, do it continually. Then you will have a network of people with whom you have already built a level of trust and rapport to tap in to as soon as the need arises. ●

+ Michael Bowden is a partner in specialist recruitment-torecruitment firm Bowden Mayes

OCTOBER 2015

IM AGE | AKIN FALOPE

p58_recruiter_lastword.indd 58

16/09/2015 16:48

REC.10.15.059.indd 59

15/09/2015 10:55

REC.10.15.060.indd 60

15/09/2015 10:56