UK Hiring Momentum Builds as Professional Job Vacancies Surge in May

There’s some encouraging news for job seekers and businesses alike, with the UK professional jobs market showing fresh signs of strength as hiring activity continued to rise throughout May.

New data from recruitment and business consulting firm Robert Half reveals that professional job postings climbed by 7% month-on-month, exceeding 56,400 vacancies across the UK. 

Even more encouragingly, this marks the second consecutive month of growth, pushing hiring levels back towards the highs seen at the start of 2026.

The latest figures suggest that employers are once again investing in highly skilled talent, particularly in finance, accounting and technology roles that are crucial to business growth and long-term success.

Finance teams are seeing particularly strong demand. Credit Controller vacancies increased by 19% in May, while Finance Director roles rose by 20%. These gains indicate that organisations are placing greater emphasis on financial control, strategic planning and business performance as they navigate an increasingly competitive marketplace.

The sectors driving this growth are equally interesting. Finance and accounting vacancies within business services jumped by 24%, while manufacturing businesses increased hiring by an impressive 26%. Roles such as Accounts Assistant, Finance Manager and Tax Manager continue to be among the most sought-after positions across the country.

Technology recruitment is also gaining pace as organisations continue to invest in digital transformation projects. IT vacancies rose by 12% month-on-month, reaching around 1,100 advertised positions.

Some of the strongest growth has been seen in senior and specialist roles. Demand for Senior Business Analysts surged by 57%, while Lead Engineer vacancies increased by 36%. These figures suggest that businesses are not simply maintaining existing systems but actively pursuing complex projects, innovation initiatives and technology-led growth strategies.

Geographically, London remains the UK's largest professional hiring market, recording more than 10,600 vacancies during May. However, the capital isn't the only city enjoying renewed confidence.

Manchester also posted a healthy 5% increase in professional job opportunities compared with April, reinforcing its reputation as one of the UK's fastest-growing business and technology hubs.

For employers, the data highlights the importance of attracting and retaining skilled professionals in an increasingly competitive market. For job seekers, it signals growing opportunities across a range of industries, particularly for those with specialist finance or technology expertise.

After a period of uncertainty, the latest figures suggest that confidence is returning to the UK's professional jobs market, and that's welcome news for businesses and workers alike.

Two-fifths of UK workers planning to jump ship this year, with money the main driver

Two-fifths (40%) of the UK workforce are planning to move jobs in 2024, with one in six already beginning their search as staff look to boost their pay packets. That’s according to the latest Candidate Sentiment Survey statistics produced by specialist recruitment firm Robert Half.

While this figure is lower than the 47% planning to move jobs this time last year, these statistics demonstrate the resilience of the labour market as more candidates look to capitalise on skills shortages to boost earnings. Those aged 18-34 are more likely to move roles than any other age group (56%).

According to the data, salary remains a key driver of job moves – 45% of workers want a higher salary with a third (32%) of job seekers saying they would consider a counteroffer. However, flexible working prominence remains, with 29% stating that they want more agile working arrangements.

Half (50%) of workers also indicated that they wouldn’t work for an organisation with values that don’t match their own – with 63% of job seekers also saying that a company’s values would steer their decision to move jobs if similar salaries were on offer.

The statistics also revealed that London is set to witness the greatest talent exodus of all regions, with 56% of workers in the Capital planning a job move – with almost a quarter (23%) already looking for a new job. The West Midlands saw the second highest numbers (45%) followed by Yorkshire and Humberside (42%)

Matt Weston, Senior Managing Director UK & Ireland, at Robert Half at Robert Half, opined: “The UK’s labour market has faced significant challenges and upheaval over the last few years, but the sentiment of candidates remains resilient. 

"The combination of skills shortages and a cost-of-living crisis is causing some employees to jump ship for a pay boost, with the younger generation leading the way. While there has been a slight slowdown in planned job moves, this latest data shows that people are still confident in their ability to find new employment opportunities this year. 

"What is certainly of note for employers, though, are the figures related to non-financial incentives. With workers indicating a desire for not only flexible working options but also a synergy between their values and those of their employer, firms will need to be able to offer more than just a salary boost if they are to source the right resources on a long-term basis.”

(Image courtesy Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)

Latest data shows economic activity to pick up: but planned redundancies a concern

Responding to the latest economic activity and social change data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), Ann Swain, Global CEO at the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) said: “While the fall in online jobs noted in the latest statistics is to be expected given the summer holidays, the data does show that economic activity looks set to pick up again next month. 

"With more businesses expecting their turnover to increase in September, the indicators suggest that positivity is on the cards for the remainder of the year.

“With inflation falling and GDP seeing better than expected growth, the recruitment market is likely to see an uplift in activity once again. However, skills shortages remain a significant challenge across many sectors, which makes the planned redundancy figures in today’s publication a concern."

She issued a not of caution to employers considering shedding staff: “As we saw during the pandemic, employers that cut staff found it difficult to replace them once the economic recovery began. Businesses stripping back resources now may face a similar problem in the coming quarter.”

https://www.apsco.org

Britain risks years of economic underperformance by prioritising youth over experience

Research reveals 93% of jobseekers aged over 50 feel ignored by Government
80% of over 50s claim to be victims of age discrimination

93 per cent of jobseekers aged over 50 feel the Government is ignoring the problem of over 50s unemployment, according to new research conducted by skilledpeople.com, the online service that matches older experienced candidates with companies seeking skilled staff.

In a survey of 702 registered candidates, skilledpeople.com (http://www.skilledpeople.com) discovered respondents believe the problem of youth unemployment is being exaggerated and addressed at the expense of the over 50s who are being expected to work longer before retirement. As a result Britain’s economic growth will be slower for many years to come than if the entire nation’s experience was properly harnessed, the site claims.

The number of people aged 50 to 64 who are economically inactive is 3.53m. The number for those aged 18 to 24 is 1.72m.

Also, over three quarters (80.3 per cent) of those surveyed feel that during their job search they have been discriminated against because of their age. This supports the conclusion earlier this year of the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) that age-related discrimination and stereotyping remain “rooted in British society”. (‘Attitude to Age in Britain' report, January 2012).

Commenting on the research, Skilledpeople.com Managing Director, Keith Simpson said: “We see a constant flood of CVs from exceptionally well qualified people seeking new opportunities who are under-employed for one reason only – they are aged over 50.

“We are appalled respondents feel they have been victims of ageism. It’s extremely short-sighted of employers to discriminate on age grounds. Over 50s require little or no training, making them productive workers from the outset. If a company hires a quality experienced person to support business growth it’s more likely that they will be hiring an additional youngster after few months than the reverse.”

Skilledpeople.com is ‘putting its money where its mouth is’. To encourage small businesses to take advantage of the skills that older jobseekers have to offer, the site plans to create a collection of exceptional people who have agreed to work on short term consultancy-style projects for very low rates to prove their worth. It’s calling these people the ‘Silver Bullets’ because they will offer employers a low cost, direct and effortless solution to business problems.

Ros Altmann, TITLE Saga, commented, "Skilledpeople.com is an exciting project. It is so vital to help older people who lose their jobs to get back into the labour market as they have so much to offer."

With goal of £58 million turnover, Barker Ross Group creates nine industry teams

Top UK recruitment agency, the Barker Ross Group has undergone a major restructure and created nine dedicated divisions to ensure it achieves its aim of increasing turnover to £58 million by 2015.

It’s new food, agriculture, waste, industrial, logistics construction, civil engineering, energy and housing teams will source and supply temporary, contract and permanent workers.

Founder and managing director of Barker Ross, Paul Ross says: “We’ve grown the business as we have been able to give clients the people they want, when they want them. We’ve got ambitious growth plan as we currently turnover £22 million and want to more than double this by 2015.”

“This restructure is really just a logical extension of what we have doing all along; it gives our consultants a clear focus in one area of business. This focus will mean, they will know exactly what is going on in their sector and be able to really contribute to our clients’ profitability.”

Established in 1988, Barker Ross quickly established a reputation as one of the UK’s leading construction and industrial specialists. The group has become one of the first ports of call for clients needing temporary and contract staff in areas such as food processing, agriculture, property and energy.

The group also includes Cardea, a recruitment business serving the health and social care sectors.

A new website has also been launched, in addition to a redesign for all the company’s offices and communications.

Ross continues: “We’ve got a new look and a new structure, this is a very exciting time for us. As well as achieving more success with our established business, we can also see opportunities in related sectors and have concrete plans to expand our office network.”

“We are constantly on the lookout for new people to join, as our growing reputation is winning us many new clients and we need the best people to join our new teams.”

Hays reports tunnel vision trapping workers and hindering growth

The Hays Career Outlook Survey has revealed workers are being trapped in career silos because they don't believe they can cross sector or industry boundaries, according to new data from the Hays Career Outlook Survey. The survey also highlights that employers in both sectors are often unable to recognise the transferable skills that might help them identify potential candidates who are capable of supporting their growth plans.

The survey reveals the vast majority of employers believe that previous experience in the same sector is important. Whilst only just over a third (38%) of public sector employers say previous public sector experience is important, over half (56%) of employers in the private sector deem previous private sector experience to be important in potential candidates. 

15% of private sector employers say that experience in commercial work is an essential competence of any prospective candidate. Over half of private sector employers (51%) say a lack of direct experience would prevent them from hiring someone from the public sector, while over a third (39%) cite a lack of transferable skills.

Charles Logan, Director at Hays, said: "These findings highlight that workers believe they cannot move between sectors and that employers aren't always able to understand or give credence to transferable skills. By over-emphasising the value of previous same-sector experience, employers could be missing out on talented people and motivated workers. It is particularly concerning in industries where there is a shortage of skilled professionals and employers may need to consider candidates who have the necessary competencies but may not at first glance be the perfect match."

Public sector workers confessed they also struggle to move into different areas of the public sector, although this is disputed by their employers. Over three-quarters (78%) of candidates say it is difficult or impossible, and 75% say they have not been encouraged to consider this as an option despite the job cuts. However, 62% of public sector employers say they have encouraged workers to look elsewhere in the sector, either through official training routes like secondments or through the application process itself. Over half (51%) cite a lack of transferable skills as the main reason why they would not hire someone from another part of the public sector.

The survey also shows the career destinations of UK workers. Around a third of private (33%) and public (35%) sector workers would prefer to continue their careers in a mix of the two sectors and not restrict their career options. Over a third (36%) of public sector employers say people in their organisation view the private sector as a more attractive career option, and private sector workers report that people are keen to stay in the commercial world when they move on. However, the vast majority (81%) of public sector workers say they are quite or very well-equipped for a career in the private sector.

www.hays.co.uk

Deanston Cooper Launches New Website Promoting Job Opportunities In The Construction, Renewable Energy and Environmental Sectors

Deanston Cooper Limited has launched its new specialist website (www.deanstoncooper.com) which caters for candidates and clients in the following sectors – Construction Jobs, Renewable Energy Jobs and Environmental Jobs.

The website has been designed to complement the extensive range of career management and recruitment services which Deanston Cooper currently offer and should prove to be a comprehensive point of reference for clients and candidates. It is highly informative with an easy to navigate format which ensures that every visitor can find what they want quickly and easily.

From a candidates perspective the site is designed to be user friendly and intuitive in use. It benefits from a custom built “Smart Job Search” function which allows candidates to find the exact type of vacancy that they are looking for. They can also register their interest to be contacted by a Consultant who will put together an individual recruitment plan which will allow them to achieve their career goals. Deanston Cooper’s Consultants are all experts in their chosen sectors and pride themselves in being able to use their vast network of contacts to place candidates in many unadvertised off market positions.

The site has an in depth Career Toolkit full of relevant information in relation to Writing a CV, Interview Skills, Presentation Skills and Career Planning. It is also fully integrated with social media such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook allowing friends to easily share jobs which may be of interest.

From a recruiters perspective the most unique aspect of the site is the ability to post vacancies free of charge with applications being emailed directly to their inbox. In order to give clients a wider potential audience for job postings, the new website has also developed a talent finder network in partnership with some of the most popular and best known generalist job boards. This talent finder network means that when a job is posted on the website it will also automatically be posted onto a number of other job boards and social media platforms including Facebook, Indeed, LinkedIn, Workhound and Twitter. Deanston Cooper believes that the cost free feature will prove to be an invaluable tool for clients in light of the current financial climate.

Company Russell McCaig said: "The development of the new website which caters specifically for job opportunities in the construction, renewable energy and environmental sectors was primarily driven by feedback from candidates and clients.

"They specified their desire for a specialist site that catered for their exact employment and career requirements. Indeed, we worked with a number of them throughout the development process to ensure that the finished website was to the standard that they required. The initial feedback has been extremely positive in terms of the websites content, functionality and ease of use. From Deanston Cooper’s perspective it gave us a great opportunity to increase our profile whilst helping to stimulate the stagnant UK recruitment market by attracting more suitably experienced candidates for our clients and promoting more relevant job opportunities to our candidates."

Construction Jobs
The Construction Jobs area of the site
(http://www.deanstoncooper.com/sectors/construction-jobs) is wholly devoted to recruitment in the construction sector. Deanston Cooper specialises in construction recruitment providing the latest building jobs, civil engineering jobs, surveying jobs, water jobs, site manager jobs, structural engineering jobs and CAD jobs.

Environmental Jobs
The Environmental Jobs area of the site (http://www.deanstoncooper.com/sectors/environment-jobs) is wholly devoted to recruitment in the environmental sector. Deanston Cooper specialises in environmental recruitment providing the latest ecology jobs, planning jobs, environmental impact assessment jobs, earth science jobs, GIS jobs, geotechnical jobs and landscape architecture jobs.

Renewable Energy Jobs
The Renewable Energy Jobs area of the site (http://www.deanstoncooper.com/sectors/renewable-energy-jobs) is wholly devoted to recruitment in the construction sector. Deanston Cooper specialises in renewable energy recruitment providing the latest wind jobs, hydro jobs, wave jobs, offshore wind jobs, tidal jobs, solar jobs, biomass jobs and energy from waste jobs.

FACTFILE:
Deanston Cooper is a market leading consultancy providing recruitment and career management services to the Construction, Renewable Energy and Environmental sectors throughout the UK.

The company was started through a strong belief that even in today’s overcrowded marketplace there was an opportunity for a different type of consultancy. One that operates with honesty and integrity, whilst having the knowledge, skills and credibility to guarantee success. For clients this means being able to attract, recruit, retain and develop the best possible talent. For candidates it’s making sure their next career move is the right move.

The company’s Mission Statement is quite simply:  “Determined to be different”

Website: www.deanstoncooper.com

Hays research shows low morale in public sector workers

Hays, a top recruitment specialist, has revealed research showing that disillusioned public sector workers appear to have hit a new morale low going into 2012. The research showed that over

half (52%) of job seekers said they would be prepared to sacrifice their pension for a career in the private sector, and nearly two thirds of workers considering the public sector a worse place to work following the recession.

The preliminary findings of the Hays Career Outlook Survey (undertaken in Nov/Dec 2011) show that although those working in the public sector are fiercely defensive of their pensions, the pull of the private sector and its perceived higher job security is attractive to job seekers.

Other early findings from the research show over three-quarters (84%) of public sector employers are concerned that they will struggle to keep skilled workers, and almost half (46%) say they will be unable to attract the skilled people needed for the twelve months ahead. 80% believe this will have an impact on the delivery of public services.

Almost two-thirds (60%) of public sector workers said the public sector is a worse place to work compared to before the recession, compared to only 40% in the private sector. Over three-quarters (76%) of public sector employers believe the sector is more stressful now than it was a year ago.

Andy Robling, Public Services Director at Hays, said: "These results indicate the potential dangers ahead for the public sector if something is not done to address poor morale and the perceptions some workers have about what the two sectors offer in terms of career progression and job security.

"The news that over half of workers in the public sector, who often choose work there to make a positive difference to society, would consider trading in their pension for a career in the private sector underlines how keen they are to move. Whilst conditions in the private sector are challenging too it is clearly one step ahead of the public sector in terms of attracting and motivating talent."

Heading into the New Year, both sectors report difficult working conditions, with employers describing morale as ‘pressured’ (45% of public sector employers, 46% in the private), and results from the survey show that their employees agree. Public sector employers lay the blame for this at the government’s door, while their private sector counterparts blame the global economy. Early data indicates a lack of career progression in both sectors is also causing a problem for staff.

Robling concluded: “In order to be in a position to tackle these important challenges in 2012, it’s vital that employers in both sectors take action now."

Although as one public sector worker who recently left a job in the private sector for the public sector said to That's Business: "If my colleagues at my public sector  workplace really want to find out about low pay, rock-bottom morale, being really poorly treated and abused in the workplace, all they have to do is to leave the public sector and go to work in private industry. Coming to my present public sector job was like dying and going to heaven.The grass is not always greener on the other side."

Global employment survey finds professional jobs market still strong

Despite continuing concerns  over fall-out from the eurozone crisis, a regular global survey of over 19,000 organisations in 52 countries has found jobs market for professionals and managers holding up well.

The ‘Global Snapshot’ project from the multi-national recruitment firm, Antal International, asked 19,376 companies in major markets such as western and eastern Europe, Africa, India, China and the USA whether they were currently hiring at professional and managerial level.

It then asked whether they planned to do so in the coming quarter and whether they were currently letting staff go or were planning to do so in the next three months.

Current hiring levels across the globe were up with 55% of respondents recruiting at professional and managerial level in comparison to 52% in the last survey in July. 54% of organisations questioned also intended to hire in the coming quarter.

The rate of attrition was down slightly from 17% in February to 16% now and this was expected to drop to 15% over the next three months.

Western Europe

The highest levels of hiring were found in Malta (82%), Luxembourg (69%), Norway (68%) and Sweden (68%), while the lowest was recorded in Spain where only 27% of companies questioned were in the process of recruiting at professional or managerial level. In the UK the percentage of businesses recruiting was down from 61% in July to 48% now but is expected to rise to 58% in the coming quarter.

Eastern Europe and Eurasia

The highest levels of recruitment in this region were found in Turkey (74%), Russia (67%) and Czech Republic (65%). The lowest were recorded in Hungary (39%) and Croatia (38%).

Middle East

Employment markets were relatively strong across the region, the weakest, in Bahrain registering a respectable 52% hiring rate. The highest levels of recruitment were found in Qatar (77%), Saudi Arabia (73%) and Oman (70%).

Africa

In the continent’s most high profile economy, South Africa, hiring levels were up dramatically from 56% in July to 68% now and this figure is only expected to dip marginally to 67% over the next three months. The highest level of recruitment was seen in Nigeria where 73% of businesses polled were hiring professionals or managers.

Asia Pacific

The Philippines recorded the highest level of recruitment activity in all 52 countries surveyed with 98% of organisations currently hiring. Activity was down marginally in China from 70% in July to 67% now but is expected to climb to 68% in the coming quarter. In India the percentage of organisations increasing headcount had risen from 69% in July to 72% now and is due increase to 75% in the next three months.

The Americas

All six employment markets surveyed in the Americas – Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico and the USA – all registered at least 60% hiring activity at professional and managerial level. Canada had the strongest performance with 66% of businesses currently seeking staff.

Conclusions

“While the ongoing troubles of the eurozone seems to be generating an atmosphere of near panic amongst many bankers and politicians, global employment markets, at least at professional and managerial level appear to be holding up well,” says Antal’s CEO, Tony Goodwin.” Despite predictions of a return to the darkest days of 2008 and 2009, the latest Snapshot sees overall hiring levels actually greater than in the summer – up to 55% of organisations surveyed from 52% in July. “

“As might be expected the driving force behind the figures is the continuing success of economies in emerging markets, particularly those in Asia. As a result the region has the highest level of recruitment around the world – 67% in comparison to just 39% in Western Europe. Global Snapshot continues to highlight just how dramatic the shift of economic power is becoming. If this trend continues it could be that the next generation of movers and shakers in the business world will be found in Beijing, Brasilia or Bangalore rather than in Boston, Birmingham or Berlin.”

FACTFILE:
Founded in 1993, Antal International is a managerial and professional recruitment specialist with a global reach. One of the first recruitment organisations to devote substantial resources to emerging markets, the company now has over 100 offices in more than 30 countries and works with many of the world’s most successful and ambitious multi-nationals.

Hays reveals UK procurement job vacancies rise by a third in the past year

Figures compiled by Hays Procurement, the leading recruiting expert, and the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS) show there was a significant increase in demand and reward for procurement and supply management professionals during the course of the past year.

Data from Hays Procurement shows that the number of procurement and supply chain job vacancies has risen significantly, with 33 per cent more jobs advertised in Q2 2011 compared with the same period in 2010. Vacancies for Procurement Officers increased most sharply (200%) followed by Senior Buyers (110%) and Procurement Managers (75%).

The highest concentration of job vacancies is in the South East (22%) and London (18%), followed by the Midlands (12%) and the South West (12%), with growth strongest in the automotive manufacturing jobs sector, up an average of 73% per quarter in the first half of the year.

Whilst overall five out of six available procurement jobs remain within private companies there was a notable increase in the number of public sector vacancies, with an average 29% increase in the first two quarters of 2011. This is despite otherwise high rates of job cuts in the public sector, which are predicted to reach 610,000 by 2014/15 at current rates, but also perhaps because of increased pressures within the public sector to reduce costs.

These increases are also reflective of an on-going trend of procurement becoming recognised as a high-level strategic function within organisations during the past decade, shown particularly in terms of salary increases. According to Hays Procurement the number of senior procurement jobs with advertised salaries of between £75,000 and £100,000 per annum rose by 35% in the first half of 2011.

Similarly, 60 per cent of respondents to the CIPS/Supply Management Profile of the Profession Survey earlier this year, reported that their salary had increase in the past 2 years. An overwhelming 86% said their procurement department was doing more than it was 5 years previously, and 39% said they report to a higher level of the company than they did 5 years ago.

David Noble, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply said: "The financial crisis and continuing uncertainties weighing on the global economy, have led many companies to review their business strategies and to expand parts of their operations that ultimately help them to reduce costs and ensure the sustainability of future growth. Meanwhile, recent scrutiny of government procurement strategies has led to more strategic employment in the sector."

With an average twenty (19.65) applicants per procurement and supply chain job, compared to an average thirty (30.40) for human resources jobs, and thirty-one (31.09) for non-qualified finance jobs, the data from Hays also suggests that there may be comparatively attractive opportunities as well as higher demand for candidates, particularly those who may be looking to switch careers.

Meanwhile, 94% of procurement professionals surveyed for the CIPS/Supply Management survey earlier in the year, said that they would recommend purchasing and supply as a career.

FACTFILE:

Hays plc (the "Group") is a leading global professional recruiting group. The Group is the expert at recruiting qualified, professional and skilled people worldwide, being the market leader in the UK and Asia Pacific and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe and Latin America. The Group operates across the private and public sectors, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary assignments.

www.hays.co.uk

Jobs Detective half way to 1 million CV uploads

Jobs Detective are giving away £10,000 to one lucky person when they reach 1 Million CV uploads. They have reached the halfway mark just two months after the site launched.

In order to enter the £10,000 giveaway users must upload their CV, register and fill out their profile. One winner will be picked at random once there have been 1 million CV uploads.

Once a user has uploaded their CV they will be shown jobs that match their skills and experience. Jobs are ranked according to "JD score" to help users and recruiters to see who is a good fit for the position. When a job is applied for, the application and the JD Score goes to the recruiter. This enables the recruiter to see how well a candidate’s CV matches the job. Following registration to the site, users will have a 'Jobs4me' section which they can visit and see the jobs that are scored to their CV.

The Jobs Detective site offers a number of unique technologies and resources exclusive to the UK based online job search site which is aimed at both those looking for jobs as well as recruiters including the Multiapply Cart which allows users to add as many jobs as they wish to their cart while browsing the site and then apply for them simultaneously and submit a covering letter for each individual job.

Sonum Tailor, Marketing said: "We are delighted to introduce JobsDetective.co.uk to the industry. Our creative efforts reflect just how dedicated Jobsdetective.co.uk is in providing recruitment solutions within today’s jobs market. We have whole heartedly taken today’s recruitment needs into consideration and transformed the process, it making application and selection process it  the most easiest and stress free method in selecting the right candidate(s)."

The site launched on the 19th of July and has already seen over 500,000 CV uploads. It currently has over 13,000 jobs and 417 recruiters on the site.

See jobsdetective.co.uk/win-10000.html for current total.

FACTFILE:
Jobs Detective is the latest addition to the Detective Group company. Jobs Detective is a multi-specialist online job board soon to be attracting millions of job seekers and thousands of recruiters/employers on a monthly basis. It also offers a range of advice on all aspects of job seeking including writing CVs and {cover letters|http://jobsdetective.co.uk/].

Due to its infinite amounts of inspired innovation and advanced features, Job Detective are working towards becoming the most technologically advanced job board and becoming the fastest growing job board in the UK.

Top intern recruitment agency reaches landmark placement

Inspiring Interns are celebrating creating 1,000 graduate internships. The London-based intern recruitment agency have been helping SMEs connect with young talent since early 2009, using innovative matching techniques such as video CVs to secure their position as market leaders in the internship field. It is this in-depth matching process that has seen over 600 of their placements become permanent jobs.

The use of video CVs and psychometric testing, with a high level of individual engagement with the candidate, has been key to Inspiring Interns’ high level of client satisfaction and thus impressive retention rate, believes founder and CEO Ben Rosen.

“We spend a long time with each applicant, from a preliminary phone interview to a 45 minute one-on-one meeting in our office. This ensures we really understand what motivates them, where their skills and passions lie, and what roles they are best suited to. When we send a candidate to a company it is because we genuinely feel they would be a good fit for both the position and the organisation.

“We have also found that employers really value video CVs as an additional tool in the recruitment process, allowing hiring managers to go beyond the basic paper CV and really get a feel for an applicant’s personality.”

With 1,000 placements under their belts, Inspiring Interns have no shortage of happy customers lining up to sing their praises. Robert Avery of Northern and Shell commented “I have used Inspiring Interns regularly for over a year now. They have consistently provided me with high quality interns, 75% of whom have ended up as permanent employees. I always receive exemplary service – they come highly recommended.”

Samantha Turner, of M&C Saatchi, was both placed by Ben Rosen in her current role and now recruits from him. Highlighting Ben’s “database for a brain and great interpersonal skills”, she is always confident “he’ll find the very best candidate for a position, and vice versa.”

Alongside their innovative and thorough recruitment process, Ben also draws attention to Inspiring Interns’ youthful outlook combined with genuine experience of the graduate employment market as a key to their success.

“Our management team come from strong recruitment backgrounds and have an excellent grounding in helping businesses find the right person for their role. On the other side of the fence we have 10+ recent graduates on our staff who really understand what motivates candidates and are able to better match them with positions as a result.”

Having reached the 1000 mark, Rosen is unequivocal in his vision for Inspiring Interns. “2,000 is next! There are still tens of thousands of graduates looking for work and thousands of companies who are unaware of the benefit hungry young talent can bring to their organisation. Inspiring Interns is committed to bringing the two together, creating jobs and boosting business.”

FACTFILE:

Inspiring Interns was set up in February 2009 by Ben Rosen when he saw the perfect opportunity to help the growing number of unemployed graduates find their dream jobs and provide help to SMEs looking for top quality staff. They have since placed over 1,000 graduates with small business, creating over 600 graduate jobs.

http://www.inspiringinterns.com

UK Jobs App on iPhone and Android

www.1Job.co.uk has announced the newest update (2.1) to their popular job search application “UK Jobs”. The updated version has already shown itself to be very well-liked, ranking within the Top 10 Free Business Apps for iPhone. The Android Market version of the App is equally popular with a world ranking in the top 20 for the term ‘jobs’.

The UK Jobs App is owned and operated by 1Job.co.uk the UK and Ireland’s Job Search Engine. Using 1Job.co.uk, or the UK Jobs App candidates can search for the very latest jobs advertised on the UK and Ireland’s most popular job sites. The UK Jobs App is claimed to be the ultimate mobile resource for jobseekers on the move helping them to search and find their next job fast, even when away from their PC.

The UK Jobs App features and enhancements include:
- Simple keyword based searching – Find jobs by Job Title and Location.
- Improved and clear navigation – User friendly get straight to the jobs you want.
- Email Jobs – Send yourself jobs for viewing and applying later.
- iOS 4 compatible and Retina display support for iPhone users.

Julian Felstead, the MD of 1Job says, “The efficiency and reliability of the updated app has been dramatically improved. obseekers on the move need the convenience of an effective job search tool and our app provides this simply to them. By harnessing the power of our jobs database the UK Jobs App has access to over 300,000 job opportunities at any time.”

Recruiters and Job Boards can display their vacancies on the UK Jobs App by using 1Job.co.uk for their traffic acquisition. 1Job.co.uk offer a two week free trial of their pay-per-click product to companies displaying more than 50 jobs on their website.

Why don't firms hang on to their good staff?

Research from the Taleo Corporation, a top flight provider of on-demand talent management solutions, reveals that almost a quarter (22%) of HR decision makers expect to see an increase in voluntary churn in 2011, highlighting this as a major threat to business growth over the next 12 months.

According to Taleo’s Talent Mobility in 2011 research, which surveyed 500 HR decision makers in large UK companies, increased 'churn' was highlighted as a particular issue for business services (32%), public sector (28%) and IT/technology companies (27%).

But while HR decision makers identified this as a concern for 2011, the majority attributed retention problems to external factors, like better salaries (48%) or opportunities (45%) elsewhere, as opposed to internal factors.

“As many organisations plan for growth in 2011, and confidence in the job market returns, employees who may have chosen to sit tight over the last few years are likely to begin exploring new opportunities, seeking new roles and new challenges,” pointed out Alice Snell, Vice President, Research, Taleo.

“But introducing an effective talent mobility strategy, which allows companies to mobilise people internally in response to business needs can not only make great business sense, but can prove an excellent retention tool, offering employees internal opportunities to develop their career with their current employer.”

Overcoming the barriers to talent mobility – why ‘making do’ won’t do

The recent research highlighted talent mobility is increasingly on the HR agenda for 2011, with 71% of respondents agreeing that it is important for companies to be able to proactively and strategically move people from role to role.

However, the extent to which companies are currently moving people within their businesses effectively remains limited, with many citing a number of recurring barriers, which they believe are currently preventing them from achieving a truly mobile workforce.

The top three barriers to talent mobility were identified as:

• Lack of visibility into talent gaps and opportunities
• Lack of systems/technology to support talent mobility initiatives
• Quality and reliability of employee talent data

A low level of sophistication in terms of talent mobility technology emerged as a particular barrier for the majority of organisations, limiting the ability of HR professionals and senior management to identify where the opportunities and gaps within their organisation lie and matching these with existing, internal skill sets.

Overall, only one in ten (10%) of the companies surveyed were using dedicated talent management systems, with the use of dedicated systems proving higher in the construction/manufacturing (14%) and IT/technology (14%) sectors. The majority of companies reported they were still ‘making do’ with company intranets to facilitate internal mobility, and in 30% of cases, companies were still relying solely on email to facilitate internal mobility.

Alice Snell concluded: “The value of a talent mobility strategy is clearly recognised among the HR profession. However, it is currently being thwarted by a number of factors, most notably easily corrected system and data shortcomings. While the use of technology to support mobility is currently limited, evidence suggests that there are notable business benefits associated with a more sophisticated level of technology usage, from boosting the leadership pipeline to being better able to drive change and business growth. The companies that will be best placed to meet future challenges as we return to economic growth will be those that have the processes, systems and culture in place to support a truly holistic approach to talent mobility.”

(EDITOR: Some firms have decided to use “the recession” as an excuse as to why training is not done, why wages have not been increased in four or five years and why posts are not advertised, thus making one member of staff cover three or even more different roles. And I am aware of one company that edged out a worker with exceptional qualifications and skillsets because: “you make the other workers here look bad, by comparison.” And this was in a private company! With attitudes like this, it is no wonder that 'employee churn' is so high...)

Website for employers staffing up around London 2012 Games has launched

Businesses and organisations who are considering taking on extra staff in the lead up to the London 2012 Olympic Games can now have access to a pool of enthusiastic and available talent, who are all looking for roles related to the Games.

Created in response to the overwhelming demand from jobseekers for information about jobs with London 2012 sponsors, contractors and suppliers, Adecco, the official recruitment services provider of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, has launched www.jobsforthegames.co.uk.

Employers can now access a dedicated ‘Recruiter Zone’ of the site, where they can register and begin posting available roles and vacancies and browse through relevant CVs, using a collection of search and matching tools to identify future employees.

Organisations can also take advantage of a range of advertising opportunities, including job and brand advertising on the site.

www.jobsforthegames.co.uk is designed to directly link employers with those searching for work with London 2012 sponsors, contractors and suppliers. Employers who are looking to fill roles related to the Games are urged to sign up now to secure the best possible talent. Job seekers already registered on the site are looking for a wide range of roles, from catering and tourism to security and cleaning work, plus technical and professional roles.

Steve Girdler, Adecco’s Director of London 2012 Partnerships, said, “Employers big and small will be looking take maximum advantage of the business opportunities provided by the London 2012 Games. In order to do so they will need to staff up and inevitably the pool of talented people is finite. The job board provides employers with a captive audience of keen and available jobseekers. In the first week of the website going live for job seekers, over 45,000 people interested in securing a role related to the London 2012 Games registered their interest, uploading their CVs and signing up for email alerts to keep them updated with new, relevant roles as they become available.

“Via www.jobsforthegames.co.uk we can offer employers a dedicated, central source of talent, enabling them to secure new and additional staff via a fast and effective route. With over 45,000 people who are interested in supporting the Games already registered, and that figure is increasing on a daily basis, we expect the site to prove an essential tool for employers and job seekers alike.”

With the London Organising Committee (LOCOG) predicting that tens of thousands of new jobs will be created by London 2012 sponsors, suppliers and other businesses that will be staffing up around the Games, www.jobsforthegames.co.uk is expected to prove a key tool for HR managers, across the UK. Adecco will be highlighting all the fantastic job opportunities created by the London 2012 Games to the East London Host Boroughs, thereby helping to support LOCOG’s local recruitment initiatives in these areas.