Bornto Blog

REC's IRP - Some in favour and some not

2009-07-08T13:47:00.001+00:00

Great article on Page 12 of Recruiter Magazine, 8 July 09 – IRP: tweaking or enhancing.

I was intrigued by the debate between some of REC’s heavyweights p12, 8 July 09, IRP: tweaking or enhancing, which discussed the timing and merits of REC’s new Institute of Recruitment Professionals.

Naturally time will tell if it is the wrong or right move and it was refreshing to see it reported that Peter Searle from Spring was in full support and one of REC’s Fellows, Steve Huxham, painted a different picture.

Let’s face it, recruiters are salespeople and salespeople want to earn money, therefore, to throw a little relevant research into the debate, a recent report from the UK’s leading Professional Management Organisations delivered by the Consultative Committee for Professional Management Organisations confirmed the following;

“The estimated lifetime economic benefit associated with holding professional qualifications and membership of a professional institute is approximately £152,000 in today’s money terms. This is comprised of £81,000 from holding professional qualifications, and £71,000 from holding membership of a professional institute.”

Perhaps this will be a factor if individual recruiters acknowledge that membership of IRP or sitting REC qualifications will positively effect the back pocket.

I personally feel any steps to professionalise any industry are good news, and in light of REC’s recent focus on Phoenixing in the industry, more professionals adhering to best and fair practice can only increase the perception of recruiters by employers in what is an extremely challenging market.

Phoenixing

2009-07-08T12:03:00.002+00:00

The REC is inviting Government to take a tough stance on Phoenixing as highlighted in Recruitment Consultant Magazine today.

I remember an REC event last year where some senior figures in the recruitment industry were laughing about how this was how they had made their money in the sector, so this practice seems to be quite common and at all levels in the industry.

I left the conversation at the point this was raised because I have no time for people who create other's misery and as an ex employee of the REC, I like them, would love to see this stamped out and those who have profited exposed.

Well done REC, cast the net far and wide and look into all the nooks and crannies.

Mixed messages regarding impact of job boards on HR hiring

2009-07-07T15:10:00.000+00:00

I was with one of the largest UK job boards last week and largest UK recruiters this week and received mixed messages about the impact of job boards on HR's hiring activity.

The job board indicated that direct employers were just not posting and that recruiters were still and always have been the predominant user of its boards.

The recruiter indicated that they have lost considerable business to job boards with direct employers choosing to test the online channels available.

I'm interested in the community's intelligence on this matter because I would like to pull some representative statistics together to share with the community.

Many thanks.

Sad but true ...

2009-04-09T20:21:00.001+00:00

This week marks the 40th anniversary of the maiden flight of Concorde 002 (the first British Concorde) from Filton, Bristol in April 1969. In the intervening years Concorde flew thousands of business travellers at supersonic speeds to close multi-million pound deals and in a style and comfort previously unknown in aviation. Concorde scorched passengers to New York in just 3.5 hours from Heathrow and won the hearts of all who loved design, imagination and technological advancement. It was a true icon of it’s time.

How sad it is then that Concorde, which was permanently grounded in 2002, was the last great hope for ground breaking science in aviation. In the first sixty years of the last century we saw advancements taking us from the first powered flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina to our first steps on the moon. In the subsequent 40 years we have only seen retrograde steps and boring, slow aircraft.

RIP manufacturing, RIP innovation, RIP Concorde.

Gareth

Recession Virgin

2009-03-18T21:13:00.003+00:00

After confessing to being a Recession Virgin at My Long Lunch today, I highlighted why I was qualified to speak on the subject of ‘Innovation During Times of Recession’.

Quite simply, like almost everyone else in the room (my fellow Virgins), I have had to perform a 360 degree analysis of our business and implement creative and innovative measures to drive the business forward through these challenging times.

I shared my methodology with the group because a definite balance is needed between continuing the focus on traditional operating strategy and thinking creatively and innovatively.

I strongly believe that people should first think innovatively about how their businesses currently operate, not how to take them and their service offering(s) in new directions. It is vitally important to analyse what activities are still delivering value and do more of the same, before starting to identify innovative pathways. In essence, there is no room for panic tactics.

Once you have streamlined the business and shored up the spine of your operation and business strategy, you can start to be creative and innovative to support the strengthened operation, just like a team sports manager who builds a solid structure but when necessary substitutes in players who can bring width, depth strength or pace, depending on the challenges faced by opponents game by game.

Our innovations feed off what we have already built at Brainhunter to add further value to clients, and part of me is thankful of the economic situation because without it, we wouldn’t have thought of, researched and launched a range of complimentary and innovative solutions that give Brainhunter competitive edge.

If you innovate in a controlled manner, you can test new theory’s and approaches without risk, because doing something might yield a result and it might not, whereas doing nothing always generates nothing, in fact you could start to go backwards.

In addition if you don’t innovate and others around you do and strike gold, when the economic situation improves, imagine how far ahead of you they will be!

Join The Staffing Division

2009-03-16T20:55:00.002+00:00

The Staffing Profession is the specialist networking and promotional platform for everyone with an interest in Recruitment, HR and Recruiting Technology.

http://www.staffingprofession.com

Once you are a member you can look up other members and invite them to be friends to grow your network and communicate with it collectively.

Also, set up a Corporate Group so you can promote your business.

In your own profile you can use the blog feature and add and take part in all discussions on the forum.

You can also set up events and invite people to attend them from within the community.

To build the membership base there is a feature for you invite all your contacts to join that have an interest in any facet of staffing.

Use it as a communication, networking and lead generation tool.

According to REC there are in excess of 100,000 people working in the recruitment industry in the UK alone.

That would be a good start!

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

2009-03-04T08:47:00.002+00:00

An interesting debate this morning with my train friends regarding the logic surrounding candidates' fears for applying for jobs and switching roles, given the current economic uncertainty.

It was a real dividing subject because some believed it was better to stick with the devil you know and take the safe option. This also included crossing ones fingers that the incumbent company can ride the economic storm.

Other's, including myself, thought that every business is being affected in one way or another at present so if a company is employing, it means they are growing or replacing a critical role, which should generate a perception of safety and if you are a good candidate you can negotiate the right package for your ability.

What do you think?

Are the Banks our Berlin Wall?

2009-03-01T08:53:00.006+00:00

I remember crossing through "Checkpoint Charlie" into the East when Berlin was still a closed city and the wall was a blight on the landscape and the lives of the people it separated. Going from affluent to poor and from lively and energetic to depressed and oppressed was a sobering experience.

I was at the BBC, as an audience member for 'Question Time', on the night in Nov, 1989 when the wall came down and it became another landmark in the calendar of things that change the world; the day when the worst extremes of communism were expelled by the people and the east embraced capitalism.

Interesting isn't it that this week a Russian billionaire (Banker) and former KGB agent has bought the London Evening Standard. Wow, how times have changed.

I was musing yesterday and wondering if we will have witnessed a similar moment in 2008 and lived through the time when the worst extremes of capitalism have been exposed and the greed of the few has brought hardship on its loyal followers for years to come?

I have always prided myself on being 'apolitical' and seeing the selective strengths in all societal models but the effects of the last twelve months will last for a long, long time and the financial burden it will place on the whole world will take decades to recover from.

Gareth

2009-02-27T13:27:00.003+00:00

It appears I created my headstone message in a meeting this week. No I'm not on my way out (well at least I don't think so) but I summarised what our response to the economic downturn needed to be, which is to be creative, innovative and do more of the same.

My team won't let me forget this and my co-director Gareth Osborne very kindly translated into Latin - Partum innovatium quod magis of idem eadem idem - any Latin scholars out there please confirm what this really means LOL!

But seriously, we are in economic decline but don't forget we have had 16 years of quarter by quarter growth, so just like 'whatever goes up can come down', 'whatever goes down can, and in the case of the economy, will come up', so dig yourselves in and be creative, innovative, and if you strongly believe you are working hard and smart, do more of the same.

Let's Talk The Economy Up

2009-02-26T08:57:00.002+00:00

Many would agree the press have done an exceptional job in talking down the UK and global economies during the recent economic downturn, but would confidence be as low as it is if they had talked things up rather than down.

Come on Webspace, let's start talking things up and being positive. The sun still shines and the rain still falls. Cars, vans, lorry's and motorbikes can still be seen on our roads. Office and shop doors are still opening and closing at the beginning and end of a hard day's work. People are still living. I even heard people are sharing more intimate time together!

In all of your blogging, networking, marketing and promotion, talk things up. Let's fight negativity with positivity and who knows it might not actually be as bad as we read every morning.

C.

Bonus Culture

2009-02-18T08:18:00.003+00:00

Forgive me if I am wrong but if the Public hadn't bailed out the banks, they would have gone into administration and the majority of those working for them would have lost their jobs.

Surely the reaction is "phew, I still have a job, what a result because in normal circumstances I would be looking for another and in the bankng sector they are few and far between", not "I am really dissapointed I'm not getting my contractual bonus this year"!

Oh, that's alright then ....

2009-02-10T15:55:00.003+00:00

Good news, our Head Bankers have apologised! That will probably make it OK then; normal service will be resumed and everyone will feel safe and secure in the knowledge that it was just a simple miscalculation. Funny how that excuse didn't work for my cash flow projections in the past!

Lord Stephenson, the former Chairman of HBOS said "The fundamental mistake of HBOS was the failure to predict the wholesale collapse of the wholesale markets."

It's a start but I think we need to see an awful lot more sincerity and greater humility in the coming weeks if they hope to regain the smallest shred of dignity.

Gareth

Oh Sir Digby do not touch me!

2009-01-21T11:38:00.004+00:00

I have to say I always thought putting the great Lord Jones of Birmingham into Whitehall was like putting Mother Theresa in charge of a brothel - destined to create revelation. It was a brave decision by Gordon Brown but Digby was always likey to fight his corner and apply business thinking; and an outstanding business champion he was as well! But if anyone was destined to see through the smoke and mirrors of the UK Civil Service then Digby was.

Now I have to admit that great Civil Servants are mighty impressive, and I met a few good ones during my time at REC and before, but they are few and far between. And like Digby, I feel passionately that there are too many of them, and too many duffers hiding behind (and definitely creating) piles of paperwork and process. I personally believe we could neutralise many of our economic woes if we slimmed down the public sector (and don't get me going on Local Authorities or I'l tell you the story about the Council that wanted to build a model railway museum, with European funds, because one officer liked toy trains!).

Thank goodness Digby received his honours before he threw his sucker punched against those who have the power to approve or reject them.

Digby Jones 1 : Civil Service 492,000 (full time equivalent posts)

Gareth

Extend opportunity to every willing heart

2009-01-20T19:51:00.002+00:00

I’m a sucker for a great orator and must admit to finding Barak Obama’s Presidential acceptance speech thoroughly energising. Now I am well know for being apolitical (neutral), which has served me well in the past, but I thought his statement of hope could be the new call to arms for the UK recruitment industry (and especially the public provision, Job Centre Plus).

When he said, “We want to extend opportunity to every willing heart,” I thought the message was profound, insightful and extremely clever. You get our wholehearted support; if you want to succeed. We are here for those who are engaged; and committed. Resolve is a great personal asset and one the recruitment industry can place every day of the week. Intransigence, disinterest and apathy are the trait that caused the demise of many great industries; like manufacturing.

Instead of funding training programmes UK Government could also learn from this message and fund courses in prolonged passion (you know what I mean).

Gareth

There is only one cure for Recession

2009-01-17T20:45:00.004+00:00

Sales, Sales, Sales!

So the most important people right now are not Bankers, Accountants, Lawyers, Adminstrators or even Marketers, they are Salespeople - the only people in business who create wealth; all others consume it.

Gareth

APSCo sets sail on the Arree Sea

2009-01-17T20:12:00.002+00:00

I was mighty impressed by the launch of APSCo (the Association of Professional Staffing Companies) this week and the impressive attendance they mustered at the Headquarters of the Magic Circle, where it had its big splash.

Ann Swain made an impassioned rallying call for the recruitment industry to get behind her in her mission to improve people’s perception of the industry and persuade service users that professional recruiters are easily identifiable, simple to engage and honest to work with; and APSCo, with its new ethic, would be the perfect starting point. She stressed that, unlike “others” APSCo would be highly selective in assembling its crew and would fight off unwelcome boarders.

She couldn’t resist taking a few well aimed shots at another older vessel lumbering along in the same sea and making loosely veiled suggestions that its Captain may be more of a land lubber than a hardened warrior like herself.

Apart from a little friendly fire on some civil servants present the whole affair was credible, ambitious and well timed. I wish APSCo luck in the skirmishes ahead.

Gareth

PS. The Magic Circle Museum was fascinating to see. I only wish I’d learned sooner how to make the lady disappear or at least how to saw her in half; it could have proven useful in a former life.

Look for the BERR necessities

2009-01-02T12:23:00.002+00:00

I am always pleased to see the results of BERR’s Annual Report (the latest issued on 23rd December 2008) on the work of the Employment Agencies Standards Inspectorate (EAS) and its evidence to support the recruitment industries claim that the majority are good and that only a small number of complaints are made against it each year and even fewer upheld and eventually actioned.

This is to take nothing away from the seriousness of the few major incidents but historically, when all omissions were anecdotal and the units ability to do much was hampered by the small number of Inspectors in the field, perception of the problem was much worse and the resulting corrective action more harsh. In 2002/3 four major incidents led to the creation of the Employment Agencies Act 2003/4 which was penal; so four rogue agencies caused the implementation of legislation that resulted in increased cost to agencies, their clients and UK Plc.

With colleagues at the REC we pressed hard to get to the bottom of the real numbers and it took a letter from me to Patricia Hewitt, then Secretary of State of the then DTI, under the greater freedom of information legislation to get to a situation where evidence could be shared.

My message to the critics of the industry would be to look closely at this report and combine it with the work of the REC’s outstanding Professional Standards Unit and recognise that together the complaints received would result in less than 2000 of any substance. Given that the industry is responsible for several million placements each year (temp and perm combined) this would suggest a complaint rate of less than 1:10,000 placements. I would suggest this is outstanding in business and worthy of merit and acclaim not continuous legislation and damnation.

Gareth

Click on the following link to find the latest report:
http://nds.coi.gov.uk/environment/mediaDetail.asp?MediaDetailsID=261244&NewsAreaID=2&ClientID=379&LocaleID=2

New Year Bank Statement

2009-01-01T13:43:00.003+00:00

Is it just me or is anyone else seriously offended by the behaviour of the Banks following their recent mishandling of the global money markets?

I have noticed over Christmas that Nat West have been promoting their “Sale” and frankly I think they should be sanctioned for bad taste when so many of their customers are having to slash prices to uneconomic levels just to stay alive. Meanwhile they live off their Government handout, of our money, we all have to pull in our horns and economise and watch them continuing to spend on tasteless national TV advertising campaigns suggesting they are doing us a favour. The only Bank Sale I would condone would be that which sells off all the over paid and over rated Bankers to the private sector for use as Office Juniors.

Equally annoying was the publication I received before Christmas (extremely lavish I must add) from Barclays Commercial offering advice on how to run my business in tough times! I sent it back with a note saying “You probably need this more than me!”

The new uniform for Bankers in 2009 should be ‘sackcloth and ashes’ to replace the smug indifference they have been wearing for too long now.

RIP Bankers (Recession in Progress)

Gareth

Interesting Daze Ahead

2008-11-27T12:20:00.002+00:00

Full marks to ATSCo, and the highly charged Ann Swain, for it’s (her) announcement in yesterday’s Recruiter magazine that they intend to take on the World and embrace all professional recruitment within their new incarnation, APSCo.

When I first heard the news, a couple of months ago, I thought it sad for the industry but quickly recovered my corporate head and asserted my well honed mantra that ‘any competition is good news, not bad’. At least there will now be pressure on REC to ensure it stops relying on its 75-years of history and market dominance and starts looking to its future for survival.

There is no better time than November to launch a competing organisation; being as it is, just ahead of 1st December when REC historically issues its corporate membership invoices for 2009 Membership, but I assume this point wasn’t missed by the APSCo Executive, and I’m also guessing there will be a few late night meetings in Welbeck Street; when someone gets around to reading Recruiter anyway, to consider a ‘rapid response’. That’ll be tough when your new competitor has captured 6 pages of the leading industry magazine to promote its launch. I make it 2-0 to APSCo at this stage but the games only just started,

But all parties should remember that there are plenty of goals to go for; REC has only about 35% of recruitment businesses in membership, and by my reckoning that means there is room for at least 3 major players in the market – so, there could even be room for me to get a game!

Ann, please don’t underestimate those out there for whom ‘professional staffing’ is an oxymoron when applied to Recruitment. In my first week at REC I was told by a senior official at DTI (now BERR) that I had to understand ‘it is a very dodgy industry’ and that view hasn’t really changed much since. If you are genuinely focused on the professional end of the market then you have to make sure the offering is far bigger, better and more highly valued by observers than just another badge. The title ‘Professional’ comes with equally high expectations of you and I wish you well in achieving them.

Gareth

Trust me I'm a Banker!

2008-11-07T11:59:00.004+00:00

REC and partners Lloyds TSB have today announced the launch of its new Industry Report to March 2008. Sadly they closed the books just before the downturn started to impact on the market but it is none-the-less an invaluable piece of work and it seems quite rosie.

Overall total industry billings (inc. temp salaries) continued to rise and passed £27 billion for the first time ever.

Perhaps more alarmingly, much of the increase came from Perm placements which recorded a significant rise (from £3.5 billion to £4.2 billion). As we all know Perm business is the first to be hit in a downturn and Q3/4 figures for 2008 from the High Street will severely punish this trend. Equally alarming was the decline in Temp placement in the report (1.8% year on year). We desparately need Temp work to hold up if we are to weather the storm.

The biggest single challenge still facing the industry is the continuing decline in margins and let's not forget that guys; as we say at the sharp end, tunover is vanity, profit is sanity and, especially in a downturn, cash is reality.

With the massive reduction in the BoE base rate yesterday, intended to fuel spending in the shops pre-Christmas, let's hope hirers take the bait and spend, spend, spend commercially and don't batten down the hatches for 2009.

Gareth

Winter Blues

2008-10-29T09:25:00.001+00:00

Well the news continues to look cold and bleak; but then it always does if you choose to believe it. I admit to being a perennial optimist but even with a pessimists hat on I still don’t buy the media puff and hype about recession. I will accept down turn and that things are going to get tough for a while but as the saying goes “When the going gets tough etc”.

What really convinced me that economists are starting to muse about recovery was the announcement last week by GB that we could face recession, and this came at the same time as the Bank of England announced a net deficit of 0.5% negative growth over the last 3 months. When politicians announce gloom they usually have the magic trick under way and are ready to reveal the ‘rabbit’. Watch for January when they announce that they have saved the day, avoided recession and we are heading back for happier days. But then what do I know … I’m only a businessman.

Think of the down turn as a snowy day when you have to travel on a motorway. It’s unlikely that you can safely do 90 mph (sorry, 70 Officer!) or do 30 in top gear but you can come down a few gears and be ready to put your foot down when the road ahead clears. I say bide you time, do all the housekeeping that you have been putting off during the busy days; start with the database and refresh the content, do some internal brainstorming, keep closely in touch with clients, sympathise with their woes, write press releases and start telling everyone how well you are doing. Above all be ready for 1st January when hearts and minds turn to the future and they go in search of the New Year Recruiter.

Hit a man when he's down!

2008-10-26T11:13:00.002+00:00

I have to say that I was devastated, if not really surprised, to hear the outcome of the EU vote on the Agency Workers Directive. After seven years of tireless effort by the REC, this comes as a real blow for the UK recruitment industry. REC put up a good fight but lost ground recently to the reviving strength of the TUC under Gordon Brown’s Government and the persistent claim by Brendon Barber that ‘Temporary work is a demonic form of labour’ – well, there is going to be a shed load of demons on the dole now Brendon unless you do something to help delay its implementation.

Knowing how the EC works, I doubt if the department dealing with the woes of the financial crisis have been talking to those considering the AWD or they would have concluded that passing AWD into law at this particular time is bloody stupid! Every Agency in the Hauptstrasse will tell you that employers are somewhat windy about making permanent placements in a period of economic uncertainty; preferring to opt for the flexibility that temporary placements afford, and this is certainly the case at the moment. So, is this really the time to impede an already pressurised marketplace with more legislation?

But never mind because inspired recruitment pundits are already saying “Don’t worry we have 18 months to do something before it will be implemented!” Don’t worry! Don't these people understand that in business terms 18 months is tomorrow and if their own business planning is that short term, then I worry for the future of pundits! (Not surprisingly, an anagram of Pundits is Stupid ‘N).

For once, can we simply just NOT be good Europeans? I have watched for years as every other Member State has nodded deferentially to new legislation and then overlooked its local implementation for years and years; the French and Italians are especially good at this. The British on the other hand debate it and immediately roll over, implementing it at the earliest possible opportunity.

Burying our collective head is one option but in reality there is no better time for the industry to pull together and jointly craft the method by which ‘implementation’ is interpreted in the UK; this will only mitigate the damage but traditionally we have always accepted the beating and then exposed our privates to ensure maximum effect. This time we should use every defence possible to protect our position.

Gareth

Home thoughts from abroad

2008-10-11T10:17:00.004+00:00

I'm watching a Floridian sunrise as I write this piece and may tend to romanticise a little - it's difficult to resist in this breathtaking environment - but I met a recruiter in a bar earlier in the week (like you do) and she invited me to speak at a network meeting of Staffing Agencies in Florida. Great opportunity I thought but do I really want to turn this into a 'Busman's holiday'. I went along anyway and boy am I glad I did.

I was welcomed very warmly, introduced as the guest speaker (news to me) and given the floor. I talked a bit about experiences and then threw the session open for questions.

The leader, a girl who had previously worked for Manpower; and spent sometime in the UK, started by asking me the $64,000 recruitment question - 'Why don't you guys in the UK ever talk to each other?" I admitted that she had already exceeded the scope of my knowledge and asked if she had read my blog, as it was a long standing hobbyhorse.

Two things struck me about this group as the session unfolded; firstly, they were prepared to discuss anything (even pricing, with no mention of the dreaded 'c' word), openly talking about their clients and sharing contacts and secondly, their relationship with their clients (mostly on an RPO type arrangement) seemed so much more professional (or do I mean open) than ours in the UK. They were comfortable being recruiters and were seen as professionals, offering a professional and essential business support service.

It still baffles me why we seem so uncomfortable in our UK recruitment skin and feel shy about the obscene margins we no longer make! And more importantly why we don't speak out collectively to correct these misunderstandings!

I think there are massive lessons to learn from America and it might be a good source for new young talent; at least 30% of the audience I spoke to would love a 12-24 month opportunity to work in the UK (and explore those 'quaint little towns' in Europe). Who knows REC could even create an exchange scheme with its friends at ASA (the American Staffing Association).

Gareth

Banking on recovery

2008-10-04T13:22:00.002+00:00

At last the Banking Community has received its due return and should be mighty humbled by the chaos its greed has caused the global economy. For too long now Bankers have looked down on small business owner/managers and pontificated about the need for good financial practice and sound cash flow controls and at every twist and turn limited our ability to grow, invest and take the essential risks associated with innovative business development. Well yah-boo-sucks! Because we might just have been right and they have definitely been proven wrong. When I look at the tax payers money invested to bail them out I can't help wondering what else we could have innovatively done with all those billions of pounds as an alternative plan to rescue the economy.

I really hope that next time around Bankers leave their undeserved arrogance behind, remember that banking is not the be-all and end-all and learn lessons about good customer service.

A thought for the business day

2008-09-07T10:41:00.003+00:00

"The weak set their own goals and always achieve them,
The strong look to others and strive to exceed."

Gareth

Probably my best justification for a challenging NXD on the Board