Monday
In work at 7am to respond to all the correspondence from clients and candidates in the Middle and Far East. Scantec’s overseas division is growing in these regions and we have developed an extensive database of expats and national workers in the oil & gas, marine, chemical and petrochemical sectors for this area. I make several calls to operators and consultants in both Singapore and Malaysia before they shut up shop for the day. I spend the rest of the day heading up team meetings with the principal consultants of the different divisions during which we agree the weekly objectives and targets.

Tuesday
Focus on our Middle Eastern and European clients, working with the marine, oil & gas, chemical & petrochemical and nuclear teams. Several of our clients work in the exploration of gas in West Africa and we source and supply their personnel. Later on in the day, I also receive a new brief from a new client who requires off-shore health and safety consultants and I liaise with the team.

Wednesday
Today I manage the staff one-to-ones. Scantec runs monthly assessments with all team members during which we review their financial and sales performance. I use this time to review individual training requirements and feed this information to our external trainer, who visits our
offices four days a month to help staff to improve their skills. In 2009, the senior management team has committed itself to focus on training, leadership and motivation. In the afternoon, I interview two new candidates for our overseas team.

Thursday
Out and about today, visiting a service contractor to the oil & gas industry in Aberdeen. I take the early morning flight and meet our client mid morning. We discuss the current downturn in the North Sea and look at ways to manage their workforce through this time. In the afternoon, we take a tour of their offices before boarding the flight home.

Friday
In London today, meeting with the HR director of a French power generation company for a business development meeting. The presentation is successful and we enjoy an informal lunch. I head back to the station and call the office for an update of vacancies we are working
on. And with my copy of the Evening Standard for the business section, I board the train back to the Wirral.