Wednesday - 19 November 2008
Analysis 

Writing on the wall

Published: 23 July 2008   

Recruiters are moving into the world of book publishing, gaining credibility, publicity and the occasional advance along the way.

Ann Swain, chief executive of the Association of Technology Staffing Companies (ATSCo), first began writing her as yet untitled book just over a year ago.

Swain says the book fills a gap in the market, which traditionally has been the territory of US publications.

The intention was to write "something that had substance and looked at the pan-European methodology of recruitment", she explains. Co-written with training and coaching consultant Jane Newell Brown, Swain says the book "does exactly what it says on the tin".

She has enjoyed writing the book. However, given her busy role at ATSCo, the big problem "is allocating enough time for it", and admits to working on it at the weekends.

Swain says she has had a positive response from "the great and the good" of the industry, who she has interviewed during the course of her research. People are keen to be included, she says.

Swain is hopeful that the book will be bought both by companies and by individual recruiters.

She has already received an advance from the publisher Kogan Page. Publication is due early next year and she is already in discussion about future books. However, she has no plans to become a full-time author, describing it as too solitary an activity for her liking.

IT recruiter Jenrick Computer Personnel International has entered into a partnership with journalist and company staff trainer Ade McCormack to produce IT Demystified. Philip Fanthom, sales director at Jenrick, describes it as a handbook which will help people in business and particularly those in HR to "decipher the needs of those in IT who are looking for staff, rather than going in blind". Jenrick gives free copies of the book to key clients.

"It will make the lives of recruiters easier," he says, though he admits "it's good PR for us as well". The company bears the costs of publishing. Jenrick is planning two further books along similar lines — one a business book, the other related to the environment.

Dave Pye, Highams Group chief executive, has created the Highams Business Technology Book of the Year Award.

"I'm quite into books," he says, "and I thought there doesn't seem to be anything on technology."

The first winner of the award, which was presented in June, was Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything by Don Tapscott and Anthony D Williams.

This year's award cost the company less than £10,000, according to Pye. However, there have been a number of positive spin-offs. These include raising the company's profile in the technology sector, with 10 articles appearing in the press, and other mentions on blogs. "It's captured a lot of attention in the sector we are in, which has been good for us."

Whether other recruiters see the publishing angle as a necessary move or just a novelty remains to be seen.



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