The Corner Office

Employees may be feeling more loyal to their own career goals instead of their employers, as 40 percent do not feel loyal to their current employer and 23 per cent said they are likely to leave their current position to change jobs in a year or less. This is according to CareerBuilder.co.uk’s latest survey of more than 250 HR professionals and hiring managers and more than 600 employees.

“When workers feel disloyal to their employer, they are more likely to be less productive and proactive in their role, and ultimately, are probably keeping their eyes open for a new position elsewhere,” said Tony Roy, CareerBuilder EMEA President. ”While already weathering the storm of a downshifted economy, employers may need to factor in additional recruitment costs into their budgets to keep their workforce stacked with qualified talent.”

The price tag of frequent turnover can be quite high. According to the survey, 34 per cent of employers have an average cost per hire of 1,000 pounds or more; 20 per cent estimate their cost-per-hire at 2,500 pounds or more.

Once employers factor in the costs of hiring new employees, it can take a significant amount of time to make up those expenses. Forty-seven per cent of employers estimated that it takes them more than six months to recoup expenses associated with recruiting and training someone once they’re on board with the company; 22 per cent said it takes more than one year.

Workers cited a variety of reasons for why they felt disloyal to their current employer:

• Don’t feel my employer values me — 61 per cent
• Employer does not pay enough — 53 per cent
• My efforts are not recognized or appreciated —  46 per cent
• Not enough career advancement opportunities — 42 per cent
• Benefits are not good enough — 34 per cent
• Don’t like the work culture — 26 per cent
• Employer doesn’t provide enough ongoing training or education — 24 per cent
• Work is not challenging enough — 24 per cent
• Don’t like my boss — 21 per cent

It appears that presenteeism is becoming a greater problem than absenteeism in the UK workplace. Recent research carried out by Corporate Health indicates that the nation is becoming more STOIC (sick though often inbox checking). While the cost of absence is clear, and well measured – the cost of presenteeism is a hidden one that could be causing untold damage to the UK economy.

Too busy to take a sick day

The overwhelming majority of people surveyed claimed that their jobs were far too busy for them to think of taking a day off sick. Interestingly, none said that they were worried about their job, which implies that there may be a certain degree of improving job security in the UK workforce.

What it does imply is that we are becoming a nation of workaholics, unaware of the potential dangers of over-working ourselves. 100% of men and 91% of women said that they would go into work feeling sick, which could lead to increased levels of stress, and potential future long-term sickness and depression.

Indeed, a large majority of people have only taken five days or fewer due to sickness over the last year, with 37% (increasing to 45% of men) not having taken a single sick day. Almost all of us will, at some stage in the year, have fallen ill, whether it be a cold or flu-like symptoms, or potentially something worse. Read the rest

According to the latest quarterly Labour Market Outlook survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), the outlook for the British labour market has turned positive for the first time in more than a year. Private sector services companies are behind much of the predicted upturn, and almost two thirds of employers plan to hire in the second quarter of 2012. Hiring intentions are strongest in the finance, insurance and real estate sectors as well as the voluntary and not-for-profit sectors.

The following companies are also taking on staff this month.

Cambian Healthcare currently employs approximately 1500 staff who provide intensive psychiatric rehabilitation services for individuals with mental health needs and specialist residential education and care for young people with autistic spectrum disorders. Cambian’s hospitals, schools and community-based units are located throughout the UK.
Available positions: Cambian is hiring registered mental health nurses, RNLDs/RMN’s and support workers.

IBM is a global business operating in more than 170 countries. At present IBM UK has around 20,000 employees, bringing innovative solutions to a diverse client base to help solve some of their toughest business challenges.
Available positions: The company is looking for talented professionals across all areas of the business for IBM locations across the UK. Read the rest

Reports on the uncertainty of the current economy are dominating the headlines, and it is easy to allow those stories to weigh on you, especially if you are in the middle of a drawn-out job search. Instead of feeling helpless, remember that in any economy, companies need good workers. By fine-tuning your job search strategy, you may be able to land a position that seems out of reach.

Consider these job search traps and ways to avoid them:

1.     You put all your eggs in one basket.
If you’re like most job seekers, you probably heavily rely on the internet to help you in your job search. While this can come in handy — as a way to research potential employers, determine which companies are hiring and locate positions specific to your area — it should be just one of the many tools you employ. Also consider scanning trade and business publications, networking with professional contacts, and registering with a recruitment agency to broaden your search.

2.     You don’t make finding a job your full-time job.
To find a job, you must cast a wide net. It’s a numbers game, and the more inquiries you make, CVs you submit and interviews you go on, the better your chances of success. Of course, these activities all require a significant input of time and effort, so set aside at least a few hours each day to focus solely on your job search. Read the rest

What is the most unusual thing a candidate did in a job interview? Fall asleep? Disappear? Show up a day late?

Here are the top 10, according to a survey from CareerBuilder.co.uk:

1. When interviewer asked candidate why he wanted to work for the company, he replied, “Because I fancy the girl who works in reception.”
2. Candidate turned on a CD player to play the song “I feel good” during the interview.
3. Candidate performed magic tricks for the interviewer.
4. Candidate showed up for the wrong job interview with the wrong company.
5. Candidate gave the interviewer the impression that she had murdered her husband.
6. Candidate kept checking his mobile which was in his hand under the desk during the interview.
7. Candidate told interviewer, “I don’t have any particular ambitions for advancement, as long as I am paid a lot more in five years time.”
8. Candidate told interviewer that he would not be able to travel for work when his football team was playing at home.
9. Candidate told interviewer he would wrestle clients to the ground rather than trying to diffuse difficult situations.
10. Candidate tried to pick up the interviewer.

In addition to the most unusual blunders, employers were also asked about the most common and detrimental mistakes candidates have made during an interview.  Sixty-two per cent of hiring managers cited appearing disinterested as the most detrimental mistake a candidate can make in an interview. Appearing arrogant came in second at 49 per cent and speaking negatively about a current or previous employer ranked third at 44 per cent. Other mistakes included dressing inappropriately (42 per cent), not providing specific answers (35 per cent) and not asking good questions (25 per cent). Read the rest

Many people are drawn to the idea of working abroad, mainly because of the travel opportunities it affords. Working in a foreign country can have many benefits, but before you rush out and apply for a job miles away from home consider some of the drawbacks as well as the advantages.

If you’re the kind of person that has a large network of friends and enjoys the close proximity of family, then working abroad may not be a good idea. Although there’s always the phone and internet, not seeing your loved ones for months at a time can be very challenging.

Potential upsides to working abroad

Of course, being exposed to a whole new culture can be an uplifting and inspiring experience, when compared to the somewhat humdrum life on home soil – same routine, same friends, same old, same old. Research supports the view that travel broadens the mind and makes us more willing to try new things, which is good.

You may find that working overseas presents the perfect opportunity to earn more than you could at home by way of the exchange rate or as a result of a lower cost of living in your adopted country. You may also be able to earn more in your particular field overseas than at home. It’s as well to do some thorough research before making a final decision. Read the rest

Congratulations, you’ve done it! You made it through college, have your degree in hand and are finally ready to make your mark. You are now in the real world and it’s time to get your professional life started. If you are in the middle of this crossroad, it can be scary, exciting, confusing, overwhelming or all of the above. Following are some steps to make a successful college-to-real world transition.

Step 1: Pinpoint your direction.
After four (or five, or six) years of college, you are completely certain about what you want to do, right? If not, now is the time to determine what your strengths are and identify what kind of careers suit you. Are you someone who loves to be around people? Or are you happier crunching numbers or creating computer programs? Consider all of your strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes and interests when thinking about your career plan. Read about fields that interest you and talk to others who are doing jobs that you find interesting. Focus your direction on positions and fields that match your interests and talents.

Step 2: Do your research.
It is vital to learn as much as you can about the companies that interest you and to consider all of your options. You should be open-minded about opportunities in companies and industries you might not have thought of before. Once you have identified companies that you want to target, look at their web sites, read news articles and talk to current employees to learn as much as you can. In the current still fragile economic situation, also look at a company’s stability. Read the rest

Don’t get us wrong! The Corner Office is VERY excited for the Diamond Jubilee. Not just for our extra bank holiday but also for the time to celebrate a woman who has done a great job for sixty years. It’s going to be great. There is a down side for some UK workers…

Most UK workers might not know that special bank holidays such as the Diamond Jubilee are not included in the minimum statutory paid annual leave entitlement. It is up to the employer’s to provide that extra day of paid leave as a normal benefit. It seems that the jobs that are most affected are retail, catering and hospitality, emergency services and medical workers. According to the Trades Union Congress General Secretary Brendan Barber, “‘The Diamond Jubilee weekend should be celebrated by everyone. But sadly hundreds of thousands of staff are likely to miss out on the festivities because some short-sighted employers are forcing them to work. Many bosses are not even giving them the premium pay rates they’d normally get on a bank holiday. While this penny pinching may save companies a few quid in the short term they lose more over time by generating widespread resentment amongst staff that may make them less likely to go that extra mile in the weeks and months to come.”

If you are one of the people who are working this holiday weekend, we say thank you! We, like most of the UK, are planning to be out and about. We are grateful that our usual services will run as normal. If you do have to work this weekend, we want to hear from you! Let us know how it goes. Read the rest

This post is from Department for Work and Pensions.

Automatic enrolment into a workplace pension will make it easier for people to start saving for their retirement.  All employers will be required to enrol their eligible workers into a workplace pension scheme if they are not already in one. We know there is a lot of confusion surrounding pensions and saving.  These pension myths can make people feel confused about what they need to do to fund their retirement. We’ve explained some common pension myths below.

It’s not worth saving into a pension.

FALSE! Most people can expect to get back more in retirement than they put in their pension. Most people saving in a workplace pension also benefit from contributions from their employer and the government in the form of tax relief*.

My house will be my pension pot.

BE CAREFUL! Property doesn’t allow you to spread your money across a range of different investments like a pension does, and doesn’t have the same tax advantages. Read the rest

The UK is showing slight signs of labour market stabilisation and economic recovery. According to the Office for National Statistics, the recent unemployment figures showed the first fall since May 2011. The jobless rate was at 8.3 per cent, down 0.1 on the quarter, equivalent to 35,000 people.

“The labour market didn’t just stabilise at the turn of the year, it actually picked up very slightly. Employment is up and unemployment is down, as is youth unemployment,” commented Dr John Philpott, Chief Economic Adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

That means we are one step further away from the recession and towards recovery. The following companies are creating more new jobs and hiring right now.

IBM is a globally integrated enterprise operating in over 170 countries. Today IBM UK has around 20,000 employees, bringing innovative solutions to a diverse client base to help solve some of their toughest business challenges.
Available positions: IBM is looking for talented professionals across all areas of the business for IBM locations across the UK.

Hertz is the world’s largest vehicle renting organisation and operates from approximately 8100 locations in 147 countries worldwide. Today, Hertz’s Worldwide Reservations Centers handle approximately 40 million phone calls and deliver approximately 30 million reservations annually.
Available positions: Hertz is recruiting customer service representatives all throughout Europe.

UPS, or United Parcel Service Inc., is the largest express carrier and package delivery company in the world. Every day UPS manages the flow of goods, funds and information in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.
Available positions: UPS is hiring multi drop drivers and in addition has openings marketing, HR and sales.

Formerly Elan IT, Manpower Professional and Jefferson Wells, Experis is a ManpowerGroup business dedicated to connecting talented individuals with leading organisations. They specialise in providing professional opportunities across IT, finance, engineering and healthcare.
Available positions: There is a range of IT and finance positions available from Experis in locations across the UK. Read the rest