FT Recruitment Diary - Book Review

Reer*itnrent Diary Peter Whitehead l} lnle,rims Following last week's cover feature on interim executives, Russam GMS, a UK provider of interim managers, offers its latest six-monthly snapshot of the market. lt sees "some positive signals in a no-growth economy". with overall interim activity increasing by 3 per cent in December compared with a year earlier, but falling back by 1.5 per cent on the numbers for June 2012, always a busy month. lt says assignments are mainly focused around growth and average daily rates for December fell slightly to t593 from 9619 in June. O Apprentices Barclays celebrated hiring its 5OOth apprentice last week, with 500 more to be recruited by June. The bank says its project is having an impact: 86 per cent of apprentices taken on were previously not in any form of employment, education or training and 37 per cent joined with fewer than five GCSEs grade A-C. Barclays reports strong retention levels and performance ratings, and line managers have also praised the apprentices' excellent work ethic and attitude. The 500th apprentice, by the way, is Ross McMahon, aged L8, from Milton in Glasgow, who will be working in the bank's Glasgow city centre branch. have not OAdvice Jobseekers who had to "market themselves" for some time might heed a warning lrom Simon Gray, director of recruitment firm Cherry Professional. He says those leaving long-term posts are in a similar position to prisoners after serving a lo-year stretch: "Their surroundings are unfamiliar, and time, people and technology have moved on. It's no wonder they're confused. ln my experience, jobseekers react in two ways: they try to pretend nothing has changed; or they try to understand the modern job market and how best to place themselves within in it." He describes how to do this in his book Super Secrets of the Successful Jobseeker, published by Harriman House. His advice includes: understand what a future potential employer is thinking, and how you can tailor your skills and experience to their requirements; remember who the competition is and differentiate yourself from it; read newspapers, talk to the professionals and do your homework on the local business scene. Gteadership Since the financial crisis, a new range of challenges has rewritten the leadership skills and styles required of the best European executives, according to a study by Korn,/Ferry lnternational, the executive search and talent management consultancy. lts interviews with more than 100 senior executives in the European Union finds the most important skill is now the ability to "deal with ambiguity", a trait that didn't even make the top 1O five years ago. Perhaps it was called something else then - I thought negotiating the unknowns of economies and markets was always a leader's job.

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Transcript of FT Recruitment Diary - Book Review

Page 1: FT Recruitment Diary - Book Review

O Apprentices Barclays celebratedhiring its 5OOth apprentice last week,with 500 more to be recruited byJune. The bank says its project ishaving an impact: 86 per cent ofapprentices taken on were previouslynot in any form of employment,education or training and 37 per centjoined with fewer than five GCSEsgrade A-C. Barclays reports strongretention levels and performance

ratings, and line managers have alsopraised the apprentices' excellent workethic and attitude. The 500thapprentice, by the way, is RossMcMahon, aged L8, from Milton inGlasgow, who will be working in thebank's Glasgow city centre branch.

have notOAdvice Jobseekers whohad to "market themselves" for sometime might heed a warning lromSimon Gray, director of recruitmentfirm Cherry Professional. He saysthose leaving long-term posts are in asimilar position to prisoners afterserving a lo-year stretch: "Theirsurroundings are unfamiliar, and time,people and technology have moved on.It's no wonder they're confused. ln myexperience, jobseekers react in twoways: they try to pretend nothing haschanged; or they try to understand themodern job market and how best toplace themselves within in it." Hedescribes how to do this in his bookSuper Secrets of the SuccessfulJobseeker, published by Harriman

House. His advice includes: understandwhat a future potential employer isthinking, and how you can tailor yourskills and experience to theirrequirements; remember who thecompetition is and differentiateyourself from it; read newspapers, talkto the professionals and do yourhomework on the local business scene.

Gteadership Since the financial crisis,a new range of challenges hasrewritten the leadership skills andstyles required of the best Europeanexecutives, according to a study byKorn,/Ferry lnternational, the executivesearch and talent managementconsultancy. lts interviews with morethan 100 senior executives in theEuropean Union finds the mostimportant skill is now the ability to"deal with ambiguity", a trait thatdidn't even make the top 1O five yearsago. Perhaps it was called somethingelse then - I thought negotiating theunknowns of economies and marketswas always a leader's job.