Langley James Hires .Net Development Recruiter

Langley James Hires .Net Development Recruiter

New Net Development Recruiter

Leading IT Recruitment Consultancy, Langley James has appointed Richard Jones as Principle Consultant focused on .Net Professionals in London and the Home Counties. 

Richard brings with him a wealth of experience gained from a 10-year career in the recruitment industry. Most recently, Richard completed a very successful 3.5 year period as a Senior Consultant for Scantech within the IT and Cyber Security teams. He has worked in the recruitment sector since 2010 and previously held agency positions at IT recruiters Jam and Korus.

In addition to his recruitment prowess, Richard is a world-class sailor having competed internationally and is currently ranked number 2 in the world.

“We’re very pleased to welcome someone of Richard’s calibre to the team. Expanding our Software Development team with a .Net specialist recruiter compliments our service range neatly and will pave the way for further expansion into IT’s key talent short sectors.” Commented Kieran Delaney, Sales and Marketing Manager.

This year, Langley James celebrates its 20th birthday. In that time the business has grown into one of the UK’s most respected IT recruitment agencies working with a wide range of clients up and down the country. Focused mainly on IT Infrastructure, Software Development, Security and Support, Langley James has built a reputation for being able to provide strong, quality shortlists within just 72 hours of instruction.

“We owe much of our success to our focus on candidate attitude, client culture fit and career motivation. Most IT professionals can write a decent CV containing all the right keywords for our databases to search for, however fact matching only gets a recruiter so far. Our clients know that a Langley James candidate will not only possess all the essential qualifying criteria but will also likely match their unique vibe. Interviewing is a challenging skill that takes a great deal of practice to get right so, training and team sharing is at the heart of everything we do.” James Toovey, MD said in a recent interview.

 

Our expert IT recruitment consultants are here to take the pressure off you when recruiting someone new, permanent or contract. We liaise with candidates with the utmost care to ensure that their candidate experience is a positive one. Call us on 0207 788 6600 and let us help you Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting

The Most Revealing Interview Questions

The Most Revealing Interview Questions

Not many candidates enjoy interviews and hiring managers, viewing them as a necessary evil, struggle to find time to prepare properly to ensure that the best person for the job is hired.  The joy of interviews!

Have you ever interviewed someone and thought that they were the ideal person for the job, only to find that once they are in situ, they are not the person they were at the interview?  If so, you are not on your own.  No-one presents the ‘real them’ in an interview situation and those that do the best are usually ones with the most conviction in their answers or have the best negotiating skills.  But who wants an interview where the candidate is simply telling you what they think you want to hear?

We form decisions about people very quickly and based on our initial perception, which is very subjective, we can come to conclusions about interviewees that may be far removed from the truth.

So, how can you ensure that you are getting the best from the interviews you have?

Interviewing is such a huge factor in the recruitment process, so it is in everyone’s interest to get better at it.  So often we hear from Company’s who have made hiring mistakes and not only do they have to start the whole process again but also have to account for the loss of time and revenue.  In most cases, these companies have conducted vanilla interviews or used the interview as simply a friendly chat, more concerned about the personality of the individual as opposed to their skillset and attitude.

There is a fine line between vanilla and first degree interviews and the skill lies in combining the two. Prior to the interview, make 2 lists, one for technical skill set/job requirements and the other for characteristics of the ideal candidate.

Here are some suggestions to help you reveal thought patterns and prior behaviour in candidates – the best predictor of future behaviour.

  1. What circumstances bring you here today?
  2. Why are you interested in this job?  What do you know about our Company?
  3. Tell me about your proudest moment at work.
  4. What do you want from your career and how does this help you get there?
  5. What are the things in your current role that you don’t enjoy doing?
  6. What are some things that your current employer could do differently that will, in your view, produce a better outcome or save money/time?
  7. What risks have you taken in your working life and what were the outcomes?
  8. What tools do you use to stay organised?
  9. How do you deal with stress?
  10. How do you raise the bar for yourself and others?
  11. What unique experience separates you from the other candidates?
  12. Tell me something interesting that will help me remember you over and above the other candidates

Interviews give both you and the candidate a sneak preview of what it will be like to work together.  Remember that in the current market, employed candidates are not desperate for a job and are more often than not looking for a better opportunity than their current employer is providing.  With candidates often interviewing at 2-3 companies in a week, it is important that you are prepared and arouse further desire in the candidates to join your company as opposed to any other.

Our expert IT recruitment consultants are here to take the pressure off you when recruiting someone new, permanent or contract. We liaise with candidates with the utmost care to ensure that their candidate experience is a positive one. Call us on 0207 788 6600 and let us help you Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting.

What’s Your Interview Style?

Most managers settle on their own style of interviewing but is it wise to have just one approach?

If you’re responsible for hiring IT personnel, whether you work for a tech firm or are responsible for recruitment within the IT department, getting the interview right could be crucial to employing the right person for your team. Now, we’ll do our very best to help source the best suited and most well skilled candidates, but it’s down to you to make the final decision, and the type of interview you prepare for your eager new candidates is vital for providing you with the information you need to make this decision.

 

Regardless of the route you take with your interviewing no doubt there will be a traditional face-to-face interview involved somewhere along the line. There are options here too; maybe you’re happy using Skype, or perhaps you’d like to get other managers involved in the process and conduct a panel style interview? However you choose to conduct this stage of interview it’s a fundamental step that allows you to meet candidates and assess their ability to fit within the culture of your team and organisation as a whole. However, here are some explanations, tips and examples of some of the most popular IT interview styles.

Scenario Testing
Scenario testing involves creating a scenario that the candidate is likely to face in their role to test their skills and how they deal with the situation. Ideally there’d be five characteristics to scenario testing; 1 – there needs to be a story that is; 2 – motivating; 3 – credible; 4 – complex; and 5 – easy to evaluate. In some interviews you may choose to use test cases, which tend to be a single step, but the scenario test covers a number of steps that would be involved somehow in the ‘business process flow’ and tests a situation from end to end.

Technical Testing
Technical interviewing will usually be specific to your business or function and will depend entirely on what your organisation does, the programmes and software it uses and the role in which you are recruiting for. However, it’s not at all unusual for an IT interview to include some form of technical testing. Presenting candidates with a diagram or snippet of code for analysis would test how they put their knowledge into action but also should give you an insight into their thought process and how they approach tasks or problems.

Competency Based
Competency based questions delve into a candidate’s story based evidence to support claims of experience or expertise. Generally interviewers will ask ‘tell me about a time when…’ or “give me an example of…” questions. They’re a great opportunity to understand the context and application of skills and experience seldom learnt from a CV. Also, questions like ‘how have you succeeded in a team project’ will allow you to find out more about the candidate’s personality, professional style and likes and dislikes. 

Portfolio Based
Interviews for certain roles may benefit from the candidate presenting a portfolio of work. Particularly in web design or more creative roles.

Our expert IT recruitment consultants are here to take the pressure off you when recruiting someone new, permanent or contract. We liaise with candidates with the utmost care to ensure that their candidate experience is a positive one. Call us on 0207 788 6600 and let us help you Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting.

 

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The Importance of Updating Job Titles & Descriptions

When was the last time you reviewed your company job titles and descriptions (and I mean all of them)? Maybe it’s not top of your list right now, but it’s good practice to have a process for making sure there is regular review of both job titles and job descriptions.

Lets begin with job titles. It goes without saying that they need to be clear and easy for those in the industry to understand, and in technical roles this is often of even more importance. General consensus is that being familiar and specific without being too general is the best route to take. However, perhaps you are a young company in the media or new technology sector and you want to attract individuals with new ideas and a bit of an edge? In this case you might want to adapt the strategy of firms such as Apple, who name their in-store technical support teams ‘Geniuses’ or Starbucks who have used ‘Coffee Master’ as a title for some of their customer service members. These kind of titles are fun and give the employee a sense of pride in what they do while helping the customer to trust them. This isn’t going to work for everyone so before you start renaming your team as ‘Digital Dynamos’ and ‘Ninja Analysts’ think about your company culture and the personality of the personnel you’re aiming to hire.

Job titles are key for a number of reasons. As well as outlining responsibilities, they can be used for setting goals and measuring performance. Long standing roles may have been filled by one person for many years with them assuming new responsibilities or leaving out tasks that didn’t work as well. Or you may have seen a number of people in and out of the same role, each taking a slightly different slant on the position. Both instances would leave the original job description outdated and not fit for purpose.

If any problems were to occur, from either your point of view, or that of the employee the job description may well be referred to. Strict adherence to an outdated job description by the employee would of course be counter productive and could help the employee in filling a complaint or grievance. An up to date and accurate job description however could work in your defense or favour. A great time to update job descriptions is during an employee’s annual review, but do it more often if you need to – this might be the case if you’re a growing or changing organisation. Regularly use it and refer to it, this way you’ll be more likely to keep it up to date.

Keep job descriptions as short as possible, you don’t want them to be an operational manual on how to do the job, but you do want to them to include all the vital skills and competencies. As well as skills and qualifications, competencies are just as important and highlight aspects such as teamwork, leadership and communication. Rather than simply stating that the individual must be a ‘good communicator’ be more specific and expand a little on the most important areas.

You’re shaping your organisation with your job titles and descriptions, which tasks are covered by which employees and what is expected of everyone. Make sure you have strong job descriptions and that you make time to ensure they’re accurate and up to date, and if you can, incorporate them into day-to-day business.

5 Ideas To Beat The Post Holiday Blues

Holidays are almost always brilliant even if things don’t go to plan. The break itself is holiday enough giving us all a brief opportunity to cut the cord from work and think about something else for a change. However, for many of us there is no escape from the inevitable downer that often sets in towards the end when our minds automatically begin to think about work once again.

Despite our best efforts, thoughts start to trickle in, “did Sarah call Kellogg’s on Friday as planned?”, “did I activate my Out-Of-Office?”, “Should I call in just to check everything is OK?”, etc. Whatever the worry, surely there’s a better way?

Here are a few ideas to help you maintain your holiday high and avoid crashing down to earth.

Be Positive

Shocking news – you prefer a beach to your desk. Add that mind-blowing thought to the nailed on fact that you’re flying home tomorrow and hey presto, you don’t want to go back. Naturally your brain starts to come up with all the reasons why your life is worse that being on a beach and before you know it you’re on a downer.

This can be avoided! Assuming that you intend to keep your job, think about all the reasons why your job is great. Remember why you joined the company and why you continue to stay. The people, the technology, career advancements, the daily experience, your boss and even the rewards. Its easy to convince yourself that work is bad and beaches are good but unless you intend to pack up and open a surf shack, it’s a pointless comparison destined only to incubate negativity and increase your feelings of dread.

Be Innovative

Maybe you’re right. Perhaps your job is boring, the commute is a drag and pay is lousy. But, what can you do about it? Instead of complaining, seize control and take action. If resignation is a little dramatic, look for the benefits in those apparently negative points and seek ways of reclaiming happiness such as, utilising time spent commuting by reading, watching or listening for your own pleasure or to learn. You might even look forward to the hour on your own!

Talk to your bosses and tell them you need challenging. Request involvement in new projects, interact with different colleagues and show interest in other areas of the business.  Assess your own job and look for opportunities to personally benefit such as deliberately taking on a task that directly challenges your weakest skill. Do something!

Be Organised

One of the most common reasons for stress at work is disorganisation. Like damp it can slowly seep into all areas of your job making even the simplest of tasks very difficult. Small wonder why life on a beach seems so appealing after all, who on earth would want to return to a toxic environment of chaos, confusion and pressure?

Top tip – write out your job description starting with the purpose of the role ahead of a concise list of responsibilities and the tasks required to deliver them. Put them into order of process and assess each one looking for ways to better prepare, improve or delegate. Once complete you’ll realise that nearly everything can be predicted and planned reducing stress down to the simple execution. Ahhhhh.

Be Proactive

Change can sometimes provide great relief. Before you go away on holiday, be aware of the post holiday blues and try to change something fundamental about your experience at work. Changing desks can be a easy way to alter your perception allowing you to look forward to the new experience of sitting with Bill instead of Ben. Flobadob.

Be Prepared

You’ve been away. Unavoidably you’re going to have to catch up be it with emails, staff, clients or tasks. Whatever the pressure, allow yourself time to reintegrate. Anticipate a slow start with people coming at you from all angles talking about your holiday, gossip and other work related news. Expect to open Outlook to 500 unopened emails while neglected colleagues interrupt you for help. Predict that your boss will selfishly invite you for a ‘catch up’ just as you’ve sat down to do something. Plan and prepare for it and all will be well.

Take it easy safe in the knowledge that this madness was actually part of your plan.

Our expert IT recruitment consultants are here to take the pressure off you when recruiting someone new, permanent or contract. We liaise with candidates with the utmost care to ensure that their candidate experience is a positive one. Call us on 0207 788 6600 and let us help you Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting.

 

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5 Holiday Season Out Of Office Templates (free!)

The school summer holidays may be nearing an end but for those of us without kids, September marks the start of the more affordable holiday period. With just a couple of weeks to go its time to start thinking about your exit strategy to do list.

Last on the list will be your email out of office. But what will you go with? The standard “I’m away until…” or something little more adventurous?

Waste no more time thinking about it and simply copy and paste one of these:

 

The Classic

 

Hi,

Thanks for your email. I’m currently out of the office until [date] and will have no access to my emails.

If the matter is urgent, please contact my colleague NAME at EMAIL. Alternatively, I’ll be in touch upon my return.

Many Thanks

NAME

 

The Smart Casual

 

Hi!

Thanks for your email. I’m out of the office until [date] relaxing in the sun without a care in the world.

I’ll be back to you upon my return but if it can’t wait, feel free to contact NAME at EMAIL.

Regards

NAME

 

The Smart Ass

 

I’m on holiday! Outlook has kindly agreed to tell everyone how happy I am to be away, lying on a beach far away from my emails.   

Future me will deal with my bulging inbox on the DATE however, if you need help sooner than that please contact NAME at EMAIL.

I hope you have a great week at work!

NAME

 

The Control Freak

 

Thanks for your email. I’m out of the office on holiday, due back on DATE however, I will have limited access to my emails and will endeavour to help from afar.

If however, you require urgent assistance, please contact NAME at EMAIL.  

Regards

NAME

 

The Gamer

 

Thanks for your email. Tomb Raider is out tomorrow. By total coincidence I’m away for a week. I’ve told HR I’ll be back on DATE but that entirely depends on my ability to stop the Mayan apocalypse.  

If your need is urgent, you can contact NAME at EMAIL while I’m busy defending humanity.

Regards

NAME

 

Whatever you go with, ensure you give people alternatives way of getting in touch with your business while you’re away. Wherever possible state a return date however, its good practise to manage expectations by informing people of your planned holiday ahead of time.

By all means have a bit of fun with it however, make sure you won’t get into trouble!

Enjoy your holiday.

Our expert IT recruitment consultants are here to take the pressure off you when recruiting someone new, permanent or contract. We liaise with candidates with the utmost care to ensure that their candidate experience is a positive one. Call us on 0207 788 6600 and let us help you Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting.

 

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Flexible Work Options are Crucial to Retaining Top Talent, According to a FlexJobs Survey

One-third of workers said they have left a job because the company didn’t offer flexible work opportunities like working from home and flexible scheduling, according to FlexJobs’ annual survey released Wednesday. Currently, 16% of employees said they are searching for a new job because of flexibility issues. 

The report surveyed more than 7,300 employees to determine how work flexibility affects career decisions. The majority (80%) of employees admitted that they would be more loyal to their employers if they had flexible work options. And, more than half (52%) of respondents said they have tried to negotiate flexible work arrangements with their companies, the report found.

“In a tight labour market, companies cannot afford to ignore the value employees place on having flexible work options, but leaders also can’t dismiss the very real bottom-line impact offering flexibility has on their employees’ productivity and retention rates,” Sara Sutton, founder and CEO of FlexJobs, said in a press release. “The flexible job market is currently very robust, so flexible job seekers are also feeling empowered to seek jobs that are more compatible with their life. In fact, 80% of job seekers say they are confident in their flexible job prospects.”

Every year since the report was first conducted in 2013, the following four factors have always been reported as the top reasons people seek flexible work: 

– Work-life balance (75%)

– Family (45%)

– Time savings (42%)

– Commute stress (41%)

Some 65% of workers said they are more productive working outside of a traditional office environment, the report found. They cited fewer distractions (74%), fewer interruptions from colleagues (72%), reduced stress from commuting (70%, and minimal office politics (64%) as their main reasons. 

A lack of flexible work options also can have negative side effects on an employee’s physical and mental health, which is why remote work and flexible schedules are becoming the new normal for global businesses. 

The majority (78%) of employees said that having a flexible job would allow them to live a healthier life, and 86% said they would be far less stressed, the report found. 

Nearly half (44%) of respondents said a flexible job would spark a “huge improvement” in their quality of life, with 53% saying it would have a “positive impact.” 

(Article Courtesy of TechRepublic) 

Our expert IT recruitment consultants are here to take the pressure off you when recruiting someone new, permanent or contract. We liaise with candidates with the utmost care to ensure that their candidate experience is a positive one. Call us on 0207 788 6600 and let us help you Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting.

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UK SMEs Plan To Grow According To Survey

(1 min read)

A recent government survey reports nearly three quarters of Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SME) plan to attack their markets prioritising growth and service improvement with new business sales, staff up-skilling, process improvement and recruitment high on the agenda.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s survey  focused on SME growth plans and the obstacles they expect to face.

New Business

71% of companies said they planned to grow sales while nearly half cited market competition as their main problem. This might indicate reduced demand and overcapacity in some sectors which means competitive edge must be the priority to sell more effectively and retain business.

Sales and Marketing success relies on a robust product/service proposition, a structured engagement and delivery process and of course the right talent to make it all work.

Before rushing out to direct or find new staff consider reviewing and possibly redefining the company business plan and strategy. What relevance does your product/service range have? Why do people buy from you and how are they behaving? What do you do differently and why does that matter? Who are your competitors and what are they doing? Where do you stand in terms of price and quality? What opportunities are out there? With all of that in mind, what do you want?

In short, reassess the market proposition and strategy to ensure your staff are well placed to achieve your goals. You’ll also stand a much better chance of securing quality talent with a confident, inspirational and well thought out strategy.

Up-Skilling, Training and Business Improvement

53% said that increasing the workforce was a priority while 61% intend on up-skilling existing staff over the next three years. Great news!

Given the economic climate and the risks associated with bad hires, it’s well worth taking the time to properly map out business critical requirements before investing in staff or training. Successful recruiting requires two main elements. A thorough, clearly defined and realistic job description and an equally robust interview and evaluation process. Hiring Managers recruiting on assumption, speculation and emotions frequently make poor selection decisions so, decide to invest time in fully preparing to recruit.    

Recruiting quality staff is challenging but keeping them can be even more so. Investing in training is a great way to motivate, reward and demonstrate you value their contribution – three key elements in job satisfaction. Ensure that your training choices are in line with the company’s needs and critically, invest time into an implementation strategy. Consider the ‘use it or lose it’ philosophy. So much training knowledge is wasted because business leaders fail to facilitate opportunities to practically use and share new concepts, skills and techniques. Instead, get involved and see staff training as an opportunity for your business to improve and evolve.

Brexit Smexit

Interestingly, 71% of business leaders don’t consider Brexit to be a threat contradicting media scaremongers hell bent on convincing the country otherwise. Sure, people are concerned but what can they really do about consequences of exiting the EU? If the economy contracts and customer demand falls inevitable casualties will ensue however, you can safely predict they will be the hesitant MDs running shaky businesses with poor investment, mediocre products or services and low quality staff believing they can simply cut costs and weather the storm.

Whatever the future may have in store it would seem optimism is rife among the SME community despite the so-called economic uncertainty. In fact, the ‘glass half full’ perspective says that uncertainty doesn’t have to spell bad times. In fact, the very nature of uncertainty means things could well be fine! Either way, it’s business as usual for us all.  

Good Hunting.

 

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Employees Secretly Recording Meetings May Not Be Gross Misconduct

(30 sec read)

An Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) has ruled that staff covertly recording conversations spoken during meetings at work may not always be considered as gross misconduct. In fact, the tribunal stated that it is acceptable in specific cases when, for example, an employee may be concerned about misrepresentation.

In this case, Tatiana Stockman, former employee of Phoenix House charity, believed she was unfairly dismissed following an irreconcilable disagreement with her manager. During the tribunal, Stockman admitted to recording private meetings at work. In response, Phoenix House’s legal team argued that recording workplace meetings without consent was ten demount to gross misconduct inferring that Stockman’s claim for unfair dismissal should be thrown out.  

Instead, the EAT sided with Stockman and upheld the tribunal’s ruling on the grounds that Stockman’s motivations for recording the meeting were understandable and needed to be taken into account.

This case sets an interesting precedent for staff and managers everywhere. With most people owning smart phones with recording features, there can be no doubt similar cases will continue to arise.

 

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Are Your Hiring Managers Leaving Your Business Vulnerable?

(2 min read)

Managers are paid to lead, organise and motivate. Most have successfully risen through the ranks before being rewarded with management opportunities to inspire others to follow in their glory. However, despite their professional strengths they are unlikely to have ever received formal training on how to interview and recruit someone.

Business leaders far and wide routinely overlook this key management skill rarely giving a thought to the risks and consequences that lay in wait should things go wrong, which they often do.

Here are 5 of the biggest risks your company faces without trained Hiring Managers:

Business Critical Vacancies

By far, the number one reason for costly selection mistakes or outright recruitment failure is a poorly executed recruitment process. From the very start, Hiring Managers need to know how to identify a business critical need to justify personnel investment. It’s amazing how many people are hired on a whim without any meaningful evidence they were ever needed in the first place.

Focus on the business critical need. It will dictate the role’s objectives which in turn highlight the essential skills, experiences and personality traits needed from someone to deliver. If the role falls outside of the Hiring Manager’s experience, do not allow them to guess. Hire a suitable consultant to map the vacancy first. Now armed with a job specification aligned with the business’s needs, the Hiring Manager is now ready to interview candidates.

Do not allow them to recruit on a hunch. If they fail to properly plan, expect to lose £thousands in bad decisions, lost time, recruitment fees and salaries.

Sexism

You would be amazed to know how many Hiring Managers ask sexist questions, often without realising it’s wrong. “What’s more important, career or family?” “Are you married?” “How do you feel about using your womanly charms with clients?” Aside from blatant prejudice, often the problem lies in dominant commercial thinking, putting the needs of the company ahead of the person. You don’t have to be a man to be sexist either! Women can be just as bad, be it with men or falsely believing their gender gives them the right to ask other women inappropriate questions.

Be sure your Hiring Managers have a well thought out interview plan and avoid discrimination related questions at all costs or suffer the embarrassing internal and public consequences. It’s only a tweet away!

Halo effect

A classic recruitment selection scenario costing companies all over the UK £millions every year. Put simply, it’s where an untrained Hiring Manager hits it off with a candidate after discovering how much they share in common. Blinded by feelings, they select the candidate above other more qualified people. The halo effect causes emotional decision making and often results in poor selection choices. Stick to the facts and consider social matching to be a bonus, not a priority.

Ageism

Let’s be clear – Despite staggering frequency, its not OK to ask someone how old they are or base selection decisions on age. No exceptions. Contrary to popular assumption, ageism can occur at any time of life depending on the scenario. In short, if a Hiring Manager declines a candidate because of their age, its illegal. Anyone suspecting ageism can pursue a claim through the courts. Win or lose, the process may tarnish your business with an unwanted reputation for discrimination. Judge people on their professional suitability and recruit accordingly.  You might be surprised what advantages you can gain from a more diverse team offering wider ranges of experience, learning opportunities and cultural influence. 

Ego Threat

Good Managers want the best team even if some of the superstars perform better than the Manager themselves ever did. Really good Managers are confident in their ability to get the best out of people and enjoy helping them develop and progress even if that means reporting to them one day. However, weak Managers, without adequate training, are often guilty of selecting equally weak candidates to reinforce their position in the company. These Managers tend to have inflated egos and despite their denials, prefer agreeable staff.  Commercially, this is holding your business back stifling innovation and causing toxic environments for anyone with ambition. A sure-fire way to lose talent and market share to more progressive, open minded competitors.

This little list of five is far from exhaustive and while serious they are all easy to manage out of your business. Taking the time to properly address them with preventative measures and training will save you £thousands every year and ensure your business if protected from legal action and negative PR.

 

Our expert IT recruitment consultants are here to take the pressure off you when recruiting someone new, permanent or contract. We liaise with candidates with the utmost care to ensure that their candidate experience is a positive one. Call us on 0207 788 6600 and let us help you Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting.

 

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5 Crazy But True Interview Tales

(1 min read)

Are you sitting comfortably?

You probably won’t be after reading these crazy but true short recruitment stories from our experiences with candidates and employers. 

Without further waffle, let us begin… 

Life in the fast lane

Barbara was cutting it fine. Racing along in the outside lane she had just 20 minutes to reach a busy M4 service station where she due to meet an IT Director for an off site interview. SatNav was adamant she’d make it but traffic was quite heavy. Suddenly, a powerful BMW roared close behind her and flashed to signal her out of the way. The two inner lanes were packed with cars and lorries but the BMW driver didn’t care and continued to flash driving closer and closer, bumper to bumper. After a mile of hostility, Barbara became increasingly nervous and slowed down. This decision enraged the BMW driver into a wild frenzy aggressively gesturing and visibly shouting at her. Eventually, there was a space to move over. The BMW driver roared past still yelling and shaking his fist.

15 minutes later, Barbara walked into the service station restaurant where, you guessed it, Mr BMW was sat there waiting for her. Red face awkward!

What did he just say?

One hot summers day in central London an up and coming Support Engineer was being telephone interviewed for position with a major competitor. He really wanted this job and was determined to give it his all. Having just selected an ideal sun-drenched bench on the edge of Hyde Park his phone rang as expected. After 15 mins the call was going really well. The interviewer had just started to explain why they were recruiting when she was interrupted with “Hey! You can !@&% Off!” before the phone went dead. Appalled, she immediately called him back and left an angry message complaining about his language, unprofessional attitude and unacceptable sense of humour believing this to be a bad competitor joke.  

Actually, the poor candidate had suffered an opportunistic robbery having his phone snatched from his hand mid conversation by a charming, eloquent thief.

Licky Licky

This is gross. An IT Manager was patiently waiting in the reception of a major bank’s head office ahead of an interview. With a ping, the lift doors opened revealing the Head of HR. Walking directly towards the reception seating area she made eye contact with the IT Manager, smiled and extended a hand. The IT Manager arose, smiled back, licked his hand and gripped hers. Shocked and still moist with his saliva she starred at him for a few seconds in utter disbelief and led him to the interview secretly desperate to find a sink. He did not get the job.

Who does that!?

Do you come here often?

Every woman attends an interview to both get a job and find love. At least, that’s what some people seem to think! Recently, a senior software developer attended a management interview with a London marketing agency. After several minutes in reception she noticed a steady parade of men passing by seemingly without purpose making eye contact and grinning. Suddenly a tall man made his way towards her. Assuming he was the interviewer she stood up, collected her bag and smiled.

“Hi. I don’t make a habit of this but I noticed you sat out here and thought I’d move to make your acquaintance. I hear you’re a developer? You’re a rare breed. Love a lady coder.”

She left. He resigned. Karma restored. 

It just slipped out

The interview was going really well. It had only been an hour and yet the interviewer and candidate were getting on like they’d been friends for years. Having already dealt with all the job related questions the pair were happily exchanging amusing anecdotes. The last story was so funny that the candidate fell apart laughing. The interviewer followed up with an equally amusing comment resulting in laughter so hard that the candidate’s bowels betrayed her and released a loud, short bottom burp. How do you recover from that!? It was going so well!

People are people and as such will always be inappropriate and unpredictable. We look forward to the next exciting episode of “Crazy but True!”

Our expert IT recruitment consultants are here to take the pressure off you when recruiting someone new, permanent or contract. We liaise with candidates with the utmost care to ensure that their candidate experience is a positive one. Call us on 0207 788 6600 and let us help you Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting.

 

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IR35 is changing: What does this mean for you?

There’s a lot of confusion right now about IR35; what it is, why it’s changing and what those changes will mean for the millions of self-employed contract workers currently operating in the UK.

Although many of the proposed changes to IR35 legislation are not yet set in stone, we have put together some helpful information to try and make sense of the latest developments and how they might affect you:

What is IR35?

IR35 is a piece of legislation that was introduced in 2000 to ensure the correct national insurance and income tax was paid by self-employed contractors. IR35 prevents tax avoidance, stopping workers who seek to hide their employment status from HMRC by supplying services to clients via an intermediary – a practice known as ‘disguised employment’.

What’s new with IR35?

In 2017 in the public sector, the onus shifted from worker to employer; employers became responsible for determining the correct tax status of their workers and took on the associated tax risks. From April 2020, it is expected that medium and large-sized businesses in the private sector will face the same shift in responsibility.

Back in March, the Government began an open consultation on the implementation of reforms to the off-payroll working rules from April 2020. The consultation asks for views from all sectors on subjects that include;

         – the scope of the reform and impact on non-corporate engagers

         – information requirements for engagers, fee-payers, and personal service companies

         – addressing status determination disagreements

The consultation closed on 28th May 2019.

We’re not in Kansas anymore

There are many who see these changes as far more than a reform of current rules, calling it a ‘stealth-tax’ and alleging that the consultation seeks to mislead. Adrian Marlowe, chairman of the Association of Recruitment Consultancies (ARC), said to onrec; “…the proposals go significantly beyond compliance with the original IR35 rules… The device used is therefore at best a brand new tax burden, and at worst a new tax altogether.”

A lot of the disagreement stems from the new rule which states that payments to contractors must not include either employer’s NI at 13.8% or an Apprenticeship Levy which, at 0.5%, would mean each contract becomes 14.3% more costly to the company engaging a contractor.

What do these changes mean for you?

The anticipated changes to IR35 from April 2020 will mainly affect the businesses who receive contract services, rather than the workers themselves. However, it would be foolhardy to assume these effects will not trickle down and be felt by all.

Uncertainty surrounding the issue will likely cause companies to think twice before engaging new individuals through personal service companies (PSCs) so, if you are unsure about your status, you can use the HMRC employment status checker to confirm. Once you know where you stand, you will be better prepared to discuss reservations from potential clients.

With regard to the potential 14.3% increase in cost to engage, it is highly likely that all contracts will be renegotiated. Unfortunately, these changes seem set to be costly for both sides.

Our expert IT recruitment consultants are here to take the pressure off you when recruiting someone new, permanent or contract. We liaise with candidates with the utmost care to ensure that their candidate experience is a positive one. Call us on 0207 788 6600 and let us help you Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting.

 

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Fight off Sunday Night Fear with 5 Simple Steps

It’s Sunday night. You’ve spent much of the day in your jim-jams binging box sets, but you’ve just crossed that uneasy 6pm line between the weekend and Monday eve. Thoughts of work creep in and interfere with your chill. Wide eyed you suddenly remember the work you bailed on in favour of a Friday afternoon wine in the sun. Anxiety strikes and you start to fear the coming dawn. It’s OK, we’ve all been there. But, what now?

First things first, calm down. Sure, it would’ve been better if you’d met your deadlines, but you’ll be a model of focus and self-control with these 5 clever tactics to help you form a fast and highly effective plan for fighting off the dreaded Sunday night fear;

 

1: Stop overthinking

 

The biggest waste of time right now is panicked, anxious, self-critical thought. Woulda, coulda, shoulda nonsense offers no value or solutions. Take a deep breath and decide right now to focus on an action plan instead of paralysing thought-analysis.

(exhale) Game face time.

 

2: Get organised

 

With your newfound focus, list every incomplete task you can remember from last week and prioritise two things:

1 – Stuff your boss wants asap

2 – Stuff your whistle-blowing clients or colleagues want asap

This is what you need to do first to avoid the first wave of trouble. Everything else can wait.

 

3: Prepare some easy wins

 

Next up, lets add achievement and progress to the plan for tomorrow. Go back to your list and look at:

–  Jobs you’ve nearly finished

–  Jobs that’ll take 5/10 minutes to complete

–  Bigger jobs that you can start to demonstrate you’re “on it”

With the urgent stuff done, your ‘job complete’ list is about to look pretty impressive. Perhaps better than a normal day! Doesn’t that feel good?

 

4: Remember your Successes

 

With a solid catch up plan now in place why not add a layer of self-care?

Let go of the ‘what I didn’t do’ worry and recall what went well. We give ourselves such a hard time, it’s important to celebrate the wins too. After all, if challenged you’ll want to run off your wins without hesitation.

This leads us nicely to the final part of your fear battle…

 

5: Reward yourself

 

No one will appreciate the effort involved to haul yourself from brink of calamity so there’s unlikely to be gold at the end of your secret and suspiciously brown rainbow. Instead, bask in the smell of your own glory by rewarding yourself with an unusually elaborate lunch or special treat.

 

Phew! Panic over. In just five easy steps you’ve calmed down, worked out how you’ll meet deadlines, prioritise tasks and enjoy recent successes. Thinking about your achievements will improve confidence, reduce stress and get you back on track for a good night’s sleep and a productive week. Well done. Now to plan that fancy ass lunch!

 

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Talent Shortages, Recruitment Failure and How to Succeed

For business leaders experiencing country wide skill shortages, the knock-on effects of key recruitment failures are far reaching, costly and damaging. Experienced IT Recruiter Langley James offers valuable advice to help attract and secure desirable talent ahead of the competition.

The latest UK Recruitment Survey from the REC and KPMG reports that although the number of vacancies becoming available slowed in April, many recruiters and employers are struggling to cope with fierce competition for quality candidates.

Failing to recruit on time can hurt. Commercially, a business can suffer downtime, missed deadlines, reduced quality and disappointed clients or customers. Further operational problems can appear due to increased pressure on staff to pick up the slack causing stress, resentment and general unhappiness. Mistakes, complaints, sickness and even resignations inevitably follow heaping more pressure on you to steady the ship by finding that key hire.

The problem is demand. Quality candidates have an abundance of choice and rarely need to take a job out of necessity. Savvy employers make great efforts to deliver attractive recruitment propositions from branding to interview content aimed at convincing people to attend interviews and accept job offers. Put simply, any company failing to do this will risk missing out.

Ok, so what can we do about it?

Firstly, let’s start with the target audience. With most people employed these days talent targets are likely to be passively interested and relatively happy in their job, which means your vacancy positioning needs to change from a mere job to fill to an attractive career opportunity.

Quality candidates interested in career opportunities want to:
– hear the company and career path vision in order to imagine joining the journey
– understand clear objectives relating to the business problems requiring their skills
– trust you as a manager and leader
– feel valued and rewarded both personally and financially
– develop their skills and/or progress their careers
– be heard
– work with talented people with a shared interest in personal growth
– Enjoy a positive working environment

Ask yourself, does my current recruitment agency brief, job description and interview content deliver on these points?

Next, lets lose the mindset that people should count themselves lucky to interview with you. In a talent short market it’s actually the other way around and so anyone subjected to a hard nosed poker game of an interview is likely to switch off. Instead, create candidate desire by forming a warm and welcoming pitch just as you would sell your own products or services. Focus on the employer features of your company and the benefits of joining you – ideally delivering on what a quality candidate wants. Make people want your job before asking them to jump through a selection process.

Speaking of selection processes, during times of high demand avoid forcing people through unnecessary testing and long winded, multi-stage interviewing. Look at improving the interview itself and reduce the time between interview and decision to hire.

Finally, recognise the seriousness of your need and look to offer a salary and package that reflects that. Cast aside the ‘that’s what we pay’ mentality, recognise the true cost of failing to recruit and instead focus on doing what it takes to win.

Ultimately winning the talent race comes down to how a person feels so, make changes to your approach aimed at creating a positive selection experience. Make people feel good and you’ll stand a much better chance of securing their services.  

Our expert IT recruitment consultants are here to take the pressure off you when recruiting someone new. We liaise with candidates with the utmost care to ensure that their candidate experience is a positive one. Call us on 0207 788 6600 and let us help you Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting.

 

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Langley James Expands with New Hire

IT Recruitment Consultancy Langley James has appointed Hayley McDonough to head up the newly created Creative, Coms and Media recruitment division.

Hayley joins the business as the IT Executive Search and Delivery Lead with seven years recruitment and senior level appointment experience.

Sharing her time between London and Chester, Hayley will focus on IT Management professionals with specific Support and Infrastructure expertise gained from the Marketing, Advertising, Publishing and PR sectors.

“We’re very pleased to have secured someone of Hayley’s immense talent at a time of such growth for the business. Having recognised the unique challenges and demands creative companies have of their IT Support teams we’re looking forward to Hayley expanding our client portfolio in the creative world.” Said James Toovey, Managing Director of Langley James.

Langley James is one of the UK’s best known IT Recruitment Agencies with 20 years experience specialising in IT Support & Infrastructure positions for all sectors and levels of seniority.

 

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What does IR35 mean?

IR35 is a piece of tax legislation introduced in 2000 to ensure the correct national insurance and income tax was paid by self-employed contractors. IR35 prevents tax avoidance by exposing self employed workers seeking to hide their employment status from HMRC by supplying services to clients via an intermediary. This practice is known as ‘disguised employment’.

In practical terms, IR35 is designed to test the day-to-day circumstances in which a contractor physically operates to determine if they meet HMRC’s criteria for self-employment. If they should fail, HMRC can reclassify them as either a worker or an employee and order all parties to pay the appropriate tax. This includes the company paying for the individual’s services too!  

From 2020, the responsibility for IR35 compliance falls directly onto the employer. Check out our recent blog on what the upcoming changes to IR35 might mean for you

Langley James is an IT recruitment agency offering permanent and contract expertise. Call us on 0207 788 6600 and let us help you Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting.

 

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Is Your Recruitment Process Causing You to Miss Out on the Best IT Talent?

Recruiting the best IT contractors and IT staff can be a protracted process and the danger of candidates changing their minds, or worse still, accepting a counter-offer from a competitor is ever present.

In order to minimise the risk of losing the best candidates before they have signed their new contract of employment it is essential to ensure that you have a recruitment process which is as efficient as possible.

It is important to balance the need to act quickly, in order to secure the best talent, with the need to bide your time so that you do not appear desperate. A shrewd candidate may pick up on the fact that the recruitment process appears to be rushed and they may then try to turn that to their advantage when it comes to negotiating terms.

Employing the services of a specialist recruitment agency to act as a professional intermediary is a cost-effective way to recruit IT contractors and IT permanent staff. Their experience, advice and refined procedures will minimise the risk of losing out on the best candidates during the recruitment process and help to avoid complications in the future.

A recruitment agency will be able to advise on an accurate package offer based on current market rates, the skills and experience of the candidate and the candidate’s current situation. This negates the risk of making an offensively low offer or an offer which is too high which could then cause conflict and tension between existing employees and put financial pressure on a business.

A good recruitment agency will also spend time maintaining a dialogue with prospective candidates as well as acting as an advocate on your behalf, this helps to keep your company at the forefront of the candidates mind when they are considering offers.

They will also be skilled in asking the questions which determine a candidate’s motivation for seeking a new role; if money is a key factor then it is likely that the candidate will be susceptible to counter-offers. If you are aware of this then you can act accordingly.

Once a candidate is committed to the recruitment process it is important to maintain momentum by arranging first and second interview dates quickly, providing feedback and keeping in regular contact via phone or email. Having an efficient method of completing the necessary paperwork is equally important as candidates are prone to changing their minds between receiving a verbal offer of employment and a copy of their new contract of employment.

To find out how Langley James can help you recruit someone worth recruiting to streamline your IT recruitment process please contact us on 0207 099 4839 or langleyjames@langleyjames.com

4 Steps to a Positive Candidate Experience

Stressful people waiting for job interview

How To Create A Positive Candidate Experience in 4 Steps

The recruitment process is a stressful time for both employees and applicants. Businesses place such a huge emphasis on hiring the ‘perfect’ candidate for the role, they often forget the importance in nurturing relationships with those who aren’t ‘perfect’ for the role. Don’t forget, when somebody applies for a job, they are taking a risk and putting their current job on the line. All applicants deserve a positive candidate experience and when you master this, you are providing your company with an excellent marketing tool. Here are our 4 steps to creating a positive candidate experience for ALL applicants:

  1. First Impressions are Crucial

It only takes 3-5 seconds for someone to make a first impression. This begins right at the outset when an applicant applies for a role. A person’s first interaction with your company is likely to begin at your website and from there, judgement and perceptions of your company are heavily shaped by their user experience at initial search stages. You may not realize the importance of providing users with a positive experience externally, but a poor website can tell an awful lot to an applicant about the kind of company they could potentially be working for. This first impression will proceed to heavily influence a candidate’s decision over whether they want to work for you or not.

  1. Honesty is the Best Policy

Companies who are honest and transparent about the roles they are recruiting for, are always the ones who are able to recruit the best candidates and maintain the best retention and employee satisfaction rates. Little white lies such as “you’ll hear from us either way” when you have no intention of getting back in touch; or “we are interested but still have some more people to interview”, when in actual fact you have extended an offer and are waiting for the candidate to except; all contribute to leaving a candidate feeling deceived and disappointed. Again, this type of behavior will certainly impact on your employer branding – don’t forget, word of mouth is a very strong tool. Avoid getting into a situation where your company is given a bad name all because you committed to something you never delivered on.

  1. Acknowledge ALL Applicants

Establishing and maintaining relationships is crucial if you want to successfully recruit new members to your team. Whether an applicant fits the bill or not, each person who has taken the time to apply for the role deserves your time and courtesy to let them know the situation. If the applicant is not right for that particular role, then contact them with a simple call or email to let them know that you will not be proceeding any further with their application but to thank them kindly for their application. This common courtesy throughout the recruitment process. It is imperative to create strong relationships with applicants, whether they are suitable for the role or not – because you never know when an unsuccessful candidate’s skill set and experience may become of significant value to your company. A staggering 70% of online applicants never receive a response if their application is unsuccessful. This disheartening statistic demonstrates the lack of importance placed on responding to applicants. Strong communication is a positive marketing tool – and lack of it demonstrates poor leadership and inadequate HR.

  1. Feedback is Key

The one thing that candidates truly hate when going through an interview process with a company, is when clients simply do not provide feedback following the interview. Candidates place a large importance on the interview, and go to great lengths to ensure they are fully prepared. A client who fails to provide feedback can do more damage to their own reputation than they realize. Whether it be that feedback is on your to-do list and you just haven’t got round to it; or that you didn’t feel the candidate was suitable and you will not be proceeding any further with their application, so therefore feedback is unnecessary, feedback is of high importance and must always be provided where possible. It can be hard to give negative feedback to a candidate, but even negative feedback is constructive and can be used to improve a candidate’s interview skills in their future endeavors. It also gives you the opportunity to seek feedback from the interviewee. This is a chance to review what you did well in the interview and what you could improve on in future interviews.

Our expert IT recruitment consultants are here to take the pressure off you when recruiting someone new. We liaise with candidates with the utmost care to ensure that their candidate experience is a positive one. Call us on 0207 788 6600 and let us help you Recruit Someone worth Recruiting.

 

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The Positives of Employee Turnover

turnover-image

Generally speaking employee turnover is seen as a bad thing. Aside from having to accept that someone may not want to work for your business any more, turnover can have a negative effect on moral and the cost involved in recruiting and training someone new can build up too. This may be the case for larger organisations. However, for smaller firms, SMEs and start-ups the discussion about positive employee turnover produces a strong argument.

Dr John Sullivan, an internationally known HR thought-leader said “true recruiters are always trying to steal away the best employees, even during tough economic times. If no one steals (or even tries to steal) your employees, it might mean they aren’t worth stealing.” With this in mind, we take a look at some of the positives of employee turnover.

Developing The Right Team

Smaller businesses may have started up fast, with a keen CEO employing new staff to get essential jobs done and help the business get moving and begin to grow. However, in the longer term as the business evolves, these people may no longer be the best people for the job. It’s important to assemble the right team over time and not just one of convenience. In this case, experiencing employee turnover may not be negative but simply part of the evolution of the business, helping it to grow, improve and discover the core strengths required by team members.

Identifying Poor Performers

Because during the recession most organisations saw their workforce fall, as they hire again focus is often on job security and so turnover is all too often seen as a negative. Reassessing and monitoring performance and ROIs will help you to evaluate whether or not it is bad for your organisation. Dr Sullivan talked about categorising turnover into the three categories of ‘regrettable’, ‘neutral’ or ‘desirable’. This will depend on who is leaving, why and how. In order to understand what kind of turnover you’re experiencing you’ll have to know your staff and have an idea about their performance rate, attitude, and skills. Regular reviews and assessment will allow you to see who is not performing as well as you’d like or who is causing holdups or low quality work. To lose these employees shouldn’t be detrimental to your business, it should be advantageous, and if one of these poor performers went to a competitor instead, well that’s just a bonus!

Encourage and Incentivise

Following on from the above, nurturing the top talent is just as important, as these are the people you don’t want to turnover! Regularly evaluating employees to recognise who is worthy of a promotion or bonus encourages staff to try their best. Often a high turnover rate itself may encourage employees to work harder. Some organisations seem to have implemented a company culture where great performance is key and employees either choose to continually improve or to leave. This may sound a little harsh, but if the right kind of incentive structure is in place, top performers will be able to enjoy the benefits of their hard work.

Organisations are recognising even more that low turnover is not such an important factor in evaluating business success. There is often no ideal level of turnover for firms, and some will be suited, and benefit from, a higher turnover. If you would like some advice on finding innovative new employees for your organisation, we work with hundreds of candidates who could be the perfect fit, so give us a call (0207 099 4839) and see how we can help you to recruit someone worth recruiting.

 

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IT Contractors can be more cost effective

If you are considering a new project and taking on a short term contractor to support the day to day issues, or are being pressured to let the vendor carry out the installation themselves, please consider this …
Getting an expert IT Contractor to undertake the actual project can be much more cost effective than undertaking it yourself and using a short term contractor to support the day to day issues.

Projects aren’t undertaken on a whim and very often have both time and cost restraints and getting it right first time and within budget is vital to its success.  Even if you re-assign someone within your existing team to carry out your new project, entrusting something so important to someone who may not necessarily have all of the skills or specific experience will be delving into the unknown.  They will most likely be learning on the job which will ultimately work out more costly in the long term, not even taking into account the extra stress experienced by both parties.  And that’s before you think about the additional time taken to bring in an IT Support Contractor and get them up to speed to fulfill the role they will be covering.

Forget all that! You’ve made enough sacrifices and carried too much stress for far too long. For once, reap the benefit for yourself and really take advantage of the IT Contract market.

Get an expert Contractor in!  Not just an IT Contractor who has the skills, but a specialist IT Contractor who will have already completed these projects numerous times, with references to prove it.

We are proud to say that we have saved one client several thousands of pounds by doing just this.  Instead of using a software vendor to carry out the installation, complete with their own phenomenal costs, we enabled the client to keep full control of the installation by supplying specialist, expert Contractors.  Due to the complexity of the project, we supplied 3 Contractors engaged at intervals, each one with a different skill for each stage of the project.  The project was completed on time and well within budget without any other area of the business suffering as a result.

We can supply you with an expert IT Contractor, within budget, to carry out your project to a strict timeframe, giving you peace of mind by knowing the exact cost of the project from the outset and allowing day to day IT Operations to carry on as seamlessly as possible.

Let us find you an expert IT Contractor who not only has the T Shirt but is going back to remake the film.  Now is a great time to get on with those projects that have been hanging around and getting specialist contractors has never been cheaper than it is now. You can buy in an expert who can turn a project around to a set schedule and budget.

We have been recruiting IT Contractors and permanent IT staff for over 19 years, we have an extensive network of experienced contractors, so let us know all about the project  – not just the skills needed  –  and we will find you an expert contractor who has the experience of undertaking that specific project.

5 Tips to Attract Great Candidates to Your Company

When it comes to recruiting, it is essential to make the right choice and this means being able to attract talented individuals. Attracting talent is not just about instructing a number of agencies.  The right agency will be able to not only attract candidates from a multitude of different areas and networks in the right places, but also represent your company in a way that will ensure they want to join, especially in competitive times such as these. Highly qualified and experienced individuals now have their pick when it comes to joining a company, so it is important to choose the right recruitment partner for you.

Clear Job Description
Job descriptions are often thrown together quickly and without a lot of thought, but this can be a major error to make.  Often, job descriptions are simply an exhaustive list of duties and expectations whereas the focus really needs to also be on what you can offer the candidate.  Don’t forget the WIIFM – What’s In It For Me.  Make sure you are clear about any incentives you can offer, including salary increments, bonuses and flexible working.  This is the first thing a candidate sees from your company and it’s a really important first impression.  Don’t lose the best people with a poor spec – we are happy to offer advice and guidance.

Quick Response
Don’t wait for weeks after the closing date of your application to get back to the agency regarding the candidates as this is the sure-fire way to lose good people. You should endeavour to respond to applications within 24 hours and get interviews set up within a day or two. With the market as it is at the moment, talented candidates looking for new roles are having back to back interviews and choosing from up to 5 offers within a week!  They have a lot of choice, so the quicker you act, the more professional you will look and the more likely you will secure your next superstar.

Positive Interviewers
Choose your interview panel wisely. If you have two positive, energetic interviewers, they will instantly make the company appealing.  Remember that an interview should be a 2 way conversation and is as much about the candidate asking questions as it is the interviewer.  It’s a fine line between really selling the role and delving into the technical requirements – getting the balance right is the challenge.  You may want to read more in our Taboo Interview Questions blog.

On-boarding
The last thing you want is to go through the whole hiring process, only for the candidate to leave after the first few days. This is frustrating and it can also be damaging to the reputation of your company. The first few days are imperative for helping to ensure people join your business and stay, so introduce a strong and engaging induction process. Make sure candidates know their way around and the departments they will be involved with. Introduce them to people and don’t leave them wandering around aimlessly. Simple steps like making sure they have someone to spend lunch with can go a long way to getting the best out of them and to help ensure high retention levels and a strong reputation.

For these and other advice to attract the best people to your company in this highly competitive market, why not give us a call on 0207 788 6600 and find out why so many companies chose Langley James as their trusted recruitment partner.

Half of SMEs prefer experienced workers

People aged between 35 and 54 are at the top of the hire list for small businesses in the UK, research by Aldermore has revealed.

In a survey of 1,002 SME business leaders, 50% said they would choose to hire from this age group out of all potential recruits – compared to 30% who would prefer to hire 18 to 34-year-olds.

Nearly half of small business owners (47%) also said they believe 35 to 54-year-olds have the greatest industry knowledge of any age group.

When describing current employees, similar numbers of employers said this age group are the most productive (53%), most focused (50%), and have the best work ethic (48%).

However, 21% said it is difficult to recruit employees in this age range, with this figure increasing to 32% among medium-sized businesses.

Carl D’Ammassa, group managing director of business finance at Aldermore, said businesses should also recognise the “fresh approach” that can come with hiring younger staff.

He said:

“Attracting and hiring the best industry talent can be a tough task, yet the long-term benefits that even a single new staff member can bring to a business can be very significant.

“Having a diverse workforce with different perspectives drives innovation and problem-solving, which is why hiring employees with different skills and levels of experience is so important.”

References – New guidance released by Acas

Workplace experts, Acas, have published guidance to help employers and employees know the rules around employment references.

A recent survey by AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) found that nearly half of employers want job applicants who have relevant work experience.

Tom Neil, Acas Senior Adviser said:

“The job market can very competitive so it is vitally important for job applicants and employers to know what the legal requirements are around work references.

“We’ve based our advice around the typical questions that we receive on our helpline about job references.

“Acas’ new advice has information on what to include in work references, when they are needed and how to resolve problems with references.”

Typical questions the Acas helpline receives about job references:Can an employer refuse to give a reference?
– How can I obtain a copy of the reference my previous employer has supplied?
– If a reference is incorrect what can I do about it?
– Can my employer includes absence rates relating to sickness in a reference?
– Can an employer put negative things in a reference?

Acas’ employment references advice includes top tips such as:
– Employers can usually choose whether or not to give a reference;
– Employers must only seek a reference from a job applicant’s current employers with their permission;
– If a conditional job offer is made then it can be withdrawn if the job applicant doesn’t meet satisfactory references. Employees should consider waiting until they get an unconditional job offer before handing in their notice in their current job;
– Potential employers should remember a referee may not provide a reference or might inaccurately suggest the applicant is suitable. In these circumstances, it may help to discuss any concerns with the job applicant directly first; and
– Job applicants who are unhappy with a reference can ask for a copy that was sent to their new employers and may be able to claim damages in court if they can prove it was misleading or inaccurate and resulted in the withdrawal of their job offer.

Read Acas’ employment references guidance.

Would you settle for leftovers when you could get something fresh?

There are a few meals that aren’t half bad as leftovers. Cold roast chicken, potato salad, even coleslaw is good. But why settle for leftovers if you can enjoy a fresh meal instead? Surely fresh food is a better option? Yet in recruiting, when someone resigns, managers often scramble to do everything they can to keep them, and I have to wonder why, because it’s the perfect opportunity to get in someone new.

Consider this: When a permanent staff member hands in their notice, they have probably already got another job. They’ve been for interviews, signed a contract and already considered their options. Leaving may be news for the manager, but it isn’t for them.

Chances are, they’re leaving because they’ve not been happy for a while. Trying to make them stay by dangling a few carrots isn’t going to change much. If they do stay, they’re seldom as productive or motivated and sometimes it can actually be more damaging to the team. Let them leave. Even if they were good, things will never be the same. They’ve shown they aren’t happy there, and there’s a good possibility that if they stay, in a few months time, they will be looking for other options again.  

Forget the fear factor

One of the concerns that managers have is that they will never find someone as good to replace the person with. But what if you were to find someone better? There are a lot of good people out there and a lot of good reasons to bring in fresh talent to make your team perform even better.

In IT having to maintain a system is quite different from building it. It requires different skills and the costs are different too. Why pay the same costs when the maintenance could be so much cheaper?

Bringing in someone new also has the benefit of gaining a fresh perspective on a project. That person can help identify solutions that people involved in the project have been unable to solve because they are just too immersed in what they’re working on.  The new person brings with them both expertise and an outside objective view. Also they’ll be looking for the best solution without having to defend the decisions made earlier on in the project.

Employees that have been around for a while may be good, but there is a strong temptation for them to rest on their laurels. After all, they’ve already shown they can do the job. Unfortunately this usually means that over time they become lazy and no longer feel the need to put in any extra effort. A new person will want to prove themselves so they’ll work harder and be more motivated. This alone should be reason enough for managers to jump on to the opportunity to hire when they can.

It’s all about the money – use it wisely

Yes people leave for more money, but offering them more money won’t necessarily make them stay. Rather than throwing money at counter offers rather put that money to the budget to hire someone new. The person who has resigned has already given as much value as you’re going to get from them, whereas someone new could have a lot more to offer. 

If you brought in an existing contractor for a specific project and that project has been completed, then re-allocate the funding for that role to another project. That way you can ensure you get the right expertise and optimise the value you’re getting from your budget.

At the end of the day you want a team that is motivated and productive, and sometimes the best way to do that is to bring in fresh talent. Be smart with your recruiting budget and make it work for you by getting in new people when you need to and taking up the opportunity to hire whenever it arises.   

Interview Attire

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First impressions are everything! Now that there are so many different dress codes for work, it can be difficult to judge what will be deemed most appropriate so that you make a good first impression to the candidate, whilst adhering to your organisations dress code. Your attire plays a pivotal role in the interview and can heavily influence a candidate’s decision as to whether they want to work with you or not – whether it is consciously or subconsciously.

To avoid any unwanted judgement about your attire, we would advise to always play safe and go for a traditional suit. This is the equivalent of turning up to the interview with a blank canvas – there is little room for pre-judgement if you wear a traditional suit. A suit will always look smart, clean and professional. Even if you usually dress less formally to work – don’t be tempted to.. You can dress casually every other day of the year. The interview is a professional meeting and more formal than a typical day at the office.

Attire must be fitted correctly and appropriate. Having to adjust ill-fitted garments all the way through the interview can hinder your ability to conduct an interview in a professional manner and can also be distracting for the candidate.

Be prepared! Prepare your outfit the night before. Interviews are not only nerve-wrecking for the candidate, but the interviewer too. Keep nerves at bay by ensuring that any jobs that can be done the night before- are done the night before! Having the added stress of deciding what to wear on the day will certainly lead to unwanted stress.

Most importantly – conduct, interpersonal skills and ability to formulate and articulate well-constructed questions is key. If the candidate is right for the role and they want the job they will certainly see past what you are wearing, but appropriate dress will give your company a good head start.

If you need help in recruiting for both permanent and contract staff, please contact us on 0207 788 6600 and one of our expert consultants will be ready to help.

You can view all our latest vacancies here

Encouraging a Little More Fun in the Workplace

Young cheerful businesspeople in office jumping high. Mixed media

This time of year fun in the workplace is a lot more likely, as things tend to wind down and Christmas parties, secret santas and festive activities are taking place. However, all year round workplace fun is becoming increasingly important in the modern day organisation.

According to a study by BrightHR and leading psychologist Professor Sir Cary Cooper more fun at work could lead to better motivation and productivity and less absenteeism. Well, this is the case for the younger generation at least. Those who were born from the early 1980s to early 2000 make up 75% of the UK workforce and these are the set of workers who value ‘playtime’ at work the most. Probably down to different working values and different workplace responsibilities the older generations don’t rank fun at work as highly.

When we talk about fun we mean anything from encouraging more downtime, to organised activities or canteens with Xboxes and pool tables. Fun activities and ideas ranged from birthday celebrations, massages, lottery syndicates, charity fundraising, karaoke, yoga, fancy dress or dress down days, board games, knitting clubs, nights out and even an office pet! Now there are different levels and aspects to this, as we see from around the world; a Guy Martin program from China saw a morning ritual of a group dancing session in the workplace to try and loosen employees up before the start of the day. A little extreme perhaps? Some US firms have entire job roles or even departments dedicated to workplace fun, with ‘Chief Fun Officer’ being a real job title and an American bank having a ‘Wow’ department with the aim of regularly surprising and entertaining workers. However, as soon as fun becomes part of a corporate strategy, can it any longer be classed as fun?

The most important aspect of getting fun in the workplace right is to communicate well with your employees. Once the activities or procedures are working and in place, trust is the key. As an employer I’m sure you’d be happy to organise a massage day or something similar if you knew employees would enjoy and benefit from the experience, resulting in better motivation, productivity and even loyalty. Perhaps installing a slide in the office is going to attract some enthusiastic young graduates, but whether it will improve productivity and loyalty is another thing.

One reason that it’s the younger generation who are keen for a little more enjoyment at work is because they have to work longer hours, wait longer for retirement and potentially have less financial security than they would have had a generation ago, so enjoying work and benefiting from fun extras helps them to see a little more return on their investment.

The real issue could in fact be that people simply want to enjoy their experience in the workplace more, not to have set ‘fun days’, but to simply be happier and more content day to day.

Using Your Company Culture to Your Recruiting Advantage

Culture

Company culture has increasingly become an important aspect of any organisation. It is more than simply corporate visions or the way the office is decorated, it is the values, beliefs and practices that are woven through everything within the firm.

Assuming you have identified and already have a good idea of what your company culture is and means to everyone involved, using it to your advantage when recruiting could be your secret weapon for finding the right candidates for your empty seats.

Be Open
Many candidates would argue that honesty is what they’re looking for in a company. Of course there is more to it than this, but if you can be as transparent as possible this is the first step. Candidates can the see the organisation for what it is and decide from there whether your values match their own. For example, some individuals may be motivated by money with a bonus or commission lead culture attracting them most, however others may find this threatening or impersonal. If your organisation is this way inclined, you want to attract the first candidate, the latter would not be a good fit for your culture, so being open and honest allows the right candidates to come forward.

 

Shout About It
If something new or exciting is happening within the organisation, always try and get the word out there, distribute a press release and add it to your newsletter. Maybe you’ve won an award or introduced a new flexible working scheme – let your community know about it. Your website is the obvious place to put everything you’re proud of, and it’s likely to be the first port of call for all potential candidates. Showcase your culture and values in different ways; add a ‘day in the life of’ video, quotes from current employees or a photo gallery from a recent event. Social media is of course the perfect way to share this kind of content and is a great way to showcase your company culture.

 

Be Consistent
You have promised so much on screen, but you want to make sure each step of the recruitment process is not only true to what you’ve described but true to what day-to-day life is like within your organisation. The interview is probably the first time candidates get a real glimpse of this, so try and create an interview that will give them a taste of what life might be like there. They can get a feel for whether they are likely to enjoy working there, and you can get a feel for whether they’ll fit into the team. Make sure candidates meet key managers and team members, let them have a look around while everything is going on as normal so they can get a real sense of the office ‘vibe’.

 

Highlighting team bonding and team building activities in the recruitment process and describing what this might involve will also help a candidate to get a feel for what is valued and how things work. Many candidates are looking for a work life balance so they need to know what support is there, and whether there are options for flexible working.

Identifying and cultivating business culture can be an effective way to market your organisation and make it more attractive to potential new employees. If you’re still a little hazy about what your culture really is, speak to your current employees and managers and ask them about the atmosphere, reasons they like working there and what they might find frustrating, then build on that.

Your company is a brand and so should be your company culture, it should encompass everything you stand for and find important, reflecting that of your employees. Many organisations would describe their brand as their people, particularly in the service industry and your internal branding is all about shaping your company culture and a mutual belief in what’s important. Finding the right match is vital for the relationship to work, so use your culture to your advantage.

We’re not going to stalk you! Put your address on your CV

So many times candidates fail to put their addresses or postal codes on their CV. For some it’s concerns about security and keeping their personal information safe. But for the majority of people, they simply don’t think it’s important.
Here’s how important it is. Without an address or even a postal code, we as recruiters, have no idea what area you live in and which positions you’d qualify for in terms of the commute. And as a result your CV doesn’t make it to the shortlist to get presented to clients.
The reality is that most people aren’t willing to commute more than 45 minutes each way. In fact, the majority of companies prefer for their employees to live within a 20 minute commute of work.

What’s the big deal with commuting?

It used to be that people would move jobs for more money, flexible work hours or better benefits. Today most people change jobs because of commutable distance.
Long daily commutes contribute to employee fatigue, especially if it’s more than 45 minutes each way. Who’d want to spend 1.5 to 2 hours daily sitting in traffic or on a train? It’s like cancelling two hours of your life every day, when instead you could be spending time with your family, socialising with friends, doing a sport or leisure activity or even just getting an extra half hours sleep.  
Employees that have a shorter commute tend to be more focused and productive at work than those travelling more than 45 minutes daily. And as a result many companies have a radius area from which they’ll employ.

Without an address you’re in no-man’s land

For a recruiter, initially vetting a potential candidate takes at least an hour and one of the first things we look for on a CV is an address. Our database uses postal codes to organise candidates by area, so without an address or even a postal code, your CV gets placed into no-man’s land.
No recruiter wants to spend an hour or more vetting a candidate and shortlisting them for a client, only to discover that they live the other side of London, and most likely won’t take up the position because it’ll involve a long commute.
On the other side of the coin, including your address could move your CV to the top of the shortlist – provided of course you qualify for the position with having the right skills and experience.

But what about keeping personal information secure?

Since the introduction of GDPR, recruitment companies are required by law to keep personal information secure. However, if giving the street name and number is still a concern, be assured, you don’t need to. Including just the area and postal code is enough for recruiters to know where you’ll be commuting from.
Think about it for a minute. There really shouldn’t be a concern for candidates to divulge their full address to recruiters. Recruiters aren’t going to sell your address or send you junk mail. They aren’t going to track you down after an interview and come knocking on your door asking why you haven’t gotten back to them. There are far more efficient ways of doing this – like telephone or email.
The bottom line is that omitting your address from your CV is causing you to lose out on job opportunities. Instead of going to the top of the shortlist pile, you’re going to no-man’s land, just because your CV doesn’t contain a postal code. It seems silly really, but it underlines the importance of getting the details right. A postal code is all it takes to make the difference.

Are you looking for your dream job? Then we’d like to help you. Please email us your CV to langleyjames@langleyjames.com

IT Recruitment helps your business excel

How can an IT recruitment agency help your business to excel?

I’ve never really understood it. When I walk into McDonald’s and ask for a burger, the first thing they do is ask me if I want cheese with it. No, then I would have asked for a cheeseburger! But you know what, when I’m not being grumpy, it works. Because statistics show that at least 70% of the time people will say yes. It’s one of fast-food franchises’ most effective upsell strategies.

The point is, just because you haven’t thought of it, doesn’t mean you don’t want it. Sometimes all it takes is for someone to make a suggestion, to make you aware of a need (or in the case of a burger – a want) that you didn’t even know you had.

In recruitment sometimes what you think you want isn’t always the same as what your business needs. Often when a key person leaves the instinct is to replace them with a carbon copy. But maybe there is someone better out there. Someone who can offer something different, someone who has experience in a different industry that can be transferred to make your business more competitive.

But how will you know this unless someone suggests it? This is where a recruitment partner comes in. They have an outside perspective and years of industry experience. At Langley James, we like to work with our clients as their recruitment partner so that we can help them grow their business effectively. Working together we get to know your business as well as you do so that we can help you discern your recruiting needs. So even if you don’t want cheese on your burger today, at least you have it as an option to consider.

If you have questions about recruiting for your IT team call us today Tel: 0207 788 6600. Or even better let’s meet up and discuss it over a burger or two. Let’s see if your business needs some cheese.

Why is food always on my mind?

You may recall that we were recently talking about burgers. I don’t know what it is, but there is something about envisioning the taste of food that always comes to mind when I start to talk about recruitment.

Taste is something so personal, what one person loves, another will hate. Take brussel sprouts for example. I can’t think of a single reason why anyone would consider them a food, never mind appetizing but there are people who love them.  Apparently, I don’t personally know any – but I believe they exist.

Recruitment is the same, it’s personal! Well at least it should be, because it’s about people – not employee numbers and job descriptions – but living breathing people that add real value to a business.

And that’s why it’s about taste, or fit, finding the right people that can not only do the job, but also fit the culture of the company. People that will join and grow with the business, yes even if for some strange reason they happen to like brussel sprouts!

So what is the taste of your business? What type of people do you want working for you? And how can you find them?

Let us help you answer those questions, because that’s what we do best at Langley James Recruitment.

Try Before you Buy

Avoid ‘Zombie’ Employees: Use Contractors


Confidence is up but where are my team?

Move at lightning speed to secure the permanent candidates you want.  Quality candidates are getting harder to find as demand overtakes supply.

The wrong choice of candidate can manifest as the stuff of nightmares… the ‘zombie’ employee.  Completely disengaged with you and your business and with the motivation and company loyalty of a slug, ‘zombie’ employees can cost you money, time and reputation, not to mention raising your stress to the level of a volcano about to erupt.  

Massive Losses
40% of companies in the UK estimate that a mis-hire has cost them over £16,000 while a quarter estimate the figure at over £30,000.  Even losses of over £100,000 are being reported.

But quality hires are being snapped up as fast as they appear.  What can you do to avoid a potentially professionally fatal ‘zombie’ attack?

Zombie Insurance
You have two choices when it comes to ‘zombie slaying ’.  You can act fast and snatch the talent from above the waiting arms of your competitors… or you can find peace of mind by utilising some of the most flexible and talented of IT professionals: Contractors.

Benefits of utilising a Contractor
– Many may accept a permanent role
– Available on a short or long-term basis – from a few days to 2 or 3 months
– Motivated and inspired by new challenges
– Experience working in many different environments
– Fresh ideas and industry knowledge into your team
– Short-term, low risk commitment
– Utilising a Contractor is a great idea while you make decisions on the future of a role

We can help
Here at Langley James, we know how to find the most vibrant and talented IT professionals available, from Web Developers to IT Managers and everyone in-between.  Many of these candidates are available for short term contract work.

Whatever your requirements, permanent or contract, and up to the highest level of seniority, we can match you with the ideal candidate.

To discuss your IT recruitment needs please call us on 0207 099 4839 or email us at langleyjames@langleyjames.com.

We’d love you to join in the conversation.  Tweet us @ITRecruitment or follow us on Facebook.

Are you holding out for more candy?

What are you going to do with your candy? Hoard it, share it or scoff it? Or are you holding out for more?

Many companies delay making a decision to make an offer to qualified candidates, even when they have a shortlist of top talent in their grasp. For some reason they think if they just wait another day a better CV will arrive tomorrow. 

Truth is Halloween has passed, there’ll be no more trick or treating until next year. And if you’re holding out for better prospects you’ll lose the option to the top talent available now. 

Langley James gives you a shortlist of top candidates vetted and summarised to include benefits of hiring. If you want to hire people worth recruiting, decide now.  

Skip the trick, score the treat

It’s all great fun until you’re the one who ends up with the trick instead of the treat. The hire that went wrong, the person who can’t do the job after all.

If you want to skip the trick and score the treat, then you need a recruitment partner who not only knows the IT industry and how to identify a high calibre candidate, but also someone who gets to know your business well enough that they can help you clearly define your IT recruitment needs.

We test, evaluate, vet and interview thoroughly so that the candidates we present as a shortlist are qualified and suitable. We eliminate the tricksters from the list and present only the treats. People worth recruiting!

Should you hire the Grim Reaper?

What’s really scary? Making the wrong hire.

It not only costs the company money but also reflects poorly on your ability as a hiring manager. So how can you see behind the disguises that so many candidates put forward?

A qualified recruitment partner not only knows the industry, but also takes the time to get to know your company and specific recruitment needs.

At Langley James our detailed testing and vetting process takes a critical assessment of candidates skills, experience, abilities and personality so that we know they can not only do the job, but will also be a good fit and add value to your business.

We specialize in IT recruitment, finding people worth recruiting.

What do burgers have to do with recruitment?

It’s Burger Day and you know exactly what kind of burger you want; a double patty with melted cheese, caramelized onion and all the fixings! You can almost taste it already, can’t you?

That’s what it’s like when you’re looking for the right person to join your IT team. You know what you want, but finding them, well…isn’t always that easy…unless you have the right recruitment partner.

Someone who uses all their resources to understand exactly what you want. Who takes the time to understand the how, the what and the why of your business, not just the who.

And then sends you a shortlist of candidates summarized by their key attributes and benefits, and why they’d be good for your business, not just a pile of CV’s.

This is Langley James Recruitment and this is what we can do for you. Since 1999 we’ve been recruiting for the London IT industry.

Talk to us, we can help you find the right people for your IT business. Junior, intermediate or senior, our database is extensive and we work until we find the people who match exactly what you have in mind.

Call us on 0207 099 4839 or email langleyjames@langleyjames.com.

And while we’re on the subject of burgers…. Go on order your favourite, you know you want to!

How much is poor connectivity and downtime costing business?

There’s no doubt that the internet and emails are an integral part of every day business life, not to mention online banking, cloud-based CRMs, phone systems and card payment devices. So much so that life can simply stop when there are connectivity issues or internet blackouts.

A report by the telecoms firm Daisy Group found that 47% of managers thought they rarely or never suffered from poor connectivity, when in fact companies are experiencing an average of 45 minutes downtime every week.

How much is poor connectivity and downtime costing business?
The report found that this is equal to more than £500 per employee, per year, in lost productivity. A prior study, earlier in the year by OnePoll found that slow internet connections and IT downtime is costing the UK economy £11 billion a year in lost productivity. And a study by Aberdeen Group UK found downtime cost an average of £138,000 per hour, varying across industries from £55,000 per hour in the media sector to £3.91 million per hour for large online brokerages. The costs come from paying employees to simply do nothing, to paying an individual or firm to fix the problem and of course any lost sales. There are also hidden costs such as employee overtime, missed deadlines, damaged reputation and customer dissatisfaction.

What’s the problem?
The problems can often be simple ones such as faulty modems, damaged wires or corrupted profiles. These kind of issues can normally be resolved in a day or so, even a few hours. One survey of UK, US and Canadian firms found that 82% of network downtime problems were caused by IT personnel making errors when configuring changes to the network. An irritating truth, when you know the majority of these kind of errors could have been avoided with more diligence or experience. With the rise of joint space and co-working environments wi-fi connectivity can be an issue. Owen’s Garage is a co-working space in the US and Kurt Rathmann, CEO of ScaleFactor Partners uses it regularly. Inevitably there are connection issues now and again and he eventually calculated that a four hour internet outage could be costing him up to $3000.

What do employees get up to during this downtime?

• 60% – taking care of personal business
• 48% – taking an extra coffee break
• 25% – checking Facebook
• 7% – indulging in a spot of retail therapy
• 9% – looking for a new job
• 30% – swoting up on some work-related reading

What should managers be doing?
The survey also asked managers what they thought they should be doing about such issues. One in eight said they didn’t know, 17% said they’d review things when the contract is due for renewal and another 17% said they would only review things when staff make a complaint. Really, as businesses change and grow, connectivity should be reviewed regularly and in line with these changes to ensure processes aren’t being held back by slow internet connections.

The government have committed to upgrading broadband for many of the UK’s cities and superfast broadband is spreading fast as providers compete. Having a connection that is built with your specific business, users and activity in mind is important to make sure it will work for you. If you need to hire IT professionals to advise or become part of your in-house team, speak to us and see how we can help. 0207 099 4839

About 
Langley James – Leading IT Recruitment Specialists

Here at Langley James we are specialists in IT recruitment and whether you are working with us for the very first time, or you are one of our many loyal clients, we take time to understand exactly what you are looking for.  You will receive the same exceptional level of client care each and every time you return to us.

We have a simple guarantee:  we will deliver a shortlist of between 3 – 5 candidates within 5 working days for permanent staff and within a couple hours for contractors.  Not only will these candidates be qualified to perform the role, we will ensure that they share your company values and ethos.

To discuss your IT recruitment needs and help you find your next superstar.  Call us on 0207 099 4839 or email us at langleyjames@langleyjames.com.

We’d love you to join in the conversation.  Tweet us @ITRecruitment or follow us on Facebook.

Langley James is aiming even higher this year 

We have doubled our candidate attraction advertising budget for this year, these are the job boards and social media, we are continuously advertising building our network of the best candidates rather than just getting a snapshot of those candidates that are looking at that moment in time. We have appointed an in house trainer/coach to further develop our existing staff and ensure a continuity of service is delivered from out new joiners in the Langley James way.

We are having a record breaking January, already exceeding our previous best with 2 role being filled from taking the job spec to the candidate starting with 12 hours

 

Is Your PSL Working for you?

Preferred Supplier Lists – Food for Thought

Implementing a PSL is meant to: –

  • Cut down on contact from suppliers
  • Save time
  • Allow you to build relationships with your suppliers
  • Act as a form of quality control
  • Allow pre-agreement of terms

So why have 80% of companies operating a PSL had to source from outside their list in the last 12 months?

Is your PSL delivering?

  • Are you satisfied with the quality of service you have received?
  • Do you have a good relationship with your suppliers?
  • Do you wish your suppliers could do more for you?
  • Are your suppliers specialists or generalists?
  • Do you receive services from outside your PSL?
  • Do you struggle with the administration of multiple suppliers for one service?
  • Would you offer your supplier repeat business if they were not on your PSL?

How many is too many?
PSL’s containing over 50 or even 100 suppliers for one service are common!  In order to be of any use, a PSL has to incorporate choice, but at what point does the size of your PSL become an administrative nightmare or simply pointless?

PSLs vs Relationships
A supplier having pride of place on your PSL does not guarantee a healthy relationship.  A quality supplier will seek to understand more about your business and your requirements whether it is the 1st or 40th time you have worked together.  Beware the complacent supplier who believes your repeat business is guaranteed simply because they are on your PSL.

A question of choice
Is your PSL restricting you from working with the people who are best placed to help you?  In contrast, are you limited to using ineffective suppliers just because they are on the approved list?  No one understands your business better than you and in the ever changing world of business, you deserve the right to be flexible and to tailor your choice.  Why be constrained?

Langley James – Leading IT Recruitment Specialists
Here at Langley James we are specialists in IT recruitment and whether you are working with us for the very first time, or you are one of our many loyal clients, we take time to understand exactly what you are looking for.  You will receive the same exceptional level of client care each and every time you return to us.

We have a simple guarantee:  we will deliver a shortlist of between 3 – 5 candidates within 5 working days for permanent staff and within a couple hours for contractors.  Not only will these candidates be qualified to perform the role, we will ensure that they share your company values and ethos.

To discuss your IT recruitment needs and help you find your next superstar.  Call us on 0207 099 4839 or email us at langleyjames@langleyjames.com.

We’d love you to join in the conversation.  Tweet us @ITRecruitment or follow us on Facebook.

Langley James is aiming even higher this year 

We have doubled our candidate attraction advertising budget for this year, these are the job boards and social media, we are continuously advertising building our network of the best candidates rather than just getting a snapshot of those candidates that are looking at that moment in time. We have appointed an in house trainer/coach to further develop our existing staff and ensure a continuity of service is delivered from out new joiners in the Langley James way.

We are having a record breaking January, already exceeding our previous best with 2 role being filled from taking the job spec to the candidate starting with 12 hours

Christmas Present: Some End of Year Statistics

Female hands holding christmas gift in red mittens

As we get closer to the end of the year, and 2018 is almost within sight, it’s a great time to think about building your team and recruiting. Commonly, January, the start of the New Year and its associated fresh starts and resolutions, are perceived to be busy times for recruiting new employees. For many organisations it is, but starting early and preparing yourself now for hiring could be much more efficient and rewarding. 

Applications to jobs in November and December are 3% higher than the yearly average.

Now, we don’t know, but this could be affected by the high amount of Christmas positions that are up for grabs in the retail and delivery sectors in the lead up to Christmas, but it does show that the year’s latter months are not a quiet time for recruiters. Hiring from September to December allows your new members of staff to join the team before the chaotic start of the New Year, meaning they’ll already by integrated into the business and their role come January. Having a new employee start in the build up to Christmas is also a great opportunity for them to mix with the team at festive social events.

90% of job seekers are passive.

According to the Office of National Statistics 90% of job seekers are passive, so they’re likely to act on the right opportunity when it’s presented to them. Many organisations push their job ads out in January as a reaction to the busy and chaotic time of meetings, new objectives, goals and budgets. The space is more crowded and there are more options for the candidate. Advertising your job in the months leading up to Christmas and the end of the year mean your potential candidates are more likely to be attracted to your job with less competition. And with less competition you avoid having to pay higher salaries to secure the right candidate.

It takes 6 – 8 weeks to fill a vacancy.

Adequate planning and preparation for your new team members is very sensible. Advertising, interviewing and selection can take months, and that’s without considering notice periods. Getting the process completed or at least under way, will allow your new employee to really hit the ground running in January, already being familiar with your organisation and with induction and training out of the way.

Project management applications rise by an average of 30 responses over the festive period.

Account management, sales and marketing were the other 3 areas to see this rise in response, and trends like that are really useful in giving recruiters a backing and genuine reason to get on with recruiting at that time. Perhaps there’s some of 2016’s budget to use up, so recruiting a new project manager could be a great way to use it up and save on next year’s training and recruitment costs.

Over the 5 days for Christmas, 49% of applications were made on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

Although these guys wouldn’t be starting until the New Year, this is an interesting stat, and shows that during the downtime of the Christmas break, people still have jobs on their minds. Fresh starts and New Years resolutions may be the driving factor, but by getting your vacancy prepared early you’ll be more likely to catch those proactive candidates looking for their next move before the New Year.

If you’d like to speak to one of our experienced Langley James consultants about hiring new employees, get in touch today.

 

3 Questions to Ask the Current Jobholder Before You Hire a New One

3 questions to ask the current jobholder before you hire a new one 

Before you interview for your IT opening, there’s someone else you need to interview first: the current jobholder. After all, there’s no one who understands the position better than the person who’s currently doing it! Sure, you know what the job involves, and you understand what skills and qualifications are required to do the job successfully. But they know the highlights, the challenges, the most efficient ways to get things done – all of the things you’ll need to make sure the next employee is aware of when they take over. 

Here are 3 simple but insightful questions to ask the current jobholder before you interview the next:

1. What is your typical workday like?

Although you’ll have a fairly good idea of what the current jobholder does on a day-to-day basis, you may not know exactly when they work on each task throughout the day.

Make a note of their answer and work out how much variety there is throughout the day. You can then use this information to help you decide if the candidate is a good match.

For example, if the current jobholder spends half their day on one task and the rest of the day on another, you can ask the candidate if they feel that a lot of variety is important to them in their work. If they say that they are more suited to getting stuck into only one or two projects at a time, then they would likely enjoy and excel in the role.

2. What has been the least enjoyable aspect of the job?

This question will give you valuable insight into what is difficult about the role, what’s confusing, complicated, or even uninteresting.

When you’re interviewing your candidate, ask about what they don’t enjoy about their current job. Needless to say, if their least favourite tasks are similar to your current employees, you’ll need to make sure that the candidate is aware that the job opening involves these aspects.

You may also be able to discover if there are any particular tasks that the current jobholder feels would be more efficient to complete a different way, which is always handy to know.

3. Describe a time where you’ve had a problem to solve specific to your job – what you did you do to fix it?

With this information, you can put together a competency-based interview question where you can describe the same situation to the candidate and ask them to explain what they would do to overcome the problem.

As you know that the problem actually occurred within the role, you can be confident that the answer will be a good indication of how well the candidate would manage if they were hired.

We’re always happy to help you to get the most out of your interview process and find your perfect new IT professional. Give us a call on 0207 788 6600 for advice tailored to you.

Textbook Interview Questions Equal Textbook Answers

Ask a silly question, get a silly answer, right? Well perhaps your questions aren’t silly, but if they’re straight out of the textbook, you’re likely to receive the same textbook answers from all of your well prepared candidates. And as a recruiting employer that’s only going to make life more difficult for you. After all the main purpose of interviewing is the get to know each individual candidate and determine who will best suit your role, so it’s down to you to carefully craft some intelligent interview questions that will tease out some interesting and revealing answers.

Who Uses Textbook Interview Questions Anyway?
If you’re part of a well established organisation, you may have interview procedures and guidelines in place, and sometimes a lack of innovation or slight complacency can mean interview questions are rarely updated. Styles change, skills change and candidates expectations change, so it’s always important to refresh and review interview questions. Textbook style questions are often found in technical job interviews, and they’re often genuinely needed to validate a candidate’s skills and knowledge. However, perhaps these kind of questions are best off in an initial screening process, a written or online test if appropriate? They will not reveal the real caliber of your candidates, and that’s exactly what you should be doing in your face to face interview.

What’s Wrong with Textbook Answers?
Those who can give you the perfect definition or theory may be well educated and informed, but how do you know if they’ll fit into your team, how do you know they’ve experienced this theory in action? Anyone can revise, but not everyone has the depth of experience and practical workplace problem solving skills that can only be revealed by asking open-ended and ‘tell me about a time when…’ questions.

Digging a Little Deeper
Chances are many of these textbook interview questions can be answered by looking at a candidates CV, application form or online portfolio. You should of course be up to date with these before the interview, so don’t ask questions you already know the answer to. A key part of your role as interviewer is to listen, and you want your candidate to really feel like you are listening and that you’re genuinely interested. Asking questions about experiences and previous scenarios will open your candidate up and allow them to share stories about how they’ve applied their knowledge, not simply what knowledge they hold.

At Langley James, we’ll work hard to put the right candidate in front of you from the beginning, but once it’s your turn to do the interviewing we’ll be there if you need any further help or ideas. To find out more contact one of our consultants.

It’s Not Just About Skills – 5 ways to check your candidate’s personality fits the bill

When you’re trying to find the perfect IT professional to join your company, it’s not just the skills and qualifications of the candidate that you need to consider. There’s something else too: their personality.

So far, they’ve mostly just been told about the role itself. It’s only in the interview where they get to first see your offices, meet your staff, and get a feel of your company environment.

It’s important for companies to celebrate their company values and culture – not just what they do and how they increase profits. Many organisations have developed work-hard-play-hard vibes – with meeting areas full of comfy sofas, games consoles in break rooms, and the odd half-day trip to the local.

On the flip side, some celebrate a more traditional, corporate culture – where working hours are for just that: work, and games consoles, plush furniture and trips to the pub are left for after hours only.

Both approaches have their merits, but your candidate is likely to lean more towards one than the other.

Here are 5 interview questions that you can ask to find out if your candidate is a great personality fit for your company: 

What 3 words would your friends use to describe you? This gives you an insight into the candidate as a person rather than an interviewee, and it shows how their relationships with your staff will be if they’re hired.

Describe the best boss you’ve ever had. What was it that you liked about them? This shows what they are looking for in a boss, and whether the manager of the role matches up to that description.

What do you like to do outside of work? You can really get to know someone’s values, priorities and even their skills from this single question. Perhaps they volunteer at weekends – this shows a sense of empathy and a keenness to assist others. Maybe they play in a band – an implication of creativity and good team-working skills.    

What are your 2 biggest achievements both in and outside of work?  This highlights not only their achievements (which you’ll of course want to know anyway), but it also shows what they recognise as an achievement and consider important. 

Do you have any questions? The candidate simply asking you a question instantly implies that they have a genuine interest in the role. But more than that, the question that they ask can give you a really good view of what is at the top of their priorities in their career.

These questions aren’t only to help you figure out if a candidate is a good fit for you, but they also give the candidate a great opportunity to check you’re a good fit for them, too.

By ensuring a candidate’s compatibility early on, you’re much more likely to end up with an employee who not only has the right skills for the job, but shares your company’s values, culture and environmental preferences. In turn, this will enable you to cut staff turnover by building a workforce who will want to stay with your company throughout their career.

Get in touch with us at Langley James on 0207 788 6600. We’ll use our bespoke approach to help you attract and retain employees that are not just perfect for the job but are the perfect fit for your company too.

F&%£ Passwords!

The first words I heard from the Boss’ mouth this morning would not have necessarily gone down well in the company of my Mother and certainly would not have been heard in a Sunday morning sermon. What was the reason for such a tirade – lack of sleep? No coffee? General winter blues? Perhaps all three contributed, but the main reason behind his x rated outburst was that he had been asked to reset a password.

We all know the reasons why we need to continually update our secure details however when posed with such a request first thing on a Monday morning, our minds feel like we’re sat in the Mastermind chair having just been asked to discuss the most complex mathematical equation.

You need to come up with something that you’ll easily remember, something that you haven’t used in the previous 12 months, something that contains a capital letter, at least 2 numbers, has to be at least 15 characters in length and you need to also provide a DNA sample and retina scan while you’re in the process. Despite the importance of online security, coming up with an appropriate password at that instant moment in time, that you’re not going to instantly forget, can be extremely frustrating.

 

Need any hints or tips?

Below is a list of a few hints and tips that might come in handy the next time you’re faced with the Monday Morning Misery:

Do:

Consider using a line of a song or a phrase you’ll remember – If it’s a song from an obscure album track even better

Consider using three random words

Ignore requests from sites to remember your password

Don’t:

Use family or pet names – they are easy to get hold of

Use your favourite football team or favourite player

Use the word “password”

Use numerical sequences such as a phone number

Use birthdays

Use the same password for all of your applications

Recycle your passwords – eg password1, password2 etc

Share your password with anyone

 

This might not be the answer to all of your early morning prayers, but might just help your ears avoid rugby club language in the office.

What is IR35 ??? And what does it mean to an IT Contractor

What is IR35 ??? And what does it mean to an IT Contractor

So, you’ve decided to embark on the world of contracting? If so I imagine that you are finding a lot of the legislation quite daunting. You may be scrolling the internet trying to figure out why you have been asked to sign all these forms when you have no idea what they mean or how signing one way or another may affect you.

What is IR35? Are You Working Inside Or Outside of IR35  

Hopefully by the end of this article your headache will be at ease and you will have a clear understanding of what the IR35 actually is and why this is in place.

So, what is IR35?

If you are an IT contractor who has tried to read IR35 in full and still feel a little confused, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Through extensive searching after firstly being a bit dumbfounded myself, my mind finally feels more at ease, but trust me this wasn’t an easy topic to wrap my head around.

17 years ago, back in April 2000, HMRC introduced the ‘intermediaries legislation’, otherwise known as IR35. This was introduced as an anti-avoidance tax legislation targeting employees who claim to be self-employed but actually fell in the bracket of a worker employed directly by a company (in this case these would be temporary workers).

The legislation helps the HMRC differentiate between an employee and a self-employed IT contractor that offers their services acting as a limited company or commonly known as a ‘personal services company’ (PSC).  The latter are often known to the HMRC as ‘disguised employees’ as they are not employed via the company but offer their services usually for a designated project, for a set fee, over a set amount of time.

So how can you determine your IR35 position? Well, if you are you being supervised on the project and reporting to someone every day, if you have set working hours like every other employee, are being told how to do the job you have been asked to do and are receiving all the benefits that an employee receives who is employed directly via the company then the HMRC has solid grounds to argue that you are too an employee and not acting as a limited company on this assignment. In the eyes of the HMRC this would be classified as Supervision, Direction and Control (SDC). If you work under SDC the legislation will apply.

On the other hand, if you have a bit more freedom to complete your task(s) and your working hours are not set in stone, you are able to come in and do your job without reporting to someone i.e. a line manager every day, and are left to do your job with the skills you are trusted and known to have as opposed to being told how to perform a task, then it would be safe to say you have solid grounds to support your case to be deemed as a PSC acting as an IT contractor. This of course, would mean that you are not working under SDC.

A change on the horizon

In May of last year a consultation document was published by the HMRC which set out a number of proposed changes to how the IR35 operates. These changes will predominantly affect the tax status of PSC’s operating in the public sector (there are no changes to companies operating within the private sector).

The changes that are set to be rolled out on the 6th April 2017 include:

  • Change the way PSC’s provide services within the public sector only
  • Within the public sector, the end client will be responsible for determining IR35 position as opposed to PSC
  • Where a 3rd party is involved i.e. an employment agency like Langley James, the responsibility of determining IR35 position will fall on that 3rd party
  • For said 3rd party or public sector, an online tool is being developed to help determine IR35 position of PSC
  • Will remain on an assignment to assignment basis but assessment of this will now fall on end user as opposed to PSC.

So as an IT Contractor, how do you know if you’re operating within the public sector? Well here is a list to help:

  • Central government departments i.e. Ministry Of Defence
  • Health boards & NHS
  • Local authorities
  • Educational establishments
  • Transport within London
  • Police and Fire Authorities
  • Devolved Administrations
  • Legal Authorities
  • The bank of England
  • BBC & Channel 4
  • Parliament
  • The UK Sports Council
  • The Armed Forces
  • Public Authorities

As previously mentioned, these changes will be rolled out on 6th April 2017. So, if you are a contractor working for an end user within the public sector it is well worth scrubbing up your knowledge on the changes in legislation to cover yourself.

IR35 In a nutshell

So to round things up in the most condensed way possible, IR35 was introduced to stop employees who claim to be self-employed from receiving all the tax break benefits a genuine self-employed IT contractor would benefit from. The only people in the workplace who are exempt from the legislation are the legitimate Limited Company IT Contractors. 

I hope everything now is a little clearer for you. But remember, keep your eyes peeled, the current legislation is changing and this will have a big impact in how we all operate when it comes to IT contracting.

 

The Hilary Clinton Effect – the real reason why so many of us keep working through illness

Black-woman-stress

No doubt we’ve all seen the pictures and the video clip, so why did Hilary Clinton keep working when she wasn’t feeling great, resulting in her being forced to take time out when pneumonia knocked on the door?

Maybe she is just like most of the UK population who feel guilty for taking sick days.  A recent report by CV Library cited that 67.5% of employees go into work when they are unwell, with 68.3% admitting to feeling guilty, despite it being the best decision.  Is that why we, as an average, only take 1 to 2 sick days per year, even when the vast majority of us (86.5%) are less productive at work when we are unwell.

Or maybe there is pressure from management to keep coming into work?  Over a third of employees feel pressurised to return to work by their line manager with a shock 52.9% of manager still contacting their employees when then are off sick! 

Surely it is a managers responsibility to help ensure the wellbeing of their staff?  Should we not all be looking after our employees in this competitive market?  We appreciate that it is frustrating to have a lower headcount for a couple of days, but it really may be the best option as not having a break can result in long term sickness absence and that costs UK businesses £4.17 billion a year!

And this would all be fairly straightforward without the additional feelings of insecurity currently being felt by employees.  With uncertainty dominating the UK after Brexit, the fear of the unknown is all consuming for some.

A report by CEB reported that a surprising 43% are unhappy with the stability provided by their current employers, which is the highest reported figure since 2013.  With job security being in the Top 3 for candidate needs, those companies who are looking to grow need to take action!  If you are not able to offer stability – don’t over-promise, but instead look at what you can offer – development, training, or even including your employees more in planning for change.

Change is good – but too much change can have the opposite effect.  Almost a third of us has experienced at least 1 major organisation change in the last 12 months, further adding to those feelings of insecurity a reduced job satisfaction.  Some employees are struggling to cope and making themselves ill as a result.  And there’s the complete circle.

See our infographic for a summary of the most recent news for employment here.

 

Off-payroll working in the public sector – Consultation

This consultation is titled “Off-payroll working in the public sector: reform of the intermediaries legislation”.

HMRC believe that a change in liability is necessary because at present, the liability lies with the PSC and that there is widespread non-compliance. They quote figures of this costing the Exchequer £440 million this tax year. How they arrived at this figure is not entirely clear on first reading of the consultation but of course, it is understandable why government would be keen to clampdown on perceived tax avoidance, particularly in light of the Panama scandal.

 

This change would be highly problematic if it was decided that the liability should fall upon the agency / interim provider.  As has been discussed in previous consultation rounds, the agencies does not have oversight of the nature of the work being performed by the candidate when they are on assignment, and therefore agencies are in the worst possible position to assess whether the intermediary rules apply.  The REC will be making strong representations to HMRC on this point.

1.       Changing the liability – so that it becomes the duty of the hirer or the employment intermediary (eg the interim provider, employment business or management consultancy) to apply the intermediaries rules for anyone working off-payroll, through a Personal Service Company (PSC), in the public sector.

 

2.       HMRC will develop a new online tool to help decide if the intermediaries rules apply.

Assessing whether someone is in or out of scope of IR35 on any given assignment has always been problematic. One of the issues is getting absolute clarity on the nature of the assignment and clear guidance from HMRC.  The nuances of how someone chooses to work and the type of work that is required do not often translate well into the short, simplistic case studies favoured by HRMC in its guidance.

HMRC have listened and recognise why Supervision, Direction or Control would NOT be the appropriate test for deciding if IR35 applies.

This consultation raises a number of concerns about how government views the vital contribution of interim managers and contractors make to the public sector, and we have already raised these concerns directly in a joint letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer with other stakeholders.

Whilst we believe it is right that this government is committed to tackling tax avoidance, we think that this consultation raises a series of important issues that must be considered:

1.       It has the potential to blur the boundaries between employment rights and taxation status and could usher in a host of unnecessary reforms, which fail to take into account why individuals choose to work on an interim, freelance or contract basis. If it becomes a straight choice between taking an assignment in the public or private sector, we believe many will choose the latter.

2.       Aligned with the first point, the public sector needs to consider if they can afford to take on the costs associated with making these individuals “employees” in all but name. Most pressing of all on the public purse would be pension contributions.

3.       Previous iterations of “tests” to determine IR35 status have not worked and it is unclear what will be different this time around. Government must fully involve stakeholders in developing these tests and allow adequate time for the pilot and roll out.

4.       Finally, HMRC has a duty to enforce existing legislation adequately.  Simply shifting liability onto the employment intermediary will not abdicate HMRC from its responsibilities. More pertinently, it is impossible for a recruitment business to make an informed decision about the IR35 status of an engagement.

Pokemon Go – Should employers clamp down

Written by Marianne Calnan 0f People Management magazine

Popular game prompts questions over use of personal devices, as Boeing becomes first business to ban it at work.

The take-up of smartphone game Pokemon Go has been so remarkable – and the experience of playing it so immersive – that employers may need to revisit their policies to prevent a productivity glut, according to experts.

Though it has been available in the UK for just five days, the app – in which players use GPS to roam inside and outside and ‘catch’ characters – has been wildly popular, with hoards of players sighted in towns and cities across the country.

Aircraft manufacturer Boeing was forced to issue an email to its workforce banning play during working hours after the company discovered the game app had been installed on more than 100 work phones since its release. A member of staff also came close to injury while playing the game at work.

Andrew Rayment, a partner in the employment team at law firm Walker Morris, said that although Pokemon Go was just “another workplace distraction”, it had the potential to affect individuals’ ability to carry out their jobs effectively.

The game is difficult to manage as it is so readily available, Rayment added: “The game is largely played on employees’ personal phones, and, if it’s only being used outside working hours, that isn’t an issue. But if it is used in the workplace or so much out of the workplace that it’s negatively affecting work, employers need to reiterate their exceptional use policy on the use of personal devices in the workplace so all employees know where the company stands, and trust employees to follow it.”

Rayment said employers should adopt a cautious balance between giving their workforce free reign to fill their time as they see fit, and failing to trust them at all. “When agile working comes into the mix, it’s not really fair for employers to not allow employees to play Pokemon Go at their desk for five minutes, but then also expect them to answer emails at 10pm.”

There are potential upsides to the new craze. Pokemon Go players are walking miles at a time as they search out characters, and reporting positive effects on their health. Reports from the US suggest autistic children benefit from the interaction and socialisation encouraged by the game.

However, Tom Currie, a barista and bartender from New Zealand, showed the potential for the game to reach extremes when he became the first person to quit his job in favour of a full-time bid to ‘catch ‘em all’. The BBC reported that Currie had already caught 91 of the 151 Pokemon available in the game.

Some employers are taking a more light-hearted approach to prohibition. An image that went viral on Twitter this week showed an internal memo at an unnamed company, which read: “We are paying you to work, not chase fictional videogame characters with your cell phone all day. Save it for your break time, otherwise you’ll have plenty of time unemployed to catch ‘em all.”

Written by Marianne Calnan 0f People Management magazine

The Exit Interview

The Exit Interview
Once an employee has decided they are leaving it is best practice to arrange an exit interview. An exit Interview will offer a fleeting opportunity to find out information that otherwise might be more difficult or impossible to obtain.

The following are some thoughts on the exit interview: Interviews can be conducted orally or written. Exit interview questions are essential to a successful separation. Here are some tips on how to construct these questions.

  1. Save the hardest questions for the latter part of the interview. Work up to the tough stuff!

  2. A good question to break the ice is ‘would you like for us to be a reference or recommendation for you’? Do not make this offer if you would not recommend the employee!

  3. Be prepared for some bombshells. Expect the unexpected, if it ever is to happen it will happen in an exit interview.

  4. Look for open-ended questions that allow for plenty of expression. An example of this might be “how did you feel you were managed during your employment with us?” or “how do you feel the company is run?”

  5. Other excellent questions are ‘under what conditions would you have stayed?’ and ‘if you had had a magic wand, what would you have changed?’

  6. At some point in the interview ask ‘why are you leaving?’ if you do not already know.

  7. Good general questions are ‘what did you like most (least) about your position?’

  8. Try to find out if there were things the departing employee would suggest to improve conditions, production or morale.

  9. Try to get a good feel for how they viewed their compensation and benefits package.

  10. Leave room at the end of the interview for general comments. one or two of your proudest professional accomplishments.

Here are some examples of Exit Interview Questions.

  1. Before deciding to leave, did you explore the possibility of a transfer?

  2. Is there something you didn’t like about your boss?

  3. How would you rate our work environment?

  4. Were you happy with your salary and benefits?

  5. What did you think about your performance and salary reviews?

  6. How should we change the way we do things to avoid losing other good employees?

 

What do you do when an influential leader quits?

I quit       DCandBJ

Many of us have experienced that gut-wrenching moment when a senior leader i.e. that someone who is responsible for employee relationships drops the envelope on your desk announcing their resignation. Even if that leader’s departure is expected, it can still send shock-waves through the organisation.

It can have a huge impact on your team so what do you do?  We might communicate to clients, but fall flat when it comes to reassuring our employees. Reasons for this can vary; it may be that as a team we feel vulnerable and don’t like to show it, or perhaps we simply don’t know what to say.  As managers we will probably feel worried about what our employees are feeling and thinking when a major personnel change threatens stability.

So, what is the best way to react when a senior leader heads for the exit?— here are five tactics to focus your people and yourself :

Stay calm — During the meeting when your senior person resigns, ask them to keep the news confidential until you develop a communication plan (for employees and clients).

Assess the situation — Book an immediate meeting with your senior managers to identify main areas;  a beloved leader whose absence might cause major employee disengagement? Did they possess some sort of irreplaceable organizational knowledge or skills?  If so, how will you fill those gaps?

Collaborate — Depending on the size of your team and its structure, work with your senior people to develop a plan to communicate the news to your indirect reports. Internally talk about the relationships; you’ll be pleasantly surprised to see how readily your team steps up to assume new responsibilities. 

Communicate — Work out the best medium to announce the news based on the departed leader’s seniority, tenure and roles. Whatever you decide, remember to include all team members in the announcement.  Assure employees that the company is on solid footing and the departure has nothing to do with instability. Just as critical, remind clients that it’s business as usual. Explain how their account will be managed in light of the resignation, as well as your strategy for replacing that lost expertise.

Follow through — Execute your transition plan to the letter and keep key team members updated on its progress. Expect this process to play out over a couple of months and don’t underestimate the potential cultural impact. If the departed leader was well-liked and seen as a key to your organization’s success, employees will need consistent reassurances that their jobs are safe and your bottom line will remain stable.

Ultimately when an influential leader resigns no matter how well you handle the situation you will find that some employees will decide to move on.

Langley James can help you find highly skilled permanent, contract and fixed term IT professionals from our exclusive database of more than 900,000 registered users. Give us a call on 0207 780 6600 or visit www.langleyjames.com

 

Brexit – What now for your recruitment?

Keep Calm

Whichever way you voted and whatever you feel about how the referendum has ended, we are now leaving the European Union and we all have to face the consequences. We are entering a period of uncertainty and in general, business does not like uncertainty, but life goes on regardless!

If you are recruiting you will find that candidates tend to be harder to find when times are uncertain as permanent employees tend to stay put.

If your business is uncertain about recruitment but the job still needs doing there are options you can consider:

Fixed Term Contract – This allows you to have control and means that you have a “tie-in period” you are also able to budget in the same way as you would for a permanent employee offering a similar salary level. The fixed-term contract is managed through your payroll and the employee will be entitled to the same benefits as a permanent member of staff, the only difference is that their contract will have an end date.  This type of contract is often used to cover Maternity leave. If you choose this option our fee is pro-rata and you can extend end dates to suit business needs.

Contractors– Contractors can be a short-term solution to your “gap”. Highly skilled contractors are much sought after in this type of climate. Contractors are predominantly self-employed and are responsible for their own tax so will not be part of your payroll but a “cost” to your business. They generally charge an employer a day rate and although may appear expensive, will allow you flexibility. If you are considering recruiting a contractor the best time to do this is as soon as possible. Historically we have experienced upsurges of employers battling it out for the most skilled contractors who can literally take their pick of jobs when the demand is high.

NB: Some contractors are willing to take a fixed-term contract which we can arrange on your behalf; this gives you the employer, peace of mind that a contractor will see your job through when other employers will try to entice a contractor to their project by offering an increased daily rate.

Langley James can help you with all your IT recruitment needs we have our own internal database of more than 800,000 IT professionals available on daily, weekly and monthly contracts give us a call today on 0207 788 6600 or go to www.langleyjames.com.