Mar 3, 2014 | IT
The Great Female Debate
The press has been filled with articles about women being under-represented in this and that and even the comedian Dara O’Briain got himself into hot water this week by the press misunderstanding a comment he made about the BBC’s new policy to increase the number of women on panel shows. What he was in fact saying was that even though he supported the policy, he felt it should not be made public as this would make women on panel shows seen as “token” women. Could this be the same in the IT sector?
The Sunday Times revealed the Top 100 Mid and Large Sized Companies to Work For this week and at the bottom was a promotion for the Top 50 Employers for Women 2014. What difference should it make? Surely it’s the best man or indeed woman for the job as opposed to ticking the gender equality box? Or is it?
The low representation at executive level and near invisibility at board level on technology companies, is down to the “right” women not being available for these tasks. There are simply not enough women in technology and that scarcity is represented all the way to the top. Simply enforcing policies similar to the BBC will surely have minimal impact.
You don’t have to look far to see companies like Pinterest, where 70% of the users are female have 100% of its board as male; Google, Facebook and Twitter went public without women on their board; and even Apple only has one woman, former Avon CEO Andrea Jung serving on it’s board.
I read an article towards the end of last year that claimed a report conducted by the European Commission found “Lack of women in ICT sector costs Europe €9bn a year” How is that possible? Well, here’s how…
For every 1,000 women in the EU with a degree, only 29 have a specialism in ICT, compared to 95 for men and only 4 in those 1,000 will ever work within the ICT sector. Reports show that women are more likely to leave the sector mid-career
- Only 19.2% of ICT workers have a female superior, whilst 45.2% of non-ICT workers have a female boss
- Firms that have women in higher positions “achieve 35% higher return on equity and 34% better total return to shareholders” when compared with other firms
- The EC came to the figure of €9bn based on the assumption that if women in ICT roles rose by 115,000, an average of €78,000 per female worker would be generated in increased productivity.
Is there not already enough of a skills shortage within the IT sector without making it worse? If the media continue to dine out on these reports, findings and figures, it is going to do nothing to help improve the image of the ICT sector for future generations of women.
This debate has been around for years and shows no sign of slowing, but what are we actually doing to help change the situation? Do we need to? Is it that women are getting overlooked for the top ICT roles or are they simply not out there in the first place?
We’d love to hear your thoughts – follow the conversation on Twitter and Facebook.
Written by Lucy Rawes, Operations Director
Feb 21, 2014 | IT
Finding the Perfect Employee
With last week seeing reports from the ONS that UK unemployment fell by 125,000 to just 7.2% and the latest estimates showing 193,000 more people were in work October to December compared to the previous 3 months, you now have to be extremely creative to find great employees.
Recruiting for an employee to fill your IT requirement can be both a frustrating and time consuming process. From writing the job spec and the advert, which has to be exciting, challenging and offering that little something interesting to attract great people, to the actual interview with likely candidates, your time is guaranteed to be stretched to the maximum for a period of time.
Here are 5 tips to help you find a great employee
- When reviewing a CV, look for length of time on the job. A candidate with several short-term employers of less than 12 months (other than those that have been working in contract roles), could mean a lack of commitment on their part.Of course, with all the redundancies that were around not so long ago, it could just mean that they were caught in the fallout. However, proceed with care – it isn’t always necessarily a fact that people were laid off because the company was cutting back. Star performers are laid off as a last resort, so check references carefully, especially if the company is still in business. You don’t want someone else’s “deadwood”.
- Look for gaps in employment and ask for an explanation. Long periods out of work can signal time out to update education, or to “give something back”, but it may also indicate something more sinister.
- Watch the employment dates for “overlaps” and if you can, check the cv against a public profile like LinkedIn – does it match? These could be simple errors, but it may also indicate that the candidate is not being truthful about previous employers. Ask the candidate to explain it, and be sure to call those employers and verify dates of employment with them.
- Have a copy of the job description at hand when you review the cv’s. The more skills that match your job description, the more likely you will be to have a great match. Focus on what they have done in the past that matches what you want them to do. Write a list of things you want them to do and then ask questions that will get those answers (or lack thereof).
- Sort your likely CV’s into two piles – one for those that look perfect to you, the other for those that look good. Conduct preliminary telephone interviews and ask them why they want to work for your Company. Whilst some may not be the superstar for today, you never know if they may be of interest to you in the future. Leave them with a good feeling about your Company.
While these tips aren’t the whole picture in hiring a great employee, using them increases your chances that you will hire the perfect match for your Company.
With the restrictions on information that a previous employer is allowed to give you, it is important to pay attention to all the details you get from the candidate. It will make the difference between having a GREAT employee working for you or, just having a GOOD one.
Written by Lucy Rawes, Operations Director
Feb 7, 2014 | IT
Langley James IT Recruitment Market Summary – January
Key points
- Growth of permanent and contract appointments eases but remains marked
- Vacancies rise at fastest pace since May 1998
- Permanent salary growth virtually unchanged from December’s six-year high
Further sharp rises in permanent and contract appointments
Permanent staff appointments continued to increase strongly in January. Although the pace of expansion eased from the 45 month high we recorded in December. Similarly, contract appointments rose at a rate only marginally slower than December’s 15 year peak.
Strongest growth of demand for staff since May 1998
Overall job vacancies rose at a sharp and accelerated rate in January. The pace of expansion was the fastest in over fifteen-and-a-half-years.
Permanent salaries continue to increase markedly…
The rate of growth of permanent staff salaries remained elevated at the start of 2014, holding at a pace broadly in line with December’s six year peak.
…amid declining availability of candidates.
Further falls in staff availability were signalled in January. Both permanent and contract candidate numbers declined at marked rates, albeit the slowest in three months.
Permanent IT staff skills in short supply – C++, Developers, General IT, Java, .Net, PHP, Project Managers, Support, Technical Consultants
IT Contractor staff skills in short supply – Business Intelligence, Developers, Java, .Net, Project Managers, SAP, Support, SQL.
Staff appointments
The number of people placed by Langley James increased further in January. Our IT Consultants reported a marked increase in permanent placements with the South of the UK showing the sharpest rise.
Having risen at the sharpest rate for over 15 years during December, our IT Consultants reported growth of contract placements eased marginally in January. We are seeing a trend of companies taking on contractors to undertake work whilst they look to secure a permanent candidate.
Vacancies
Data from the Office for National Statistics showed that job vacancies were up 15.2% on an annual basis in the three months to December.
Demand for staff by sector
Permanent staff – Growth of demand was broad-based across all key types of permanent staff with Engineering now in the top spot. IT & Computing holding onto fourth place.
Contract staff – Engineering also featured in top place for contract staff demand with IT & Computing falling to sixth place.
Staff Availability
The availability of permanent candidates continued to fall at the start of 2014, with a range of skill-sets reported as being in short supply.
The availability of contract staff fell for the seventh month running in January. Although marked, the latest drop was slower than those recorded in the previous two months.
Remuneration
Average starting salaries for IT candidates placed in permanent jobs increased further in January. Permanent salaries rose in all four regions, with the South posting the sharpest rate of inflation.
Day rates for contract employment continued to rise in January.
About Langley James
Langley James was founded in 1999 by James Toovey, a highly respected recruitment industry professional. James wanted to provide something unique: a bespoke recruitment service which was founded on service excellence. With offices in London and Manchester, we are now providing our ‘boutique style’ recruitment services throughout the world and over the last 15 years have worked with some of the most respected companies in the world.
To find out why so many companies turn to Langley James for support for fulfilling their IT recruitment needs, call and speak to one of our specialist consultants today on 0845 124 9555.
Jan 27, 2014 | IT
Technology Leadership – What you really need to know
Taken from a recent survey conducted by Computer Weekly, the following stats highlighted some very interesting trends relating to employees within the IT/Technology sector…
- 33% of IT professionals have moved jobs during the last 12 months
- 25% of your team will change jobs in the next 12 months
- 33% of your team are actively looking for a new role
- 80% will answer the phone and listen to what a recruitment consultant has to say
- 72% of IT professionals believe that they need to leave in order to progress their careers
- 32% of people who had a pay rise last year believe that there is still opportunity to progress with their current employer
- 22% of IT professionals have felt let down by their employer in the last week
- 47% of IT professionals work 5 hours more than their contractual hours with 22% working 10 hours or more above their contractual hours per week.
The Good News
- Keeping your staff happy is not all about money
- The 3 most effective methods of retaining your team are –
- Giving them interesting and challenging projects to work on
- Making sure they are surrounded by good people
- Ensuring there is open, honest and regular internal communication
- Innovation is the most important factor in retaining your team. Allowing your team time to innovate will make them want to stay.
- 80% of IT professionals who are not allowed time for innovation believe that they need to move on in order to progress their career
Source: computerweekly.com
Despite best intentions to give what you can, it is almost inevitable that at least 2 members of your current IT team will move on within the next 3 months and that’s when the fun really begins! Finding the time to read through CV’s and conduct interviews can be a tough call on top of your already busy workload.
As the news reports unemployment levels dropping, the old age topic of skills shortages raises its ugly head yet again – only this time it’s worse. For many years, we have dealt with this within the IT sector but due to the recent recession, other industries were also beginning to feel the pain. This situation was mainly due to very few graduate/trainee roles being created in the last 5 years. A lost generation?
And now, at least you have the green light to recruit, so you need someone to hit the ground running, a few years’ experience, someone to bridge the gap between entry level and ‘experienced’, not quite a manager, someone who can be molded into your way, but someone who doesn’t need to have their hand held every minute of the day.
With the competition really heating up, strong candidates in the £28-45k bracket are getting 3-5 interviews within a week and most are receiving multiple offers within a fortnight.
So, the burning question is “how do I get them?”
Money is still a motivation, but it’s worth noting that most will not move for money alone.
Speed is important – many great candidates are lost between CV to interview. However, speed is not the only answer as candidates are waiting for the right opportunity.
The one most common thing missing of late is Attractivity. To get the right people, you really need to shout about what’s in it for them. You may have been through a tough patch with redundancies, pay-cuts and working harder than you’ve ever worked before or even been scared for your own job security, but think back to what attracted you to the role. So many hiring managers are still making the common mistake of thinking that people are just grateful for a job as this is definitely no longer the case in over 80% of the IT market.
Consider future projects that are in the pipeline. Candidates really want to know – whatever they are.
What about new technologies? So many of your competitors never tell of new technologies and something as simple as this can give you the competitive advantage.
Where did you start in your current organisation? Where have others moved to within the organisation? What are the opportunities for career progression? Share some success stories.
And last, but by no means least, training. Even if it’s on the job training or mentoring it is worth noting.
Here at Langley James, we are passionate about recruiting – that’s why we do it! We love getting to know you and getting to know our candidates resulting in the right person for the right role; something we have done over 3,000 times in the last 15 years. We are experts at attracting the best calibre of candidate for your role, not just skills wise, but that all important personality too.
Written by Lucy Rawes, Operations Director
Jan 13, 2014 | IT
Langley James IT Recruitment Market Summary – December
Key points
- Strongest rise in permanent placements since March 2010
- Contract requirements at fastest pace in over 15 years
- Permanent salary growth highest since October 2007
Stronger rises in permanent and contract appointments.
The number of people placed in permanent jobs continued to increase in December, with the rate of expansion accelerating to the sharpest since March 2010.
Vacancy growth holds near 15-year high.
Demand for staff continued to increase strongly in December.
Permanent salaries rise at fastest pace in over six years…
Average starting salaries for people placed in permanent jobs increased further in December with the rate of growth the strongest since October 2007. Contract staff pay rates rose at a solid pace that was slightly slower than in the previous month.
…amid declining availability of candidates.
The availability of candidates to fill permanent roles continued to fall in December.
Permanent IT staff skills in short supply – Business Analysts, Digital Marketing, General IT, Java, PHP, Web Developers.
IT Contractor staff skills in short supply – Business Intelligence, Digital Marketing, .Net, PHP, Web Developers.
Staff appointments
Our IT consultants signalled further growth of staff appointments in December, with both permanent and contract requirements increasing at faster rates. In fact, the latest increase was the third-strongest since the start of Langley James IT Recruitment in 1999.
Our IT consultants commented that growth of temp billings reflected a combination of greater demand from existing clients and the securing of new contracts.
Vacancies
Data from the Office for National Statistics showed that job vacancies were up 14.9% on an annual basis in the three months to November. Latest available data signalled that internet-based recruitment spending rose by 4.6% in the second quarter of 2013.
Demand for staff by sector
Permanent staff – Growth of demand was broad-based across all key types of permanent staff with Executive/Professional moving into the top spot. IT & Computing remained in third place.
Contract staff – IT & Computing posted the fastest growth with Nursing/Medical and Accounting/Financial completing the top three placed in the demand for staff league table.
Staff Availability
Permanent staff availability fell at a sharp and accelerated rate in December. The sharpest reductions in permanent staff availability was shown in London and the Midlands.
The availability of contract staff fell for the sixth month running in December. Although easing slightly from November’s nine-year records, the rate of decline remained marked.
Remuneration
The rate of inflation of permanent staff salaries quickened further in December with our IT consultants reporting that these frequently attributed to shortages of quality candidates.
Rates of pay for contract employees increase for an eleventh month in December. Strong demand for staff was reported to have driven the latest growth of temp pay.
About Langley James
Langley James was founded in 1999 by James Toovey, a highly respected recruitment industry professional. James wanted to provide something unique: a bespoke recruitment service which was founded on service excellence. With offices in London and Manchester, we are now providing our ‘boutique style’ recruitment services throughout the world and over the last 14 years, have worked with some of the most respected companies in the world.
To find out why so many companies turn to Langley James for support for fulfilling their IT recruitment needs, call and speak to one of our specialist consultants today on 0845 124 9555.
Dec 9, 2013 | IT
Key points
- Permanent salary growth at six-year high amid declining candidate availability
- Overall vacancies increase at fastest pace since July 1998
- Permanent and contract appointment rise at strong, albeit slower rates
Slower but still marked growth of staff appointments.
The number of people placed in permanent and contract roles continued to rise in November.
Vacancies rise at strongest rate in over 15 years.
Overall demand for staff increased at a faster pace in November. Private sector demand for staff continued to show a much stronger trend than public sector demand.
Permanent salaries increase at fastest pace in six years…
Growth of permanent staff salaries accelerated further, reaching the strongest rate since November 2007. Contract staff pay rose at a solid pace that was sharper than October.
…as decline in candidate availability gathers pace
The availability of candidates to fill permanent roles fell further in November, with the rate of decline quickening to the sharpest since July 2007. Contract staff availability meanwhile fell at the fastest pace in nine years.
Permanent IT staff skills in short supply – Business Analysts, C#, C++, Developers, Java, PHP, Software Engineers.
IT Contractor staff skills in short supply – Developers, Infrastructure, .Net, SAP, SQL.
Staff appointments
Our IT consultants reported a further increase in the number of people they placed in permanent jobs in November. Strong growth of available job vacancies underpinning the latest rise in placements.
Billings received from contract workers continued to rise in November. The rate of growth was strong due to increased client activity levels.
Vacancies
Demand for staff increased further in November for both permanent and contract. The rate of growth was considerable, having accelerated to the strongest in over 15 years.
Data from the Office for National Statistics showed that job vacancies were up 12.6% on an annual basis in the three months to October.
Demand for staff by sector
Permanent staff – Growth of demand was broad-based across all key types of permanent staff with engineering remaining the most sought-after category and IT moving to third place.
Contract staff – A shift in the market with Blue Collar sector showing the highest level of demand. The IT sector stays strong in 4th place.
Staff Availability
The availability of candidates to fill permanent job vacancies continued to fall in November. Moreover, the rate of decline was the sharpest since July 2007 with strong IT professionals in short supply.
Contract candidate availability declined for a fifth successive month in November – the sharpest for nine years.
Remuneration
Average starting salaries awarded to people placed in permanent jobs rose further in November. The higher salaries attributed to a combination of strong demand for staff and shortages of skilled candidates.
Daily rates for contractors also continued to increase in November.
Household Finance Index
The latest HFI survey provided a positive signal for the UK labour market, as workplace activity increased for the tenth successive month and at a solid pace.
IT was the strongest performing sector for workplace activity, followed by construction and manufacturing.
About Langley James
Langley James was founded in 1999 by James Toovey, a highly respected recruitment industry professional. James wanted to provide something unique: a bespoke recruitment service which was founded on service excellence. With offices in London and Manchester, we are now providing our ‘boutique style’ recruitment services throughout the world and over the last 14 years, have worked with some of the most respected companies in the world.
To find out why so many companies turn to Langley James for support for fulfilling their IT recruitment needs, call and speak to one of our specialist consultants today on 0845 124 9555.
Dec 2, 2013 | IT
A practice first coined at Hewlett Packard in the 1940’s and subsequently embraced by Steve Jobs, even in the current technological age, Managing By Wandering Around or MBWA has been proved to deliver far greater dividends than computer processing or watching the pennies.
It is all too easy to get embroiled in worrying if your company is doing well and forgetting about the people on the ground that make it happen and why those people chose to work for you.
How often do you say ‘hello’ to employees on a regular basis? Do you let them know how important they are to the success of the company? Do you know every employee by name?
You may be aware of the Hawthorne effect – the increase in productivity in the workplace when people feel that they are cared for. This doesn’t mean spending hours, chatting aimlessly about their weekend, or their holiday plans, but simply remembering to take the time to ask “how are you?” When employees are happy, loyal and engaged they miss less work, perform better, are more supportive of change and this results in profits being higher.
As managers and directors, we achieve success by leading a group of individuals to meet goals. A recent study by the Institute of Leadership and Management revealed that 82% of managers said that their teams knew exactly what was expected of them. However, employees were not so sure with only 58% knowing what they are supposed to do.
MBWA is a smart approach to making sure that these goals are being communicated and helps you lead a team by keeping your ear to the ground on developments and issues, as well as ideas. Identify individuals as Human Beings, not Human Resources and identify those who are living the values and making a difference and let them know it isn’t going unnoticed. At a time of intense competition and rapid change, it is vital to maintain close connections with your team to make change happen.
Most days in the office can be seen as simply routine by employees, but enjoyment has been sited as the single most effective motivator, with 59% rating it as one of the top 3 in the ILM study, it is more important than ever to ensure that you not only have a productive, driven workforce but also a happy one.
You may have been among the thousands that watched the recent BBC2 fly-on-the-wall documentary into Iceland. The series trained the lens on everyday life at the HQ, with singing, dancing and all sorts of high-jinks. Even though fun can be seen by some as an odd concept within the office environment, Iceland boast impressive staff retention figures and are regularly named among the best employers in the country so they must be doing something right.
Your people are your business – a happy work environment attracts good people and helps the people who work for you do the best for the company. And remember, company culture doesn’t just happen, it is something that is earned. Now, where’s that gorilla costume?
Written by Lucy Rawes, Operations Director
Dec 2, 2013 | IT
Results from a recent report conducted by IT security firm TrendMicro reveals a shocking culture of carelessness among the UK population with regards to their attitude towards their work devices.
Out of the 2,500 UK Citizens that took part in the report, a shocking 52% reported losing a phone or other mobile device that contained sensitive work data with 27% having lost up to 3 work devices.
Compare those figures to only 11% of those surveyed losing their personal smartphone device and it indicates not only a careless attitude, but also a lack of awareness around the reputation and financial cost to businesses when sensitive data is stolen. In fact, 47% don’t worry much or at all about losing client or customer details and 55% don’t worry much or at all about losing intellectual property.
Over half were out drinking when their devices were lost or stolen and with Christmas around the corner and the festivities already underway, surely this is set to increase over the coming weeks.
26% of devices were lost or stolen on London Underground with 25% of those using Central and District lines.
And it doesn’t stop there!
- 25% of people have emailed sensitive work data to the wrong person
- 31% use WiFi hotspots regularly with 56% never or rarely checking security levels
- 57% didn’t even set up a password lock on their device
Should IT departments be concerned? Absolutely!
The report highlighted that 29% were not even sure what to do to protect their data if the device was lost or stolen and only 10% said that they would notify the IT department if this happened.
This careless culture is endemic to UK businesses, leaving them vulnerable to intrusion from cyber-criminals looking to acquire data for financial gain.
Education is required to help employees understanding the importance of protecting corporate data and also the protocol for notifying you should a breach occur.
Written by Lucy Rawes, Operations Director
Nov 17, 2013 | IT
When recruiting IT staff, what is more important – skills or attitude?
Recruiting the right person is one of the most critical decisions you will make. A bad recruitment decision can take years to correct. What should you value more, skills or attitude?
Imagine this – over the last few years, you have recruited a number of people and dealt with a deluge of CV’s across your desk. Filling a job though requires more than what is simply listed on a CV. The new person has to be fit for your IT team, the company as a whole and must possess the skills necessary to get the job done at the standard you expect. Have you ever made a recruitment mistake that has come back time and time again to haunt you?
Sometimes, through the CV review and interview process, one person may just jump to the top of this list and this can be for a variety of reasons. This person may have a considerable amount of experience which is well matched against your role, they may have worked within your industry previously, or for some they may simply have hobbies that will fit into the culture of your team. When there is a superstar CV or interview that outshines the rest, this is a great situation to find yourself in.
However, consider the following:
Candidate 1 has an incredible background, will accept the role and at the salary on offer, but his attitude is a little off. Perhaps he feels that IT is in a “command and control” role, or his ability to work with people is somewhat limited.
Candidate 2 has a great attitude and would fit into the current team seamlessly, but his experience isn’t quite up to par with Candidate 1, although he does have enough experience to get by.
What would you do?
Here’s what I would do – dismiss Candidate 1.
Why?
We all know that you can teach hard skills, but teaching attitude or other soft skills is extremely difficult but sometimes this can be overlooked in an interview situation due to the desire to get the best person for the job. As for Candidate 2, using a probationary period, I’d likely give that person a chance and see if he can come up with the requirements of the job. The right attitude is so important when adding to an already established team.
One of our clients has this exact situation earlier this year when they recruited a Network Administrator. He interviewed a number of potential candidates, but the person he ultimately selected wasn’t the strongest from a technical perspective, although that said, he was in no means “weak”. His attitude was (and still is) really good and his work ethic and approach to get the job done is superb. Since day one, he has worked hard to come up to speed in the necessary areas and has exceeded every expectation. Feedback from his team is that he has gone out of his way to ensure his knowledge what is required for the job and is able to effectively handle tasks necessary for the role. Would a candidate with more experience but with an attitude a little off kilter have succeeded as well in the role? Would they have fit into the team culture, or would they have simply got the job done without contributing anything over and above?
In summary – if one person has less skills that they next but still satisfies enough of the skill requirements for the role AND has a good attitude, they are worth their weight in gold. After all, you can teach technical skills if you have an engaged, committed employee.
We can help
Here at Langley James, we can save you time and ultimately money by sending you a shortlist of candidates who not only have the right skills and attitude to fit into your culture but are also able to add value. We pride ourselves on really knowing our candidates. We have in-depth knowledge of their experience, even down to the individual projects they have worked on and their most proud achievements. We have access to those details that you just can’t glean from a CV alone. Our talented and specialised resourcers work hard to ensure that candidate we send over to you are not only a match for the role, but also for your business.
To discuss your requirement needs, please call us on 
0207 099 4839 or e-mail us atlangleyjames@langleyjames.com
Nov 10, 2013 | IT
The Last Great Recruitment Taboo
Social media: Should you look?
92% of recruiters look at potential employees’ social media profiles according to a survey by Jobvite.
It’s no surprise that so many employers are using social media to screen prospective employees. These days an online presence is practically expected and it’s not just for the youngsters – 79% of LinkedIn users are over 35. When you add Facebook, Twitter and Google+ into the equation with just a few clicks you can easily summon the good, the bad and the ugly of a candidate’s professional and personal lives, thanks to all the digital records they, their friends and their family leave behind in social media. But should you look? And if you do, what information can you actually use?
Look for the positives
A social media search should not be seen as a negative screening technique, in fact sometimes it’s better not to look at all until you have met the candidate face to face. But for an insight into their professional presence check out LinkedIn and look for positive attributes such as:
- A professional online presence
- Good spelling and grammar
- Consistency between their job history and their CV
- Insightful statuses and posts
- References to your industry
- Following relevant organisations
- Creativity
- Positivity
- Memberships of organisations
- Endorsements from other professionals
Beware the Negatives
Social media checks cannot be used as part of the hiring decision. When looking at social media the temptation can be to make snap judgements based on what you see. Social media is complex: being tagged without permission is common and inappropriate comments can be posted by others without representing the candidate’s point of view.
Statuses and photographs can also be taken out of context and cannot be taken as solid evidence. Judgements on what is appropriate will also certainly vary – interestingly, the majority of employers have a dimmer view of poor spelling and grammar than photographs of binge drinking. Most importantly, ensure you are looking at the correct profile.
However, there are warning signs. These ‘red alerts’ should be treated in the same way as if you had gleaned the information during interview. These include:
- Bigoted or racist remarks
- Overly sexual language
- Excessive profanity
- Threatening language
- Poor grammar and spelling
Taboo Areas
Just as in the interview, there is taboo information that you CANNOT use to discriminate for or against a candidate under any circumstances. These include:
- Age
- Marital status or sexual preference
- Children
- Political status
- Place of birth, ethnicity or religion
- Lifestyle choices
- Disability & illness
It’s our opinion that social media is an extremely valuable source of information – but one that should be used with caution. What do you think? We’d love you to join the conversation. Tweet us @ITRecruitment or follow us on Facebook.
Ready to recruit?
Here at Langley James, we know how to find the most vibrant and talented pforessionals available. Whatever your requirements, permanent or contract, and up to the highest level of seniority, we can find you the ideal candidate. To discuss your IT recruitment needs call us on 0207 099 4839 or email us at langleyjames@langleyjames.com
Oct 10, 2013 | IT
No Sales: Just Quality Recruitment
Founded by James Toovey, a highly respected and experienced recruitment industry professional and established for 14 years, Langley James is the leading IT Recruitment Consultancy in London.
We pride ourselves on providing a specialised and tailored service to every one of our clients that keeps them coming back for more. We don’t have to waste time canvassing for vacancies, so every minute of our time is spent finding you the perfect superstar to add to your business. We are dedicated to ensuring your absolute satisfaction.
How do we achieve this?
It’s simple, every aspect of our business has been designed from your perspective.
- We are here when you need us: our opening hours are longer than other recruitment consultancies, 8am – 8pm Monday to Friday.
- We provide you with your own dedicated client manager who will get to know both you and your company in depth.
- We prioritise quality over quantity. Rather than bombard you with unsuitable candidates, we make a simple promise: “We will find you 3 qualified candidates, in 3 days – guaranteed!”
- We ensure our candidates are a perfect match to your business and requirements, not just the job title.
- We don’t just rely on advertising vacancies: we maintain a database of over 50,000 contract and permanent candidates actively seeking a new opportunity. Our consultants are also experts at head hunting professionals who are not available on the open market.
Who do we recruit?
Here at Langley James, we are not just IT Specialists. Each of our consultants has an in depth knowledge of a specific area, be that in Development or Infrastructure. This means that when you entrust us to look after your IT recruitment needs you will be given advice based on the latest in industry developments. We also know how to listen, so we can find the ideal person to fit your exact requirements. We ensure the candidates we select are not only qualified, but that they are perfect for you and your business.
Just a few of our recently filled roles include:
Leadership Roles CIOs & CTOs – IT Directors – IT Managers – Project Managers
Development Analyst Developers – Chief Architects – Database Administrators
Infrastructure Business Analysts – Trainers – Senior Systems Engineers
Don’t take our word for it, take a look at what our clients have to say.
Langley James really took the time to work with me to understand my requirements. It was obvious they appreciated every business has specific needs. I did not receive a flood of CV’s but a carefully selected few. Interviewing can be a real pleasure when you get the right people through the door and a successful candidate was chosen from a competitive list.
IT Manager, Engineering Firm, London
And this is just one of our many happy clients – there are plenty more! In fact, we have so many companies looking to take advantage of our boutique offering, that in the last 6 months we have doubled our headcount to ensure we continue to deliver service excellence and enable our clients to recruit someone worth recruiting.
Are you ready to recruit someone worth recruiting?
We’d love to discuss your IT recruitment needs and help you find your next superstar. Please call us on 0207 099 4839 or email us at lucy@langleyjames.com and one of our consultants will be happy to advise you.
We’d love you to join in the conversation. Tweet us @ITRecruitment or follow us on Facebook.
Oct 7, 2013 | IT
Sickness absence has risen to 7.6 days per employee per year
Sick days cost UK businesses £29bn each year
The UK has the worst sickness absence rate in Europe
The average worker has faked sickness 4 times in their life
Employers are suspicious of over ½ of sickness claims
The cost of fraudulent sickness absence is too great to ignore. In addition to the financial strain these liars place on your business, those left covering the work of their unscrupulous team mates are put under strain, ironically, increasing the risk of genuine illness due to stress. However…
Presenteeism an Ever Present Danger
At the other extreme are the employees who always turn in no matter how ill they are. As well as spreading illness to the rest of the team, these martyrs remain unproductive far longer than those who simply take a day off to recover.
- Presenteeism costs UK businesses twice as much as absenteeism each year
- Employees coming in to work ill are far more likely to make a costly mistake
Weed Out the Liars
Spotting the liars while keeping the genuinely ill safe at home in their beds can be a nightmare. So is gathering the evidence needed for disciplinary action. Fortunately we have some tricks to help you.
Pattern Spot
Review a suspect’s absences over the last few months. Are there any patterns? Are Fridays or Mondays more prevalent showing a penchant for long weekends? Software is also available for businesses to spot trends in absenteeism behaviour that may be missed, such as time taken off during school holidays.
Are the reasons given for absence weak or repeated? Poor excuses are not as hard to spot as you might think. What’s the best one you’ve been given?
Social Media Secrets
Many fakers have been caught out by updates on Facebook or Twitter revealing they are at the beach or a theme park when they are supposed to be at home in bed. If you are suspicious it may be worth a look. After all, even if the perpetrator doesn’t post a status themselves, they could still be tagged by someone else.
Welcome Back Chat
Many companies utilise a ‘Back to Work Interview’ for those returning after a sickness absence. While checking those who have been genuinely ill are safe to recommence work, it also offers an opportunity to check ‘Fit Notes’ and delve a little deeper into any suspicious excuses.
Need to Cover Illness?
Here at Langley James, we know how to find the most vibrant and talented people available, from Web Developers to IT Managers and everyone in-between. Many of these candidates are available for short term contract work with the flexibility to help cover medium to long term sickness absence.
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.
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