Tell Me What You Want – Detailed Job Descriptions are critical in finding the perfect employee

Finding the perfect employee is not like ordering a Big Mac and fries at McDonald’s, but some job descriptions can lead you to believe that!

Personnel, Recruitment Consutants and HR staff are often tasked with finding the perfect employee for a company with less details than they would have if they were taking a lunch order for the office. “I need a Technical person with 3-5 years experience in the software industry” is not going to get you what you need!

Here are five questions you should answer in creating a great job description:

1. What is the job’s primary purpose or contribution to the department or Company?

2. What are the essential technical skills, what versions and what should they have done with them. Three technical questions set by the IT Department along with their answers will help with prelimanary interviews for Recruitment Consultants when qualifying candidates for the position.

3. What are the essential duties and responsibilities? You should include all important aspects of the job – whether performed daily, weekly, monthly or annually; and any that occur at irregular intervals.

4. Does the job have supervisory responsibilities? Are there subordinate supervisors reporting to this job? If yes, how many?

5. What education and amount of experience is needed to successfully accomplish the essential duties of the job?

And last, but definitely NOT least, is why would the candidate want to work there? Do you have a fund to allow each employee to pursue their personal development through training or books? Do you provide Flexitime, Creche facilities? Play lunch time 5 A Side? Gym membership, Healthcare? Discounts? Tell them what’s in it for THEM!

Writing your job description in this manner will increase your chances of finding the perfect employee for YOU.

Langley James are experts in their field and have been helping companies both attract and retain the best management talent for 15 years.  A recruitment service founded on service excellence, we are experts at what we do and with a bespoke approach, we help you save time and are happy to share our specialist knowledge to help you Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting.

Finding the Perfect Employee

Over the past few years we have had to be extremely creative to find great employees. Recently the number of Technical Professionals seeking new positions has more than doubled. Instead of having to search high and low to find a few great people, employers and agencies are bombarded with hundreds – or even thousands – of CV’s. So how are you going to find the truly great employee?

Recruiting for an employee to fill your position can be a frustrating and a time consuming process. From writing the job spec and the advert, which has to be exciting and challenging to attract great people, to the actual interviews 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:

1. When you review a CV, look for length of time on the job: a candidate with several short- term employers (less than a year) could mean a lack of commitment on their part. Of course, with all the recent redundancies, it could just mean they got caught in the fallout.

It isn’t necessarily a fact that they were laid off because the company was cutting back. Star performers are not laid off if the company can avoid it. Be sure to check those references carefully, especially if the company is still in business. You don’t want someone else’s “deadwood”.

2. Look for gaps in employment and ask for an explanation. Long periods out of work could signal a time out to update their education – or it may indicate some criminal background.

3. Watch the employment dates for “overlaps”. This could be a simple error, but also might indicate that the candidate is not being truthful about previous employers. Ask the person to explain it, and be sure to call those employers and verify dates of employment with them.

4. 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 the lack thereof).

5. Sort your likely CV’s into two piles – one for those that look perfect to you, the other for those that look good. Conduct prelimnary telephone interviews and ask them why they want to work for 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 present 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.

At Langley James we are at hand to assist with writing Job Descriptions.

Langley James are experts in their field and have been helping companies both attract and retain the best management talent for 15 years.  A recruitment service founded on service excellence, we are experts at what we do and with a bespoke approach, we help you save time and are happy to share our specialist knowledge to help you Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting.

Rebuilding Your Staff Employee By Employee

Problem – “my employees are minimal and I can’t get any improvement”

Solution – rebuild your business one employee at a time

Minimal employees have become the bane of business – those that do just enough to get by and no more. If a business with good market share and strong strategy is still achieving poor results then it almost always points to minimal employees. Sometimes owners/management see this but often it takes an outsider to point it out. Once this is understood to be the problem the question I get is – How do I get rid of these bottom-feeders and get some good people in their place? The answer is to build it employee by employee. The following are some key concepts when considering a personnel ‘upgrade’:

1. Understand that minimal employees cause discontentment with productive employees. Good employees often leave because of minimal employees. Having a minimal employee can hurt the entire operation. Realizing this is important when difficult decisions need to be made.

2. Understand that most businesses cannot shut down as they reorganize or redesign. I use the analogy of a flying plane: you cannot stop the plane to fix it – you have to fix it while it is flying. The rule here is ‘don’t shoot yourself in the foot’. Usually this means don’t fire or lay-off until you have replacements.

3. View employees as resources and profit centers – not just expenses. Minimal employees are usually cheaper but deliver much less value.

4. Review your staffing at least once a week. (depending on the circumstances this may be necessary more often.) Go through each employee and determine his or her appropriateness for the business. I like to use a spreadsheet, keep notes and strategies current so they can be constantly reviewed. I ‘star’ those employees that are ‘on the bubble’ or are delivering questionable value.

5. Do evaluations and reviews every three months. Once or twice a year is simply not enough.

6. Measure and evaluate your people weekly. Producers welcome the attention and ‘bottomfeeders’ will do all they can to avoid the scrutiny. Find some criteria for even those hard to measure job classifications – like service rep.

7. Find out if the poor producers have potential. Time and time again I see management wanting to fire but not looking at potential. Sometimes they are amazed when they see a minimal employee blossom. Sometimes I am amazed that management is not paying attention. It is usually better to give the minimal employee a chance or opportunity – if they do not want it they will often quit.

8. Understand that accountability is the employee’s responsibility – not management’s. It is management’s responsibility to do something about the lack of accountability if it is not there. This makes it much easier to deal with those tough decisions when the time comes.

9. Have a training and career plan for each employee.

10. Hire right. The key to building a successful staffing is to make sure each new hire is better than what you have. If you do know how to hire get some help. Look at work ethic, values, maturity, drive, creativity, etc. Truly amazing things happen when you replace a ‘bad apple’ with a good employee.

11. Look for ‘breakthrough’ employees that can bring high value quickly. This is usually a factor of skill, experience and work ethic. This can bring a corresponding sharp spike in performance.

12. Set up a system where employees can train or mentor each other. This tends to raise the standard throughout the business.

13. Constantly evaluate what your market and customers demand. Make sure you are hiring to meet this demand.

14. Make the processes automatic – daily if possible. If you stay focused the results will come. Focus on the process!

15. Be persistent. Most of my clients go into a continual recruitment mode.

Langley James are experts in their field and have been helping companies both attract and retain the best management talent for 15 years.  A recruitment service founded on service excellence, we are experts at what we do and with a bespoke approach, we help you save time and are happy to share our specialist knowledge to help you Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting.

45% of employees are not inspired by their line manager

Research has revealed that poor leadership is a major cause of staff leaving their job with over 30% citing this is the main reason for searching for alternative employment.  This was one of the many insights identified by the latest Towers Watson Global Workforce Study.

The report goes as far to suggest that “meagre managers are adding to the UK talent drain”.

The report also highlighted that only 39% of employees feel that the company leaders truly understand the factors that drive business success, and just 58% saying that their leaders consistently make rational decision that benefit the organisation in the long term.

Although many employees understand and recognise the challenges that come with managing a team, many feel that their manager doesn’t have sufficient time to perform the people aspect of management.  Managers agree and many said that they were not being supported and empowered to deliver effective management.

According to the report, over a third of managers do not coach and develop their team and a quarter fail to evaluate performance with personal development reviews.

The talent shortage is intensifying this problem with 43% of businesses struggling to meet client expectation and deadlines, further pressure is being put on management to drive up performance in the existing team.  This can also result in those that have the most impact on the bottom line are getting more attention from their manager which in turn is upsetting team dynamics.

So everybody is having to perform against time and resource pressures.  Not surprising then that the recent YouGov research conducted on behalf of the British Heart Foundation revealed that more than two-fifths of employees feel work pressures have damaged their health in the past five years

Companies need to better train and support their managers to help gain the long-term commitment from their teams.

Langley James are experts in their field and have been helping companies both attract and retain the best management talent for 15 years.  A recruitment service founded on service excellence, we are experts at what we do and with a bespoke approach, we help you save time and are happy to share our specialist knowledge to help you Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting.

 

 

Under Half of Employees Think That Their Employers Do a Good Job of Hiring

With the current skill shortage still having substantial airtime and almost 50% of companies seeing an increase in hiring, it has never been more critical to have a clear understanding about that it takes to attract, retain and engage workers.

According to the recent Global Workforce Study by Towers Watson, 25% of employees are likely to leave their current role within the next 2 years and this only highlights further the need to have a real understanding of how to attract talent to your business.  In the report, fewer than half of employees (46%) think that there current company does a good job of hiring.

Do you know what it takes to attract the best talent?  Have a look at the chart below to see the employer versus employee view.

Employer View 
Employee View
1. Career advancement opportunities
Base pay/salary
2. Base pay/salary
Job security
3. Challenging work
Career advancement opportunities
4. Organisation’s reputation as good employer
Learning and development Opportunities
5. Organisation’s mission/vision/values
Challenging work
6. Learning and development Opportunities
Organisation’s reputation as good employer
7. Job security
Vacation/paid time off

Whilst most of the factors are similar on both sides, there are two main differences.  The organisation’s mission, vision and values do not appear on the employee list at all.  What is important to employees is the need to switch off in the 24/7 always-on workplace with vacation and paid time off a key factor.

What about retaining your key talent?  Employers need to understand the important factors in employees deciding whether to remain with their current employer and the report highlighted 3 key drivers –

Trust / confidence in senior leadership – employees need their top leaders to motivate and guide them.

Job security – still plays a critical role in retention.

Length of commute – with the focus on improving work/life balance, this is becoming more important.

Langley James are experts in their field and have been helping companies both attract and retain the best talent for 15 years.  A recruitment service founded on service excellence, we are experts at what we do and with a bespoke approach, we help you save time and are happy to share our specialist knowledge to help you Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting.

Getting results with Free Online Technical Testing

Getting results with Free Online Technical Testing

We all know that it is sometimes difficult to ascertain if an individual is as good as their CV looks or as strong on the job as they perform in interview.

We have a solution

Did you know that Langley James offer free Online Technical Testing that can be used as part of your interview process to test your potential new employees.  Not only that, it can also be used to test your existing employees as part of their appraisal.

To deliver this service, Langley James has chosen Prove IT as our preferred partner.  Prove IT is one of the leading Online Technical Testing tools available today and is used by many large organisations to test proficiency levels and technical experience.  Working with Prove IT means that we are able to deliver the most comprehensive and effective technology tests that can be performed online or in a controlled environment on virtually any mainstream technology product.

With a suite of over 200 technical tests which include Windows Servers, Active Directory, Exchange. SQL, XP and Mac to name just a few.

Best of all, it is a fast, cost-effective solution that lets you focus on IT staffing and training resources where they will have the most impact.

Following the test, we can provide you with a simple, yet comprehensive analysis.  This information can not only help in the shortlisting process but can also be used to staff particular projects or to develop customised training programs to address identified skills gaps.  The later can shorten the number of days required for training, reduce training expense and ultimately enhance productivity with little employee downtime.

When it comes to expanding the team, effective selection if critical to organisational success.  Using technical testing have been proven to fundamentally improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the entire recruitment process.  In the current climate, candidates can now apply, interview and be offered in a matter of a few short days.  Where time is of the essence, Langley James can help you compete in the fast-moving world of recruitment and utilising our Technical Testing means that selection can take place with greater speed and efficiency than previously possible.

Using Langley James can save your organisation valuable time and effort by ensuring that you are able to focus on the best available candidates immediately.

To discuss your requirement needs, or for more details on our free Online Technical Testing, please call us on  0207 099 4839  or email us atlangleyjames@langleyjames.com

Interviewer Guidance

1. Prepare in Advance

Know what you want in a candidate before you begin the interview.
Review the job specifications and requirements that have been prepared.

Know the job and its responsibilities.
Review the job description.

Prepare a list of standard questions.
Focus on the candidate’s skills, abilities and past work performance that you want him/her to answer.

Prepare a list of prioritised and measurable criteria.
Either in the form of a worksheet or other method, for analysing and comparing the candidates.

Review the candidate’s CV prior to the interview.

Set specific appointment times and reasonable time limits.

Be prepared to justify the use of any required employment test.
Typically, the most legally defensible tests are those that involve a “piece of the job.”

 

2. Collect Pertinent Information During the Interview

Since past behaviour predicts future behaviour, look for the candidate’s behaviour “patterns” as you collect information.
For example, has the candidate enjoyed “big picture” work or detailed analysis more? Is he/she more of a generalist or more of a specialist? Often, by listening to how the candidate responds to your questions about previous jobs, you will be able to ascertain a very good idea of what their behaviour will be like in the future.

Try not to offer too much detailed information up front, so that the candidate will be able to formulate answers that exactly fit your company’s needs.
Don’t put the right words in his/her mouth! Remember, the candidate (hopefully) wants the job and will be looking to say the right thing to impress you.

Ask questions that focus on the candidate’s past performances.
For example, if the job, such as a Support Analyst, demands an individual who is well-organised and has a logical approach to troubleshooting, you may want to ask, “How do you prioritise tasks in your current position?”

Ask specific, structured questions in regards to specific problems that the job holder may face.
Focus on past behaviour and the results of the candidate’s actions in a particular situation. For example: “As the Help Desk person, you may encounter a few unhappy users who will yell and scream at you over the telephone or in person. Have you had any experience dealing with difficult users? Who was the most difficult user you had to deal with? What was the situation? How did you resolve the problem?”

Notice how well the candidate listens and responds to the questions asked.

Note the candidate’s choice of words and non-verbal behaviour.
Are they answering your questions clearly?

Listen to the questions the candidate asks.
Clarify the reasons why the questions are being asked. Notice which questions he/she asks first as they may be his/her primary concerns.

Take detailed hand-written notes concerning job related topics that will help you distinguish the candidates from one another.
(Especially if you will be conducting several interviews). Help yourself remember each candidate and each interview clearly.

Record information pertaining to the set criteria that will help in the evaluation of candidates.

Organise and analyse the information immediately after the interview when memory is fresh.
Don’t try to remember everything- it’s impossible. One idea is to “rate” each candidate on each of the criteria immediately following the interview.

 

3. During the Interview

Set a businesslike atmosphere.

Structure the interview and inform the candidate of this structure.
Let the candidate know you will be focusing on past results and that you will be taking a lot of notes.

Provide information on the company and the job to each candidate.

 

4. Treat All Candidates Fairly

Use your list of standard questions during each interview.
Enable you to treat the applicants the same and so that you can compare fairly.

Refer to the criteria for analysing candidates.
Ask questions in regards to the job criteria.

Keep all questions job-related.

Do not ask discriminating questions.

Show a genuine interest in every candidate you interview.

If possible, have at least one other person to meet and/or interview candidates who are “finalists”.
They should also “rate” the candidates on each of the criteria; ultimately, all interviewers should compare their “ratings” and discuss any discrepancies.

 

5. Be Courteous and Respectful

Conduct the interview in a private place away from distractions.

Begin the interview on time.

Conduct the interview without interruptions.

Allow sufficient time for the interview.

Appreciate the candidate’s accomplishments.

Do not patronise the candidate.

Do not argue with the candidate.

Thank the candidate for his/her time and interest.

 

6. Facilitate Open Communication

Immediately attempt to establish a rapport with the candidate.
Break the ice; for example, ask about their experiences in a particular industry or geographical location (refer to his/her CV).

Promote a relaxed environment with free-flowing conversation.

Do not dominate the discussion by talking too much.
Many experts use a 80/20 rule – you talk 20% of the time and the candidate talks 80% of the time.

Politely probe the candidate for information.
Ask open-ended questions that will provide insight into the candidate’s values and traits.

Ask structured questions that will require some thought on the part of the candidate.

Listen carefully to the candidate’s answers.
If they do not provide you with specific results, probe until they do.

Explain the selection process to the candidate.
Offer realistic time frames and stick to your word!

Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting – Part Two – Turn Browsers into Buyers

Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting – Part Two – Turn Browsers into Buyers

Last week we published the first of two short articles on the topic of motivating change within the recruitment process in order to attract the best IT talent.

We looked at the way in which economic uncertainty, candidate inertia and a buoyant demand for key skills mean that many candidates are happy to stay in their current roles. Don’t worry if you missed it, you can catch up by reading the article here.

The internet has made it incredibly easy for candidates to look for new roles, something those who are serious about their careers must do on an ongoing basis. The freedom of information enabled by the internet also means that it has never been easier to keep up to date with the current job market in terms of salaries, new vacancies and the demand for certain skills. The abundance of information makes the market incredibly transparent.

Many candidates use this information as a barometer for their careers; to confirm their salary is in the right range or to identify which skills they should be developing but every now and then the same candidates will browse job boards and, whilst they may not be actively considering changing roles, they may be persuaded to apply if the new role is attractive enough. The question is; how much better than their existing job does the new role need to be in order to turn those browsers into potential buyers?

The first assumption for most recruiters is that simply offering a salary slightly larger than the one a candidate is currently receiving will be enough to secure their services. However, that is not the case.

Some academic types say that in order to motivate change something has to be 20% better than the average. In terms of IT recruitment that doesn’t necessarily mean just mean offering 20% above the average salary.

IT contractors and IT staff, particularly the next generation, are more likely to value intangible factors when considering new roles, things like; the working environment, company culture, recognition of their efforts, the chance to work with developing technologies, the likelihood of regular and fresh challenges, the company brand, projects the company is involved with or has historically been involved with, opportunities for career progression and even the opportunity for travel.

All of these factors should be actively communicated in your company literature, by your current employees and by your job adverts. Ultimately financial considerations will still be the overriding factor when considering a new role but that doesn’t mean it should be the only carrot on your stick.

Let us know your thoughts on this topic by joining in the conversation on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/langleyjames) or on Twitter (@ITrecruitment).

To find out how Langley James can help you to motivate change and streamline your IT recruitment process please contact us on  0845 124 9555 or langleyjames@langleyjames.com

 

Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting – Part One – Motivate Change

Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting – Part One – Motivate Change

We are constantly asked what the market for IT recruitment is like and our answer can vary greatly; sometimes things are good and sometimes they aren’t so good. Whilst we’re lucky that the IT industry is reasonably stable, it does tend to reflect the economy and general mood of the nation.

January is traditionally subdued and it is usually a time when both companies and candidates take stock, trim the fat and make plans for the year ahead.

It is a little ambitious to rely on once in a lifetime events to boost business and it is often the case that the companies which make a concerted effort during times of economic stagnation reap the rewards when the good times roll around again. They are proactive rather than reactive, they are innovative and they motivate change.

To use a tenuous analogy, the current IT recruitment market can be compared to a shopping centre at this time of year.

People purchased their winter wardrobe before the Christmas and New Year period. They may have slightly exceeded their budget and now January is a time of austerity, a period to be got through, before they can buy a new wardrobe in the spring. They might go to the shopping centre to have a look around but they aren’t too keen to buy anything. In order for the retailers to get people through the door they have to have a compelling offer.

Still with us?!

The current IT recruitment market is just like that shopping centre. There are a lot of potential customers (candidates) who are happy to browse yet they all appear too scared to commit themselves to actively seeking a new role.

One of the main contributing factors to this inertia is that most of the roles which are currently being advertised are identical to those in which candidates are already engaged; they offer the same position, the same career progression (or lack of) and the same salary and benefits package.

Therefore, it is up to those companies who are looking to recruit candidates to fill their vacant positions to motivate change in order to make themselves more attractive to potential employees without simply resorting to paying above market rates, something many are unwilling or unable to do in the current economic climate.

Next week we’ll take a look at how companies can motivate change and how that relates to the issues currently affecting the recruitment decisions of both candidates and employers.

Let us know your thoughts on this topic by joining in the conversation on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/langleyjames) or on Twitter (@ITrecruitment).

To find out how Langley James can help you to motivate change and streamline your IT recruitment process please contact us on  0845 124 9555 or langleyjames@langleyjames.com

Big Enough To Cope, Small Enough To Care

Big enough to cope, small enough to care

Langley James was founded in 1999 to provide something unique: a bespoke IT recruitment service founded on service excellence.

Now, 16 years later we have helped some of the most respected companies in the world recruit someone worth recruiting.

So, what makes us different?

We don’t employ sales people, just highly trained recruitment experts, who combine leading edge IT knowledge with a professionalism and dedication that is second to none.  Whilst many agencies spend 80% of their time chasing new business, our reputation and position in the market means that we can spend 80% of the time focusing on your requirements.

Your absolute satisfaction is what we focus on every step of the way.  In fact, we have developed all our services from your perspective so that you get everything you need in order to make your IT recruitment problems a thing of the past. 

With more and more emphasis on a candidate led market, we look after your brand as if it was our own.  Our expert team will represent you at the highest level to each and every candidate.

How we work

We use a highly effective approach to finding the best talent for each vacancy and with the increasing use of social media, we have the expertise to know how to get the best results.

We also provide you with your own, dedicated client manager; an experienced professional who will be your regular point of contact.  With over 50 years’ experience in house, we ensure a consultative, professional approach.  Your consultant gets to really know your company and your culture meaning that you not only get the best candidate to fulfil the role but also the best fit within your company. 

We are members of the REC and FSB and our memberships also include the CIPD which helps ensure we are on the pulse with the market conditions and can give invaluable market intelligence to our clients.  This can be salary surveys, candidate availability or market demands.

We provide a full recruitment service including identifying and screening candidates and managing the full recruitment process.  Your specified deadlines for vacancy prioritisation, interview times and specified start dates are all integrated into our process.  Our internal database that has been created over the last 16 years, means that you have access to the best people, quickly!

We are also here when you need us, which is why you can call us before most other IT recruitment companies open and after they have usually gone home.  Our offices in both the North and South are here to look after you 8am-8pm, Monday to Friday.

How Was It For You?

In a year where we saw U2 give away their album to everyone on iTunes and we successfully landed on a comet, the IT skills gap and recruitment were major concerns for CIO’s, remaining unchanged from 2013.

With some trepidation, confidence started to grow among employers and we saw cautious investment in headcount at the beginning of the year.  As a result of the recovering job market clients were demanding more in a marketplace where skilled candidates were proving difficult to find.  As confidence grew further we were being asked to fill more and more vacancies created by expansion as opposed to replacing those that had resigned.  We also saw a reduction in contract requirements with companies preferring to recruit permanently to secure the best talent.

In a generally supressed candidate market, there was anticipation to take the plunge to change jobs.  The skilled candidates were staying put with security a high priority and the market became flooded with less skilled, immediately available candidates.  The skills shortage experienced in 2013 became much more previlant last year.  Online advertising simply wasn’t working anymore as the quality of those actively searching for employment dropped further.

This created an increase in the need for headhunting – I wonder how many times one of your team took a call from a headhunter last year?  Highly skilled candidates were being offered superb opportunities and were attracted to companies offering fantastic benefits packages, promotion opportunities and an emphasis on work-life balance.  Companies were having to work harder to ignite interest in the best people to consider making a move. 

Those skilled candidates that were motivated to move were in such high demand that they would receive 3-4 offers in a week and disappear off the market within the matter of a few days.  Companies would have to interview and offer quickly to be in with a chance of getting the best candidate and even then it wasn’t always guaranteed.  With companies keen to retain their IT team, 2014 saw the re-emergence of the counter-offer which saw many candidates decline offers after attempting to resign.

Despite technology, recruiting is still and always will be about the people and during this turbulent year, Langley James helped more client than ever recruit their superstar.  Our database means that we have access to some fantastic candidates who are unique to us and ensures that you Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting.

Hoverboards, Flying Cars and Power Shoelaces – The Predictions For 2015

It’s official!  Christmas is well and truly over.  The hangover has finally subsided and we are all back into the swing of things.

With most of the country taking advantage of a 2 week break, it seems as though a job move was top of the New Year resolution list with a huge influx of people registering with agencies on January 5th.  Is it simply the realisation that the current job isn’t quite right, or are candidates relighting their ambition and taking advantage of what is traditionally the most exciting month of the year for IT recruitment.  After a period of insecurity and reluctance to move jobs, 2015 looks to be the year of change. 

According to the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), more than a 33% of workers are planning to leave their job in 2015, so even if your team is just 3, expect to be replacing at least 1 of them before the year is out and this doesn’t even take into account the growth expected over the next 12 months by UK companies. 

So why are they looking to leave?

  • 59% are looking for improved opportunities for progression
  • 56% are looking for a higher salary and benefits package
  • 50% are looking for a more interesting role
  • 25% of people are feeling unappreciated

 Expect to have to work a little harder this year to keep hold of your superstars! 

Despite the increase in active candidates, companies will need to work hard to attract the best and 2015 will signal the end of that well-worn interview question “Why should I employ you?” and focus on enticing people into your company.  Candidates want to know what makes you different and what you can offer compared with your competitors and we’re not just talking salary.  Benefits are becoming increasingly important with a particular emphasis on training and accreditations.  

Whilst “skill shortage” has been a buzz phrase in IT recruitment for quite a while now, it doesn’t look as if it will disappear soon and will remain well into 2015.  Not only due to a shortage of trainees being recruited 3-5 years ago but need for companies to retain or improve their competitive advantage will increase the demand on analytical and cyber-security roles.  

With the invasion of Generation C and the need for products and services to be embedded in digital technology and infrastructure, companies are starting to realise the importance of in-house digital expertise.  Looks like the war for exceptional talent will definitely continue.

 This is where Langley James can help.  With experience spanning 3 decades and over 50 years of experience in-house, we take the time to really understand your requirement and can offer consultative advice on attracting the best of the best.  We know our market and really are experts at what we do and it helps that we have a real passion for ensuring you Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting.