This week has been a BAD week for the unemployed of the United Kingdom and the news seems to be about to get worse. Louise Peacock in this week’s Daily Telegraph that confirmed that young people were about to bare the brunt of changes

The total number of unemployed people in the UK has risen a further 27,000 to a record high of 2.53 million, which means that 20% of all unemployment is within the ‘youth’ sector. This issue has been made significantly worse by the fact that public sector employment levels are falling with an extra 45,000 falling off the figures of those employed within the public sector.

There is clearly a void between the vacancies available, those searching for employment and the expectations of all concerned.

Today, I am going to pose a question, should those of us in the recruitment industry take on a wider level of responsibility? We have the skills required to help, lead, guide, and motivate the young people who are clearly rattling around the job market with very little guidance?

We as recruiters are paid on results, we are paid to deliver the right CV for the right job, but do we have a wider social responsibility? Should we be helping the people who don’t match? Should we try and help those who send their CVs with obvious mistakes? Should we try and find the time to offer our inside knowledge?

And should we do this for nothing? No financial reward? Just helping our fellow man in a time when all around is being more difficult? Recruitment exists because we service the requirements of staffing for our clients, but what about the people that don’t find work, the people that are caught up in a cycle that doesn’t support their ambitions and desire to work for a living?

I’d love your thoughts on this both as a principle, its feasibility and its suitability for the current market and your view on whether this is true innoivation and the future of the recruitment industry as we know it?

@GLHoffman had reposted a blog entry that I’d missed when published by Seth Godin. (For those who don’t know him, he’s one of these people that if he doesn’t know it, it really isn’t worth knowing…) and he’d written an article exclusively for “What would Dad say”

For ease I’ve copied and pasted this below, and it really is an interesting insight to how some people think, feel and act when it comes to NOT finding a job!

DON’T TRY TO GET A JOB

Don’t you dare.

There are a few reasons for this. The first is that the act of trying to get a job corrupts you. It pushes you to be average, to fit in and to do what you’re told.

The second is that this act moves the responsibility from you to that guy who didn’t hire you. It’s his fault. As soon as you start spending your day trying to please the guy, you’ve blown it.

The third is that the economy is terrible and the best jobs you’re going to get are lousy.

So, what should you do?

Today, right now, while the opportunity costs (look it up on Wikipedia) are the lowest they will ever be, go start something.

Start a business. A tiny one.

Train people in social media. Run an eBay selling business. Sell coffee from a truck every morning at the train station. Run spring break tours by bus for other college students. Start a newsstand on campus. Run a birthday cake delivery service. Train executives in public speaking. Start a dog poop shoveling business.

Start something. Run it. Be responsible.

1. You’ll probably make more money
2. You’ll certainly learn more
3. If you’re good at it, people will offer you a job
and
4. If you’re not, then why on earth would someone actually hire you? Go get good at it.

Have fun. No whining. This is your moment, go make a difference.

You can thank me later.

So, with that thought, please think before you jump!

Maybe you don’t need another job, maybe you need to take stock and create your own future!

A story in this morning’s Sun Newspaper has highlighted perhaps a change of tide in the way that applicants will apply for jobs. Hot off the back of Twitter’s 140 characters, mobile phone firm Teimlo (http://www.teimlo.com/news/61-were-hiring-by-text.html) has set wanna be workers a unique challenge – tell us in one SMS (160 characters) why they should employ you!

Whether or not this will be a success or a spam nightmare is still to be seen, but you have to applaud any firms attempts to make their recruitment process unique and stand out from the crowd.

In the past I’ve spoken about how people should be very careful about their career choices, people often make knee jerk reactions about their career without thinking about the longer-term picture. People are often guilty of losing sight about the value of the CV and what it says about you.

Charity work, Self funded development, and memberships of association suggest that you are committed and focused on your career. The press report about increases in applications to become a teacher from previously untouched professions; lawyers, bankers, and typical City folk!

So spare a thought for the gentleman who failed to mention that part of his job was to be a porn star (to his fiancée). Now, whilst this is not necessarily something you should put on your CV in any case, its amazing what lasting effect this will now have on the rather unfortunate Jason Brake who now finds his name as tabloid fodder and internet superstar.

What seemed a good idea at the time for Mr. Brake has now had the most enormous effect on his life, his career and his employability.

People continue to discuss the concept of Personal Branding and the effect your online presence can have for your career development; LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter all leave an impression of you long after you’ve changed your mind.

Indeed a simple Google search of ‘Jason Brake’ brings up a host of entries about the man who decided to keep this rather unique secret from his soon to be wife.

Whilst many of us will indeed never venture into the realms of porn legend, it is incredibly important to remember that your decisions to take a job, write a comment, share a view may leave a footprint long after you’ve gone.

Thank you to one of my Twitter followers (I’m @ja_smith) for sending this to me! I am unsure of the exact Burger chain, as I am pretty sure that the delectable Gisele didn’t charge for her product endorsement!

Either way, I hope the HR manager was given the heads up, as I have a nasty suspicion they may well receive a significant number of applications for the vacancies they currently have! Image was taken from: www.bauergriffinonline.com

Earlier this week, Personnel Today produced an article that has appeared to have been lost in cyberspace, when it should have in fact sent shivers down the spine of the entire recruitment industry.

Surveys/Reports/Investigations are often not worth the paper they’re written on, however, this one seems to have an element of common sense behind it.

The headline reads: “Use of Recruitment Agencies won’t resume when recession ends.”

Human Resources and Recruitment experts have been forced by budget caps to source new methods to recruit new talent to their business. Many recruitment based professionals are confident of an upturn, and indeed some people I’ve met with recently seem to think that things will return to levels last seen in the ‘licence to print money’ era of the late 90’s. However, this suggests that not only is that not likely to happen, we may in fact struggle to see a recovery at all.

So, if you are gearing up for a new career move some time soon, you may have to be a lot more creative than speaking to your local agency. After all, companies are now looking to source the best people via the most cost effective methods around.

Stay tuned for more exciting news!

James.

Once again, Employers and Employees are making headlines. Today it’s for a very good reason and I think that Kellogg’s should be applauded! Not only has this already been in place for six years, but due to the increase in use of Employer Branding, some bright spark in Public Relations has decided to share the news!

The owners of one of the World’s most prized recipes has made what is actually a token gesture and made it to Sky News’ front page! Kellogg’s allow their employees to take Friday afternoon off during the Summer months of May to September. So, 12 Noon every Friday their 660 strong workforce clock out and take a long weekend!

I am not necessarily into the science behind this, but one of their ‘experts’ has shown that output doesn’t decrease and unauthorised sickness is not an issue for them!

I am not sure if an afternoon off a week is quite deserving of Sky News’ home page, but anything that brings Employer Branding to the furore is good news by me.

After all, as one Kellogg’s worker said “They’re G.G.G.G.Greeeaaaat”

So, the recruitment industries very own Dragon has branched out of his den into the world of mainstream TV. Last night saw him present ‘James Caan’s Jobs’. In truth, I really wish he hadn’t. (For those who never had the privilege, you can watch it here: http://tinyurl.com/am7bse)

He told one woman that she should write on her CV that she was 6ft2, as he ‘liked’ it. Told an ex-Investment Banker that his CV was rubbish. One man, in Hull was even filmed going to the corner shop to get the paper on a Wednesday (because that was the day the jobs were advertised). Really, does it need a millionaire investor who used to run a recruitment firm to tell them to do that? Surely a consultant from Adecco could have offered the same advice?

For a bit of fun, they managed to get a bunch of experts around a table to offer their expert opinions on what should happen to stop the falling job market falling into the total abyss. They had a man from a union that said that our employment laws weren’t strict enough, and that more should be done to protect the employee. Whilst I feel that this is clearly important, right now we need more companies recruiting and retaining staff and, um, that’s about it!

I do think, however, the final nail in the coffin for James’s independent non-fire breathing TV career was when he told an ex Woolworths employee that he should work for Waitrose (that had moved into the old Woolies building). When said redundant employee had said he had, and had an interview planned, the response was “Well, I told you it was good advice.”

Please don’t patronise the people that have been made redundant by offering totally useless advice, and for telling a man that he should post his CV instead of emailing it, I have never heard such utter drivle in my life. This from a man that set up  Alexander Mann that specialise in outsourcing, en-mass hiring of staff and automated process!

Well, James shall I tell you where I am?

Today’s Friday fun is not so much, but more of a lighthearted overview of what happens when you take all the right ingredients, and mix them together wrong. 

 
For today’s Masterchef you’ll need:
 
1 Multi billion pound engineering company
850 Agency Workers
2 Large Recruitment Agencies
4 Branch Managers
8 Recruitment Consultants
Unlimited Media reports for garnish
 
I am of course referring to the most publicized and commented case of BMW Mini and their 850 workers employed directly through two major agencies (it has been reported to be Manpower and Right4Staff). Employers utilize temporary workers for a whole host of reasons; but perhaps the most obvious reason is the flexibility that said temporary workforce offers large organizations.
 
There are differing accounts of actually what happened, who was to blame and the exact delivery of the said ‘layoff’, but what is for sure there is only one major loser. BMW.
 
Of course, the agencies will see a reduction in weekly margins, and the temporary workers will become another statistic, they will find jobs and the recruitment companies will find more clients. BMW, however, have severely damaged their reputation. The story that was lovingly portrayed by the likes of the Daily Mail was that this big, awful, German company gave their staff one hours notice that they were unemployed. It is news like this that just fuels the publics anger towards large corporate institutions in this current recession. What the media have failed to highlight is that BMW met their legal requirements, and followed the letter of the law.  
 
Agency workers are employed by the agency, not by BMW and for BMW to be dragged into the public debate is outrageous. However, that said I do believe that BMW have been a little naive. A multi billion pound business has put its reputation in the hands of two recruitment companies. These recruitment companies almost certainly have no interest in protecting the BMW employer brand, it makes zero difference to them and the only thing they have lost is a few quid off their bottom line.
 
The automotive industry is taking a bashing right now, and for a company to act totally correct and proper and be on the receiving end of some of the most awful press I’ve seen since the downturn started is devastating.
 
That said, I do think these examples highlight my belief that agencies are on the decline, they do not have the resources the skills, the calibre of staff to manage such vital processes.
 
I think there is a lesson to be learned by candidates and clients in this situation. Think very carefully whom you entrust with your brand and your reputation, one false move and you might find you’ve gone from the ultimate driving machine to the ultimate employees nightmare.

One more week into the year, and we’ve seen another huge number of redundancies, firms struggling and normal people finding themselves back in the very difficult job market.

What’s so incredible is that firms need to hold onto their best talent now more than ever, but because of stress, worries or a drop in overall company performance you are seeing some difficult decisions being taken, and not always for the right reasons.

It’s Friday, so we’re going to end on a lighthearted note and my case in point this week is Chelsea Football Club, and no matter where you are in your career, your level of security of fear of a job loss please spare a thought for Big Phil Scolari. 

 Here is a man at the very top of his game, arguably one of the best football managers in the world and yet with less than a year in the job he’s been managed out for ‘underperformance’. 

Chelsea are a football team first, and a business second – but a business, none the less and it concerns me that any business can take such an aggressive stance on management of top performing employees.

To keep the lighthearted element to the blog entry, I also find it highly amusing that football clubs, in order to manage headcount cost, are now turning to the use of temps! First Newcastle lead the way with Joe Kinnear and now Chelsea have a temp in until the summer! I am just glad that neither of them sit on my temp payroll!
 

Chelsea has today revealed the cost of the early termination antics of Jose Mourinho and Avram Grant, somewhere in the colossal region of £23 million. All I can say is that with the last couple of weeks, I am really glad I am not their HR manager! Is it possible that a company such as Chelsea have an employer brand? If you were a leading football manager at another club what is the perception of Chelsea within their market place? Is there anything they can do to change their perception as a hire ‘n’ fire company, or are they at the point where cash is king and they’ll buy their way out of it?

As a Liverpool fan, I actually don’t care!
 
Have a brill weekend and I hope you remember that it’s Valentines Day tomorrow!