As we approach the half year mark and the traditional lull that summer holidays can create, it seems like an appropriate time to assess the current market conditions.

It will not come as a surprise to most people, when we confirm the market is better off now than it was at anytime during 2010 and 2009. Unemployment figures have dropped dramatically over the last 6 months, the biggest single fall for over 10 years with IT performing particularly well. However, while the amount of people in work is rising, the amount they are getting paid is not. The rise in earnings including bonuses has been very small, mainly due to little or no pay rises and smaller bonuses across the private sector.

Depending on the sector you are in, you will have experienced some very different swings in fortune of late. It is no secret that while in the depths of a recession, the Government attempted to stimulate the market by increasing it’s spend on public sector projects adding to what seemed like a never ending amount of IT projects, quangos and large change programmes. However clearly the burden of national debt and the coalition government’s decision to make sweeping cuts throughout the public sector has meant redundancies, IT projects being canned, change programmes cancelled. The number of people in employed in the public sector fell by 24,000 over the first quarter to reach 6.16 million but the number of people employed in the private sector increased by 104,000 over the first quarter to reach 23.08 million.

The huge shift in fortunes, especially for those working on large IT projects within the public sector will be difficult to manage for some. We are seeing many more candidates with good public sector experience trying to get back into the private sector and flooding the market with CV’s. However, the general perception from the private sector is that public sector projects lack commercial pressures such as those experienced in business lead technology projects across financial services, pharma and media. This is not helped by the perceived failure of some high profile public projects that promised much and delivered little. This will make it even harder for those individuals wanting to come back into the private sector after their perceived public sabbaticals.

The private sector is going strong with Media, Technology and Financial Services performing particularly well. There are now more permanent and contract jobs being advertised than at any point in the last 2 years and there is no reason to suggest this will change dramatically.

Developers with in depth .Net and Java are still very much in demand with SharePoint and SSRS being of particular interest to a number of high profile companies. Windows XP is moving into Microsoft’s extended support lifecycle and confirmation that it will no longer be supported as of April 2014 from Microsoft means many companies are finally planning desktop upgrades to Windows 7. We are seeing a strong need for rollout engineers with experience of Microsoft 7 and SCCM. Microsoft’s new ‘SMS’ could be the delivery choice for many companies embarking on a roll out and an excellent skill to have moving into 2012.

Top 10 things to consider before you hand in your notice:

1. Chase Zander would always suggest that you have your next job lined up with contracts signed before you resign but sometimes that might not be possible but at the very least get yourself as far down the process as possible

2. If you haven’t got your next role lined up then do consider your finances and try to reduce your out-goings if need be to allow for a reasonable period (and over-estimate this to be safe) to find the job you want

3. What sort of reference would you like your current employers to give on your behalf? How you resign and act in your notice period can be the abiding memory people at your company have of you so act in good faith

4. Write a list of the things that you have liked and disliked in your career to date as this will help you define what you want in your next role. Also consider what your absolute ideal role would entail and consider whether you are qualified to get a job like that?

5. Consider the overall direction you want to take your career in and why. Don’t just take ‘another’ job unless circumstances force you to. Research shows that the most successful people tend to have a clear long term career plan. Follow both your head and your heart!

6. Touch base with all of your industry contacts and colleagues as early as you can before you resign. Ideally do this regularly as a matter of course and not just when you are desperate for a job. Well connected people normally find a job more easily and can reference possible companies more easily to help them find the right cultural fit. A personal recommendation is also a great way to join a company

7. Depending on the sensitivity / nature of your role be prepared that your employer may ask you to leave immediately so ensure that you have contact details for your colleagues or other key contacts who may be useful in your job search

8. Update your CV and start applying for jobs and send it to the relevant agencies in your field as soon as you canGet some interview practice under your belt even if it is just with a friend or your partner so that you are ready to interview for the job you really want!

9. Get some interview practice under your belt even if it is just with a friend or your partner so that you are ready to interview for the job you really want!

10. Remember leaving your employer without a definite job to go to can end up being an expensive exercise and leave a gap on your CV which is awkward to explain if you don’t secure something relatively quickly so do as much as you can before you leave to move towards securing that new position!

If you have found this article valuable then you may be interested to read some of our other job seeker help guides including some great video guides starring members of the Chase Zander team!

Leading London based recruitment consultancy, Chase Zander, today announced plans to increase its focus upon and presence within the UK insurance market and particularly on General Insurance.

Managing Director of Chase Zander, Adam Tallamy, said that “at this time of increased regulatory activity in the insurance sector and the demands that places upon companies and their IT systems and processes we are finding that our clients there have growing recruitment demands which we are well placed to meet. Our intention is to build upon Chase Zander’s 9 year association with the market and to expand upon it both in terms of headcount and specialism over the coming 2 years.”

PRESS RELEASE: Chase Zander appoints Kevin O’Shea as a Director and relocates to new offices in the City of London.

Chase Zander, a leading UK recruitment consultancy has appointed Kevin O’Shea to the role of Director. Kevin has over 10 years experience in recruitment starting out with Best International and going on to set up and manage Asentis Recruitment; another City based recruitment company.

Kevin has a strong background recruiting across all of our core business areas with particular strength in IT and Change. Ahead of the curve in 2001, Kevin spotted an opportunity to develop a specialist software engineering recruitment function finding and training candidates in a relatively new technology at the time, Microsoft .Net (dotnet). After many year specialising in .Net and Java, Kevin diversified into change and project management in response to changing market conditions and a wealth of project related roles. To date he has worked across a huge variety of verticals including Insurance, Banking, Media, Healthcare, Transport, FMCG, Consulting, Accounting and Gaming.

When asked about his new role, Kevin said “I am thrilled to be working with Adam under such a strong brand as Chase Zander. In recent years they have made significant advances in their business and I am looking forward to helping Adam to take it to the next level.”

Managing Director, Adam Tallamy said that “Kevin is one of the rare breed of recruiters who combines real talent in recruitment with a highly ethical and no-nonsense approach. We have been in conversation for many years with a view to working together at some point and we are both excited to finally do so and thereby to create a solid management foundation for our business to be successful moving forward.”

Chase Zander also announced that it has closed its Birmingham office and will be relocating to 60, Cannon Street in the City of London which will be our new headquarters.

About Chase Zander

Passionate people. Inspirational thinking. Extraordinary results.
At Chase Zander, we recruit for IT, Business Change and Executive Appointments. We’ve been leaders in the field since 2002, delivering Search and Selection, Permanent, Interim and Contract recruitment solutions for top-flight candidates and clients across the UK.

About Kevin O’Shea

Kevin has over 10 years of experience in recruitment and has particular strength in IT and Change. After many year specialising in .Net and Java, Kevin diversified into change and project management in response to changing market conditions and a wealth of project related roles. To date he has worked across a huge variety of verticals including Insurance, Banking, Media, Healthcare, Transport, FMCG, Consulting, Accounting and Gaming.

Name: Adam Tallamy
Phone: 0870 997 9000
Web: www.chasezander.com

Chase Zander is pleased to announce it has relocated to new offices at 60, Cannon Street in the City of London.

1. The process starts now! Or ideally a few months ago in reality but if you have just made the decision to find a new job in the new year then Xmas is a great time to get on the phone and arrange to catch up with all your old colleagues to start the networking process.

2. Get Xmas cards out early to all the people you know who might be able to assist you in your job search or who could potentially hire you to work for them.

3. Use the Xmas break to update your CV and your profile on Linkedin and to invite all your key contacts to connect with you there. You can then use Linkedin to see who they know that might also provide you with other possible directions.

4. Take time over Xmas to take stock of your life, of your current role and company and whether you are on the right track as some clear time to think is often just what is needed to put things in perspective and help you make the right move.

5. Spend some time over the xmas break to apply for the roles online that look relevant to you so that you are firing on all cylinders come the start of January!

Good luck, have a great Xmas break and feel free to contact the team at Chase Zander if you want any further tips or advice on your job search.

If you have found this article valuable then you may be interested to read some of our other job seeker help guides including some great video guides starring members of the Chase Zander team!

Top ten / 10 tips for London based recruitment consultants looking for your next London based recruitment job

1. Consider the type of recruitment job you are interested in and the type of company, the markets it works in and the culture you would want to work in for your next role.

2. Are there any London based Rec to Rec agencies that I know or would trust to represent me? If not it is worth asking around and potentially calling a few to see how professionally they deal with you in that first call and around your interview with them if you decide to proceed.

3. Do a search online for London based recruitment companies that are commutable and that fit your criteria. Don’t forget to visit our site as well at www.chasezander.com/work-for-us

4. The quality of a recruitment agencies / consultancies website will tell you a lot about them so take your time to look through their site and if you are still drawn to them having done so and what they say compares favourably with other recruitment companies that is normally a good starting point.

5. We all know there are lots of dodgy recruitment agencies out there so the next stage is to do some wider research on your potential target companies;

• • Linkedin is a good place to start with this. Check out their team and see what recommendations they have been given on Linkedin. If lots of people are raving about them that suggests they really care about their candidates and clients and do business in a professional way.
  • Ask a trusted Rec to Rec for an honest appraisal of which companies would best fit your search criteria but keep in mind that they may try to steer you towards their current clients.
  • Ask any of your clients and candidates if they work with any of your competitors who they rate highly and why. That’s a great way to get an honest appraisal.

6.  Once you have a clear view of who your targets are, and if not already represented by a Rec to Rec with them, make a call to them or send them your CV and see how they handle the initial approach as that will give you a good feel for them as a company.

7. If they are recruiting and / or invite you for an interview really take your time to ask them lots of questions about them, their culture and how they work and remember it is a sellers market as far as good recruiters goes so value yourself and make sure you know exactly what you are potentially signing up for.

8. Make sure you understand the long term prospects for the role you are signing up to do and also where the company itself plans to be in 5 years time and what sort of foundation they have in place to achieve that.

9. As in point 5 do you know anyone who is connected to this company and if so would they act as a reference point for you with them to help strengthen your case.

10.  Wherever you join make sure that you leave your current employer on good terms and work your notice period professionally and diligently. Respect your restrictive covenants and contract and expect the same respect back in terms of references and goodwill.

Good luck and feel free to contact the team at Chase Zander if you want any further tips or advice on the search for your next recruitment job and we would obviously love to hear from you if Chase Zander fits your job search criteria.

If you have found this article valuable then you may be interested to read some of our other job seeker help guides including some great video guides starring members of the Chase Zander team!

PRESS RELEASE: Chase Zander attends the UK online recruitment awards event

Chase Zander, a leading UK recruitment consultancy, having been nominated for both the ‘Best Small Recruitment Company Website of the Year Award‘ and the ‘Best Small Employer Website of the Year Award‘ attended the national online recruitment awards evening last week held by NORAS in central London.

Organisers said that they felt the awards were among the most hotly contested during the 10 years they have taken place. In the event we didn’t win either award but it was a great accolade just to have been a finalist considering that over 400 websites were nominated.

The end result of lots of hard work, enthusiasm, love and care is that we now have a leading edge website with a great candidate focus which stands its own against the websites of the biggest recruiters in the UK.

Adam Tallamy, Managing Director of Chase Zander said that ‘the website with its online candidate video guides and really straight-forward usability gives us a competitive edge that few of our competitors can match. Candidates get a feel for a company that wants to add value to their job search and career just by looking at the website.’

About Chase Zander

Passionate people. Inspirational thinking. Extraordinary results.

At Chase Zander, we recruit for IT, Business Change and Executive Appointments. We’ve been leaders in the field since 2002, delivering Search and Selection, Permanent, Interim and Contract recruitment solutions for top-flight candidates and clients across the UK.

Name: Adam Tallamy

Phone: 0870 997 9000

Fax: 0870 997 9888

Web: www.chasezander.com

We have put together another informative video presentation packed with hints, tips, ideas and advice on things to consider in the first 90 days of your new job!

see more job seeker guides and tips

Yesterday a colleague asked me what was the best place that I had worked. The answer was Chase Zander. The reasons are as follows:

1. Authenticity. In a recent interview the real Belle de Jour (Brooke Magnanti) defended prositution on the basis that in other fields of work, people prostitute their minds and their bodies, but it is socially acceptable. I have felt that I am prostituting myself with other employers at times. Chase Zander has a moral / value compass, which it expresses in its professional dealings and through its internal recruitment. I was recruited partly because I was aligned to Chase Zander’s values, I found that I didn’t need to put my work hat on to go to work, I could be myself.

2. Values. Chase Zander was built up from a set of values, which are sacrosanct. The core focus at Chase Zander was always to do good things, produce real value and then the rewards would come. I think this has helped to create a strong brand. Retrospectively I see my time at Chase Zander was the only time in recruitment, where the business’ brand opened doors. Many recruitment businesses have a converse top line focused origin. Clients and Candidates quickly pick up on this and can become defensive.

3. Learning and development. There is a commitment to continual improvement and development. This is expressed through financial investment in external training courses and in investment of time. The entire team would gather round every Friday with Fish and Chips and pick a topic, such as “how can we provide the best service” or “what would be the best interview technique” As a team with GENUINELY no hierarchical nonsense we would create what we deemed to be best practise.

4. Fun. There is endless value in the Managing Director’s cheesy music tastes and suspiciously late allegiance to a successful football team and the devastating impact of him imbibing more than a thimble of beer. There were many non business related challenges, 50KM jaunt’s in the Pennines, 10K runs. All completed as a team and for the benefit of others.