Ex-offenders ‘have a point to prove in the workplace’

Recruiters have been told of the positives that can be gained by bringing ex-offenders into the workplace.

While many employers will be sceptical about hiring a person who has served a stint in prison, Sarah Gordon, associate director of the Sammons Group and chair of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation's Diversity & Inclusion Forum, believes this feeling does not need to be acted upon.

The expert acknowledged that the need for ex-offenders to prove themselves in the outside world once more will make them more "diligent and productive" in their work.

Ms Gordon added: "As well as smoothing transition into work and raising awareness amongst employers, the input of recruitment professionals can ensure that the training that ex-offenders receive is linked to roles and skills where there is demand with the local labour market."

Her comments come soon after a study by the Federation of Small Businesses and the All Party Parliamentary Small Business Group highlighted that a third of small businesses in the UK are having problems with hiring suitably skilled workers.

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Posted by Wayne Bly

Holiday allowance ‘not being taken by tenth of London managers’

Many managers in London are failing to take their full holiday entitlement, new research has highlighted.

According to a study conducted by LondonlovesJobs, one in ten workers has failed to take any of their holiday entitlement this year.

The tough economic climate has been blamed for being a main reason why London managers are choosing to stay in the office instead of enjoying some time off.

Furthermore, 20 per cent of those surveyed admitted to only using half of their annual holiday, while 70 per cent are set to fail to use even a quarter of their annual allowance.

Katie Leaver, editor of LondonlovesJobss, noted: "Unfortunately this is a sad reflection on the pressures faced by private sector workers in today's economic climate."

Recently though, the Office for National Statistics published data which reveals that the average working week for a UK employee is now 36.3 hours – down significantly from the 38.1 hours clocked in 1992.

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Posted by Nikki Barrister

Too many workers ‘failing to give themselves credit’

People who head into an interview room with their strengths at the front of their mind have a greater chance to succeed than those who antagonise about their weaknesses.

This is the view of Caroline Dowd-Higgins, Director of Career and Professional Development, Indiana University Maurer School of Law, who was keen to tell Huffington Post readers how they could better impress an employer.

"It's sad that we don't give ourselves credit for what we do well but spend so much time beating ourselves up for tasks and subjects we may not even like," the expert attested.

In order to change this feeling, Ms Dowd-Higgins believes that jobseekers need to take it upon themselves to find the job opportunities which will better suit their strengths.

Once a job has been secured, Hilary Jeanes, leadership coach and human resources consultant at PurpleLine Consulting, recently noted that there is "lots of evidence" to suggest that the most important workplace association for an employee is the one that they have with their boss.

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Posted by John Oak

Young people ‘need more assistance to step onto a career ladder’

More help is required for people making the transition from full-time education to working life.

This is the opinion of Carmen Watson, managing director of Pertemps Recruitment Partnership, who believes that young individuals are in need of further assistance by employers so that this task can be undertaken with more ease.

In fact, the expert estimated that the changes to youth unemployment "will be where the battle is won or lost in 2012".

Therefore, she advised: "Young people must do more to perfect the way they approach perspective employers, but at the same time, employers must be prepared to aid young people who are making the transition from education to full time work for the first time."

Ms Watson's views come soon after a study conducted by Totaljobs.com revealed that on average 23 people are seeking each job opportunity in the UK at the moment.

This figure rises to 33 applicants per vacancy in the south east of the nation.

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Posted by Nikki Barrister

A UK job opportunity ‘is being sought by 23 people’

The UK jobs market has become even more competitive, if the findings of a new study are anything to go by.

According to research carried out by Totaljobs.com, 23 people are applying for a job in the UK on average.

This figure rises to 33 applicants for job opportunities in the south east of the country, though only ten people are fighting for a work vacancy in East Anglia.

Looking into the current state of the UK jobs market, John Salt, director of Totaljobs.com, said: "Since March, the whole market has frozen, with companies reluctant to risk a rise in head-count when consumer confidence is taking a battering – and uncertainty around the future of the euro threatens to pull the whole economy back into recession."

The research follows on from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation detailing in its latest Jobs Outlook that 81 per cent of employers are looking to either grow or maintain their current agency workforces.

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Posted by Wayne Bly

AWR implementation ‘has been smooth’

The implementation of Agency Workers Regulations (AWR) in the UK has been far smoother than expected and not had a major impact on the use of agency workers across the UK, according to the findings of a new study.

In the Recruitment and Employment confederation's new AWR Monitor, compiled by the organisation's Policy and Professional Services, data and member feedback on AWR implementation shows that in the majority of cases the transition has been mainly simple since October 1st, though things could be better

Commenting on the monitor, Tom Hadley, the REC's director of policy and professional services, said the latest feedback and data shows a "mixed picture" depending on sector and size of agency.

"However, the overall conclusion is that demand for temporary staff remains strong despite the new regulations coming into force," he added.

Mr Hadley did note that the AWR has created some cost bureaucracy for agencies to absorb and added that the REC will be collating members' feedback ahead of meeting with employment relations minister Edward Davey next month.

For all of the latest sales industry news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK’s most inclusive sales recruitment service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly

Gap years ‘can improve a person’s career outlook’

People who are currently searching for a new job have been told how a gap year could help them land on the career path of a lifetime.

Marcus Watts, managing director at Greenforce, believes that individuals can gain many benefits by taking up this form of travel.

However, he was keen to note that this will only be the case if the trip is planned so that it boosts a person's job outlook, and not just used for as an excuse to enjoy an expansive holiday.

Mr Watts explained: "Choose something targeted towards your career which helps your CV, therefore the cost is something that you will then get back by securing a job faster than other people or getting a better paid job."

Once people have returned from a gap year, Piya Khanna, executive coach at Change to Succeed, advises them to search for a career that they will love.

The expert acknowledged that this is because being in a job which is not enjoyable can lead to feelings of resentment and a deep sense of dissatisfaction" building up over time.

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Posted by Wayne Bly

Public sector workers ‘willing to move’ to the private sector

The majority of workers in the public sector are currently thinking about moving to the private sphere, according to the latest study.

Data published in the latest Hays Career Outlook Survey, undertaken in November and December, shows that although those working in the public sector are defensive of their pensions, the pull of the private sector and its perceived higher job security is attractive to 52 per cent of staff.

Overall, almost two-thirds of public sector workers say the sector is a worse place to work compared to before the recession, in comparison to just 40 per cent in the private sphere.

Andy Robling, public services director at Hays, said public sector employers are "clearly" worried about keeping and attracting the staff they need.

"The news that over half of workers in the public sector would consider trading in their pension for a career in the private sector underlines how keen they are to move. The private sector is clearly one step ahead of the public sector in terms of attracting and motivating talent," he added.

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Posted by Wayne Bly

Careers guidance ‘needs to be maintained’

It is vital that careers guidance is maintained in the nation's schools if young people are to continue moving into the right roles, such as sales jobs, and driving the recovery of the nation's economy.

Ed McRandal, Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) policy advisor responsible for youth unemployment, made the comments after the REC joined a campaign to protect the delivery of careers guidance in schools.

The campaign is highlighting the impact that careers guidance has on preparing young people for the world of work, with employment bodies calling on the government to ensure that the statutory entitlement to work-related learning at Key Stage 4 is not scrapped.

Mr McRandal said that effective and targeted careers advice is a "crucial component" in helping young people access the jobs market.

"This is not just important for young people but for businesses too, as employers regularly complain that school leavers do not understand their responsibilities in the world of work," he added.

For all of the latest sales industry news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK’s most inclusive sales recruitment service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly

Paid overtime falls since recession

The total amount of paid overtime in the UK has fallen by 25 per cent since its pre-recession peak in 2007, according to the latest analysis by the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

Official figures show the total number of paid overtime hours in the country has declined from 54 million in 2007 to 41 million in 2011, with the TUC attributing this to a general fall in the number of workers doing paid overtime.

Overall, 825,000 fewer employees regularly worked paid overtime in 2011, while there was a fall in the average amount of paid overtime, down from 11.2 hours per week to 10.6 hours this year.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said an over-reliance on excessive amounts of overtime is "not healthy" for workers, but paid extra hours have been an important source of income for millions of staff.

"With everyone looking for economic green shoots, a rise in the availability of paid overtime would be a welcome sign for millions of workers. A greater focus on improving productivity and earnings from core hours could deliver both better pay and greater profitability," he added.

To achieve this, the country needs better management, by working with employees and their unions to change the culture of long hours, Mr Barber added.

For all of the latest sales industry news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK’s most inclusive sales recruitment service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly

Female job candidates ‘should choose a career they love’

Women on the hunt for a job need to think about what they love to do and attempt to find a career that suits it, one specialist has advised.

Piya Khanna, executive coach at Change to Succeed, said there are many ways that women can empower themselves to choose the right career for them.

"The most important thing women can do is to figure out what they love to do and then see how they can monetise it. Many women are not entirely aware of their passions and therefore 'settle' for what they think they 'should' do," she explained.

Ms Khanna said that, in her experience, being in a career or job that people do not enjoy over the long term can lead to resentment and "a deep sense of dissatisfaction" and so it is vital to follow a path that is appealing to them, rather than simply convenient.

Michael Izza, chief executive of the ICAEW, recently said there should not be any social or economic barriers preventing people from achieving their recruitment dreams.

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Posted by Nikki Barrister

Vocational skills ‘more important than qualifications’

People on the hunt for a new job have been advised that vocational skills can count for just as much – or perhaps even more – than qualifications.

That is the opinion of Jo Barnard, director at Quest Professional, who said that for employers it is important for people to have the right attitude, first and foremost.

They should have a good appreciation of being able to take responsibility, work independently and, if necessary, contribute to the workplace.

"Everything nowadays is so benchmarked towards specific academic qualifications, when clearly vocational skills are as important - if not more so - in today's job market," the expert added.

It comes after Charlie Ryan, owner of the website of Recruitment Queen, recently said that people on the hunt for a new role, such as a sales recruitment position, should ensure that their timekeeping and communication levels are perfect.

These skills are arguably more important than having the right qualifications, as somebody without certain academic achievements can get a job if they have all the right manners and social interpersonal skills, she noted.

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Posted by Richard Esquilant

Demand for agency staff rises

There has been a rise in the demand for agency staff over the past 12 months, according to the latest Jobs Outlook from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation.

According to the figures, the short-term outlook for the agency work market has improved by three points, with 81 per cent of employers planning to either grow or keep their agency workforces at existing levels.

Of these, a significant proportion of employers are planning to actually increase their temporary staff, with a third intending to do so, compared with 22 per cent at the same point last year.

In the longer term, 83 per cent of employers are looking to grow or keep their temporary staff levels the same in the next 12 months.

The report also revealed that 52 per cent of employers made changes, such as implementing or boosting staff training, ahead of the Agency Workers Regulations (AWR) coming into force in October.

In addition, the number of employers planning to make less use of temporary staff due to the AWR was down seven per cent down on the previous month, which reflects increasing recognition that in the majority of sectors the impact of the regulations on is minimal.

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Posted by John Oak

Workers ‘annoyed by office jargon’

One of the biggest pet peeves among UK workers is their bosses using office jargon that serves no real purpose other than to irritate staff, it has been revealed.

A new poll of 2,000 of the nation's employees found that 75 per cent of workers are being annoyed by a manager using meaningless cliches, with 'think outside the box' topping the list.

'Blue sky thinking' was second place in the list of pointless managerial phrases, while 'hit the ground running' was third most irritating.

Business psychologist Dr Rob Yeung said that many managers may fall into the trap of using jargon because they forget it is meaningless to others who are not familiar with it, and should instead revert to straight-taking to motivate staff.

"It may become confusing or irritating for employees to hear the same tired cliches when they don't see such management jargon being turned into useful action. Therefore managers would be better off thinking about how to communicate in plain English," he added.

For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment provide all of the latest news in the UK sales industry to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For sales manager jobs and unique sales recruitment services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by John Oak

Sales professionals ‘in great demand’

It is a great time for sales recruitment candidates hoping to gain a position in the coming weeks and months, it has been observed.

David Clubb, managing director of Office Angels, made the comments after new data from the company and mysalarychecker.com showed that sales recruitment candidates and telesales roles are in great demand across a number of sectors.

The report shows that companies look for successful sales people to help position their business for future growth, with many of these roles offering the chance to earn good money, and "considerably more" through commission and bonus schemes.

Although unemployment levels remain at their highest for a generation, there are plenty of roles available in sales and great benefits on offer, Mr Clubb explained to HR Magazine

"Sales roles can also be crucial to career development, helping people who are new to the workforce to develop transferable skills which can help them in their future careers," the expert added.

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Posted by Wayne Bly

Accommodating disabled workers ‘far easier than thought’

It is much easier than many employers think to accommodate disabled employees in workplaces and benefit from the skills they can provide, one organisation has pointed out.

Shaun Williams, director of corporate affairs for Leonard Cheshire Disability, said often employers do not know how to handle the employment of disabled people and therefore shy away from doing so, not necessarily out of prejudice, but out of lack of knowledge.

He noted that there are "a number of barriers" holding disabled people back, some of which may arise directly from physical inaccessibility in the workplace, while others could stem from social factors such as attitudes or lack of awareness of disability.

"Through our research, we have identified that employers were twice as likely to offer a non-disabled candidate an interview as an equally qualified disabled candidate," Mr Williams said.

However, he noted that this problem could reflect a false perception on the part of employers about the high costs of introducing a reasonable adjustment required by a disabled employee.

Recently, Caroline Waters, director for people and policy at BT, told the Recruiter that agencies and fellow employers need to "make no mistake" when it comes to eliminating barriers to employment for disabled candidates, as this will ultimately "create a real competitive advantage".

For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment provide all of the latest news in the UK sales industry to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For sales manager jobs and unique sales recruitment services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by Nikki Barrister

Private sector red tape ‘needs to be cut’

The government needs to boost its efforts to cut the amount of red tape holding back the nation's firms, according to the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).

Commenting on the unemployment figures for November, published by the Office for National Statistics, David Kern, chief economist at the BCC, said the worsening of the UK labour market is not as bad as many feared, given the worrying economic news at home and developments in the eurozone.

However, he noted that the public sector accounts for more than the entire decline in employment, while the private sector has created 5,000 new jobs, and if job losses in the public sector are likely to continue, "every effort" must be made to help the private sector create more jobs.

He explained that cutting red tape and making it easier for people to acquire the right skills for the work place are vital, but this is not enough.

"The Monetary Policy Committee must persevere with an aggressive quantitative easing programme and the government must act quickly to implement the credit easing measures announced in the Autumn Statement," he added.

For all of the latest sales industry news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK’s most inclusive sales recruitment service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly

REC launches Flexible Work Commission

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has launched the Flexible Work Commission, a new group of experts that aims to drive practical recommendations to government and business on re-energising the country's flexible labour market.

One of the aims of the group is to encourage flexible working patterns to bring in the right skills and enhance productivity across the country.

The commission is chaired by David Frost, former director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, and brings together business leaders from both large and small companies, recruiters, academics and think tanks.

Mr Frost said it will explore how Britain can not only make the most of current flexibility, but expand it further to ensure "maximum benefit" for both employers and workers.

"Our flexible labour market is seen as one of the UK's major competitive advantages. Quantifying the benefits to business and workers and identifying ways of enhancing this flexibility are the core aims of the commission," he added.

For all of the latest sales industry news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK’s most inclusive sales recruitment service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly

Relationship with managers ‘the most important of all’

A worker's most important relationship in the workplace is the one they have with their boss, according to one expert.

Hilary Jeanes, leadership coach and human resources consultant at PurpleLine Consulting, said there is "lots of evidence" that this is the most important workplace association.

As a result, keeping morale high comes down mostly to the line manager and can be tricky – especially if they want to be consistent, she added.

The expert advised managers to create a good working environment and give employees, such as those in sales jobs, the tools to do the job.

"Security is important, as is a sense of belonging, team spirit, and friendship. Respect and recognition for achievement is an important factor, as well as providing the opportunity to grow and develop," Ms Jeanes elaborated.

Recent research carried out by Hays about the perks of working for a small business found that the opportunity to work more closely with senior staff was seen as a benefit by 88 per cent of staff, with respondents also identifying recognition from senior managers as another potential attraction.

For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment provide all of the latest news in the UK sales industry to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For sales manager jobs and unique sales recruitment services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by Nikki Barrister

Private sector job numbers continue to grow

The number of people being employed in private sector jobs in the UK is continuing to increase, according to the latest government figures.

The data reveals that, although unemployment has risen by 128,000 to 2.64 million in the three months to October, the number of private sector jobs rose by 5,000 between the second and third quarters of the year.

With the impact of public sector cuts being felt across the UK, it appears as though the private sector is absorbing many workers who have been forced to leave their roles.

Dr Neil Bentley, CBI deputy director-general, said the figures reflect how tough things are in the economy.

"There's more positive news that, even as growth slows, numbers of private sector jobs have still been growing. But with public job losses falling faster, it's vital that the government does everything possible to secure the private sector recovery," he added.

This could be achieved by increasing exports, helping mid-sized companies, and attracting new investment into the UK infrastructure.

For all of the latest sales industry news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK’s most inclusive sales recruitment service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly