Monthly update

May 2012

On your marks, get set, GO!

As there are trends in the market so too are there trends in recruitment. In the days of old a candidate would simply need to be good, however with added competition in the job market a larger emphasis has been placed on the presentation of a CV and the management of the interview process.    

The first step on the ladder is paramount. As a Chartered Secretary there is a need to utilise work placements and internships. Know all you need to know about your field, (enter social media stage left) use Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to get connected. Immerse yourself with the developments made in the field; this will make your CV stand out from the competition.  

Older candidates need to demonstrate flexibility and continuing development to show that they are open to change, and that they can be analytical and proactive about the need to embrace new technologies or ways of working. Whether you use Facebook or Twitter personally, ensure that you understand their place in recruitment and show that you are adaptable.

Wouldn’t life be simpler if we could anticipate the areas of growth? Although this is not possible, we can take note of the current trends and find ways to take advantage of them.

There is growth within NHS governance, unfortunately the NHS are synonymous with internal recruitment, however they are yet to develop the talent pool within company secretarial, board support or governance. For someone with public sector experience this could be an ideal place to look.  

The not-for-profit and charity sectors are still being squeezed; one of the most noticeable patterns is the increase in internships and voluntary work. Although not exactly glamorous, they give the candidate the leverage needed often to find full time employment.

Have you noticed the amount of fixed term contracts that are now on offer? I don’t mean interim roles which are always around, but where the company has a long term need but chooses to recruit on a fixed term basis, allowing them to assess the need and not to commit to a permanent role or where project based working seems a better fit. This combined with more remote working is I believe a trend that we will see grow.

The public sector seems to be more job rather than sector specific. There were a number of roles in insurance specifically compliance. 

There seems to be an increase in the number of part-time roles this year, if this is a long term trend it has yet to be confirmed, reasons for this can only be speculated at best, it seems as though companies are cutting roles to the core and recruiting for their essential needs. It may give greater flexibility and allow companies to recruit a number of people all bringing a slightly different skill set.           

My final word would be Companies are looking for adaptability, flexibility and potential to grow and change with the business.