Taking Care to Recruit

Taking Care to Recruit

By Stuart HaddowNo Comments
At the beginning of 2017 the Office for National Statistics evidenced that 15% of all vacancies advertised across the entire UK economy were in the health and social care sectors.  With such high demand, the Guardian reported that nursing provisions and care homes were closing because vacancies were not filled. As a side note, Robert Ross, chair of trustees for Donisthorpe Hall, observed that relying upon expensive, short-term agency staff just compounded the issue. Skills for Care has estimated that there are up to 90,000 care vacancies in England at any time. So, what have care organisations been doing to tackle their recruitment problem? The online recruitment trend After conducting its own research, Scottish Care noted a shift in habits between 2015 and 2017. In 2015, press advertising and Job Centres were the favoured recruitment methods, but in 2017, online advertising was more popular.  Evidence shows that more and more Care companies are advertising their vacancies on job boards and on their own...
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GDPR Checklist for internal recruiters

GDPR Checklist for internal recruiters

By Stuart HaddowNo Comments
The new General Protection Regulation (GDPR) is almost upon us, so it's time to get ready with this handy GDPR checklist for recruiters. GDPR obliges organisations to manage personal information more securely and acquire consent to do so. It covers electronic data and manual filing systems so that's pretty much any information that can be used to personally identify somebody. Internal recruiters handle a lot of personal data, from CVs and application forms to proof of address, conviction information and much more.  Our GDPR checklist for internal recruiters should help you to determine how ready you are. If you're reading this and asking "What is GDPR?", you may be one of the 7 in 10 firms that still haven't prepared for the new regime. That figure is based upon a study by the law firm, Irwin Mitchell. GDPR will be in force by May 25th 2018 and applies to you if your organisation: operates within the EU. operates outside the EU offering goods or...
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Alexa – Bad for Employability

Alexa – Bad for Employability

By Stuart HaddowNo Comments
Alexa and the employability question How can we draw a link between Alexa and employability? Just a few days ago, something happened that drew my attention to the issue. You join my family in the kitchen as entangled voices demand that Alexa plays some music. Alexa lights up eagerly and then dims again, or declares that she doesn’t have something, that she doesn’t know something or that she wants to sell you something. The family cusses and complains, before repeating the same demands more slowly, more loudly and more gruffly. Tension builds and they all give up. “Dad”, they sigh, “She’s rubbish”. Armed with a Software Engineering background, I try to help them. “People”, I announce. “Alexa is not a person. Alexa is an algorithm and it needs clearly delineated data components in a clearly articulated command". I illustrate by voicing, “Alexa, play Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel”. Their eyes roll as Alexa heels uncomplainingly to my request and I go on to describe the...
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Too many software projects fail. Switch focus.

By Stuart HaddowNo Comments
Forrester Research claims that 49% of all CRM projects fail and Gartner tells us that 75% of all ERP projects fail. Some claim that company culture can get in the way of successful implementation, but we believe that system complexity plays a big part in the outcome. If systems are too complex, they won’t be used as productively as we would like or they may be rejected altogether by users. It is arguably the case that smaller, simpler systems can offer greater returns on investment. Whether you buy that point or not, an investment in functions and features that are avoided by users is a net cost. Why are so many systems so complex and difficult to use? There is no universal answer, but some of the contributing factors might be: Too little consideration on the subject of usability and too much on prettiness The development of functions and features that are delivered as appendages Lack of consideration for the infrequent user Usability One...
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GDPR. Is this the end of 1-click apply?

GDPR. Is this the end of 1-click apply?

By Stuart HaddowNo Comments
In this blog, we discuss 1-click apply, its benefits, its disadvantages and why it will be affected by General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). What is “1-click apply”? “1-click apply” is a facility offered by job boards such as The Caterer,  Indeed and TotalJobs. It allows jobseekers to submit job applications to employers or agents with a single click. Personal information, CVs, covering letters and other documents can all be delivered to the employer effortlessly.   As Krystal Wilbanks, co-founder of Interview Village noted, "You could potentially apply for 20 jobs in a matter of minutes". The perceived benefit of “1-click apply” The “1-click apply” promise is a frictionless process that removes all barriers when applying for a job. It is quicker and more convenient and seems like a benefit because employers want more applicants.  The argument goes that 1-click apply results in more applications and that improves choice. It’s all pretty persuasive, but is it strictly the case? The downside of “1-click apply” Speaking to HR managers and...
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Is the CV Dead

Is the CV Dead

By Stuart HaddowNo Comments
Is the CV dead? There’s a mountain of material available from expert recruiters, bloggers and media companies postulating the imminent death of the Curriculum Vitae. In a nutshell, they suggest that the CV and cover-letter bundle is too inflexible for a modern world with its Social Media focus and new ways to express oneself. So is the CV dead? Consigning the CV to the history books, many cite its ineffectiveness at evidencing applicant skills in creative industries. They say that a joiner’s dovetail is better evidenced in a photo than it is in a paragraph of English.  Apparently, people dislike reading CVs anyway. Don;t I know that I am behind the times and that I should recognise video as the future? They say that everyone is comfortable with it and that facial analytics can detect applicant honesty more accurately than a human.   Benefits of the written CV I will respond by first conceding that the CV is an imperfect instrument. However, when asking myself...
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