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RECRUITER SHOW Inspiration and advice from the coalface of recruitment
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ADIDAS: WHERE TALENT RULES
INCORPORATING Recruitment Matters
CZECH MATES NonStop training abroad
BLUE ARROW Jill Thornton’s brilliant career 07/12/2015 11:10
Bookings
Timesheets
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Invoices AWR Tracking MI Reports
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20
C R ONT ENT S 08
ING PORAT INCOR itment Recru ers Matt
COV ER IMAG E | MARC US V E T T ER
A
D
NEWS
41
20 THE BIG STORY
05 UK tops M&A charts
Sports giant adidas is stepping up its game to recruit top global talent
At the launch of Recruiter’s European FAST 50, the UK is top of the M&A list
26 Recruiter Show 2015
06 Cordant’s credence revival
Discover the secrets and fresh thinking from those on the frontline of recruitment
Cordant looks to integrate and incubate
06 Babb’s North Starr Harrington Starr diversifies
bert m Ra
32 Czech into training
07 SR Group goes local in Europe
NonStop Recruitment are developing the next generation of consultants — in the Czech Republic
New offices in Frankfurt and Milan advance SR Group’s localisation strategy
07 Thoughts from...
E COMMUNITY
Tom Hovington, Stefanie Nennstiel and Dr John Sullivan
37 Social Network 38 Careers Agency/In-house 41 My brilliant recruitment career: Jill Thornton 42 Employability 44 Business Advice 48 Movers & Shakers 49 Recruiter Contacts 50 The Last Word
07 Star recruit: Duncan Bannatyne OBE 08 This was the month that was... 10 Contracts & Deals
B
FEATURES
TRENDS
12 Insight
32 26
Tackling the legal challenges in the recruitment sector
17
Tech & Tools
“Should we have ‘quality of hire’ as a KPI? I don’t want recruiters to become the whipping boy when it fails”
Using technology to improve the candidate assessment process
C
INTERACTION
18 Agency View: Ricky Martin 19 Web chat: Dean Kelly 19 Soundbites
GREG ALLEN
50
I M AG E S | A K I N FA LO P E / TR ISTRA M K EN TO N / P ETER SEA R LE
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W E LCO M E
UPDATE
UK tops M&A chart WE LCO M E
LEADER
W
hat will you remember about 2015? No one can deny that on the world stage, 2015 has been a tough year, and 2016 will certainly have its challenges for citizens of the world and practitioners of recruitment to face. That said, 2015 has been rewarding in so many ways, not least of which has been in a financial sense for many recruiters. With total industry turnover having reached a staggering £31.5bn, according to the Recruitment & Employment Confederation’s “Recruitment Recruitment Industry Trends is an industry Survey 2014-15, in which there’s always business is healthy a new way of in many sectors and on the rise to delivering a exciting heights. service with Personally, the care & insight” end of 2015 leaves me with an overwhelming sense of gratitude: so grateful to work in an industry where people are always looking to improve where they were and what they did yesterday and in which I get to see first-hand the fruits of their labours. Our Recruiter Show left no doubt that recruitment is an industry in which there’s always a new way of looking at and delivering a very basic service with care, insight and panache. My thanks to our wonderful speakers who shared their visions of what is possible in our world and also to the talent acquisition team at adidas group, who shared their world with me for our Big Story this month. What a wonderful way to cap off a year! Let’s look to an inspiring 2016.
COLIN COTTELL
MERGER & ACQUISITION (M&A) activity in the UK staffing sector is more than twice that of any other European country, according to corporate finance firm Clearwater International. At the launch of Recruiter’s new European FAST 50 at November’s Recruiter Show in London’s Barbican Exhibition Centre, Clearwater UK partner Marcus Archer (below left) unveiled research showing that in the 12 months to the end of September 2015, 53 M&A deals were completed in the UK staffing sector. This was more than double the number completed in Germany (24), the second most active territory. The next most active territories were France (14), the Netherlands (14) and Denmark (17). Of the countries researched only the US, where the staffing market is more than two and half times the size of the UK, saw a higher number of deals (88). Explaining the strength of M&A activity in the UK, Archer told the audience that the country’s “mature and highly fragmented market creates a huge number of both buyers and sellers”. He said IT was the most active sector for M&As, with 11 deals completed. More than nine out of 10 (93%) were trade deals, and 91 % were domestic rather than cross-border. The key drivers of M&A were domestic private firms looking for niche acquisitions and private equity firms intent on acquiring fast-growing profitable sector specific recruiters, said Archer. Clearwater analyst Mark Maunsell (below right) revealed the results of research into a selection of deals across the world showing valuations that buyers were willing to pay for staffing businesses rose in line with the size of the target company. Buyers were prepared to pay an average multiple of 6.1 times annual earnings for firms with an enterprise value of between of £20m and £40m, but this rose to a multiple of 10.6 times for firms with an enterprise value of more than £200m. Maunsell said he expected to see rising levels of M&A activity next year, particularly in IT, health and education. ● ● See p6 and pp26-29 for more news from the Recruiter Show.
DeeDee Doke, Editor IM AGES | RAFAEL BASTOS
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UPDATE
28,033 FOLLOWERS AS OF 8 DEC 2015
Cordant’s new credence revival SARAH MARQUET
As Cordant Group looks to expand and evolve — minus the man who last year unveiled a new-look Cordant Recruitment business — focus is being put on engagement, integration and incubation, chairman Phillip Ullmann (right) tells Recruiter. Former chief executive of Cordant’s recruitment services division Steven Kirkpatrick last year said he planned to shake up the “boring” high street recruitment market as he unveiled a revamped recruitment division. While Kirkpatrick made a “tremendous difference” to the business, his recent departure is part of a greater business evolution, Ullmann says. “We recognised that we could only have one CEO. We were effectively two businesses [recruitment
Babb looks to The North Starr SARAH MARQUET
Five years on from establishing financial services recruiter Harrington Starr, director Toby Babb (right) and his team are diversifying their offering to include technical recruitment into the commercial sector. That new offering will be in the form of The North Starr, as announced by Babb at the Recruiter Show at London’s Barbican in November. 6 RECRUITER
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services and facilities management]… and the power of the Cordant Group comes from unification, a single business and therefore we had to make a very difficult decision.” A history of building strong, successful businesses saw Chris Kenneally, who was appointed about the same time as Kirkpatrick to lead the facility services division, take
overall control of the business. Despite not having any recruitment experience and the business generating most of its turnover from that division, Ullmann isn’t worried, citing the experienced team around Kenneally. The business has also recently said goodbye to Staffgroup founders Mark Znowski and Paul Flynn,
Led by Harrington Starr co-founder Alex Odwell, The North Starr will focus on software development resources within the UK and Europe with a view to join its sister company in the US by 2018. “There has been a major shift in the last couple of years with businesses looking for more modular, webbased technology solutions and this, coupled with an estimated 50bn devices to be connected by 2020, means now is a great time for us to enter the digital and software development markets,” Odwell told Recruiter. Babb says the multibrand strategy will see the
Harrington Starr group expand into several new markets and geographies in 2016 and beyond with headcount set to grow significantly in the coming months.
whose company Cordant acquired in 2015. As Cordant works on “digesting” Staffgroup, it is focusing on incubation projects — taking on top recruiters and backing them to effectively build their own business units. “It’s a better way to grow because you haven’t got the hassle of buying whole businesses, of making redundancies, of dealing with different cultures,” Ullmann explained. The business is also redesigning its purpose statement with the aim of fully engaging its employees and temps. Ullmann recently put a call out via the group’s social media for all employees to help shape the statement. While the outcome is not yet known, he was clear about one thing: “It’s not just about making money.” ●
CORRECTION
An article about PepsiCo’s employee referral initiative in Recruiter’s December 2015 issue incorrectly identified talent acquisition manager Dan Fitzpatrick as ‘Fitzgerald’ at one point in the story.
Find more daily news stories at recruiter.co.uk/news 08/12/2015 14:27
THOUGHTS FROM…
STEFANIE NENNSTIEL
G LO BA L LE AD — AUTISM AT WORK PROGR AMME, SAP
SR Group partner Michael Illert spoke exclusively to Recruiter about the group’s European operations
“I am convinced that in each and every section of our business, you will find a role for a person on the autistic spectrum.”
TOM HOVINGTON
DIRE C TOR OF TALENT ACQUISITION HQ FU NC TIONS, ADIDAS GROUP
“I don’t care about being human resources director — I just want to recruit.”
SR Group goes local in Frankfurt and Milan DEEDEE DOKE
DR JOHN SULLIVAN
RE CRUITM E NT GU RU, PROFESSOR AND CORPOR ATE ADVISER
“Most [organisations] focus on cost-per-hire. That’s a minor, one-time item. Cost is irrelevant. Performance is over years.”
IM AG E | R E X
STA R RECRUIT
GEORGE MARTIN, HEAD OF MEDIA RECRUITER CAREER MOVES’ BROADCAST DIVISION, ON THE NEXT POSSIBLE ROLE FOR FORMER DRAGON DEN’S DUNCAN BANNATYNE (OBE), WHO RECENTLY LEFT THE JUNGLE IN ITV’S I’M A CELEBRITY… GET ME OUT OF HERE!. With his vast business empire spanning health clubs, hotels, TV, stage schools, property and transport, it’s not easy
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES recruiter SR Group will launch new offices in Frankfurt and Milan this month as part of a ‘localisation’ strategy. The company already has offices in Dusseldorf and Munich. Speaking exclusively to Recruiter, SR Group partner Michael Illert, who leads the company’s continental European operations, said “high-level temping” placements will be a focus especially in Germany in the second half of the year, as an addition to its existing permanent business. For instance, SR’s legal recruitment business, Taylor Root, will introduce legal project management teams at two levels to place in businesses on a temporary basis: the first tier will consist of lawyers who will be placed to manage high-level legal issues on specific projects, and the second will offer legal support capabilities, Illert said. Illert described the company’s USP [unique selling proposition] as ‘local experts with a truly global network’. “Clients now want international shortlists,” he said. “We see that more and to advise someone with plans to living in the more.” the career credentials of jungle of I’m a Celebrity. Nicoletta Ravida, Duncan Bannatyne. His fee for the series In his 20s, Duncan’s was actually donated formerly Laurence CV could have been seen to the Operation Smile as jumpy. It wasn’t until charity, so is salary no Simons’ managing the age of 30 that he longer a deal breaker? consultant in Milan, had even opened a bank Perhaps a career in TV account. development or indie will join SR in January Oh, how things have acquisitions beckons? to run its new office changed! Most famed for Or maybe, his time his entrepreneurialism down under has given him there, Illert said. Further and as a business angel a thirst for an outback Southern European on BBC’s Dragons’ Den, documentary, or even his most recent venture as a host for a Jeremy operations will be run has been to swap Kyle-type show. Watch this interrogating business space... from Milan. ● WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 7
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NE WS
THIS WAS THE MONTH THAT WAS… Here is a round-up of some of the most popular news stories we have brought you on recruiter.co.uk since the December 2015 issue of Recruiter was published N O V E M B E R •‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒→ TUE, 24 NOV 2015
HEALTHCARE RECRUITERS IN LIMBO OVER NHS CAP
MON, 23 NOV 2015
MON, 16 NOV 2015
T H U, 1 9 N O V 2 0 1 5
RECRUITMENT PLANNED FOR MORE UK SPY STAFF FOLLOWING PARIS ATROCITIES
REC: 2014-15 WAS RECRUITMENT’S ‘BEST YEAR EVER’
The UK government is planning to recruit 1,900 intelligence and security staff following the tragic events in Paris in November. The recruitment drive is aimed at countering the threat of Isis attacks on the streets of the UK and on flights operating out of the country’s airports. The move follows multiple attacks on bars, restaurants, a concert hall and the national football stadium in Paris on 13 November. A Number 10 spokesperson confirmed the recruitment drive to Recruiter but was unable to provide further detail on which intelligence agencies — MI5, MI6 or GCHQ — would be recruiting until the publication of a strategic defence and security review by government later in the month. More: http://bit.ly/1TipjHi 8 RECRUITER
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MESSAGE IN A BEER BOTTLE LANDS JOBSEEKER A ROLE
Total recruitment industry turnover increased by 9.7% in 2014-15 to reach £31.5bn, according to the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC), which labelled this recruitment’s “best year ever”. The REC’s eighth annual Recruitment Industry Trends Survey found growth was delivered by improved margins in the permanent market and increased volumes of temporary, contract and interim placements. Other statistics show 634,000 people were placed into permanent roles by a recruiter and on any given day in 2014-15, 1.2m people were out on temporary, contract or interim assignments via a recruiter, up 3.6% from 2013-14.
An enterprising candidate in Ireland has managed to land himself a job by sending a message with a bottle — a beer bottle to be precise. Liam Tutty won a digital marketing role at brewer Rye River Brewing Company in Kilcock, Ireland by sending in a beer he brewed himself, along with a covering letter. More: http://bit.ly/1LLIVhh
It is far too soon to know the full effects of the first NHS price cap for agency staff, which came into effect on 23 November 2015, say those who recruit in the sector. Elsewhere, with government guidance only issued on 20 November, sector trade bodies have slammed the cap, calling it illogical and saying it will put patients at risk. The cap was set at basic pay +150% for junior doctors, +100% for all other medical and clinical staff, and +55% for all non-clinical staff. Those rate caps will be subject to a further reduction on 1 February and another, bringing all levels down to +55%, on 1 April, with potential review and further reductions following. More: http://bit. ly/1PYEWWA
M
More: http://bit.ly/1NLlhcu
9.7 % INCREASE REACHING
£31.5bn
Find more daily news stories at recruiter.co.uk/news 08/12/2015 11:46
W E D, 2 D E C 2 0 1 5
Vine Consulting says cheers! with One From Me Recruitment-to-recruitment specialist Vine Consulting has partnered with recently launched mobile-gift giving platform One From Me. The platform enables anyone to buy someone a drink, which that person can claim in certain bars. Vine has used the platform to purchase a batch of drinks for every candidate it has placed this year. More: http://bit.ly/1NQWJyC
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SOCIAL CARE HEADING FOR SKILLS ‘TIME BOMB’
CANDIDATE TURNS TABLES ON EMPLOYERS WITH MR MEN BOOK
More: http://bit. ly/1RmVC9E
T H U, 3 D E C 2 0 1 5
IRISH GOVERNMENT BRING WORKERS HOME Recruiters have welcomed an Irish government announcement for support to create 28,000 jobs in the North of the country, saying it will help bring overseas Irish workers home. Irish minister for jobs, enterprise and innovation Richard Bruton announced the action plan for jobs, which is expected to grow employment by up to 15%, part of a wider €250m (£177m) strategy that was initiated in 2012. The plan is particularly targeting the counties of Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan and Louth.
10 COMPANIES WOULD DISMISS A MR MEN CV AS A GIMMICK
•‒‒‒‒‒→
The social care industry is heading for both a budgetary, as well as a skills, shortage if it fails to address the preference for older, more experienced and more expensive workers, recruiters say. Temporary recruitment specialist Comensura, part of Impellam Group, released its 2015 Social Care Index, which shows the number of temporary social care workers (TSCW) hires aged 45-54 rose by 9.3% to account for 32.8% of the total temporary social care workforce in the year to March 2015 as compared to the previous year. The numbers of TSCWs aged 16-24 and 25-34 decreased by 21.8% and 6.1% respectively between the same period. Comensura says the marked reduction of temp assignments offered to the under 34s means those who have just entered the profession or are developing a career are finding it harder to adequately develop their skills in the workplace, leaving a “skills shortage time bomb”.
An innovative jobseeker turned the tables on his prospective employers with a Mr Men-style CV that not only won him a job, but weeded out companies with the wrong cultural fit for him. Tom Skinner created an autobiographical work outlining his central character Mr Candidate’s difficulties landing a new role, due to being pigeonholed by Mr Pigeonhole because Mr Candidate’s latest role was in sales. As a result, Skinner started work last month with digital marketing agency Friday Media as a digital marketing executive. He told Recruiter while some of the 10 companies he sent his Mr Men book to would dismiss it a gimmick, this proved to be a useful filtering tool, as he did not want to work with a company that would think this. More: http://bit. ly/1NdB1iN
More: http://bit.ly/1PPTXdq
→‒‒‒‒‒•
SUPPORT TO CREATE
28,000 JOBS IN THE NORTH OF IRELAND I M AG E S | A L A M Y / ISTO C K / PA / SH UTTER STO C K
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49
NE WS
CONTRACTS
IS THE NUMBER OF LOCATIONS HUDSON RPO WILL PROVIDE TALENT SERVICES FOR 2 SISTERS FOOD GROUP
CONTRACT & DEALS
Deloitte Professional services firm Deloitte has introduced gaming technology to its apprenticeship recruitment process with the help of games-based psychometric recruitment technology provider Arctic Shores. Deloitte aims to identify those with skills in innovation, creativity and problem solving, with an emphasis on people from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Everjobs German-based, emerging marketfocused online job portal Everjobs has signed a memorandum of understanding with publication East African Business Week. According to the publication, the two will work together to advertise jobs, as Everjobs aims to become the leading pan-African career portal. Ethos BeathChapman Sydney, Australiabased executive search firm Ethos and Singapore-based BeathChapman have merged and co-branded their businesses to become Ethos BeathChapman. Both firms operate across Australia, Asia and Europe, Middle East and Africa. The move was designed to increase geographical reach and scale.
Hudson RPO Hudson RPO has been appointed to help UK food producer 2 Sisters Food Group strengthen its employer brand and attract a talent pipeline. Hudson will provide endto-end resourcing for predominantly professional and managerial positions at 49 office and manufacturing locations across the UK and Ireland.
DEAL OF THE MONTH
The Placement Group Hertfordshire-based healthcare recruiter The Placement Group has acquired Primary Care Recruitment (PCR). PCR operates throughout Central and Eastern Europe, primarily sourcing nursing personnel and other healthcare professionals for European healthcare markets. PCR has offices in Dublin in Ireland,
Porto (Portugal) and Bucharest (Romania), as well as staff operating via satellite locations situated in Spain, Greece, Serbia, Italy and Bulgaria, thereby expanding The Placement Group’s geographical reach. The Placement Group sees this acquisition as strengthening both its UK and European operations.
Infinity Neutral vendor recruitment solutions provider Infinity was awarded the contract for temporary agency & staffing services at Cranfield University. The deal will see Infinity supply workers across diverse disciplines including administration, marketing, finance, estates & maintenance, climate & environment, IT & ancillary. The contract length was not disclosed.
Morson International Technical recruiter Morson International has won a contract to help staff NuGen’s nuclear build project in West Cumbria. NuGen is a jointventure company between Japanese multinational tech firm Toshiba and French multinational electric utility firm ENGIE. Jobs are being created in both Cumbria and Manchester, as the organisation has chosen Piccadilly Place in Manchester city centre as an operations base for the development phase of the Moorside Project. The number of potential jobs was not disclosed.
Nicholas Associates South Yorkshireheadquartered recruitment group Nicholas Associates has acquired XL Graduate Placement, a Newcastle-based company providing temporary and permanent graduate recruitment services, for an undisclosed sum. XL Graduate Placement staff will remain consultants and work alongside the group’s newly appointed head of apprentice and group graduate placement Vicki Nee.
Staffing 360 Solutions US-listed recruiter Staffing 360 Solutions extended its reach in the UK with the acquisition of London-based IT recruiter The JM Group. Staffing 360 executive chairman Brendan Flood said a key company initiative was enhancing its IT service offerings, which it sees as a high-margin sector. The entire JM team has been taken on by Staffing 360. Financial terms were not disclosed.
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TRE NDS
INSIGHT
TACKLING THE LEGAL CHALLENGES IN THE RECRUITMENT SECTOR Partners from law firm Irwin Mitchell discussed key legal and legislative challenges affecting both agency and inhouse recruiters at the recent Recruiter Show in London GRAHAM SIMONS
W
hile recruiters have low levels of awareness of challenging legislation hitting the industry this year, such as the Modern Slavery Act or ‘strikebreaker’ proposals, the good news is those that can adapt policy and processes have a significant opportunity to protect against potential claims and even steal a march on their rivals. This was the conclusion of Irwin Mitchell employment partners Christopher Tutton and Glenn Hayes, discussing the findings of a major survey by the law firm and Recruiter at the Recruiter Show in London’s Barbican Centre in November.
Crossing the picket line For the first time in more than four decades, recruiters face the possibility of being permitted to supply agency workers as cover during industrial action. While government completed a consultation on the plans in the summer, the proposals are news to almost half of recruiters, with 49% unaware of them. Three-quarters (74%) thought the proposals would not have a positive impact on business and Tutton observed it remains unclear whether
12 RECRUITER
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agencies will be able to find temp workers willing to cross picket lines. “Finding staff that are prepared, willing and able to work in a situation where there is an industrial dispute going on might be a challenge,” he told delegates. But proposed changes permitting the use of strikebreakers is not the only area that recruiters lack awareness of. The Modern Slavery Act, which came into effect in October, ensures companies with a turnover of £36m or more are now required to state publicly what they are doing to ensure their supply chains are slavery free.
Slavery obligations The survey shows 67% of recruiters are not aware of the requirement, while 93% of recruiters do not undertake any training regarding slavery and human trafficking. The research also shows 77% of recruiters do not cover slavery and human trafficking anywhere within their human rights or corporate social responsibility policies, and 86% do not
include obligations that client and subcontractors will comply with the Act within their commercial agreements. “You may be thinking ‘well this doesn’t apply to us — we’re too small’,” Tutton told delegates. “But the reality is, if you supply any large business, you are part of their supply chain and then you have to carry out checks on your labour. “The guidance talks about there being an increased obligation on organisations to really vet the suppliers they are using.” And those that can demonstrate to clients they are aware of the legislation can benefit, Tutton adds. “In the coming months I would expect your clients to be asking you what your procedures say about modern slavery, and [would] want assurances and contractual promises — guarantees
If you supply any large business, you are part of their supply chain and then you have to carry out checks on your labour IM AGES | AKIN FALOPE / ISTOCK
08/12/2015 11:47
GLENN HAYES
TAKE PRE-EMPTIVE ACTION AND LOOK FOR THE WARNING SIGNS EMPLOYEES MAY BE ABOUT TO
JUMP SHIP
IN THE COMING MONTHS I WOULD EXPECT YOUR CLIENTS TO BE ASKING YOU WHAT YOUR PROCEDURES SAY ABOUT
MODERN SLAVERY CHRIS TUTTON
that you do comply with the Modern Slavery Act,” he said. “Being prepared and proactive is a good way to differentiate yourself from your competitors because 67% aren’t aware of it.”
Overseas recruitment Not all legislation coming in this year has had a widespread major negative impact on recruiters. The research found only 20% thought immigration rules in the UK are unduly
restrictive — 64% did not, while 82% said provisions banning ‘overseas only’ recruitment that came into force in January have not had a negative impact on their business. And recruiters can mount a defence against cases brought, Tutton said. “There is a defence for failing to advertise roles in Great Britain if you can show it’s disproportionate and you wouldn’t find the candidates. You need to have the evidence of why you are having problems.”
Complacency continues Some issues are always a bone of contention for the sector, however, and in these buoyant times for the industry there is evidence of complacency among agency owners particularly when it comes to employee covenants. Almost seven in 10 (69%) recruiters thought the contracts of their senior employees contained clauses that sufficiently protected their organisation’s confidential information, intellectual property and ▶
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INSIGHT other commercial interests should these employees leave. But just 30% had audited these contracts within the past year and more than a quarter (26%) had lost work to a competitor following the loss of a senior member of staff. Meanwhile 92% have not held back on recruiting senior-level employees for fear that may be accused by a competitor of including a breach of contract. But 30% said they were more likely to litigate against a former employee that may have breached their covenants than they were a year ago. Hayes advised recruiters to take pre-emptive action and look for the warning signs employees may be about to jump ship. “Consider how to spot the warning signs in your business,” he said. “Little things such as, are people going off into private rooms? Are they having phone calls on their mobile phone? Are people arranging meetings outside of the office, clustering in corners?” He identified two reasons to look out for such signs. One was to protect your business if an individual leaves, and the second was “you might need to discipline them while they are there”. He added: “If they are ultimately sending things to their Hotmail account or actively trading against you while still in your employment, you might decide you want to terminate their employment straight away.” ●
HAS THE NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE HAD A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON YOUR BUSINESS?
8% Yes 49% No 33% No difference 10% Don’t know 14 RECRUITER
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LEGAL ISSUES IN NUMBERS Almost half of recruiters do not think government plans to enable employers to recruit agency workers as cover during industrial action will reduce the profitability of their business, the Recruiter/Irwin Mitchell survey has found. The survey found 48% of recruiters surveyed did not think the plans, first outlined in April’s Conservative Party Election Manifesto, would reduce profitability. However, 25% thought that they would, while 27% didn’t know. Despite much wailing and gnashing of teeth emanating from unions about the government’s proposals, most recruiters were not even aware of them. But this is not the only important legislation affecting the industry where recruiters’ knowledge is noticeably lacking…
d 93%
T H E SURVEY AL SO SHOWED
of employees do not undertake any training regarding slavery and human trafficking
73%
of respondents say slavery and human trafficking aren’t covered anywhere in their company’s human rights or corporate social responsibility policies
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92% of recruiters have held back hiring senior-level employees for fear of being accused of a breach of contract by a competitor
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T R E N DS
TECH & TOOLS
Testing the recruitment process Use technology wisely to improve the candidate assessment experience SUE WEEKES
DEFINED: Recruiters can choose from a range of testing products from off-the-shelf psychometric testing to more tailored situational judgement testing that will explore how a candidate behaves in a specific workplace situation. Data and analytics are increasingly being used to better inform employers about the skills and characteristics required for a top performer and predict how candidates will behave in a role. Gamification, where the mechanics of game design and thinking are applied in non-game environments, is also being built into assessment methods.
Online recruitment systems and online testing have co-existed for many years but are often separate in the recruitment process. Kirstie Kelly, director of strategic partnerships at recruitment technology provider LaunchPad, finds this “curious”. “Employers often disconnect the [testing] tools from the agency. But any kind of systematic assessment of someone’s capability and suitability that goes beyond subjectivity has got to be a good thing and removes bias,” she says. “And there is no reason technically why it can’t be built into the online recruitment process.” However, where and how it is integrated into the process needs to be carefully considered though.
F IVE KEY POINTS
➊ START WITH SELFANALYSIS
➋ WHAT AND WHERE?
➌ CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE
➍ BE INVENTIVE
➎ REGULARLY
Encourage candidates to carry out some form of self-assessment about their fit for the role before they apply. Use the online environment to provide as much information as possible about the role, the organisation, its culture and what it is like to work there. “Build a realistic job profile and get them to think about why they are right for the job before transitioning into any test,” says Kelly. “Make candidate experience a two-way street.” Meanwhile, Jody Goldsworthy, director of talent solutions at insight and technology company CEB, recommends creating “job-specific simulations” and “a day in the life of” scenarios. “[These] provide engaging, predictive introductions to the company to help applicants determine their fit for the role,” she says.
As to where online assessment is built into the recruitment process depends on the position for which you are recruiting and the testing you think most appropriate. Clearly, some form of pre-screening and early assessment makes sense in high volume recruitment so top talent can be fast-tracked to the more “resource-heavy” stages of the process, says Goldsworthy. If the assessment method appears too rigorous too early in the online process, it can scare candidates off. LaunchPad’s Kelly urges recruiters not to simply reach for an off-the shelf product every time. “Consider using one of your own high performers as a measure of what good looks like,” she says. Branding the testing stage with the company logo can instil more trust than simply passing the candidate through to a third-party area.
Consider how the candidate feels throughout the process before, during and after the testing. Kelly states that candidate experience is a necessity “not an aspiration”, but says many recruiters still think it stops at the ‘apply’ button. Goldsworthy recommends mapping out the end-to-end candidate experience, capturing what each stage looks like, and the communication method and messages that candidates will receive. “Be transparent with candidates about their journey, outline your expectations of them and make a commitment in how you will communicate with them. Provide feedback on their performance whether they secured the role or not to help them learn from the experience,” she says. Also ensure any automated responses from the recruitment software aren’t impersonal.
While there is a host of existing online testing material available, recruiters should explore how technology can enhance their testing and make it more engaging for the candidate. Kelly explains that psychometry can be combined with gamification. “It can provide a really compelling experience,” she says. “It can be used to test people’s reactions, critical reasoning or propensity towards risk without them feeling like they have a hammer over them.” She adds that for one of its technology clients, LaunchPad has incorporated candidate strengths with video as a way of making the screening process more dynamic.
Having integrated testing into the recruitment process, monitor and evaluate its performance. Is it helping you to more effectively and efficiently screen or test candidates? Crucially, what do the candidates think about the experience? CEB research found 60% of recruiters are doing nothing to monitor the impact of the hiring experience. “By failing to measure the candidate experience, recruiters are blind to how their employer brand is perceived by candidates,” says Goldsworthy, and employers often focus on the recruiter experience rather than that of the candidate. “Understandably, candidates get frustrated when they don’t understand where they are in the process, what happens next or why they are being asked to complete assessments.”
I L L UST RAT I O N | ISTO C K
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REVIEW
WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 17
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C
INTE R AC TIO N
AGENCY VIEW
Why do good employees leave How to inspire and retain your most talented employees RICKY MARTIN
y first question when speaking to a candidate is: “Why are you thinking about leaving your current job?” Typical responses include: “There aren’t enough opportunities for development within the company” and “I am looking for new challenges”. Ultimately, their employer’s lack of commitment to and enthusiasm for their work has resulted in a search for employment elsewhere and speaking to people like me. What disappoints me the most is, in many cases, the company’s leaders have probably not even realised there was a problem before losing a great employee. Businesses relying heavily on the skills of their most talented employees risk financial ruin when they neglect those top performers. Replacing a good employee is costly and time consuming. More often than not businesses will offer a generous pay increase, additional perks (such as more holidays) and an abundance of praise in desperate attempts to keep people engaged and satisfied at their jobs. But is it really enough to inspire your best talent in the long term? Probably not. This got me thinking. Why do good employees leave? And as leaders, what can we do to encourage them to stay? Here are my top tips. ►
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1 ⁄ Build opportunities for professional development Be smart, play the long game. Discuss your employees’ short and long-term career plan. Place your highest-performing employees in positions in which they can continue their upward trajectory within your company and feel challenged. This could mean they step into a management role in the near future.
2 ⁄ Make their work meaningful and show how they are making a difference to the company Provide your employees with a clear framework that fully explains their duties and gives them a sense of importance and purpose in the workplace. If they understand their value to the company, this will no doubt increase their self-worth and will ultimately ensure they are working in line with your business objectives. If they see themselves as solving real problems, they may come to love what they are doing.
3 ⁄ Promote a brand they can be proud of Create an environment your employees want to shout about. Whether it’s your employee incentives or your CSR [corporate social responsibility] strategy, think out of the box. Develop a brand your employees are proud to be part of — this includes smaller companies as well! 4 ⁄ Pursue their ideas Your top performers deserve to have their ideas heard. Take advantage of in-house talent. Allow your workers to pursue projects they are passionate about. They will be forever grateful that you gave them the opportunity to give it a go and that you believed in them.
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5 ⁄ Promptly fire underperformers The minute you identify wasted talent, show them
RICKY MARTIN is managing director and founder of Hyper Recruitment Solutions. Find out more at www.hyperec.com or @Hyperec_HRS on Twitter
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the door. Firing underperformers sets an important precedent among your employees by advocating excellence. Of course, allow underperformers to leave with dignity. The last thing you want to do is to create an atmosphere of fear. Instead, you will want to foster an environment of accomplishment and mutual respect. Hopefully that departing, underperforming employee will learn from your feedback. Remember: developing an employee is not just about what you think is best for them; it’s also about what they want. Keep your employees engaged and challenged with projects that motivate them. Goals should be realistic, achievable and set together. Provide regular feedback and reflect on their progress and, most importantly, recognise results. ● IM AGE | ISTOCK
08/12/2015 11:49
T WEET I N T E R AC T I O N
SOUNDBITES WEB CH AT
CONTRACTORS ARE KEY TO ANY BUSINESS — INCLUDING SCHOOLS
“What is the greatest lesson you learned in 2015?”
DEAN KELLY
PAUL ALLIEVI
In response to your article ‘Long hours force more teachers into supply’ (24 November 2015), teachers have been moving from permanent employment to supply in steady numbers for some time, although this is skewed slightly by the retirees that contract back for 2-3 days per week due to pensions. However, it isn’t just the workload. Most teachers do manage their requirements well, as they are only ‘coal facing’ for a maximum of 39 weeks and generally only 36.6 hours/week. It is augmented by the fear of inspection, disengaged and poor leadership, union worries, the unknowns of a fully academised system and the need for flexibility (which our government and HM Revenue & Customs are working hard to remove in an effort to emulate France!). With a lack of teachers coming through, empirical knowledge being lost to retirement and attrition, the horrendous recording and tracking of skills, talent lines and performance data within education over the last 10 years, the education market will see a material change in future years. I believe it will go towards a more fluid, contract arena, where highly-skilled individuals are paid very well to bolster, guide, support and execute ‘springboard’ education plans — to turnaround, accelerate and align schools on a shortterm basis. In the 1990s, the IT recruitment world saw very similar changes within many verticals, and now contractors are a key feature of any successful organisation — not a necessary evil as seen by schools and their unions. ●
S EN IOR RES OURCIN G PA RT N ER , H V IVO
“Last week I visited a relative in hospital. My visit coincided with the senior doctor stopping by. He fired off a number of questions as to where the pain was, how did it arrive, the intensity, etc. To both my amusement and concern he then proceeded to answer his questions before his patient even had a chance to answer and then disappeared in a flurry of blue scrubs. Lesson learnt? No matter how rushed you are, listen to the answers — you may hear something of interest!”
REBECCA DAVIS A S S ISTA N T D I REC TOR , BUS IN ES S & COMMERCIA L S ERV I C E S , W E ST MID L A N DS EMP LOY ERS
“Candidates MUST be social media savvy for ‘executive roles’. I’m a social media addict; I’m on my phone every 20 seconds on one app or another. So it stands to reason I’m going to google candidates and check them out on LinkedIn and Twitter. Most candidates may think it wise to turn their social media accounts to private, but the savvy candidates use it to their advantage. Keeping their LinkedIn CV up to date, posting blogs, adding content, and using Twitter professionally. I had one client recently who didn’t want ANY candidate longlisted who wasn’t ‘networked’ online; in 2016 I expect to see this trend increase.”
NICK PEACOCK MA N AG IN G D I REC TOR , A S CEN DA N T RECRUI T MEN T
+ Dean Kelly, co-founder, Gardean Human Capital and co-founder and director, Recruitment Directors Lunch Club ILLUSTRATION | EDWARD M CGOWAN
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“Positive results rarely find their way to people who harbour a faulty perception of reality — Robert Ringer, Million Dollar Habits. While this is not a new lesson I learned during 2015, it’s a great lesson and one that I’ve relearned a few times this year! I’ve learned yet again that it is essential to base your decisions on the reality of the situation. Specifically, make sure you hire the person because they have the correct skills, not just because you like them, and make sure you have a real view of what’s happening in your company based on facts from unbiased sources. In conclusion, give every part of your business a reality check to make sure you see events as they actually are. Having this view will allow you to be effective in everything you do.” WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 19
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20 RECRUITER
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TOM HOVINGTON DIRECTOR OF TALENT ACQUISITION HQ FUNCTIONS HANNA NORDELLSHIRRAN DIRECTOR TALENT ACQUISITION EMEA
STEVE BONOMO VICE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL TALENT AQUISITIONS
STEVE FOGARTY DIRECTOR TALENT ACQUISITION FUTURES
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TH E B IG STO RY ADIDAS
Karen Parkin, adidas chief HR officer, gets into the action at the photoshoot
“Now every hire you make is absolutely critical. We needed dedicated recruitment people working on everything” Steve Bonomo
morning, adidas is entering an advanced new phase of its bid for global domination in the talent stakes: more than two dozen new recruiters are starting at the company this particular Monday when Recruiter meets all but one of the global TA leadership team. The newbies are undergoing boot camp at the Herzo Base HQ in Herzogenaurach, near Nuremburg in Germany, and warming up to take on named and unnamed competitors for the world’s most creative talent. “From the beginning of the year [2015] until now, we’ve gone from 14 to 52 recruiters,” explains Tom Hovington, the transplanted Yorkshire native who is adidas’ director of TA HQ functions. 22 RECRUITER
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Hovington is a key player on the global TA leadership team led by Steve Bonomo, vice president, global TA. Rounding out the team are Tauna Dean, global search director; Steve Fogarty, director, TA Futures; and Hanna Nordell-Shirran, director, TA EMEA. Of the new era, Hovington says: “For the first time ever, the people strategy is part of the business strategy.”
Creating the New In March 2015, adidas Group revealed a dramatic five-year strategic business plan centred around the theme ‘Creating the New’. (An ancillary recruitment theme ‘Calling all creators’ serves as an irresistible call to action.)
Geared to bring the company’s brands adidas, Reebok, TaylorMade and now Runtastic closer to its consumers — “Brand is driving everything,” says Hovington — the plan is based on three strategic pillars: Speed (“Fast in satisfying consumer needs, fast in internal decision-making”), Cities (growing “share of mind, market and trend” in New York, Los Angeles, Shanghai, Tokyo, London and Paris) and Open Source, or collaboration, with athletes, consumers and partners. Launching running app ‘adidas go’ with music streaming provider Spotify last May was one of the “first outcomes” of the ramped-up Open Source strategy. And the starry list of collaborative partners to date counts luminaries Rita Ora, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams and Stella McCartney among its ranks. But to build its foundation on more than just celebrity power and relationships with other cool brands, the company had signalled its recognition of a link between ‘people’ and ‘business’ a few months before with the appointment of Karen Parkin as the company’s chief HR officer. Parkin previously ran the company’s global supply chain function, and before that had held business development, sales and customer service roles at adidas — an untraditionally business-centred career path for an HR chief.
JANUARY 2016
08/12/2015 14:38
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TH E B IG STO RY ADIDAS
COMPANY
ADIDAS GROUP Founded on 18 August 1949 when Adolf ‘Adi’ Dassler registered the AdiDassker adidas Sportschuhfabrik [sports shoe manufacturing] and started up with 47 employees in Herzogenaurach, Germany STEVE FOGARTY Director, talent acquisition futures, July 2014-present. Has worked for adidas since 2007
Headquarters remains at Herzogenaurach, now located in former US Army facility, with nearly 4,000 employees from 79 nations 53,731 employees worldwide in over 160 countries Produce more than 660m product units annually Brands: adidas, Reebok, TaylorMade 2015 Group highlights ▶ January: Sells Rockport boat and dress shoe brand to new entity formed by Berkshire Partners and New Balance
TOM HOVINGTON Director of talent acquisition HQ functions, September 2014-present. Has worked for adidas since December 2010. Previously a recruitment consultant with Quantica Search & Selection in the UK
With Parkin’s support to beef up TA activity and take it into new terrain, the senior TA team — of whom most have worked together for a number of years — knew they had to also up their own game to meet the company’s raised expectations and compete against all comers as gold medal talent scouts who played to win. The aim: to identify and recruit people demonstrating behaviours of confidence, creativity and collaboration. An organisation planning to launch “creative farms” around the world where designers might find themselves seated next to either a Kanye or a consumer to create the next amazing piece of sporting wear could accept 24 RECRUITER
▶ March: Reveals new strategic plan as company undergoes major restructuring ▶ August: Opens PITCH office building on Herzo campus to test workplace of the future concepts ▶ August: Acquires Runtastic Financial performance in first nine months of 2015: ▶ Currency-neutral Group sales increase 9% ▶ Group revenues grew 17% to €12.7bn [£9.17bn] from €10.9bn in 2014 ▶ Group operating profit increased 19% to €1.1bn compared to €923m in the first nine months of 2014 ▶ Net income from continuing operations (excluding goodwill impairment losses) was up 17% to €737m from €632m in 2014
nothing else. Especially when “every single person at adidas is being asked how they can make a difference”, Hovington says. “Everyone has a responsibility to do this.” “We’d always brought in great talent — but could we do that consistently?” asks TA global leader Steve Bonomo, visiting Herzo Base from his home turf of Portland, Oregon. “Now every hire you make is absolutely critical. We needed dedicated recruitment people working on everything.”
Proactive recruiting Resolved last June with an undisclosed settlement, the much vaunted poaching episode — which led to Nike’s $10m (£6.6m) legal claim against designers Denis Dekovic, Marc Dolce and Mark Miner lured away by adidas and the designers’ subsequent counter claim against Nike — highlighted “proactive recruiting” in the highly competitive marketplace. Bonomo estimates that proactive recruitment amounts to
STEVE BONOMO Vice president, global talent acquisition, March 2015-present. Has worked for adidas and its TaylorMade brand since September 2002
HANNA NORDELL-SHIRRAN Director, talent acquisition EMEA, October 2015-present. Has worked for adidas since July 2011. Previously worked for Investment Corporation of Dubai as an HR and administration supervisor
about 25% of all talent acquisition at the company yet is still in its infancy. “But it’s probably twice the amount it was before,” he adds. As the business continues its shift in a new world order, the way highpowered talent is recruited also must acclimatise to market conditions. Sometimes that may involve recruiting people that offer the company great potential but for whom a job might not exist at the moment. “Getting talent is becoming far more complex than it was,” acknowledges Steve Fogarty, TA’s futures specialist. “Everything’s changing, the stakes are higher.” However, it’s not only external proactive recruiting that has caused
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controversy at adidas; inside jobs have also “caused conversations about talent management in the business”, Hovington says wryly. One aspect of adidas’ increasingly forceful talent strategy, as championed by the TA team, has been to proactively look inside for bright lights to fill roles within the company, or, as Hovington puts it, “controversially — effectively internal headhunting, looking up profiles and pushing jobs”. For several years, TA had fought unsuccessfully for more freedom to tap into its own talent pool for other roles. However, with strategic changes underway at adidas, the tide turned and the company recognised the value of encouraging internal mobility to retain and develop its own people. The alternative was not appealing. As Hovington points out: “We can’t stop Nike coming along and pushing a job to our people.” Now, says Hovington, “we always go to our own talent first”. The approach is seen now by most at adidas as a positive means of helping the workforce develop their careers. Even the influential Works Council, which represents all employees at adidas, is now on board.
Talent Carousel Internal mobility takes on global implications through the company’s new Talent Carousel initiative, for which current employees in sales and marketing jobs apply to experience roles in different geographic markets for two
years. After two years, the participant can choose to stay in the role, return to the previous job and location or go on to another round of talent movement. A mentor is one of the benefits for the chosen participants, who applied by providing a reference, writing a compelling cover letter and, in an unusual type of assessment, putting together a small display in a shoebox illustrating the applicant’s aspirations. Although the first Talent Carousel round was limited to sales and marketing employees, the plan is to open the opportunity up to other departments as well. In addition to the appointment of Parkin in the top HR role, another top-level executive appointment two years ago has catalysed TA’s role in the company as a critical function. Eric
“In sports, you win or you go home” Steve Bonomo
Liedtke has been tipped as a potential successor to current chief executive Herbert Hainer and previously held leading sports performance and footwear roles at adidas. Put in charge of global brands on the company’s executive board, Liedtke is also behind the huge reorganisation and restrategising underway at the company. With Liedtke at the helm of brands and gunning for greater market share in the Nikedominated US market, Fogarty says there is more impetus for TA to be disruptive.
Recruitment futures Also based in Portland along with Bonomo, Fogarty’s futures domain includes digital/analytics, employer brand and the somewhat vaguely named ‘recruitment excellence’, which he describes as “enabling, embedding, bringing to life recruitment programmes, policies and how we communicate”. His role involves considerable exploration and, as he puts it: “I tend to completely blow up everything and re-engineer things. If we can’t shock the system and ourselves out into the unknown, we can’t be innovative.” An in-house design studio that will be treated as a start-up is on the horizon. But the most significant focus for Fogarty at the moment is analytics. adidas has built its own digital analytics dashboard that allows TA head Bonomo to “see any team around the world, real-time comparisons at any time, what are the candidates saying about us”. By mid-2016, Fogarty expects TA’s analytics to be more sophisticated than in “a lot of other parts of the business”. While there’s a tough match to be played and won in the battle for hearts, minds and global markets, particularly the US, what Fogarty refers to as “this scrappy little team” is clearly in it to win, and to win as a real team. Says Bonomo: “In sports, you win or you go home. We grew up in environments that were highly competitive — that’s what we’ve been doing our whole lives.” “The fact that we’re friends — our culture breeds it,” Fogarty says. “We have an environment that breeds friendships.” And he adds: “We’ve been through a lot together. We all challenge the status quo.” ● WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 25
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RE CRUITE R SHOW 20 15
RECRUITMENT
ON SHOW November saw the launch of the Recruiter Show at the Barbican Exhibition Centre in the City of London, where recruiters were the stars of the event. The conference sessions were led by innovative agency and in-house recruitment practitioners who gave audiences insights into how fresh thinking had revitalised their businesses. Delegates learned how to build an internal marketing team, growing an in-house executive search operation from scratch, use candidate feedback to improve your business and how to leverage your employer brand, and heard from world-leading organisations such as adidas and SAP.
Treat feedback as a gift COLIN COTTELL
A CUSTOMER-FOCUSED approach based on feedback results in higher sales and improved consultant performance, delegates heard. Gavin Jones, co-founder and managing director of IT and digital recruiter Energize Recruitment Solutions, explained how introducing an approach called the net promoter score (NPS) “was one of the best commercial decisions the business has 26 RECRUITER
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● Gavin Jones Energize Recruitment Solutions ● Craig Molloy Energize Recruitment Solutions ● Gavin Tew Source Technology ● Lawrence Hargreaves Source Technology ● Guy Haywood, Goodman Masson, facilitated the session
There was something for everyone at the inaugural Recruiter Show in London, offering sessions, suppliers — and silliness in the photobooth
ever made”. It measures customer experience by asking them how likely they would be to recommend Energize to a friend or colleague, and then produces a score by subtracting the percentage of ‘detractors’ from the percentage of ‘promoters’. NPS is used by companies such as Amazon and HSBC. The average for the US staffing industry is minus 3. However, according to Craig Molloy, Energize’s co-founder, the firm’s latest NPS was 60. Based on feedback from clients and candidates, each
of the firm’s consultants also have their own NPSs, with this year’s top perm biller recording an NPS of 82. After launching NPS in 2015, Jones said that sales grew by 92%, and 45% of those who had provided feedback gave the company repeat business. “We treat feedback as a gift,” said Molloy, who went on to explain how any negative feedback is the trigger for action by managers to contact the customer to resolve the issue. The company is working hard to embed the approach by integrating NPS into staff
PHOTOGRAPHY | RAFAEL BASTOS
08/12/2015 11:49
reviews and consultant of the month. The next step is to link individuals’ NPSs with remuneration. Gavin Tew, co-founder of technology recruiter Source Technology, told the audience that a customerfocused approach had “a transformational effect on customer engagement and the purchases we were seeing” at IT recruiter Nicoll Curtin, where he worked with former managing director Lawrence Hargreaves before the two founded Source Technology in October. Tew said the thinking behind the firm’s approach came from a 2014 MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) report, which showed that customers who ‘participate’ are more likely to become repeat customers and to spend more. At Nicoll Curtin, Hargreaves said customer participation, or “the glue” binding the company and its customers together, was boosted by asking clients for exclusivity on assignments and to recommend them to colleagues. “Our attitude was very much ‘can we do better, what else can we do?’. It’s very simple and it doesn’t cost much,” he said. The higher level of interaction and resultant feedback was also an opportunity “to rectify any issues”, Hargreaves added.
FRASER BUTTERS Facilitator
BELINDA WALMSLEY Brookfield Rose
Hire in experience first for marketing function SARAH MARQUET
THE FIRST STEP in creating a great inhouse marketing team is to make a senior hire because you can’t afford for that first person to be inexperienced. Adam Nicoll, head of marketing at FiveTen Group, said a recruitment agency looking to set up a marketing function should hire a senior marketing manager, which would typically cost £35-60k in annual salary, in order to gain strategic knowledge. Panellist Fiona Murray, HCL Workforce Solutions head of marketing,
ADAM NICOLL FiveTen Group
FIONA MURRAY HCL Workforce Solutions
agreed, saying that first marketing hire needed to have the experience and ability to take the business plan to market, and have the agility to tweak it as the market changes. And the third panellist, Belinda Walmsley, group marketing manager for Brookfield Rose, said building all facets of marketing in-house — digital, graphic design and general marketing — gives a business agility, rather than outsourcing any function. Nicoll said having it all in-house, provided there was enough work for the people, also worked out cheaper than outsourcing to agencies. Speaking to Recruiter after the show, he said the level of marketing experience a company needed comes down to whether it wants to orchestrate visibility or deliver customer dialogue, engagement and loyalty. “The latter requires more experience and commitment. It’s also harder to find and costs more.” ▶
F U T U R E R E C RU I T M E N T C ON S U LTA N T: T H E PA N E L L I S T S
Ricky Martin MD Hyper Recruitment Solutions, Jane Vincent MD Candelisa People and Lee McQueen founder of Raw Talent Academy, agreed the great future recruitment consultant should have: ● An understanding of all facets of the industry — internal, external, direct sourcing ● The ability to add value through guiding clients on employer branding and cultural fit ● Resilience, high emotional intelligence and the ability to adapt to different people and situations WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 27
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REC RU I T E R S H OW 201 5
Say hallo to the GEO SARAH MARQUET
GLOBAL EMPLOYMENT organisations, which can employ anyone anywhere in the world, are the future of global mobility and international recruitment agencies are perfectly placed to capitalise on this. This is according to Graeme Lewis, group commercial director of global recruiter Air Energi, speaking at the Recruiter Show, who added global mobility was “the sleeping giant but one of the most exciting things [in recruitment]”. He said among the
biggest challenges facing multinational companies in sending employees on overseas assignments was ensuring relocation was smooth — from arranging flights, sorting work permits and, if something should go wrong, providing security and emergency services to assignees. And adding a further complication, barriers to all countries were increasing. But a global employment organisation, or GEO, could supply the relocation services, as well as employment contracts, medical insurance, local permits and anything else needed. Increasingly, he says, the GEO will be the employer of the assignee. The assignee’s employment will effectively be terminated with the initial company, they would then be employed by the GEO
Graeme Lewis, group commercial director, Air Energi
and deployed to the country where their skills are needed by that initial company. “It’s a radical change but a radical opportunity,” he said. It won’t just be large recruiters to capitalise on this, he foresees smaller recruiters partnering with GEOs. And for the corporates, this
Nuffield Health’s senior talent acquisition partner Samantha Bush
A walk into the unknown VANESSA TOWNSEND
THREE YEARS AGO, having expanded its offering from hospitals to include gyms and well-being operations, health and well-being company Nuffield Health decided to bring its executive search function in-house.
Previously at agencies including Synergy (now Eden Brown Synergy) and Gillespie Wallis, experienced executive search recruiter Samantha Bush’s role would be to grow the operation from the ground up. Going in-house and to a not-for-profit organisation felt like a culture shock and “a big risk”, she told the audience. “It was daunting. I was a bit nervous about it,” she admitted, describing it as “walking into the unknown”. Challenges included run-ins with hiring managers, mostly due to issues resulting from Nuffield historically using executive search firms. “You’re dealing with people who might want to protect their relationship with the recruiters they’ve worked with,” she said. Build your reputation, she advised those in the audience who might be starting a similar project. Early on in
organisation will reduce costs, reduce complexity, increase flexibility and provide a mechanism for growth. While there are a few GEOs operating already, such as Air Energi, it will only gather pace with increased challenges faced by global employees, he says.
her new role, she completed a highprofile search for a non-executive director, having to meticulously go through 300+ CVs, most of which ran to 150-180 pages in length, and ended up recruiting two instead of one. The candidate journey was also absolutely vital. “People didn’t see recruitment from a candidate’s point of view,” she said of the process before. “You need to have a good reputation in the market, and you need to emphasise a strong and positive candidate journey.” This was vital at Nuffield, where consultants on annual salaries of £80k+ needed confidentiality and privacy. Bush advocated seeing such professionals at a neutral location for privacy reasons. Finally, when asked whether an inhouse executive search function should be costed to the business, Bush said she preferred a free-to-use service. “Get rid of cross-charging,” she advised. WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 29
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See your recruitment agency through Eploy. It’s your business. You know what it needs to succeed. If you want to achieve your goals, you need to visualise WKHP ȴUVW :LWK (SOR\ 5HFUXLWPHQW 6RIWZDUH \RX FDQ set your targets‌ then smash them. (SOR\ +HDGV 8S 5HFUXLWPHQW
Jane Emerson
Jobs on this week : 28 Perm GP this month : ÂŁ21,886 Perm GP target : ÂŁ20,000
Connected calls : 65 CV’s sent this week : 53
Brad r d Whitehead ead d
Jessica Smith
Connected calls : 50 Jobs on : 22
Sarah Fry
Placement GP this month : ÂŁ26.4K Interviews this week : 35 Candidate meetings this week : 5
Team Stats CV’s sent
Team GP this month : ÂŁ127,687 Jane Emerson Sarah Fry Brad Whitehead Sienna Holmes Jessica Smith John Wyatt
ÂŁ28,265 ÂŁ26,451 ÂŁ21,886 ÂŁ18,431 ÂŁ16,760 ÂŁ15,894
178% 178 %
Tom
105 5%
Brad
98% 98 % 143% 143 %
Jessica John
Team CV’s sent vs Target
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Issue 33 January 2016
RECRUITMENT MATTERS The View and The Intelligence
Member of the Month
What does 2016 hold?
Red Berry Recruitment
p2-3
p4
Legal update and the IRP
Events and training
Vital tax changes for 2016 p6-7
New Year, new business
p8
IRP LAUNCHES DEGREE-STANDARD QUALIFICATION Recruitment will have its first degree-standard qualification with January’s launch of the IRP’s Level 5 Diploma in Recruitment Leadership. The Level 5 DipRL is aimed at senior recruiters and directors, with emphasis on business planning and financial management. The IRP’s head of qualifications Richard Charnock says the Level 5 is a step above what the trade body has offered before. “It’s an exciting time,” he says. “This is not something that’s been thought up by me or our examiners as a good idea. This is something we took to consultation and the
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KEY STATS • THE ONLY DEGREE-
STANDARD QUALIFICATION IN RECRUITMENT • AIMED AT SENIOR RECRUITERS AND DIRECTORS • COLLEGIATE-STYLE LEARNING • SEVEN MANDATORY UNITS AND A CHOICE OF SEVEN OPTIONAL UNITS. • £4,500 + VAT
feedback was strong. People want this. “It’s designed for recruitment leaders to grow
their business, professional competence and think more strategically. For the first time we’re going outside what our Level 3 and Level 4 diplomas have offered.” Charnock explains the diploma was assembled by an employer panel made up of small to large companies, as well as in-house recruiters, across different sectors. The diploma will be taught “collegiate-style”, and students will be enrolled into a learning group that will move through the qualification, assisted by a study coach. Students will be able to start the Level 5 diploma whenever they choose and
study at their own pace. It’s expected the course will take no longer than two years to complete. The new diploma is made up of seven mandatory and optional units and will cost £4,500 + VAT to complete. For more information, visit www.rec-irp.uk.com/DipRL
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Leading the Industry
THE VIEW
The band is warming up for 2016, says Tom Hadley, REC director of policy and professional services
What’s in store for 2016? asks Kevin Green, REC chief executive
2015 has been a cracker of a year for the recruitment industry. Sales peaked at £31.5bn in 2014/15, with growth of £1.8bn or 9.7% compared to last year. I was delighted to see a significant rise in permanent margins as employers hunted for the talent they need. So what does 2016 have to offer? The market will continue to grow as skill shortages create major problems in many sectors. We’ll keep the pressure on the government to help business by improving our education system with better careers advice, the reintroduction of work experience into the school curriculum and by enhancing the quality of vocational qualifications. In the short term, the government needs to create a balanced approach to immigration, so that when businesses can’t find the skills they need within the UK they can go overseas to fill their jobs. There is a global talent market and we don’t want our businesses disadvantaged or, worse still, relocating abroad to get the people they need. The opportunity to grow your business next year will be phenomenal. We will provide more training, advice and guidance as part of our Scale Up campaign so that you can
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THE VOICE (2016 REMIX) learn from those that have been there and done it. Keep an eye out for new research, new events and even more podcasts. We will continue to champion our industry by highlighting not just the value we provide to businesses, but also to jobseekers. We have always made strong arguments about the economic value of our industry and we know that our clients recognise the difference we make. But next year we want to talk about how jobs transform lives. Since 2009/10 we’ve helped over 4 million people find a permanent job – we need to shout about the positive impact we make for individuals. As an industry, let’s talk up what we do. Let’s stop ranting about cowboys and rogues who make up a very small percentage of the industry. In every sector of the economy there are people who don’t play by the rules – but if we spend our time talking about the few bad apples our clients, the media and government will view us all the same. We make a real difference every day, so in 2016 let’s shout about all that’s good about our great profession. You can follow Kevin on Twitter @kevingreenrec
2016 looks like being another chart-topping year on the policy front. In the words of American author, religious leader and occasional crooner Dallin H. Oaks, “priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions”. Here are the six killer tunes that we’ll be blasting out next year. 1. Should we stay or should we go? – The EU referendum will go into overdrive next year. The recurring chorus from members so far has been that remaining within a reformed EU is in the best interests of the UK jobs market. 2. Suspicious minds – Our relationship with the procurement community hasn’t always been the most harmonious, but we’ll be in amongst it in the mosh-pit, promoting the need for sustainable supply. 3. I want to break free – Our pitch is to ensure that regulations covering the recruitment sector are proportionate and do not restrict industry growth. We’ll be fine-tuning the Conduct Regulations changes in 2016. 4. The Taxman – We need to create a level playing field by redesigning UK tax systems and achieving a workable outcomes on T&S schemes and self-employment (IR35). 5. Don’t you want me? – Yes we do! Immigration policy must chime with labour market needs. We’ll continue to plug into the Migration Advisory Committee and use our regular jobs data to ensure that our voice resonates. 6. Moving on up – Our research reports and ‘Jobs transform lives’ mantra will provide the throbbing bass line to our ongoing duets with policy makers on big ticket numbers like skills, full employment and labour market progression. So that’s the song list: EU, procurement, industry regulations, tax, immigration and skills. As ever, the input and energy of REC members will supercharge our campaigning grooves in 2016. Come and join the band! You can follow Tom on Twitter @hadleyscomment
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THE INTELLIGENCE THE INDUSTRY WILL KEEP GROWING, SAYS DIANA BEECH, SENIOR RESEARCHER As the REC’s latest Recruitment Industry Trends Survey reveals, UK recruiters are ending 2015 on a high, having generated record-breaking levels of turnover (£31.5bn) for the second year in a row – making £28.5bn from temporary/ contract business and approximately £3bn from permanent placements. With UK economic growth projected to continue at a steady pace well into 2016, there is no reason to expect the industry to lose momentum any time soon. The OECD and CBI are both predicting growth of 2.5% next year, whilst the BCC has upgraded its forecast to 2.6%
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due to stronger than expected growth in household consumption and services. This correlates well with current business sentiment. An HSBC survey of over 1,000 SMEs found that the majority (57%) are optimistic about turnover next year, with more than a third expecting at least 6% growth. November’s JobsOutlook found that 94% of employers plan to increase or hold permanent headcount in the next year, whilst 98% plan to increase or hold agency worker numbers. Competition between hirers will therefore intensify as they strive to attract and retain the talent they need. This is all good news for recruiters, who are being called upon to support businesses with their most challenging staffing requirements. More than nine in 10 agencies predict permanent growth in 2016 and 89% predict growth within the temporary/contract arena. As a result, the REC
90% MORE THAN NINE IN 10 AGENCIES PREDICT PERMANENT GROWTH IN 2016 AND 89% PREDICT GROWTH WITHIN THE TEMPORARY/ CONTRACT ARENA
forecasts that total industry turnover will grow by 8.1% in 2015-16 and by 6.5% in 2016-17. It is, however, important not to become too complacent. With the threat of an EU referendum looming large over 2016, businesses are likely to operate under increasing uncertainty, which may impact their hiring decisions. A KPMG survey of 600 UK companies has found that 56% of respondents already see this uncertainty as harming their business. Moreover, the prospect of an early referendum may mean that UK recruiters fall short
£31.5bn
UK RECRUITERS ARE ENDING 2015 ON A HIGH, HAVING GENERATED RECORDBREAKING LEVELS OF TURNOVER
£28.5bn £3BN TEMPORARY/CONTRACT BUSINESS
PERMANENT PLACEMENTS
of achieving reforms that would benefit them. Skills shortages are set to dominate next year. Although the latest Global CEO Survey shows that 85% of UK CEOs are confident about company revenue prospects, 84% are concerned about access to skills – registering 20 percentage points higher than last year. It’s time, therefore, to ring in the New Year with cautious optimism.
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The BIG talking point
MEMBER OF THE MONTH
BERRY GOOD Red Berry Recruitment managing director Helen Lacey loves working with berries. She tells RM editor Michael Oliver why that’s a good thing
Recruitment Matters: How did you start in recruitment? Helen Lacey: I started in a local agency in Barnstaple in North Devon, working on the industrial desk. I was the quickest promoted manager they had, turning the desk around from nine temps to 150 in three months. It was good fun, but I thrive off challenges and got bored quickly. I was headhunted by a national agency in 2003, but I’m not a corporate girl and I like to do my own thing. I was offered a chance to take on a franchise, but my gut instinct told me not to do it. From there, Red Berry was born. RM: What sectors do you cover? HL: We have three branches 4 RECRUITMENT MATTERS JANUARY 2016
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in the Somerset region. We are multi sector, which means we do everything in temp and perm.
RM: Brand seems pivotal to Red Berry, would you agree?
HL: It’s very, very important to who we are. We call ourselves berries. Berries are highlyprofessional people with can-do attitudes, and you feel that throughout the business. In fact, I was disappointed at the last awards show we went to when I was the only one who wore red! Our brand is an important differentiator, especially for a small agency up against larger ones. Everyone talks about the importance of branding, but if we’re not doing it properly then other companies will and you fall behind.
RM: Talent is the word of the moment – what does Red Berry do to keep its people? HL: The biggest buzz I get is seeing my staff develop. I always work better with praise, not someone who pushes and pushes. That’s the environment I want Red Berry to be in. Two years ago I started in-house awards because I knew we had such a good team and I wanted that acknowledged – but I
“RECRUITMENT HAS BECOME MORE DIGITAL, BUT RELATIONSHIPS ARE BUILT WITH PEOPLE FACETO-FACE” www.rec.uk.com
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“I AM A FIRM BELIEVER THAT PEOPLE OF ALL LEVELS OF EDUCATION – GIRLS IN PARTICULAR – CAN DO WHATEVER THEY SET THEIR MINDS TO” knew the success of those awards had to come from within the company itself. That’s why every award is voted on by everyone working here. Having staff can be a headache, but they are your most important asset. Human nature is such that nobody will ride your bus all the time, but there are always going to be those who want a seat and want your company to thrive.
RM: That philosophy’s been noticed outside of the industry with winning at the Somerset Best Business Awards.
HL: That’s right. We are very loyal to our clients and candidates. I’d like to think we’re exponents of good old fashioned values. Recruitment has become more digital, but relationships are built with people face-to-face. You can’t work with anyone unless you know them. As a business, we practice what we preach: we train, we grow and we develop. RM: You frequently invited to speak to schools about jobs and work. Why is it important for agencies to do things like that? HL: This bit I absolutely love. I am a firm believer that people of all levels of education – girls in particular – can do whatever they set their minds
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to. When you go into schools and you get talking about employability, careers and positive mental thinking, you can see kids having lightbulb moments. It helps to frame their futures and give them a chance to think about where they are and how they consider themselves as future workers. If I can get through to two of them, then it’s worth it.
RM: What are some of the big challenges facing Red Berry right now? HL: I am looking at a mini restructure. We’re looking to open two new offices in the next 12-24 months. I’ve noticed that as I’ve stepped away to do other duties, there’s been a gap in the company’s ‘ruthlessness’. So we’re bringing in a ruthless sales manager to fill that. It’s going to be an exciting time for us. RM: Is that where the future lies for Helen Lacey? HL: I’m looking at taking on more non-exec and charity work, particularly with older and more vulnerable people. I want to get Red Berry to a stage where I can offer myself more there. Secondly, I’ll be busy as the first female chairperson of the Somerset Institute of Directors. I want to bring the IOD’s brand back up. RECRUITMENT MATTERS JANUARY 2016 5
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Legal update
WHAT LEGAL ISSUES MIGHT WE SEE IN 2016? By Lewina Farrell, solicitor and head of professional services at the REC TAX The Autumn Statement confirmed that travel & subsistence expenses tax relief (T&S) will be removed from “…workers engaged through an employment intermediary, such as an umbrella company or a personal service company”. HMRC’s consultation of summer 2015 proposed that relief would be withdrawn from any temporary worker subject to supervision, direction or control (SDC). While REC has long called for reform of the T&S rules, we firmly believe SDC is not the correct test. There was no mention of SDC in the Autumn Statement, but by the time this article is published we should have the draft legislation and will know for sure how HMRC plan to proceed. The industry will only have 13 weeks to prepare for the changes, assuming draft legislation is published on 9 December as promised. Employment businesses will have to work closely with
their intermediary suppliers and clients to work through the financial impacts of the changes. Two unanswered questions: • Will clients be prepared to admit when SDC does apply and to pay the additional cost or will they simply expect employment businesses to swallow the cost? • Will temporary workers continue to take roles where they cannot claim tax relief – what about sectors with skills shortages or clients in remote locations?
PERSONAL SERVICE COMPANIES Interestingly, there was no mention of IR35 in the Autumn Statement. The discussion document in September 2015 made some proposals around engager liability and asked for any improvements to IR35. We are now told that the government is considering its response to the 160+ submissions it received in September. Some other snippets from the Autumn Statement: • Employment status: the Government has accepted and
will take forward most of the recommendations set out in the Office of Tax Simplification’s review of employment status. • Pensions auto-enrolment: The next two scheduled increases in automatic enrolment minimum contribution rates have each been delayed by six months so that the changes align with the start of the tax year. The planned increase in October 2017 (from 2% to 5%) will be postponed until April 2018, and the planned increase in October 2018 (from 5% to 8%) will be postponed until April 2019.
BUSINESS PARTNER: BROOKSON The next 18 months will be a testing time for the temporary labour market with changes to legislation impacting contractors working both via umbrella solutions and through limited companies, for service providers, recruiters and end clients. The Autumn Statement’s announcement to restrict travel & subsistence expenses for umbrella employees will
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result in the current umbrella model no longer being as attractive to contractors. As a result, we may see an attempted migration of umbrella employees into limited companies. It is important during this transition that recruitment businesses do not lose sight of the existing rules (MSC legislation and targeted antiavoidance rules).
These changes, and potentially more to come, provide further reasons for all recruitment agencies to ensure they are enforcing a compliant list of companies to manage the payment of their off payroll workers. Brookson are passionate about there being a full range of working solutions for the UK’s flexible workforce, including PAYE, umbrella
employment and limited companies, and will continue to work closely with key industry stakeholders to ensure that whatever changes HMRC implement, these do not create disproportionate burdens on the supply chain. You can contact Brookson’s Agency Support team on 01925 694521 or by emailing agencies@brookson.co.uk
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Inspiration
BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE INSTITUTE OF RECRUITMENT PROFESSIONALS
The View
Tom Glanfield is chief executive of Lawrence Harvey Group
Miles Huntt is a director at pital Benula Capital
Q&A
WHAT I KNOW
What makes a good recruiter? Recruitment is becoming more and more saturated, so you must have expert knowledge of your area. Everything is becoming super-niche, and knowing your market is critical. Attitude and personality is also important because that gives you the chance to influence and control the recruitment process. You must be a source of information for your clients.
Embrace the new Technology probably now favours the start-up over the established company. The opportunity to go and set up, even in a very competitive market, and find that niche, is huge. For established companies, it’s much more challenging. Their fear of change is one that stalks the corridors of many companies in the UK. They’re wondering what the result will be of all this rapidly-developing use of technology and changing client and candidate behaviours. But the trick there is to embrace it and look at your business model or the broader talentmanagement spectrum of different services.
What’s the most important tool in a recruiter’s toolkit? This is going to sound super cheesy, but people buying into people. It’s all about personality – that will shine through each and every time. You can give a recruiter all the tools in the world – from job boards to LinkedIn – but it all comes down to the person running them. Personality and attitude will always come through. What does the industry look like heading into 2016? The recruitment industry is maturing, and by that I mean it’s growing up. Where things have been a bit cloak and dagger, technology is going to force recruiters to be more credible. That’s not just in terms of day to day work, but in the kind of company you run. There are websites out there where employees and candidates can write reviews on your business. It shines a light on things like career structures and staff benefits. These sort of revelations will push recruitment through a revolution in the next couple of years. What challenges face recruiters right now? There are multiple challenges facing recruiters, but the biggest one is going niche. Gone are the days where specialising in IT could be called niche – there’s a niche inside a niche inside a niche.
Don’t let the economy trick you I think you’ll find you can move in gradual steps down a path that leads to a new opportunity. The worst thing you can do is stick your head in the sand and think what worked in the 1990s will work for me today. Anybody who’s making money off those old methods is probably because of the strength of the economy. Imagine how things will be when the next downturn comes – it will be even more difficult than the last one. Mid-term strategy is vital Mistakes from the outset were falling into new markets, but a little bit more strategic planning in my early 20s would be more useful. If I were to do it again, I would have taken a shorter term view on some of the markets I invested in. Get to know finance Any recruitment owner or manager, they’ve got to get themselves familiar with basic financial management. The approach I will always recommend is the lily pad approach: always build on solid foundations. If you’ve got yourself in a position where your business is strong, you’ve got good second-tier management, you’ve got the flexibility to do the next thing.
To keep up to date with everything the Institute of Recruitment Professionals is doing, please visit www.rec-irp.uk.com
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Events and training
BUSINESS GROWTH
YOUR NEW YEAR, YOUR NEW BUSINESS There’s no better time to invest in your recruitment business. The REC has teamed up with Elite Recruitment Network to provide an exclusive suite of products to help your business grow in the New Year ELITE BUSINESS HEALTH CHECK The Elite Whole Business Health Check is a thorough evaluation of your business. An Elite specialist consultant will sit down with you and understand how your organisation functions and what your goals are. You will receive comprehensive feedback and a plan for growth. Your Elite consultant will take time to ask you the key questions that your business needs answering in order to take it from ‘good’ to ‘great’. All you need to do is register your interest and we’ll arrange a time to meet, find out everything that your business needs and suggest the solutions that you need to grow and enhance your business’ prospects. Price: Free for all REC members
ELITE LEADERS NETWORK Elite Leaders consists of monthly small groups of 12-15 regional professionals meeting of business owners to discuss tactics and best practice. It is a highly regarded peer-topeer learning, support and development community for
recruitment company owners and managers. Each group is chaired by a leading industry expert, who will share insight on staff, sales growth, building shareholder value, brand awareness and exit strategies. In addition, each member of the Elite Leaders Network will receive a complimentary Business Health Check. Price: £6,000 + VAT per member per annum, paid monthly
ELITE FUTURE LEADERS Succession planning is essential for any business owner looking to actively devolve responsibility of their business to the next generation of talent in their organisation. These half-day, bi-monthly workshops are for developing the future leaders in your business. These sessions include a two-hour peer-to-peer debate on issues and challenges facing new leaders, what techniques they have used to overcome them. Attendees will receive insight from speakers and experts who have risen up the ranks in their own business. Topics range
from learning to lead from the front, creating a business development culture and people development strategy. Set the brightest minds in your business on the right track to ensure that your future leaders continue to maintain your business as the excellent organisation it already is. £2,950 +VAT for a 12 month membership – six sessions a year.
BUSINESS CONSULTANCY No business is perfect, but our consultancy services will set yours on the right track. Our consultancy services are perfect for agencies at any stage of operation. We offer bespoke plans designed to fit your organisation. Our experts will examine your operation and offer advice on: • Planning your first year • Entering markets • Hiring the best talent • Buying or selling an agency • Opening overseas Cost: A minimum of £825 + VAT a session, depending on your requirements.
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT DIAGNOSTIC Does your business’ training
strategy need improving? Our team of experienced consultants have a combined experience of more than 60 years’ training and supporting recruiters. They will spend a half-day working with you assessing your business’ learning and development needs. They’ll get into the heart and soul of your business and see how it ticks. The L&D diagnostic will then identify areas for team improvement, agreeing with you a comprehensive Training Needs Analysis action plan.
WHO IS THE TRAINING DIAGNOSTIC FOR? One of our RBA Business Consultants will meet and work with business owners and managers as well as HR and training teams to build a solution to suit. No two businesses are alike, so the L&D diagnostic is tailored to your exact needs and each diagnostic is a bespoke recommendation to your business. For more information and to book, visit www.rec.uk.com/elite or call your account manager on 020 7009 2100.
RECRUITMENT MATTERS
Membership Department: Membership: 020 7009 2100, Customer Services: 020 7009 2100 Publishers: Redactive Publishing Ltd, 17 Britton Street, London EC1M 5TP. Tel: 020 7880 6200. www.redactive.co.uk Editorial: Editor Michael Oliver michael.oliver@redactive.co.uk. Production Editor: Vanessa Townsend Production: Production Executive: Rachel Young rachel.young@redactive.co.uk Tel: 020 7880 6209 Printing: Printed by Precision Colour Printing
The official magazine of The Recruitment & Employment Confederation Dorset House, 1st Floor, 27-45 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NT Tel: 020 7009 2100 www.rec.uk.com
© 2015 Recruitment Matters. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, neither REC, Redactive Publishing Ltd nor the authors can accept liability for errors or omissions. Views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the REC or Redactive Publishing Ltd. No responsibility can be accepted for unsolicited manuscripts or transparencies. No reproduction in whole or part without written permission.
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TR AINING
On a plane from Prague, a director of NonStop Recruitment realised training UK graduates in the Czech Republic could be just what the business needed. The rest is history... SARAH MARQUET
Oliver Donoghue Managing director
Kevin Smith Founder
bout 100km east of the Czech Republic’s capital Prague lies the small town of Pardubice, where NonStop Recruitment has created a training academy by leveraging European Union funding — setting the company on a trajectory to achieve 100% growth each year. As founder Kevin Smith tells Recruiter, the firm, having got its internal recruitment and training programme to the standard it wants, is just now “taking the foot off the [growth] brake” with an aim to take on 20 people a month indefinitely. The training scheme, Smith and NonStop managing director Oliver Donoghue say, is the engine room that fuels the business — allowing it to grow its own recruitment consultants and, by giving each new consultant a different market to work, letting the business grow. But it has not been without its challenges — from hiring the wrong people and having to let good people go, to a language barrier, constant audits
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THE HISTORY
NonStop Recruitment 2000 NonStop Recruitment established in the UK 2001 First pharma placement 2003 Increased pharma focus 2005 First trainee hired 2008 Began Czech operations in Pardubice 2010 NonStop Technical, NonStop Care established 2011 NonStop Medical Devices established 2012 Swiss office opened in Zug, NonStop Digital established 2013 Prague office opened 2014 NonStop Chemicals established 2015 Incorporated business in Switzerland rather than the UK to reflect the growing European nature of the business and signed a lease for a new Prague office with space for 150 people
NonStop Recruitment’s training academy in the small town of Pardubice is the engine room that fuels the business
and even a visit from armed police, which they label “comical”, to check they weren’t employing people illegally. “We’ve shed blood, sweat and tears,” Donoghue says. The name itself was also somewhat a challenge. Named NonStop after the specific software market it used to recruit for, when they opened in the Czech Republic they quickly learned it was the name given to bars that stay open all night. NonStop was set up in the UK as an IT recruiter by former Progressive (now part of SThree) consultant Smith, who with only three years’ recruitment experience decided to strike out on his own in 2000. Married to a Czech national, it was inevitable that Smith would move there one day and when that time came,
in 2007, the plan was that he would work from there and commute back to London when necessary. However, he begun to surround himself with a few Czech business support people — an accountant, for example — as it was cheaper to hire top calibre people there than in London. Then came the idea to start training people. “We had been training people in London but it was more a mentormentee relationship, and it was inefficient because they had to discuss everything after every call,” explains Donoghue, formerly of Hydrogen Group’s Finance Professionals. And on doing their maths, they realised training people in the Czech Republic would cost about half as much as it would in London, thanks to lower overheads.
The company applied for an initial £1.2m-equivalent from the EU Structural Funds, through its enterprise and innovation programme, in September 2008 to start its training academy. That was followed by a later £1.3m grant but they needed to make the investment first, without knowing whether the funding would ever come through. About this time the financial crisis really began to hit the business — clients were putting a hold on hiring and Smith had bought out the other shareholder in April 2008, leaving the business somewhat short of cash. “We just had to work hard,” Smith explains. “It got very, very difficult but from personal perspective, it was also a learning curve. “With Oliver, I had to take control of the business very firmly and we had to make some difficult decisions. We had to toughen up and do so quite rapidly and do it faster than our competitors because we had no money left.” It wasn’t just a few people they were to take on either. The funding was for 40 people, and specific EU rules meant ▶ WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 33
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TR AINING
they could not be client facing, so no recruitment consultants. Czech nationals were initially recruited for training, but that in itself was a challenge, Donoghue says. A communist hangover meant it was an insult to motivate them with money, but also, the training programme was still unrefined. On a flight from Prague back to London, Donoghue overheard a returning stag do talking about how they would love to be able to live in the Czech Republic. It was a light-bulb moment — why not recruit British graduates? “If I think back to what I wanted fresh out of uni,” Donoghue explains, “it was a job, training opportunity, potential for career progression, opportunity to travel and good earning capacity.” That is exactly what NonStop is giving, plus the opportunity to live abroad, with all help given to set up a life in Pardubice, including cheap lodgings in company-rented flats. Fast forward seven years and the training programme, filled with mainly recent graduates, has been refined into distinct sections that teach them all stages of the recruitment cycle, and make them undertake significant research into the markets they will recruit for. Each stage, but especially the beginning, is subject to a heavy quality assurance (QA) focus. The EU funding, as well as allowing the firm to set up back office functions and begin its training programme, allowed it to create an internal QA function. The QA team covers all levels of the business with a purpose to see where people need the help to develop. The time to get from new starter to junior consultant has reduced from 5.4 months to just under two, while the rest is entirely dependent on the individual, Donoghue says, adding the academy costs about £4k per person per month with that investment generally repaid in six to 12 months. Not only is the business able to take on a lot of people, by the time they have completed the training, they are all highly engaged and invested, he adds. 34 RECRUITER
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“I said ‘look, I want 100% growth year-onyear, can anyone tell me why we can’t do that?’ ” KEVIN SMITH
And it is having a direct affect on the business’s financial position, with net fee income and net profit increasing respectively from a little over €2.8m (£2m) and €354k in 2010 to about €7.9m and €1.61m last year. Projected NFI is €11.4m and net profit €2.8m. Based on the success of the academy, and after an internal survey found people would like to have the option to train in Prague, the company is about to set up another training academy there. At the beginning of this year, Smith set the business a challenge, or the ‘big hairy audacious goal’ as they call it. “I said ‘look, I want 100% growth year-on-year, can anyone tell me why we can’t do that?’ And nobody could, so now we’re doing it.” By the end of the third quarter, they were 82% of the way to achieving that goal, with three months left until the end of the financial year. Headcount is now about 150. Growth is not just about net fee income though, Smith says, “it is about [people] growing the people under them”. As consultants progress, high performers are given the opportunity to grow their own teams — it may be in a new location or a new market
— through the business accelerator programme, which aims to produce the next generation business leaders. Growing ‘layers’ in this way, Smith says, is how the business will be able to sustain growth, as well as ensuring the back office, internal recruitment and QA teams grow so the same ratio is retained. But do they worry the training programme will be turning out clones and shutting the business off to fresh ideas? It’s impossible, Smith says. “If you’re going to have a company culture and a brand, there needs to be a look and feel as to how that company behaves. And I think everybody should have the same opportunity, meritocracy, training, same management style and structure. I think that’s key because it’s not fair otherwise.” It also helps eliminate bad habits a consultant may have picked up elsewhere. But they are quick to point out it doesn’t mean they will never make another senior hire, though if they did it would never be about how much that person bills but rather cultural fit. And can a 100% growth target be sustainable? “There’s clearly a limit because if you do it for long enough you’ll end up employing everyone in the world but if it’s sustainable for a business of 40 people, why is it not sustainable for a business of 4,000 people?” Smith asks. “I can’t possibly know the answer because I haven’t done it yet… But I can try. And what I do know is that if we don’t try, we definitely won’t do it. But if we do try, we might.” ⦁
JANUARY 2016
08/12/2015 11:50
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07/12/2015 10:54
CO M M U N I T Y
SOCIAL NETWORK WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO? GET IN TOUCH!
E
From going on the run to lying in the sun, here’s what you’ve been getting up to outside recruitment ARE YOU SITTING COMFORTABLY? VIA Children at Birmingham’s Somerville Primary School are enjoying a brand new library, thanks to a refurbishment, as part of its investment in community initiatives, by local education recruitment specialist Now Education. The school in Small Heath, which uses Now Education as a recruitment partner, has had a £12k library facility custom-designed and fitted out to encourage and inspire children to read. Hash Ejaz, principal consultant at Now Education, said: “I think it’s a great idea. I wasn’t encouraged to read as a child and felt I’d missed out.” AROUND
£3.2K
ISED WAS RA DAY ON THE H G THROU RSHIP SPONSO NATIONS AND DO
RECRUITERS ON THE RUN FOR CHARITY VIA Staff from sales and marketing recruiter Austin Benn and fellow Impellam Group company Hewitson Walker held a ‘Jailbreak’ event for The Brain Tumour Charity. Teams set off from London, Bristol and Worcester, and had just 12 hours to put as many miles between themselves and their starting destinations as possible, all without using any of their own money or transport. Not content with the main event being challenging enough, the teams were also set some tasks to complete along the way, including posing in a shop window, having their photo taken with a celebrity, taking a selfie with a farm animal, getting a piggy back ride from a stranger and having their photo taken with a police officer.
Hash Ejaz, principal consultant at Now Education, with Cecil Knight, chair of the school of governors, deputy headteacher Shahin Fazil and school children Bilal Hussain and Sabah Ahmed
TW I TT E R INSTAG RAM
Matthew Jeffery@MatthewJeffery Nov 20 #ITSGREATTOBE Superb #RecruiterShow by @RecruiterMag. Well done to @editordeedee & her totally brilliant team
ndian cious I ur deli o s lunch r u o f io delic a s chefs e k k ngry! n li a “Th s us hu Looks e !” k y a a m d o — feast t ltancy Consu Purple
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P emiie Pr err Grro ou up p consultants enjoying th he sun and sa nd on their Q2 ince ntives trip to Ibiza. Not jealous in the slightest…
Recruiter Show@RecruiterShow Nov 23 @EffiGounaris & @MattJCam you both have the #rfactor in our eyes and had nothing to be nervous about. http://ow.ly/UYQ8A #recruitershow @RecruiterMag instagram.com/recruitermagazine/ recruitermagazine.tumblr.com/
WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 37
08/12/2015 11:51
E CAREERS CO M M UNITY
Recruiters’ resolutions It’s a new year and anything is possible BY TARA LESCOTT
↗ TARA LESCOTT is managing director of rec-to-rec agency Recruiter Republic
SO WE’VE SURVIVED the Christmas party, we’ve said goodbye to 2015 and it’s a brilliant chance to start afresh. So what do you want 2016 to look like? Have you even thought about it yet? There’s something completely seductive about 1 January that allows us to draw a line under the previous year and start again — but few people take advantage of this time to stop and take stock. Don’t be one of those people that blindly trudge on in their current role or company without stopping to think about whether they are happy or achieving their goals. Take control, and be the master or mistress of your own destiny. It’s easy to re-motivate and re-energise yourself to do what you need to if you are motivated by the end result. Ask yourself this — if 2016 was a brilliant year for you, what would that look like? What would the end result be? Start there and work backwards to build yourself a route to success for 2016. Whether your plan is business or personal or both, here are my tips for getting a great plan together for the year ahead:
1 2 3 4 DO A BRIEF SWOT
KEEP IT SIMPLE
BITE-SIZE CHUNKS
SAY IT OUT LOUD
A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis of you/your business for 2016: What did you do well in 2015? What do you need to work on in 2016 to improve performance or achieve greater happiness? What opportunities are available to you, and how can you best take advantage of them? What could prevent you from doing this and how will you face these challenges?
One thing we recruiters are great at is either not planning at all or coming up with such a complicated plan that it never gets implemented. Keep your plan simple, keep it visible (ideally at your desk) and relate it to what you actually achieve. Is it a promotion? A car? A house? Relating your actions to the desired outcome really helps you to stay on track.
Break down your plan to daily and weekly bite-sized chunks and review constantly. Be prepared to change and flex your plan as you go — as long as your plan leads to the same destination, it’s ok to amend it.
There’s something about sharing your intentions with other people that helps you to stay on track. So bring some people you trust in on your plan — make sure they are positive cheerleaders, not energy sappers.
RECRUITMENT JOB ACTIVITY ANALYSIS of data on Recruiter Jobs, Recruiter magazine’s job board, reveals a general trend of greater applications to higher paying roles, despite there being fewer roles at those levels.
M O ST JO BS A DV E RT IS E D
Across all disciplines and geographies, most jobs advertised over the last month were in the £20-29k salary band and most applications were for roles in the £30-39k band. Recruiters looking for higher paying roles would do well to consider international locations; most high paying roles (£40k+) were found to be in the Middle East & Africa or the US & the Americas. MIDDLE EAST US & AMERICAS
AFRICA
42.86% SCOTLAND APPLICATIONS
I hope you all have an amazing year ahead — the market is strong, there are opportunities everywhere and those that work smart and hard will win. Happy recruiting for 2016! ● 38 RECRUITER
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JANUARY 2016
M
08/12/2015 11:51
CO M M U N I T Y
CAREERS Find your next move in recruitment on jobs.recruiter. co.uk
E
The data savvy recruiter wins every time What does good data look like? BY ANDREW MOUNTNEY
↗ ANDREW MOUNTNEY is founding partner at in-house recruitment specialist Aspen In-House
MOST JOBS
£20-29k £30-39k MOST APPLICATIONS
Within the UK, some locations — East Midlands and North-East England, for example — seemed to get it right, with most applications for roles in the salary bands that had the most jobs available. Recruiters in Scotland, though, sent a clear picture they were not so happy with what was on offer. Most Scottish roles (50.82%) were offering salaries in the range of £20-29k but no applications were received for those roles. Most applications (42.86%) were received for the far fewer roles in the £30-39k and £40-59k salary bands.
£30-39k £40-59k
WHETHER YOU think recruitment is a science or an art there’s an inevitability about being asked questions about how you use data if you interview for an in-house role. If you think or say you’re a great recruiter you’re going to be asked to prove it.
What’s at the heart of this? For most businesses there’s increased use of data in decision making, and recruitment is no exception. Many hiring managers will expect MI [market intelligence] supporting each open requirement to be used by the organisation to inform whether hiring decisions are appropriate. That’s whether or not you as a recruiter believe they use it appropriately! From your perspective the interest should be about how you deliver your role; are you inquisitive, do you act on your data to do a better job?
So what will the business want to know? What does good data look like in your organisation? What are you reporting on and how are you using that information? ● Time to hire (wherever you measure it from and to) ● Cost of hire (how you work it out) ● Volume of requisitions you manage ● Your routes to market and return on them. You love your Recruiter Licence? Great — how many hires did you make from it? ● Your percentage of direct hires (break that down) ● To fill a role you regularly work, do you know your funnel? ● Number of people you need to
engage in the relevant pool for a telephone interview, to the number of people you need to bring in to make the hire ● Agency spend ● NPS [net promoter score] for candidate experience ● How are you measuring diversity, what are your shortlist and hiring ratios? We could go on. If you are a manager or a leader you’ll need this for your function.
How do you use this? It will be accepted by even the most data-savvy firms that not everyone has access to the same data — but what they want to understand is what you do with what you’ve got. If you have data that demonstrates you’ve cut your time-to-hire due to an increase in referred candidates, have you then used that to promote referrals in the business? Organisations want to know that if you are given more you learn more; if you have the tools to build an evidence-based recruiting model, then you will. Are you someone who sees completing MI as a chore or someone who wants to see how and why you are performing as you are and how you can improve? Some people have said to us it feels like going ‘back to agency’ but in a world where performance is measured it’s becoming the norm. If you are interviewing, get to know your stats: not only do you need to know them to secure the role, you may just find you learn something that makes you better at what you already thought you were good at. ● WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 39
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08/12/2015 11:51
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Visit www.dutch-umbrella-company.com/youknow and we will bring you up to speed The Dutch Umbrella Company is built on trust and has all the knowledge, experience and the right network to help out with relevant legal advice, tax and payment services. We are part of WePayPeople, one of the fastest-growing financial HR companies in The Netherlands.
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07/12/2015 10:55
CO M M U N I T Y
CAREERS
E
“One of the hotels I absolutely loved interviewing at was the Swallow Royal Hotel in Bristol” MY BRILLIANT RECRUITMENT CAREER What was your earliest dream job? I wanted to be a dancer with the Ballet Rambert (now known just as Rambert) contemporary dance group. I saw them when I was at primary school and thought they were amazing.
e as d h ecom a b f iP My ickly nt o qu e fou dge th owle kn
was employed as a permanent consultant at Brook Street in Newcastle. I got offered the job when I went to register for a telesales job with Procter & Gamble and they told me about the job. They said ‘What about working here?’.
What do you love most about your current role? I love the people that I work with. They are fantastic, real ‘can do’ people, full of energy and have got a real passion for what they do. Our commitment is about enhancing people’s lives, and they have really taken that to heart.
What would you consider to be the most brilliant moment of your career? It’s not a moment, it’s a period. I’ve spent a lot of time with our operational teams really understanding what they do on a day-to-day basis — making sure that our career paths accurately reflect that and have the support from an L&D [learning and development] perspective.
What is your ‘can’t do without’ office tool besides your phone? My iPad has quickly become the fount of knowledge. I spend quite a lot of time on the road, so I Facetime my children of an evening.
Do you prefer a staycation or holiday abroad? I’m a staycation person. I love Cornwall and Devon — not I M AG E S | A K I N FA LO P E / ISTO C K / TR ISTRAM K EN TO N
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↗
What was your first job in recruitment and how did you come into it? I
JILL THORNTON is people & strategy development director, Blue Arrow Group
t
ber m Ra
Jill Thornton
just for the cream teas! It’s whe where we holidayed as a family from when the children were very young and it’s become one of the things that we do every year.
Outside the office, where would you like to interview a candidate or be interviewed? One of the hotels I absolutely loved interviewing at was the Swallow Royal Hotel in Bristol. When I was based down in that neck of the woods I did lots of interviewing at that hotel. They’ve got fantastic shortbread biscuits with the coffee.
What’s your top job to fill at the moment? Top job in our business at the moment is definitely still recruitment consultant. We’ve gone through huge growth this year, especially within our specialist staffing business.
Laugh or cry, what did your most memorable candidate make you want to do and why? Cry. One candidate that our Cambridge branch helped recently had a period of homelessness and found it quite difficult to get back into employment. A consultant had spent quite a bit of time talking to him, helped him get clothes and prepared him for interview. We managed to place him on a temporary assignment. That was pretty special.
What’s the best or worst interview question you’ve ever heard? Our managing director asks people if there is a moment in their life they could go back to and redo or relive, what would it be and why? And that always starts an interesting conversation.
M Make us an offer we can’t refuse If anybody is looking re for an organisation that’s fill lled with ‘people making’, de delivering promises and really lo looking to redefine the world of recruitment, r contact our inte internal recruitment team. ● WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 41
08/12/2015 12:30
E EMPLOYABILITY CO M M UNITY
ARSENAL SCORES WITH THE OVER 50S GRAHAM SIMONS
A
rsenal Football Club is expanding its five-year-old employability initiative this January to include people over 50. Over 200 young people have been supported into work since the North London Premier League outfit introduced employability training for long-term unemployed youth in the local community in 2011. The 12-week programme offers training around interview skills, employment rights and responsibilities, working with colleagues and managing money. Additional sessions are delivered around English, Maths and ICT learning. Candidates are placed into one of three groups offered the opportunity to join courses run by Arsenal in the Community, which last from one to three days per week depending on individual needs. According to Arsenal employment officer Jack Ferguson, while the content of training planned for the over 50s is similar to that of younger groups, the way the training is delivered differs. “It is at a different pace, and is a lot more about making people feel comfortable with the provision, and there’s a lot more confidence-boosting work,” Ferguson told Recruiter. Arsenal in the Community has an extensive employer engagement programme which supports those on the programmes into paid work. There are currently 10 employer partners from sectors including retail, construction, hospitality and food retail. 42 RECRUITER
JANUARY 2016
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DELOITTE EXTENDS EX-MILITARY INSIGHT DAYS DOWN UNDER GRAHAM SIMONS
D
eloitte is to offer its insight days for the ex-military in Australia and host similar events jointly with its US operation in the next year. The programme, set up in 2012, is designed to support serving and ex-service personnel moving into the commercial world. It delivers networking opportunities with Deloitte professionals, including its exmilitary personnel and provides an insight to what it’s like working at the professional services firm. Chris Recchia (below), senior partner at Deloitte, who has spent 14 years in the military and 14 years on Civvy Street, runs the programme. Speaking towards the close of the latest Deloitte insight day in the City of London, Recchia told Recruiter the firm was seeking to link up with its US operation, which hosts similar events, to offer a combined event. This would take place in the second quarter of this year over several days. Recchia added Deloitte was also speaking to its Australian practice about lessons learned from the UK with a view to replicating the programme down under. This year Deloitte has hired 50 exmilitary people in the UK, taking the total number of ex-military personnel working at the firm to 200. IM AGE | GET T Y
08/12/2015 13:01
RETURNING TALENT TO THE WORKPLACE
CODECLAN SCHOLARSHIP NURTURES STUDENTS SARAH MARQUET
SARAH MARQUET
G
lobal financial institution Bank of America Merrill Lynch is extending its Returning Talent programme, which helps people who have had career breaks get back into work, by offering 10-week work placements. Returning Talent, now in its fifth year, selects about 60 highly skilled, experienced people to attend a one-day conference. Of those attendees, a smaller group is offered a further two days of coaching. The 10-week placement initiative would be a third offering. Attendees, mostly women, are briefed on changes that may have happened in the workplace in the time they have been out, bank head of Europe Middle East and Africa infrastructure staffing Natasha San Juan (right) tells Recruiter. But they are also shown how their skills are still relevant, as confidence is one of their biggest barriers to returning. She says the 10-week placement programme is still very much in its infancy and therefore will initially only be run on a small scale. Before returners are chosen for this extra programme, the bank’s business lines will be quizzed as to what skills they need and what types of roles they have in order to offer a returner a tangible experience. “We want to give them real work to do,” San Juan says. The number of people offered this experience is yet to be confirmed. Applications for the Returning Talent programme are now open, with the conference days set to take place in February. She adds the programme could eventually be extended to the bank’s Chester and Dublin sites, as “we’re aware that it is very London-centric”.
E
dinburgh-based Be-IT Resourcing has launched a scholarship for Scotland’s new digital academy, CodeClan, which was created to train the next generation of software developers. The recruiter’s scholarship is designed to support an “economically disadvantaged” student. Be-IT managing director Gareth Biggerstaff said: “As recruiters, we have daily experience of the very real problems businesses face in sourcing IT talent. “By covering the fees for someone who can’t afford them we are doing our bit, however small, to nurture the skilled computing professionals the country desperately needs.”
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08/12/2015 13:01
E BUSINESS ADVICE CO M M UNITY
↗
PIRATE TALK RECRUITERS: WHAT, HOW AND WHY WE DO IT
GARY GOLDSMITH and DEAN KELLY are the founding partners of the Recruitment Directors Lunch Club (RDLC). Contact them @RDLC_PIRATES on Twitter
magine 30-plus recruitment chief executives, managing directors and founders, penning away in pure silence as if it were a school exam. The cause? We had asked our recruitment leaders lunching at the Recruitment Directors Lunch Club [RDLC] three simple questions: What do you do? How do you do it? And why do you do it? The cloud of ‘Am I really that different?’ descended quite quickly. These questions are rarely asked. Entrepreneurs and business leaders often push so hard to improve and grow their enterprises they sometimes lose sight of ‘Why’ they started on their journey. We have collated the answers we received. But remember: yours may, and probably will, be different — it won’t be a skill, a credential or a result. It is an emotive attachment that drives you every day.
I
Gary Goldsmith & Dean Kelly
What? Recruitment, monitor, direct, build, grow, drive strategy, target, lead from the front, meet, negotiate, sell, finance, build knowledge, build relationships, build brand, stabilise, investigate. How? Engage, incentivise, KPIs [key performance indicators], metrics, attract, retain market, promulgate, differentiate, niche, selective, training, specialise, USP [unique selling point], build rapport, affinities and connect.
Why? Challenge traditional methods, transcend present offerings, autonomy, personal control, to inspire others, passionate about recruitment. A belief I can do it better, prove the doubters wrong, because I can, to be the best I can be, to make a difference, to show my plans and drive are bigger than me, access personal choice, freedom, purpose. We were keen to find connectives within the questions. Within the ‘What’ and the ‘How’ this was fairly simple. So why do businesses have such varying results in delivery, growth, scale, brand and profitability?
Could it be the ‘Why’? When it came to the ‘Why’, every leader in the room felt they didn’t have a ‘job’, as jobs infer an occupation or paid employment — and not a passionate entrepreneur or leader who knew ‘Why’ they were doing what 44 RECRUITER
JANUARY 2016
p52_recruiter_businessadvice.indd 52
they do. The entire group agreed: if you love ‘What’ you do and ‘How’ you do it, because you understand ‘Why’ you’re doing it, you’ll never work a day in your life again. Having a passion that is more than a hobby is about as good as it gets. We found that ‘Passion and Purpose’, not ‘Production and Profit’, drove our group. It was also the passion and the purpose attached to their ‘Why’ that attracted such strong teams and recruiters to work for them and not just for money. The leaders’ ‘Why’ becomes the ‘Why’ of their teams and recruiters as they become believers in the vision of the business and its driver. Understanding ‘Why’ helps a team to overcome obstacles, as each obstacle in their way just becomes an instruction on a new way in which to achieve your goal. It is a truly powerful exercise and one that has also helped to grow, as well as save, many businesses. Having a ‘Why’ gives the ‘Passion and Purpose’ required for initiating, bettering, improving and growing an enterprise. History tells us that many small armies have won big battles and decisive wars because they believed in their leader and they knew ‘Why’ they were fighting. As RDLC founders, we have subscribed to this behaviour throughout our careers to initiate, originate, accelerate, and to take businesses on the precipice and turn them into cohesive high-growth enterprises. It is such a clarifying exercise. Pure concentration becomes so rewarding as you find your ‘Why’; it is an almost cathartic experience and one to be embraced.
RDLC Top tip Why not take an hour or so out of your day or weekend to find your ‘Why’? You may never have to work another day again. As Ralph Waldo Emerson described knowing your ‘Why’: ‘Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.’ ● IM AGE | PAL HANSEN
08/12/2015 11:52
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07/12/2015 11:03
E RECRUITMENT WWW. RE CRUITE R .CO.UK
View the latest jobs at www.recruiter.co.uk To place your advertisement E: emmanuel.nettey@redactive.co.uk or T: 020 7880 6234
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View the latest jobs at www.recruiter.co.uk To place your advertisement E: emmanuel.nettey@redactive.co.uk or T: 020 7880 6234
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RECRUITMENT
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SENIOR RECRUITMENT CONSULTANT Location Salary Sector Contract Type Hours
London (City of), London (Greater) £20 – 40k IT Permanent Full Time
Recruitment Consultant with industry or sales experience required - ideally in tech/UX or working with developers & Major Players is a privately creative, media and digital recruitment agency based in the heart of Covent Garden, we work with some of the world’s best agencies and brands placing permanent and temporary staff. We've won many awards over the past couple of years and have a strong and respected brand. In a perfect world you will be working in a recruitment role or have experience in sales with a passion for placing talent into the creative tech space including; UX and developers. With already established desks and open positions to work on, this is a golden opportunity to come on board, role your sleeves up and get busy. Major Players is a business that’s been built on reputation and gold standard service. We’ve got one of the longest standing names in the marketplace. There’s an inherent sense of pride in our office and we are proud to work with (and place) some of the world’s best talent. We've created a culture and working environment that allows you to be who you are on a daily basis. We love to celebrate success and it usually starts at our bar which is in the heart of the office You’ll receive one of the most competitive commission schemes in the industry, a flexible benefits package and a social scene amp; culture that’s worth talking about. You’ll also have access to some of the most successful recruiters in the industry which is worth its weight in gold. To apply for this position, please visit: jobs.recruiter.co.uk/job/363334/senior-recruitment-consultant/ WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 47
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E CAREERS CO M M UNITY
A D EC C O : The recruitment giant has appointed Hans Pruis as chief executive for the Netherlands.
A D P : The human capital management solutions provider has hired Jeff Phipps as general manager for ADP UK.
AW F MA D IS O N : The New Zealand-based recruiter and labour provider has appointed Steve Jackson as chief operating officer of Madison, its white-collar recruitment division.
B IE EX EC U TIV E : Chris Wilson joins the recruitment services provider as director.
recruitment group Futures. co.uk as health and social care specialist.
CHAN GE RE CRUIT MENT GROUP: Steven Frost has joined the Scotlandheadquartered recruiter as associate director of supply chain, procurement & operations to lead two new divisions focusing on manufacturing, technical & operations and supply chain & procurement. Lynn Fairservice joins as associate director within its business services division, while Scott Taylor
D E P O E L : Andrew Preston has been appointed group managing director by the temporary labour procurer.
B OY D EN : The global executive search firm has bolstered its industrial practice with the appointment of partners Andrew Mann and James Twiston-Davies.
CA R E F UTUR ES : Allan Tucker joins the Leedsbased recruiter part of the 48 RECRUITER
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Elliot Rivett has been promoted to managing director of Staffgroup in the UK. Rivett has been with Eurostaff, a company within the Staffgroup fold, for more than 10 years. Elsewhere Saman Tabrizi becomes managing director of Staffgroup for Germany. Tabrizi launched the group’s operations in Berlin in 2013. Mark Znowski and Paul Flynn, the founders of Staffgroup, left the recruitment business in November. In June 2015, the group was purchased by multi-sector recruiter Cordant Recruitment. Staffgroup is the parent company of Eurostaff, Earthstaff and Enginestaff.
EGON Z EHNDER: German and Steven Fairlie have been promoted to associate director within accountancy & finance and managing consultant within investment and risk respectively.
Herrera has been recruited by the executive search firm as industrial practice leader for North America.
appointed Andrew Yarwood as group head of marketing.
INT ERQUEST GR O U P : The specialist technology, analytics and digital recruiter has appointed a new chief finance officer in the form of David Bygrave.
FIRCROFT GROUP: The technical recruiter has
KUONI: The Switzerlandheadquartered multinational travel service provider has
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hired Bernard Martyris as group chief HR officer.
N A K A MA LON DON : The digital staffing specialist has promoted Leigh Scholefield to associate director.
N OR R IE J OHN STON : Mark Gillham joins as recruitment director at the global executive search and interim management provider. Richard Rogerson joins as an associate. N R L : The technical and engineering recruiter has appointed Tom Heath as divisional manager of its newly opened Masdar City branch in the United Arab Emirates.
PAG EG R O UP: The global specialist recruiter’s new MD of Scotland is Steve Hallam.
managed service provider (MSP) to its managed services programme leadership team.
RS M: Neil Cox joins the consulting firm as head of resourcing for RSM UK.
Redactive Publishing Ltd 17 Britton Street, London EC1M 5TP 020 7880 6200
S PORTS RECRUIT MENT I N TE RN ATIONAL ( SRI) :
CONTACTS
Paul Chidley is the sports industry recruiter’s new head of the UK contingency division.
EDITORIAL +44 (0)20 7880 7606 Editor DeeDee Doke
RECRUITMENT ADVERTISING +44 (0)20 7880 7556 Giorgio Romano
deedee.doke@recruiter.co.uk
giorgio.romano@redactive.co.uk
SY N E XUS C LINICAL RE S E ARCH: Hattie Renshaw joins as group director of talent & resourcing.
VON AGE HOLDINGS: Susan Quackenbush is the cloud communication services company’s new chief HR officer.
WORLDWI DE RECRUITMENT S OLUTI ON S ( WRS) : The global energy, maritime, construction and mining recruiter has appointed Donna Watson as head of marine managed services.
P ED ER S EN & PARTN E RS : Margarita Hernández is the Portugal country manager for the global executive search firm’s new office in Lisbon.
YOU R NE X T M OV E A selection of vacancies from recruiter.co.uk Recruiter Republic Senior consultant Property £29k-£32k + comms + bens London
R A N D STA D SOURCE RI GHT: The operating company of recruitment giant Randstad has appointed Steve Helmholz vice president talent solutions; Peter Hirano senior VP, client services; Elliot Owens VP, business intelligence; and Nannette Reeves senior director,
Rubicon Consulting Recruitment consultant Engineering, IT, utilities £20k- £40k basic DOE Solihull Hudson Recruitment consultant £competitive + bens London
sarah.marquet@recruiter.co.uk graham.simons@recruiter.co.uk
Contributing writers Colin Cottell, Sue Weekes Production editor Vanessa Townsend vanessa.townsend@recruiter.co.uk
Creative director Mark Parry Picture editor Akin Falope
PRODUCTION +44 (0)20 7880 6209 Production executive Rachel Young rachel.young@redactive.co.uk
PUBLISHING +44 (0)20 7880 8547 Publishing director Aaron Nicholls aaron.nicholls@redactive.co.uk
ADVERTISING +44 (0)20 7880 7607 Sales manager Tom Culley Senior sales executive Josh Hannagan
RECRUITER AWARDS/ INVESTING IN TALENT AWARDS +44 (0)20 7880 6236 Events Rebecca West
josh.hannagan@recruiter.co.uk
rebecca.west@redactive.co.uk
tom.culley@recruiter.co.uk
CIRCULATION and SUBSCRIPTIONS To receive a regular copy of Recruiter, the leading magazine for recruitment and resourcing professionals, telephone +44 (0)20 8950 9117 or email redactive@abacusemedia.com • Recruiter is also available to people who do not meet our terms of control: Annual subscription rate for 12 issues: £29.99 UK; £35 Europe and Rest of the World • To purchase reprints or multiple copies of the magazine, contact Abacus e-Media T: +44 (0)20 8950 9117 or email redactive@abacusemedia.com CONTRIBUTIONS Contributions are invited, but when not accepted will be returned only if accompanied by a fully stamped and addressed envelope. Articles should be emailed. No responsibility can be taken for drawings, photographs or literary contributions during delivery, transmission or in the editor’s hands. © 2016 Redactive Media Group. All rights reserved. This publication (and any part thereof) may not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in print or electronic format (including but not limited to any online service, any database or any part of the internet) or in any other format in any media whatsoever, without the prior written permission of Redactive Media Group. Redactive Media Group accepts no liability for the accuracy of the contents or any opinions expressed herein. The publishers cannot accept liability for any loss arising from the late appearance or non-publication of any advertisement for any reason whatsoever. ISSN 1475-7478
Total average net circulation between 1 July 2014 & 30 June 2015 – 18,667. Recruiter is also sent to all REC members
For more jobs, people moves and career advice go to ● recruiter.co.uk/jobs ● inhouserecruiterjobs.co.uk ● internationalrecruiterjobs.com
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Reporters Sarah Marquet, Graham Simons
Scan here to get your own copy of
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E THE LAST WORD CO M M UNITY
Gregory Allen Who owns the quality of hire?
I recently attended the CRF [Corporate Research Forum] summit in Vienna. All very nice. I had participated in a paper they wrote concerning the cost of a poor hire. The paper was distributed at the conference and I spent some time talking to people about ‘quality’ of hire and where in HR this sits, if at all. My first thought was who owns the quality of hire? As recruiters we sometimes play limited roles in decisions around hiring. I know in Lloyds Register we devolve our responsibility to the hiring manager in terms of their choice of candidate to hire. But do we devolve our responsibilities for a poor hire and only take glory for a great hire? My thinking is, there must be more to this, and can this metric sit as a recruitment or HR KPI [key performance indicator]? In terms of attraction, a recruitment function can evangelise the employer value proposition (EVP) through social media channels and events. We can encourage and farm current and potential candidates for roles within the organisation. But at this stage, is there any way we can foresee their measure of quality? I have investigated this with insight and technology company CEB on their ability tests, which would sit on our ATS [applicant tracking system], so as candidates apply
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for roles, an automated quality metric would be their performance on the tests. But this is quality of the candidate and not the quality of the hire. As we review more deeply what a quality hire is, how we measure it and who influences it, I believe more and more this cannot really be a recruiter’s metric. Now, and in the past, I have looked at ‘successfully achieving probation’ as a quality metric. Then we reviewed promotions, salary increases, performance review and whether they have already appeared on a talent map somewhere. But as a recruiter how is any of this influenced by the recruitment team? I have seen brilliant managers drive low-level skilled hires into great employees, as well as great applicants leaving after six months because of: ● The manager ● The role not as sold ● Or the cultural EVP promise externally not having truth internally. All of which are influenced not at all or little by HR/ recruiters. So should we
have ‘quality of hire’ as a KPI? The answer to my own question is yes. At the same time, however, I don’t want recruiters to become the whipping boy when it fails. We as a function do sit from a cross manager, cross business view. We as recruiters should challenge and test managers in their selection capability. To challenge ● the questions ● the diversity ● the competencies used by managers as their selection framework. It is not about policing, but about raising awareness about quality and potential. Several times I have watched managers lose people in roles over and over again, with nothing ever done to remedy or change their practices. It is the unique position I sit in, as a recruiter, which enables me to review the numbers, to raise issues and celebrate successes. In summary, I don’t think quality of hire should be a KPI to measure the quality of our recruitment teams. But we are unique in that we see what comes into a
company and react to what goes out of it. The question then becomes more ‘Who owns this?’ ●
+ Gregory Allen is global head of resourcing at Lloyd’s Register and winner of In-House Recruitment Leader of the Year at 2015’s Recruiter Awards
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