Thursday, 09 February 2012

Recruiter
Graham Simons Editorial

Graham joined Recruiter in April 2008 and covers HR, transport & logistics, commercial, hospitality & leisure and retail. He also aggregates Recruiter’s daily news alert. He worked on the online HR publication People Bulletin before joining Recruiter’s news team.

  • Media & creative

    21 September 2011

    Clients in this sector are demanding more and more from their candidates, which is leading to a dearth of skills in the industry

  • Customer services

    7 September 2011

    The days of the overseas call centre seem numbered as more firms seek to improve service by bringing operations home. But there is a skills gap

  • GLA's lighter touch approach

    7 September 2011

    McKinlay: “a lot of work to do”

  • Jurys puts personality first for Tyneside hotels

    17 August 2011

    Norris

  • Legal

    17 August 2011

    Law practices are expanding often internationally in order to survive, and yet there is unfilled demand both for experienced lawyers and their junior counterparts

  • Navigating the stable waters of change

    27 July 2011

    Despite recruiters’ increased profitability in recent years, the effect of the Agency Workers Regulations will certainly have an impact on future profits

  • Brewing up the right culture before skills

    1 June 2011

    Restaurant chain Caffè Nero is far more likely to compromise on skillset than cultural fit when hiring new talent, according to HR director Steve Carpenter.

  • Healthcare

    1 June 2011

    The uncertainty surrounding NHS reforms is certainly not helping plan the solutions to the skills shortages in the health system

  • Renewables

    18 May 2011

    For companies and recruiters looking for hard-to-find skills in the renewable energy sector, their only source is to find talent overseas

  • Smartphones will play larger role in recruitment

    4 May 2011

    Jeffery: open up the ‘corporate iron doors’ to let candidates see behind them

  • Terms and conditions 'should be clear'

    4 May 2011

    Recruiters have been urged to ensure they are transparent as possible with clients on their terms and conditions by John Miller, director at Recruitment Enforcement.

  • Highfield places staff in Kenya - for free

    20 April 2011

    International construction staffing specialist The Highfield Company has turned the idea of a recruitment agency taking a fee for a placement on its head by paying to sponsor two healthcare professionals placed at a medical centre in rural Western Kenya.

  • Brightpool plans joined up expansion

    6 April 2011

    Guy Emmerson

  • Asda launches recruiting drive at ex-Netto stores

    23 March 2011

    Vicki Gartside

  • Digital

    23 March 2011

    The pace of change in technology in the digital sector is being matched by the pace at which famous brands are moving online. This migration has increased

  • Human resources

    9 March 2011

    Across the country HR budgets are being slashed, meaning recruitment departments are having to be more savvy about how they find talent, whether that be through recruitment agencies or social media. While there are candidates aplenty and commercial skills are increasingly important, HR now seeks a master of all trades rather than a master of one.

  • Social media strategy helps Sodexo recruit in-house

    9 March 2011

    Successful social media strategy needs to be aligned to recruitment and business strategy, according to Arie Ball, vice president for talent acquisition at Sodexo USA.

  • Accountancy

    23 February 2011

    There is tough competition at the moment to secure the best accountants, meaning recruiters are having to work harder to mine the gems

  • APSCo's test aims to raise standards

    23 February 2011

    Swain: RPS is a serious skills test

  • No need for in-house recruiters?

    23 February 2011

    Wheeler: what makes recruiters special?

  • Public sector

    9 February 2011

    With the level of budgetary restraint now known, many public sector organisations are able to make plans for a leaner future

  • Travel & Tourism

    19 January 2011

    Following a torrid year for the sector, recruiters and employers are noticing a more competitive market with certain skills in high demand

  • Customer services

    8th December 2010

    Building relationships with both clients and customers is now seen as an equally important quality as technical skills for many businesses

  • Asda's ATS promises to cater for 7,500 new jobs

    24 November 2010

    Gartside: consistent candidate experience

  • Sales & marketing

    10 November 2010

    The boom in the UK’s internet economy has led to strong demand for people with digital skills - and an ability to keep up with technology

  • Retail

    27 October 2010

    A weak pound and relatively cheap rents lured international firms over to the UK to benefit from shopping tourists. But will this continue?

  • Chess moves for multiple contacts

    18 August 2010

    A new consultancy service, launched by the Chess Partnership, aims to put the hospitality recruiter at the centre of the sector’s community by building up multiple contacts across its clients’ businesses, according to chief executive Chris Sheppardson.

  • Search is on for Olympic volunteers

    21 July 2010

    London 2012 needs 70,000 volunteers with “dedication, focus, grace under pressure and adaptability”, according to a spokesperson for the games.

  • Healthcare

    26 May 2010

    Value for money is going to be vital for those in charge of procurement and recruitment providers will need to demonstrate they can deliver

  • Recruiter mentoring vital for NEETs

    26 May 2010

    Dame Kelly Holmes has urged recruiters at public sector staffing specialist Morgan Hunt to use their expert knowledge of the jobs market to help young people Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEETs) into gainful employment.

  • Technical know-how and behaviour win through

    28 April 2010

    What does if take to win two accolades at the Recruiter Awards for Excellence? Graham Simons spoke with managing director of CBSbutler, David Leyshon, to find out

  • Kelly moves up-market

    17 March 2010

    International recruiter Kelly Services is to pursue more retained business for mid management and niche level roles, according to its new general manager for UK and Ireland John Callagher.

  • Note new 'fit' legislation

    03 March 2010

    Recruiters of both temporary and permanent workers will need to prepare for ’fit note’ legislation, according to John Hayes, partner at the London employment department of law firm Irwin Mitchell.

  • Tragus dines on design

    03-February-2010

    A rebranding of restaurant group Tragus’s career site, best known for its chains including Cafe Rouge, Belgo, Bella Italia and Strada, has resulted in a 50% increase in applications since the site’s redesign in November, according to head of recruitment & policy, Claire Clarke.

  • Premier people in India

    20-January-2010

    Campus auditions, recruitment fairs, talent spotter cards, newspaper and billboard advertising, as well as its own intranet, are just some of the ways hotel chain Premier Inn has recruited staff for its new hotel in Bangalore, India.

  • Local talent pool likely to fill Park Plaza vacancies

    09-December-2009

    The Park Plaza Westminster Bridge’s location is proving a boon to its recruitment plans in more ways than one.

  • Royal Mail retains agency workers

    11-November-2009

    The Royal Mail is to retain all of the temporary workers it has hired, despite suspension of industrial action.

  • Agencies deliver 'robust' service to Royal Mail

    28-October-2009

    Recruiters insist they continue to be committed to carrying out necessary background checks on the agency workers they supply to the Royal Mail, following allegations in the Daily Mail that temporary workers were being hired on the minimum wage, while some have criminal records and were given only ‘cursory’ interviews.

  • Retail

    28-October-2009

    Christmas trading will be crucial for the sector to get an idea of whether the recovery is transient or the start of an upward trend

  • Hospitality

    14-October 2009

    Optimism seems to have hit the sector, with more active jobseekers coming on to the market - although there’s still a shortage of chefs

  • New Randstad firms link up on fact-finding day

    30-September 2009

    Simon Girling gets to grips with BBT

  • Human resources

    16-September 2009

    Employers are looking for HR professionals who can add value to the company, so it falls on recruiters to sift out the wheat from the chaff

  • Banking, insurance and finance

    02-September 2009

    While this is still a candidate-rich sector, resourcing professionals are putting greater demands on recruiters’ margins and services

  • Unlocking the key to support

    02-September 2009

    Saving time and money is one of the main reasons for engaging a back office support provider. Graham Simons looks at the benefits that can be achieved by implementing such solutions

  • Banking bounces back

    12-August 2009

    Whatever other difficulties the banking sector may still be facing, the good news is that hirings in the sector are growing again. Graham Simons looks at what that means for recruiters

  • Scotland 'not ready forlicensing law changes'

    12-August 2009

    Recruiters should take the initiative in training candidates to comply with newlicensing legislation in Scotland that will affect any establishment that serves alcohol, according to Hazel Neill, managing director at Scottish hospitality recruiter Quality Link.

  • Scotland's FPSG plans to expand London presence

    12-August 2009

    FPSG is targeting London’s technology, professional services and public sector recruitment sectors for its future growth but will not abandon its Scottish roots, according to Kevin Cruickshank, director at the multi-sector staffing firm.

  • Construction

    22-July 2009

    Although there are signs of green shoots in the sector, factors such as a glut of candidates, funding worries and lack of confidence are holding back any recovery

  • Hospitality recruiters told to exploit their networks

    22-July 2009

    Recruiters need to demonstrate added value by providing proactive searches and exploiting their networks, according to hospitality resourcing professionals.

  • Sourcing social candidates

    22-July 2009

    Will social networking be the death knell for recruiters’ candidate social networks? Graham Simons and Colin Cottell investigate the unstoppable force of online networking and how recruiters can turn this to their advantage

  • Green jobs need government help

    08-July 2009

    The government needs to offer greater assistance to wind turbine manufacturers if they are to consider relocating jobs to the UK, according to Ben Cartland, an associate at green recruiter Acre Resources.

  • Extrastaff wants appeal to go ahead

    24-June 2009

    Industrial recruitment firm Extrastaff is considering requesting a judicial review, following the revocation of its gangmaster licence by the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA).

  • Joint attack against the rogues

    24-June 2009

    Discussions are currently underway with the Gangmasters Licensing Authority and the major supermarkets to work out a protocol to protect the rights of workers and clamp down on those suppliers which flout the law. Graham Simons investigates the co-operation between the responsible UK retailers and the agency that fights labour exploitation

  • Ads highlight legislation changes

    10-June-2009

    Following a tightening of the rules on the sponsorship of skilled migrant workers, the UK Border Agency has launched an advertising campaign to raise awareness among recruiters and employers.

  • Clients shun PSLs

    10-June-2009

    It seems that the recession is pushing clients away from preferred supplier lists. Instead, to drive down costs, recruiters are being asked to dramatically reduce their rates. Graham Simons reports

  • Despite a plethora of candidates, the sector is still relying on paying for expertise, rather than cutting margins -- and ultimately service for its clients

    27-May-2009

    After a year of consolidation, the travel sector has been flooded with jobseekers, resulting in fewer candidate shortages, apart from in web-based travel roles. But despite business travel recruitment grinding to a halt, recruiters are protecting their margins and are even seeing early signs of brighter skies ahead.

  • Liberty gambles on online gaming market for staff

    27-May-2009

  • Finding the best fit for the job

    13-May-2009

    Assessing who is the right person for the job is a lot harder with the increase in candidates on the market. Graham Simons looks at the benefits of psychometrics

  • Recruiters’ views still needed for AWD in the UK

    13-May-2009

    Recruiters have been invited to have their say in forming the terms and conditions of how the European Agency Workers Directive will beimplemented in the UK.

  • TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS

    13-May-2009

    Sourcing candidates in the sector is no longer a problem. Finding employment for them is more of a worry, as jobs are often dependent on how other sectors perform

  • Putting out feelers

    29-April 2009

    Tough times call for different measures and recruiters are having to rediscover their lead-generation skills anew. Graham Simons investigates recruitment’s change in focus

  • Business rate deferral a boon for recruiters

    15-April-2009

    Recruiters have welcomed business rates being deferred, following Chancellor Alistair Darling’s announcement that he was going back on plans to introduce a 5% rate increase from 1 April.

  • Hays stakes its claim on India for the long term

    15-April-2009

    Multi-sector recruiter Hays plans to embark on further expansion into India following the opening of its Mumbai office.

  • Recruiters use property fall as driver to expand

    01-Apr-2009

    At a time when many recruiters are battening down the hatches, some are exploiting opportunities brought about by the decline in commercial property prices.

  • Retailing the changes

    01-Apr-2009

    Looking at candidates with skills from one sector and helping them move to another is a growing trend, particularly in retail and hospitality, as Graham Simons discovered

  • Generation work gap

    18-Mar-2009

    Communicating the change in work attitudes with candidates from the Generation Y group is crucial if they are to be placed in employment. Graham Simons investigates

  • Positivity in staffing shares

    18-Mar-2009

    IT recruiter SThree broke back into the FTSE 250 last week, after its year-end results for 2008 showed a 20.8% revenue increase last month (recruiter.co.uk, 2 February).“We have just got back into the FTSE 250. Our performance of late has been more buoyant than a number of our competitors,” Steve Hornbuckle, company secretary SThree, told Recruiter. Despite this its share price dropped by 7.7% over the past two weeks.Michael Page announced a 5% drop ...

  • Recruiters to get paid for advice

    18-Mar-2009

    Recruiters could earn up to £150 per candidate for helping unemployed people at the high end of the employment market. Tom Hadley, director of external relations at the Recruitment Employment Confederation (REC), told Recruiter that from April, job centres will refer candidates, whose last job paid £30k-£70k, to a list of recruitment agencies on a local level for extra support and guidance.The move comes on the back of November’s signing of an agreement ...

  • Watt: Ultimate victim of recession

    18-Mar-2009

    Watt: no-one could conceivably see what was coming

  • Creating vacancies

    04-Mar-2009

    With recession biting, don’t wait to be asked — putting candidates forward to prospective clients is a great way to boost business. Graham Simons reports

  • Higher Talent changes to hourly rate for services

    04-Mar-2009

    A City HR headhunter is charging its clients an hourly rate rather than a bulk instalment up front.

  • Selling success

    18-Feb-2009

    Candidates with excellent — and specialised — sales skills are highly sought after by recruiters looking to get one step ahead of the competition. Graham Simons reports

  • ‘Obama boost’ for green recruiters

    04-Feb-2009

    Going Green: Obama is good news for renewables

  • Food retail offers hope to agencies

    04-Feb-2009

    Expansion: chief executive Justin King plans on 5,000 new jobs

  • Green shoots among the challenges

    04-Feb-2009

    The latest survey to hit the industry paints recruiters in a more optimistic mood than would be supposed, given the amount of gloomy news from the media on the economy. Graham Simons looks at highlights from the report and picks out what recruiters can learn from thefindings.

  • Scottish construction agencies want action

    21-Jan-2009

    Speed is of the essence: jobs can be saved with investment

  • Sponsorship fall hits hospitality sector

    14-Jan-2009

    Flat events: fewer sponsors

  • Build face-to-face relationships, say fashion recruiters

    Fri, 12 Dec 2008

    Consultants should build relationships with clients rather than relying on emails, according to fashion recruiters.

  • Changing eating habits fails to hit hospitality recruitment

    Fri, 12 Dec 2008

    Britain’s changing eating habits have not adversely affected hospitality recruiters. A recent survey from caterersearch.com showed that the UK’s eating-out market value fell by 13% with people swapping the pub for takeaways at home.

  • Credit crunch causes coaching cutback

    Fri, 12 Dec 2008

    Companies are cutting back on coaching as the recession tightens its grip on the UK, according to HR recruiters.

  • Shipping recruitment enters choppy waters

    Fri, 12 Dec 2008

    The shipping recruitment sector is starting to experience the impact of the recession, according to shipping recruiters.

  • Surviving recession in Scotland

    10-Dec-2008

    Recruiter travelled to Glasgow for its latest forum to find out about the situation in recruitment North of the border. Graham Simons reports on the discussion that took place.