Interview workshops to be launched

£24bn a year is spent on managing poor performers - source: Future Foundation project - Getting the Edge in the New People Economy.

Many PR consultants who take on recruitment responsibilities have not had interview training. To address this issue, The Works will shortly be launching interview workshops for consultancies and in-house teams wanting to improve the effectiveness of the job interviews they conduct.

Aimed at giving clients a better understanding of where interviews fit in the selection process, the workshops will also include:

• How to structure interviews
• The importance of objectivity
• Do's and Don'ts of interview questioning
• The importance of providing feedback
• How to get the best out of your interviewee and;
• How to best represent yourself and your company.

"The workshops provide a blue-print for how to find the best person for the job", says Sarah Leembruggen, The Works' Managing Partner.

Each half-day workshop is bespoke, designed for up to twelve people and delivered at the organisations own premises.

The workshops are partly in response to the Works' recent survey, in which 88% of PR and communications professionals polled believed that interviewers would benefit from interview training to improve the process.

For more information or to request a quote, please contact Lynne Wilkins or Sarah Leembruggen on 020 7559 6690.

UK employment market 'recovering'

The UK jobs market is starting to show signs of recovery - the first time in 17 months - according to a survey of recruitment agencies.

The survey, based on monthly research from KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation found 'marginal increases' in appointments in August.

The 'Markit Economics' report also found that the decline in the number of vacancies is easing, and that the decline in pay is the slowest in 10 months.

Redundancy rates dropping

Redundancy rates are dropping considerably suggesting a return in employer confidence and an increase in hiring rates according to recent figures from The Works.

Only 12% of candidates registered with the specialist PR and communications recruitment company were out of work due to redundancy in August/ September '09, compared to a peak of 40% in June / July '09.

Lynne Wilkins, The Works' Managing Partner, says:
"The figures are encouraging. Whilst it's too early say whether these statistics are evidence of an economic upturn, they do suggest a rise in employment confidence, something we hope will continue in the coming months."

Time for a career change?

The Guardian's annual survey on boardroom pay has revealed that executives of Britain's top companies saw their basic salaries leap 10% last year, despite the worst global recession in decades and growing pressure from shareholders to cap directors' remuneration.

Whilst bonus payouts were lower, basic salary hikes were more than three times the 3.1% average pay rise for ordinary workers in the private sector.

Overall, the best-paid employees remain those working for City-based firms. The survey cites the average pay at money broker ICAP was more than £200,000. The firm employs 4,300 staff. Hedge fund group Man had the second best-paid staff. Its 1,776 employees earned an average of £198,000 each - almost double the rate of five years ago.

Jumping ship from a secure, well-rewarded job to set up, of all things, a financial services PR company at the height of the financial crisis might to most people seem like career suicide. But then this month's rising star isn't most people.

After careful planning and preliminary research, Kate Boyle explains why her career move was not a leap of faith against the odds but a much safer, considered one.

Name: Kate Boyle

Position: Independent Consultant, Financial Services PR

Can you summarise your career path to date? In the 10 years I’ve been working in the City, I’ve gained experience in a variety of fields including finance, advertising and recruitment. For the last six years though, I’ve specialised in financial services PR, specifically pensions and investments which I’m passionate about, firstly as an account manager for GR Communications and now as an independent consultant.

Describe your role: As anyone who has started their own company knows, my role includes everything from pitching, making presentations and networking, to photocopying and making the coffee.

What’s been your career highlight to date? Winning my first client as an independent consultant. I was recommended to pitch by a journalist contact and, even though the tender process was at a fairly advanced stage at that point, I got it. It was before I had a website or had done any marketing, but I knew it was too good an opportunity to miss. To think that I won entirely on my own merits was - is - a fantastic feeling.

And your greatest challenge? Jumping ship! Without wanting to sound repetitious, turning a hope and idea into a reality by setting up my own company has been challenging, yes, but incredibly rewarding. I still wake up and wonder whether I was crazy to take such a leap, especially with the volatility of the financial markets over the past year, but without tempting fate, so far, so good.

And ambition? In some ways, I’ve already achieved my ambition in as much as I’m now my own boss but developing long-standing relationships and having a solid book of clients is an ultimate goal.

What advice can you offer to other comms professionals who want to get ahead in the current climate? Knowing your market and knowing where you fit is an important part of succeeding at any time. I know many people had their reservations about my timing when it came to setting up my business but I’d done my research and knew there was a gap in the market for boutique financial services PR agencies who could offer great service for organizations with smaller budgets, specifically because of current market challenges. Be careful to target the right people and make sure that your USPs meet their requirements. Lastly, have a personality!

How do you feel about what you have achieved so far in your career? I’m pleased that I’m ticking many of the boxes I wanted to achieve but it’s not a case of resting on laurels - I’ve many targets and lots of work still to do.

What recent current affairs issue are you most interested in, and why? What’s going on in the pensions market - everything from solvency management and governance to legislation and personal accounts.

What challenges are you facing in your current position? I think helping people understand the benefits of working with a smaller provider, knowing that smaller does not mean less capable, will be an ongoing challenge, as will keeping up to date with everything and being an ambassador for your business. The day you stop believing in your business is the day it will go down the tubes.

Do you have an unusual, impressive or inspirational career path? Are you able to offer sage career advice to other communications professionals? If so, we'd love to hear from you! To nominate a colleague or be featured as the next 'rising star' yourself, contact us at: sarah@the-works.co.uk or tel. 020 7559 6690. Alternatively, click on our website at: www.the-works.co.uk

In the month that Da Vinci Code author, Dan Brown, has brought out his new book (smashing book sales records in the process), we've written our own little gem. No codes to decipher, just straight up, tell-it-like-it-is advice. It may not be a bestseller, but read on to discover how to succeed at recruitment interviews. Or not, as the case may be.

In a nod to Dan's previous literary offering, welcome to 'Angels and Demons': A Candidate's Guide to Recruitment Interviews. Which type are you?

Angels

1. Be Prepared! You're well prepared: you have your ID and registration form with you and have an arsenal of examples to demonstrate your skills and experience. You also look the part. Well done, you are our Angel Candidate. Even more important, you're likely to be our clients', too.
2. Be Responsive! Some of our job hunters find their dream role quickly. Other, usually more senior staff, are in it for the long haul - when the right role comes up. Whichever camp your in, keeping us updated with your situation, requirements and circumstances is half the battle when it comes to finding the right role for you.
3. Be Flexible! We know that interview times aren't always ideal. Showing flexibility will demonstrate your eagerness for the role offered and if not successful, will show a recruitment company your willingness to go the extra mile - vital in today's increasingly crowded and competitive marketplace.

1. Timing: There's nothing worse than a candidate turning up to a recruitment interview fifteen or twenty minutes late. Unless it's fifteen or twenty minutes early. Just like a job interview, turning up early or late can be an inconvenience, especially in a busy office. Too early? Grab a coffee somewhere local. Too late? Why not call to let us know? As a candidates' greatest ambassador, it pays to keep recruitment companies on your side…
2. Too Casual: Covering everything from chewing gum or not turning off your mobile, to dressing down and being un-prepared, behaving casually in a recruitment interview can have a detrimental - and lasting effect. The saying, 'there's never a second chance to make a first impression', is just as true of recruitment interviews as client ones. Remember: a recruitment company won't recommend you or put you forward for positions if they don't have 100% confidence in your abilities and performance. Take the process seriously and you'll be offered expert advice as to how you could improve your performance. Don't take it seriously enough and you're putting yourself at a professional disadvantage.
3. Trust us: If you're asked by a reputable recruitment company about your CV, don't assume it's because they haven't read it. They have. It's just they require more information in order to ensure you're marketing your skills and achievements to their best potential. So, next time you're asked a leading CV based question, don't just point to your CV or flap it in our faces. How rude is that?!

Taking the lead, a whopping 66% of Technology PRs have plumped for the PR hotspot as the place to live. Consumer and financial PRs, meanwhile, are propping up the bars and coffee shops in Battersea and Clapham alongside their internal comms fellows, whilst Corporate PRs seem to have plumped for the Sloaney Pony, Parsons Green.

Here, we've listed the top three places to live in the capital according to your discipline.

Technology - 66% live in SW London
1. Earlsfield/ Southfield/ Wandsworth
2. Putney/ Roehampton
3. Brixton/ Streatham/ Tulse Hill

Financial - 40% live in SW London
1. Battersea/ Clapham
2. Fulham/ Parsons Green
3. Earlsfield/ Southfield/ Wandsworth

Consumer - 40% live in SW London
1. Battersea/ Clapham
2. Earlsfield/ Southfields/ Wandsworth
3. Fulham/ Parsons Green

Corporate - 37% live in SW London
1. Fulham/ Parsons Green
2. Battersea/ Clapham
3. Balham/ Tooting

Internal Communications - 32% live in SW London
1. Battersea/ Clapham
2. Greenwich
3. Twickenham

And the biggest PR "notspot"? East London! Now all we have to do is set up an office in Clapham Junction...

• Director - consumer affairs team leader for highbrow consultancy
  £competitive + bonus
  Ref 2523


• Associate director - financial oil & gas new business driver for quality driven outfit
  £generous basic + new business bonus
  Ref 2522


• Associate director - consumer FMCG with global focus for consultancy with fresh approach
  £competitive
  Ref 2528


• In-house corporate PR manager - fast paced retail press office - annual report experience
  £45,000 - £50,000 + car allowance
  Ref 2474


• New business account director - technology with great rewards for global's UK venture
  £50,000 + good bonus
  Ref 2469