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Ask Alexander: Should I tailor my CV?

Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Dear Alexander,

I’m in the process of trying to take my career to the next step and am working with a couple of consultancies on various roles. One of the consultants has asked me to tailor my CV before they submit it for the role, but this makes me really uncomfortable. My experience is all there; changing it seems like a waste of time and I feel like I’m twisting the truth somewhat. Could you advise?

Regards,

Benjamin

_______________________________________________________________

Dear Benjamin,

I can see why on the surface this might make you feel uncomfortable. No doubt you’ve spent hours on your CV already and “tailoring” it to fit a vacancy might feel like you’re misleading the person reading it. Before making a decision whether to proceed, there are a couple of things that I think you need to keep in mind.

1. Is the consultant asking you to put in something that you haven’t done or can’t do?

If they are then you should absolutely refuse outright. You can under no circumstances lie on a CV, if you do it will most definitely come back to haunt you – just look at the CEO from Yahoo who had to resign the other day. He claimed to have a degree on his CV that he hadn’t achieved; no matter what seniority levels you achieve it just isn’t acceptable. If a consultant is asking you to lie then in all honesty you should sever the relationship, as they obviously aren’t operating in an ethical manner.

2. Is the information you’re being asked to add already in your CV?

Most of the time, the consultant will be asking you to add in information about your skills or experience that you may have missed, or more often that you’ve implied you have. Being so close to what you’ve written and knowing exactly what you can and can’t do often means that as a candidate you imply that you can do something rather than explicitly stating it.

For example, if you have a number of years experience in Pensions Administration you might feel it’s obvious that you are confident carrying out complex manual calculations; but the recruiter reading your CV doesn’t know that! If it’s a major part of the job role you're applying for, you are taking a large leap of faith assuming that those who are responsible for the recruitment process, both in HR and the direct line manager will read between the lines and see what you’ve implied you can do. If it’s not there bold and clear then you might miss out on a great opportunity. Your consultant knows this and is trying to counter it before it could happen.

To conclude, I don’t think you should discard the idea straight away (unless the criteria for my first point is met!). If you’re not sure why you are being asked to do so, question your consultant. Generally they’re trying to maximise your chances of getting an interview and as long as the desired information is accurate and true then I guess the question is whether you can afford to potentially miss out on what might be a great opportunity?

Best wishes,

Alexander

Alexander Lloyd Pensions & Benefits Salary Survey 2012

Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Pensions and Benefits team at Alexander Lloyd is delighted to announce the publication of our Salary Survey for 2012.

2011 was a challenging year for the Pensions industry, seeing fluctuations in the job market from a slow start to the year, to beginning to pick up in the second half as companies began to reconsider their stretched resources and increase these to meet the demands of the business.

Salary Levels

Whilst demand has fluctuated, salary levels on the other hand have not, remaining relatively stable with little change from the previous year. We have however, seen an impact from the increasing amount of regulation within the industry as the demand for diploma qualified candidates remains very high.

With the RDR fast approaching in 2012, we anticipate that this will only get stronger and have a knock on effect on the salaries expected by those who are already in possession of the required qualifications.
The increased focus on candidate qualifications is evidence of the more rigorous approach that has been taken by employers over 2011, and shows no sign of declining during 2012. One consequence has been the increase in contract or interim roles, particularly on a temp to perm basis as employers expand their skill sets accordingly.

Also evident has been the increasing focus on developing current talent, promoting within and training those people up into the higher-level roles. As a result, there has been a noticeable increase in the demand for Pensions Administrators at the mid and junior levels than in previous years, particularly within the London and South East region.

For the full market commentary and survey including salary data please visit Pensions & Benefits Salary Survey 2012.

Compliance in the IFA retail sector shows increase in demand

Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

After a challenging two years in the retail sector, the Compliance team at Alexander Lloyd are pleased to report an increase in recruitment activity in recent months. We have been seeing increasing interest by IFA organisations in the acquisition of smaller IFA businesses and their client banks and subsequently growing need for additional support staff, including RDR qualified Compliance professionals.

RDR Qualified already?

With the January 2013 deadline fast approaching, similarly to IFAs, those Compliance professionals who have already achieved their Level 4 are in a strong position to consider their options and take advantage of the opportunities opening up in the market place.

Those who have not yet completed the qualification but are well on their way are also being favourably considered by employers as they seek to up skill their departments to ensure that they meet the requirements set down by the regulator.

Opportunities for Compliance specialists

However, we all know the impact of the RDR will be wide ranging across the retail sector. We will see whether the much talked about possibility that clients will choose alternatives such as Simplified Advice, direct to consumer or execution only platforms comes to pass, but if it does then there may be an opportunity for Compliance professionals to increase the scope of their knowledge and skills to add value to those organisations who are seeking new ways of securing what may well become a diminishing market share.

Overall, it’s a good time to be a Compliance Specialist in an ever changing regulatory environment that is presenting opportunities, and it’s promising to be able to report that the IFA retail sector for Compliance is following the trend.

Can you control a first impression?

Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Our first article in the Alexander Lloyd interview series discussed the importance of research in your preparation for interviews; your training for the big race. However, all that preparation can be wasted thanks to a poor first impression.

As a senior Compliance professional, you know the importance of an initial first impression in your professional life; indeed you may have found yourself on the other side of the interviewing table from time to time and fully understand its magnitude in the decision making process.

The frightening thought (especially when making an impactful business decision such as hiring new staff) is that this reaction occurs within the first few seconds of actually meeting someone, not as a result of careful assessment of a character. Whilst we might not relish in admitting that we have instinctive responses to others, the truth of the matter is that interviewers are human beings and not machines, and subliminal reactions can easily over-ride years of training.

The validity of first impressions is well documented and researched, with the most recent piece of pertinent research being carried out by Oregon State University. They demonstrated that in nine out of the eleven character traits that were assessed, the same conclusion was drawn by both a trained interviewer carrying out a comprehensive interview and a trained interviewer who viewed a video clip of the first ten seconds of the introduction.

The research backs up what we all instinctively know; the question is as a candidate, what can you do to influence those crucial first few seconds?
In our opinion, the answer is there is little you can actually control, and what you can is all the back to basics concepts that we’ve had drilled into us over the years.

You would expect by the time a Compliance professional has reached a senior level, these are automatic checks and precautions that you don’t really think about. A word of warning about complacency however. It is precisely because you are familiar with the interview process, that it’s easy to overlook the little details that really make an impact for a first impression. Therefore, there are some key things we recommend to keep in mind.

Appearance

This is a simple thing you can control. Of course you dress appropriately for an interview, ensuring that a smart suited image is presented, with loud or garish ties, shirts or tops left in the wardrobe. You want to be taken seriously as a professional and there are many ways of projecting your personality during the interview; that isn’t one of them.

On occasion the company will request a slightly different dress code for the interview, listen to your consultant in this instance as they have done so for a reason, and ensuring that the image you present is in tune with the business as requested, will aid them in visualising you fitting in to their dynamic.

Demeanour

On the surface, talking about this seems a little odd, it’s taken for granted that you will greet your interviewer pleasantly with a smile. However, your interview is not the only person whom you will come into contact with during this time. You are making an impression on everyone with whom you interact in the locale. It’s very easy to forget, particularly when the nerves are kicking in that you are making first impressions from the moment you arrive. In the car park, the reception area, the lift; you are being assessed by all the employees that you meet and you never know when you might come face to face unwittingly your interviewer. Some companies operate a 360° recruitment process and others are brought in to discuss their impressions of you, even the receptionist. There are plenty of horror stories where a candidate has unknowingly made a bad impression before they entered the building or in reception and of course, didn’t get the job as a result.

Looking and being prepared

This is all about presenting a professional image to the interviewer. Having a copy of your own CV to refer to is a must. Also bring your questions that you have prepared; taking with you a binder or presenter with a notepad included in it will demonstrate to your interviewer that you give the impression of being ready for anything. Our previous article in the series discussed your preparation phase.

Body Language

Nearly every article you read on interviews touches on body language somewhere, be confident, smile, meet your interviewers eye. It is precisely because it’s so important that it features so heavily. If you subscribe to Albert Mehrabian’s view, then 55% of communication is physical, 38% is paralinguistic or vocal and only 7% is words . However, it does go further than simply being confident when it comes to first impressions as when meeting someone for the first time as you pick up signs on how to interact with them.

There are certain effective techniques that you can utilise to achieve this, one in particular is mirroring, when you pace your own physical and verbal response to the tone of the interviewer and create a rapport.
It is vitally important that you are aware of yourself in your surroundings, from the moment you arrive to the end of the interview.

You are aiming to sell your skills, experience and personality, and a first impression will colour the tone of the rest of the interview. You need to bring your A-game to the table and make that first impression count.
The third in the Alexander Lloyd series on interviews will be Competency Questions, coming soon...

Ask Alexander: How do I hand in my notice?

Wed, 2 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Dear Alexander,

I’ve got a new job! I’m so excited and can’t wait to start; it’s going to be a new challenge for me and a really good next step in my career. However, I’ve now got to hand in my notice at my current job. I really enjoyed working here but there are no real opportunities for me, so I feel a bit bad like I’m leaving them in the lurch. Should I just submit a letter or meet with them to discuss, I’m not sure how to go about it. Please help?

Tim

Dear Tim,

I do understand, this is a very difficult and pretty scary part of moving jobs, particularly if you are leaving on good terms with your employer.

First thing to remember is not to hand in your notice until you actually receive your offer letter from your new company. Once you have, then it’s the time to submit your notice; you should do this in writing and also meet with your direct line manager.

Your letter needs to be concise, including any notice period that you will serve and any holiday etc. that is outstanding.

You should submit your letter in a meeting with your line manager. Try to arrange this as soon as possible and don’t let time drag – don’t forget your new employer is keen for you to start! Going into your meeting, know what you’re going to say before hand and remember to take your letter with you.

Keep the meeting professional and don’t be shy about expressing your appreciation for your time spent with the company (if you do feel that way that is. If you don’t then don’t just keep it straight to the point!). On the whole your manager won’t take it personally, but they will often be disappointed in your decision, they are after all losing a valuable employee!

Hopefully you should be fully confident in your decision before this point, if you do feel guilty or that you should stay, remember why you decided to go for your new job in the first place. If this reason hasn’t changed, then nor should your decision.

I’m sure you want to leave on amicable terms and a positive note. As a word of warning therefore, your notice period is not a time to kick back and relax. Your work ethic shouldn’t change from what it has always been. Some people do experience a negative reaction from others, and whilst this is unpleasant you need to try to rise above it and remember that the clock is ticking down. You do have rights during this period that relate to your notice period (you don’t have to work any longer than that stipulated in your contract), references (you can’t be threatened with a poor reference as no company should give you a bad or non-factual reference) and pay (you are covered for any outstanding wages by the Wages Act 1986).

Overall try to maintain and professional approach to the end. Leaving on a high note is a great way to move on, they should remember you fondly and you can be confident that you made a great impression that will stand you in good stead for the future.

Good luck!

Alexander

Can you dress to progress?

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

When we asked in our LinkedIn Group recently what was the best of career advice you’d ever been given, one of our members said, “Dress for the job you want!” This got the HR Operations team thinking; just how much of an impact does the way we dress have on a career?

"You judge a man by his shoes"

It’s a very old saying, but it’s a fact that many of us do just that. The concept that the way you dress makes a statement about you is well entrenched in all cultures, and this transfers into the working world. When thinking about dress and work, the first thing that springs to mind is the interview. Obviously when you attend a job interview you are dressing to impress. It doesn’t matter what level of seniority you have, either as an HR Admin or an HR Director you should be going in looking as smart and professional as possible. Whether you’re a professional either at the start of your career path, or journeying along it, the way you dress is equally important.

What about after you’ve got the job though? What then? The first thing to remember is that as an HR professional you should embody your department’s policies. If the dress code is smart, then you must make the effort to comply. This doesn’t mean buying very expensive suits, but rather ensuring that you have a neat and tidy capsule wardrobe that is classic in style rather than always trying to keep up with the latest trends which inevitably makes it more expensive. In doing so, you will show that you take the company; it’s policies and your role in HR seriously. It also has the added benefit of making you feel confident, and if you feel more confident then your behaviour should follow suit.

Many businesses have a more relaxed dress code, some permitting jeans and trainers, and this type of dress style makes it more difficult to dress to impress. You want to follow and embody the guidelines, but it’s also the case that dressing in a smarter, more formal manner will encourage others to take you more seriously and ultimately aid in progressing your career.

Our top tips for dressing for success:

In a casual environment, keep it smart within the boundaries; think about teaming smart jeans, shoes and a jacket to help you present a more formal and professional image.
Think classic rather than trendy. Trends change so quickly and many are very difficult to pull off in the workplace. It’s more cost effective to have a classic capsule wardrobe that you intersperse with “on trend” elements.
Embody your department’s policies. You are the face of the HR team, if you are expecting all staff to abide by the Company policies make sure you lead by example.

Ask Alexander... Should I put a photo on my CV?

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Dear Alexander,

CV’s are a real challenge to write and I’ve just finished writing mine, I’m really pleased with it. It feels a bit impersonal though and I was considering putting my photo on the front page to make it a bit more friendly – what do you think?

Best Regards,

Sarah

Alexander Says...

Dear Sarah,

You’re right, CV’s are really challenging to write. Many of us struggle to write down what we’re good at and showcase our skills in the best light. Your question about a photo is one we get asked quite a lot. It does make it feel a bit more personal and many of our colleagues in Europe use this approach regularly.

However, I must advise caution against doing so. Whilst it does put a face to a name, on the other hand it opens up a rather large debate. Put yourself in the recruiter’s shoes for a minute. One of the key things that HR professionals are so hot on is making sure your processes are fair and non-discriminatory, particularly when it comes to recruitment. You should be recruiting based on skills and ability to do the job, not what the candidate looks like. Unfortunately there are people out there that do discriminate either directly or indirectly and those protected characteristics of age, race, disability and sex (ok, it’s usually obvious if you’re a lady or a chap from your name) are often very apparent in a photo.

But it’s not just protected characteristics, it’s not illegal to discriminate against someone for being fat, thin, tall, short or attractive but do you really want your application to potentially be considered in this light? Much rather you know you have your interview because the recruiter thinks you have the skills rather than because they find you attractive, or perhaps because they don’t!

Regards,

Alexander

Preparation is vital for Accountancy interview success

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Regardless of the level of seniority you achieve or how many interviews you have; the process is always a daunting one. Much like an athlete competing in the Olympic 100m final, you must be on top form as you get one chance to beat the competition and be first past the post.

Your preparation therefore is your training regime; no sprinter would turn up for a big race without prior preparation. Whilst undoubtedly true that the further you progress along your career pathway, the more experienced you become at interviews, more is expected of you and proper preparation therefore, is vital to maximise your chances.

Do your research

Every interview requires that you research the potential employer, and I highly recommend that you don’t leave your research to the last minute. Whilst it needs to be fresh in your mind, a rushed last minute skim will leave you feeling tense and under prepared.

Talk to your consultant

Your consultant will want to brief you on the role; I can’t stress enough how vital it is that you take the time to discuss it with them. They hold information on the role that simply isn’t available in the public domain and will really aid you in the long run. They should be briefing you on the structure of the team, reporting channels, company growth plans, company culture and how the role came about. Really take advantage of their knowledge of the company and what they are looking for in this hire to give you an edge.

A good consultant will then follow up with you via email with links to the company website and any other relevant information they feel would aid you in your preparation. However, don’t rely solely on what they can provide; try to be proactive and use the tools that are so readily available.

Information in the public domain

You are looking for a variety of information that lies within the public domain; first stop, the company’s website. What products or services do they deal with and where do they operate? Is the company focused on the UK market, does it have a European or global scope?

You also need to find out about the financials as far as is possible. Take note of losses, areas of growth and trends in order to glean information on which you can base your questions for the interviewer. Alongside this, ensure that you research the market and the company’s main competitors.

An area that is often overlooked is the news. What has been publicised about the company in recent months, both positive and negative? Many publish press releases that might not quite reach the heights of the BBC, but industry news may publish them, and this can be a valuable source of information.

Know yourself

Make sure you review the job description provided by the consultant and ensure that you brush up on any technical areas as necessary, along with any industry regulations that are relevant.

Your goal during the interview is to present a professional image whilst discussing your achievements, skills, expertise, knowledge and showcasing your personality. It’s a tall order, and being able to discuss your CV fluently without having to refer to the document will aid you enormously. Do take a copy with you just in case you do have a blank moment and need to refer to it, don’t ask to look at the interviewer’s.

Prepare your questions

Aim for at least four or five written down, just in case the interview covers one or two during your conversation. I do recommend that you try to maintain a positive rather than negative line of questioning, and don’t be reticent in drawing out your interviewer. A positive question looking at a recent area of growth and what the company’s projected plans are for the coming year for example, or alternatively how they have overcome challenges in the past.

With your research done, questions practiced and a good grasp of the company, you should be now ready and raring to go; waiting to step out on to the track, hearing the roar of the crowd... take a deep breath and you’re on.

This is the first in a series of articles by Alexander Lloyd charting the interview process, packed with useful advice and tips for a successful outcome. Coming soon... First Impressions Count.

Katy Aston is a Senior Consultant with the Accountancy Permanent team, recruiting senior Finance professionals across the South East.

Pay Increases for Accountancy Interim Managers

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Permanent hires and interim pay increased in the first quarter of 2012 according to a recent report from the REC (Recruitment & Employment Confederation) and KPMG. Alexander Lloyd’s Interim Management team are pleased to report that in the South East this trend in increased remuneration levels is being seen, and importantly, the opportunities in the market place are consistently maintained.

The value of interim employees

Organisations continue to see the value of senior interim finance professional. Indeed their value in the eyes of employers appears to be increasing, as demonstrated by the new report’s announcement of a rise in pay levels.

Alexander Lloyd has seen senior interim positions becoming available particularly in the financial services sector, in a range of specialisms from FP&A, to tax, to Solvency II Analysts. Financial services was one of the quickest sectors to demonstrate recovery from the 2008/9 recession in the South East, and the team report an anecdotal increase in both project and holding roles where a senior career interim is brought in to provide cover until a permanent incumbent is secured, lasting on average a period of three to six months.

What's in store for 2012?

It is anticipated that the number of opportunities in the market will maintain its current level for the balance of 2012, and unlikely that the current trend in pay levels will reverse and begin to decline.

Interview preparation is vital for success

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

It doesn’t matter what level of seniority you achieve; the interview process is always a daunting one. Often compared to performing on stage in front of a discerning audience, but in this instance you don’t have a character to portray or lines written by an award winning playwright – this is all about you.

Your preparation therefore is much like your rehearsal; and absolutely crucial for stepping into the spotlight on opening night. Whilst undoubtedly true that the further you progress along your career pathway, the more experienced you become at interviews, it is nonetheless important that you continue to fully prepare in order to maximise your chances of success.

Do your research

Firstly, don’t leave your research to the last minute. Whilst it needs to be fresh in your mind, a rushed last minute skim will leave you feeling tense and under prepared. Your consultant should talk through the role with you a couple of days beforehand, timescales permitting. This briefing is crucial as you will glean information from them that simply isn’t in the public domain; the structure of the team, reporting channels, company growth plans and how the role came about. Really take advantage of their knowledge of the company and what they are looking for in this hire to give you an edge.

You are looking for things that lie within the public domain; first stop, the company’s website. What products or services do they deal with and where do they operate? Is the company focused on the UK market, does it have a European or global scope? If you can locate financial information this will also be of benefit in giving an insight into the company’s recent activity.

One area that we find is often overlooked is the news. What has been publicised about the company in recent months? Most put out regular press releases which might not quite reach the heights of the BBC or national news in the case of smaller companies, but industry news may well pay attention and this can be a valuable source of information. Don’t forget to check the press section of the company’s own website as they are often reported there too.

Know yourself

Your achievements, skills, expertise, knowledge and personality are what employers are looking to explore and what you are seeking to demonstrate in the short space of time that you have in an interview. Knowing your CV backwards is key to presenting a professional image, and being able to fluently discuss your previous experience and quantified achievements without having to refer to a document to confirm facts and figures will help enormously. You will of course, be aiming to ask questions at the end of the interview, and the company research you have carried out and your conversation with your consultant will give you the ground work on which to base these and showcase your acumen. Aim for at least four or five written down, just in case the interview covers one or two during your conversation. It is generally recommended that you try to maintain a positive rather than negative line of questioning, and don’t be reticent in drawing out your interviewer. A positive question looking to the future focused around the company’s goals for growth for example, and how they anticipate these will impact their people strategy works well, or alternatively how they have overcome challenges in the past.

With your research done, questions practiced and a good grasp of the company, you should be now ready and raring to go; waiting in the wings if you will, for the curtain to rise... take a deep breathe and you’re on.

This is the first in a series of articles by Alexander Lloyd published by Changeboard, charting the interview process, packed with advice on how make it successful. Coming soon... First Impressions Count.

HR Interim Jobs Buck the Trend

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

This week, the REC reported the fastest drop in interim assignments for the month of March in the last two and a half years, whilst permanent placements continued to grow.

A variety of reasons were cited for this apparent shift to permanent hires, including the much talked about AWR and increasing business confidence.

South East HR Interim Jobs buck the trend

Alexander Lloyd is pleased to report however that the South East appears to have maintained its level of interim assignments on the HR market consistently, with nothing like the sharp drop described nationally by the REC. The interim HR jobs market has in fact had a positive start to the year, with three to six months the most commonly seen contract timescales on offer.

The team are interested to report that the reason most cited for this strong start include instances of team restructures where it isn’t possible to hire on a permanent basis until the process is complete, and increasing demand on resources that can’t be met with the current provisions in place.

HR Generalists in demand

Whilst during the last couple of years, there has been a greater focus on specialist skill sets being brought in on an interim basis to fulfil a specific temporary need or project, the first quarter of 2012 have seen increasing roles for generalist interims alongside those specialists.

It is not anticipated that this trend will decline sharply into quarter two, indeed the HR market has seen what is possibly the best start to the year for some time.

Figures related to internal Alexander Lloyd job data generated in Q1 2012

Pensions Administrators in Demand

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Pensions Administrators continue to be highly sought after in the job market at the moment, continuing an on-going trend witnessed over the last twelve months. This month, we take a look at why, and put the question to the Pensions team – what are the qualities that make a great Pensions Administrator?

Auto-enrolment

Auto-enrolment has a large part to play in this demand, as departments find the need to increase their resource to cope with the additional demands being placed on them and avoid potential “resource bottle necks” that could impact on their service levels further down the line.

The Head of the Pensions team, Richard Latham notes, “from our perspective it’s telling to see that the demand for good quality Administrators exists across all levels rather than specifically junior or senior”. Employers are not only looking to take on junior Administrators and invest in these employees to grow and develop them, but also finding the need for experienced senior Administrators that can step up to the plate and take on additional responsibility.

What makes a good Pensions Administrator?

When growing their teams, employers are looking for a variety of qualities in a good Administrator. There are however some common qualities that we find are most desirable:

1. Strong academic background: evidence of a solid academic background is desirable, particularly when starting out in the industry. Evidence of a Maths related degree is advantageous, and strong Maths and English performance at GCSE and A-Levels is also important.

2. A stable CV: demonstrating commitment to the roles that you have previously undertaken is important to an employer.

3. Experience: whilst a candidate won’t be able to demonstrate this at the outset of their career, an established Administrator will be able to show career progression and the breadth of their experience ideally across DB and DC schemes.

4. Communication: soft skills are increasingly important in the workplace, and the ability to communicate and build relationships both internally and externally is a key part of the Administrator’s role as they progress through their career.

5. Qualifications: in an increasingly regulated industry, qualifications become more important to progress a career. There are industry qualifications available, be they DPC or MDPSA or CII open to Administrators that demonstrate their commitment to their chosen career and a drive to improve and progress.

Today's Compliance Challenges

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

In turbulent economic times with ever increasing regulatory requirements on businesses, the Compliance function is coming under ever more pressure to perform. However, as with any business function this brings it’s own unique set of challenges and difficulties. We recently posed the question to those at the coal face of Compliance as to what they considered the most challenges aspects were today and collated the most common suggestions.

1. Staying abreast of regulatory changes

The most cited challenge for conscientious Compliance professionals of today. The ever changing regulatory landscape that the Compliance function must operate within presents challenges in not only keeping up to date, but ensuring that adequate controls are implemented and managed effectively whilst maintaining the day to day operational requirements.

2. Compliance as a cost centre

The challenge of proving that Compliance can be a cost saver in the long term when implemented proactively rather than a cost centre that is perceived as a necessary evil. Demonstrating that “integrated compliance can lead to improved quality, process controls, individual competency and customer and client satisfaction.”

3. Adequate resources

The lack of adequate resources arises as a direct result of both the challenges of implementing the varied and demanding regulatory changes and the perception of Compliance as a cost centre. Ensuring that the Compliance function is granted adequate resource that permits it to manage the level of regulatory change whilst maintaining the day to day Compliance responsibilities is much less prevalent than might be hoped for.

4. Executive buy in

Encouraging those at the top to view Compliance as a source of “constructive, sound business advice” that keeps the firm safe rather than a check box exercise.

5. Culture

Not only a widespread culture throughout the entire business that buys into doing the right things the right way, first time rather than viewing Compliance as an inconvenient bolt on, but also a culture of continuous improvement in the teams themselves.

Can you think of any others? Join the discussion on LinkedIn in Compliance UK and have your say.

Compliance Interviews - preparation is key

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Whether you are just starting out on your Compliance career, or have attained a high level of seniority; the interview process is always a daunting one. However, much the same as a sprinter competing in the Olympic 100m final, you must bring your a-game on the day, as you only get one chance to beat the competition and be first past the post. Thorough preparation therefore, is your own personal training regime; no sprinter would turn up for a big race without proper preparation.

Your interview research

Your basic groundwork for every Compliance job interview is researching the company, and we highly recommend that you don’t leave your research to the last minute. Whilst it needs to be fresh in your mind, a rushed last minute skim will leave you feeling tense and under prepared.

Information in the public domain

You are looking for a variety of information that lies within the public domain; first stop, the company’s website.

• The “About Us” section of their website to find out about the background and familiarise yourself with the products they deal with.

• Key people within the company – if the website doesn’t give you the information, LinkedIn and Google are good sources.

• Competitors – demonstrate your market knowledge through awareness of the company’s main competitors and their market share.

• Latest news – the company’s website will often publish their press releases, and make sure you check the industry news as well for latest published information.

Talk to your consultant

A good consultant will email links to the company website and any other relevant information they feel would aid you in your preparation. Being specialists in the Compliance market place, they themselves are an excellent source of information about the company that you won’t be able to find in the public domain and you must therefore make time to discuss the role as well as researching on your own. They should be briefing you on a variety of information including:

• The structure of the team and its reporting channels

• Company culture

• How the role came about and its long term prospects

• Who will be interviewing you

• What format the interview will take

This is also an ideal opportunity to quiz them on the research that you have carried out personally if you are unsure of anything in particular.

Know yourself

Make sure you review the job description provided by the consultant and ensure that your technical and regulatory knowledge is up to date and relevant.

However, no one is a robot so take a copy with you just in case you do have a blank moment and need to refer to it. Don’t ask to look at the interviewers.

Prepare your own interview questions

You will of course be aiming to ask questions at the end of the interview, and the company research you have carried out and your conversation with your consultant will give you the grounding on which to base these and showcase your acumen. Aim for at least four or five written down, just in case the interview covers one or two during your conversation. We do recommend that you try to maintain a positive rather than negative line of questioning, and don’t be reticent in drawing out your interviewer. Positive rather than negative lines of questioning are generally recommended, looking, how they have incorporated and integrated regulatory change in the past work well for example.

With your research done, questions practiced and a good grasp of the company, you should be now ready and raring to go; waiting to step out on to the track, listening to the roar of the crowd... take a deep breath and you’re on.

How to prepare for an interview

Fri, 9 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Whether you are just starting out on your career in Pensions and Benefits, or have attained a high level of seniority; the interview process is always a daunting one.

However, much the same as a sprinter competing in the Olympic 100m final, you must bring your A-game on the day, as you only get one chance to beat the competition and be first past the post.

Thorough interview preparation therefore, it is your own personal training regime; no sprinter would turn up for a big race without fully training and preparing for the event.

How to prepare for an interview

Your basic groundwork in preparing for an interview is researching the company, and we highly recommend that you don’t leave your research to the last minute.

Whilst it needs to be fresh in your mind, a rushed last minute skim will leave you feeling tense and under prepared.

Information in the public domain

You are looking for a variety of information that lies within the public domain; first stop, the company’s website.

• The “About Us” section of their website to find out about the background and familiarise yourself with the Pension or Benefits schemes or products they deal with.

• Key people within the company – if the website doesn’t give you the information, try LinkedIn and Google, and don't forget Twitter can also be a goldmine of information.

• Competitors – demonstrate your market knowledge through awareness of the company’s main competitors and their market share.

• Latest news – the company’s website will often publish their press releases, and make sure you check the Pensions and Benefits industry news as well for latest published information.

Talk to your consultant

A good Pensions and Benefits consultant will email links to the company website and any other relevant information they feel would aid you in your interview preparation. They themselves are an excellent source of information about the company that you won’t be able to find in the public domain and you must therefore make time to discuss the role as well as researching on your own. They should be briefing you on a variety of information:

• The structure of the team and its reporting channels

• Company culture

• How the role came about and its long term prospects

• Who will be interviewing you

• What format the interview will take

This is also an ideal opportunity to quiz them on the research that you have carried out personally if you are unsure of anything in particular.

Know yourself

Make sure you review the job description provided by the consultant and ensure that you brush up on any technical areas as necessary, along with any industry regulations that are relevant or coming up that might have an impact.

Your goal during the interview is to present a professional image whilst discussing your achievements, skills, expertise, knowledge and showcasing your personality. It’s a tall order, and being able to discuss your CV fluently without having to refer to the document itself will aid you enormously. However, no one is a robot so take a copy with you just in case you do have a blank moment and need to refer to it. Don’t ask to look at the interviewer’s.

Prepare your questions for the interviewer

You will of course be aiming to ask questions at the end of the interview, and the company research you have carried out and your conversation with your consultant will give you the grounding on which to base these and showcase your acumen. Aim for at least four or five written down, just in case the interview covers one or two during your conversation. Positive rather than negative lines of questioning are generally recommended, looking at a recent area of growth and what the company’s projected plans are for the coming year for example, or alternatively, how they have overcome challenges in the past work well.

With your research done, questions practiced and a good grasp of the company, your interview preparation should now complete and you are ready and raring to go; waiting to step out on to the track, listening to the roar of the crowd... take a deep breath and you’re on.

Richard Hayes is the Principle Account Manager for the Pensions and Benefits recruitment team, placing outstanding candidates for a wide range of clients within the South East.

Back to work scheme

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Is a back to work scheme an effective way to encourage talent development in NEETs?

YES

We’ve seen protests and even sit in’s recently by The “Right to Work” campaign that has placed huge pressure on some of our biggest brand names over the government’s work experience scheme that they claim threatens to remove job seekers, “only source of income” and that “they have already forced tens of thousands into unpaid ‘Mandatory Work Placements’ and ’apprenticeship’ schemes with no real full-time job at the end.”

We have seen many do u-turns on their participation in the scheme as a result of the damaging coverage, but we should be questioning whether it has any real impact on the likelihood of participants getting their foot on the career ladder at the end of a placement?

Trying to look at reliable statistics is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, with both sides cherry picking the ones that suit their view point, but we do know that there were 34,200 starts on the programme last year. As the skills policy advisor at the CIPD said recently, “"In the current labour market, experience of the working world is the single most important aspect employers look for when recruiting, so without it young people struggle to get a job.

Work experience is a proven way of giving young people a first step on the employment ladder." This is exactly what the scheme is giving these people – the chance to actually acquire some skills, and as importantly demonstrate willingness to get their sleeves rolled up and stuck in. The scheme is voluntary which blows the slave labour argument out of the water and when recruiting at this level attitude and determination play a huge part in the success of an applicant as there is little to no work experience to go on. If I saw that someone was willing to show their pro-activity and get out there, I would be much more inclined to give them the chance to prove themselves than someone who hasn’t bothered.

NO

The fundamental idea of the scheme is that it gives people a chance to get into work at the end of the (approximate) four weeks placement. However, even Tesco who has recently confirmed that they will be paying their placement’s for their duration with a guaranteed permanent job at the end of it “provided they complete the placement satisfactorily”. But, out of the 1,400 placements they have had so far, how many jobs have actually been offered? Only 300 – that’s 21%.

Not the real success story that was hoped for and what isn’t clear is what format the jobs take – full time, or part time? It seems a big leap to threaten to remove someone’s benefits for failing to take a job that only offers 7 hours a week for example that offers very little in the way of development or progression chances – you have to doubt how much of an impact you can make in those circumstances.

What do you think? Have your say in our LinkedIn Group HR Managers of Tomorrow

Alexander Lloyd's Employment Law Update

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Alexander Lloyd were delighted to welcome our local HR colleagues today for our latest business breakfast focusing on recent updates in employment law.

The discussion, headed by asb law's Rebecca Thornley-Gibson and Jane Smith considered the implications of the government's proposals currently under consultation and the April 2012 changes, alongside a review of recent case law.

To download a copy of the presentation please follow this link: Employment Law Update February 2012.

If you would like to join our mailing list for events and newsletters that keep you up to date with the latest HR news, please email your details to events@alexanderlloyd.co.uk

2012 is the Prime time for Interim Managers

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

“2012 is the prime time for interim managers” – that’s according to a study undertaken recently by Ipsos Mori, who found a 22% increase in the hiring of interim managers in the last quarter of 2011, setting the market up for a good start to the new year.*

The present demand has been found to be at it’s highest in the last three years, and Alexander Lloyd can confirm that this upward trend sees no sign of tailing off as we reach the midpoint of quarter one.

Jobs in demand

Financial accountants, and auditors are in particular demand so far this year, with a renewed focus on controls and processes following a strong demand for commercially minded business partners throughout last year as companies sought to drive their businesses forward. Medium term contracts do appear to be the most sought after, with 6 months an average for new interim hires so far this year, following a well-established industry trend.

Looking forward

Whilst the demand for new permanent staff so far this year is slightly shaky with many businesses taking a watch and wait approach, if the need for the resource is there, interim is obviously considered a lower risk and therefore more viable option. This approach is often taken with a view to creating a permanent job in the long term, hence a strong temp to perm conversion rate seen so far.

* Information gathered from Gaapweb.com 21/02/2012

Part-Qualified Accountants in Demand

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Demand for part qualified accountants see little chance of decreasing this year, reports the Alexander Lloyd permanent Accountancy division.

Highly prized for their desire to learn and unique position to learn a businesses financials from the grass roots upwards, part qualified accountants present a golden opportunity for a business to invest in their people.

Finding the right person

Whilst demand for these employees has remained high during more recent challenging times, it has proven difficult for employers to make an attractive offer to tempt the top talent owing to the need for their study support.

Having support as part of their remuneration package is a deal breaker for many part qualified accountants, and many businesses found they simply couldn’t offer this incentive owing to a need to cut back and reduce their costs. As a result, there are many who are funding their own studies in an effort to continue with their qualification, and some people who have been unable to acquire a purely financially focused job and instead find themselves in a related role.

Study support on offer again

The encouraging news is that it appears more and more local business are once again including study support in their offers of employment. For those who are considering a career move and wishing to continue with their studies therefore, there are opportunities on the market to be explored.

Ask Alexander...

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Dear Alexander,

I am a hugely busy HR professional with a myriad of different demands on my time, with ER problems on one hand, a Business Partner role to fill that is going to be crucial to implementing our new strategy this year on another, reward considerations and an L & D framework in development. I’ve submitted the job to a couple of consultancies but now one wants to come and see me about it – I’ve really got enough on my plate, should I bother?

Jenny

Alexander says...

Dear Jenny,

Phew, you really do sound like you’ve got a lot on your plate with lots of balls in the air; it’s definitely a tricky one. Your time is of course your most valuable resource and this seems like another demand that might not be strictly necessary.

However, it does sound like your filling your Business Partner role is going to be fairly pivotal to your strategy for the coming year and we all know how important it is to get it right when you’re investing in your people. As such I would suggest you consider a couple of things carefully before making your decision.

Firstly and most importantly, will meeting face-to-face with the consultant be of benefit to you and help to fill the role? If you’ve met them before then the answer might be no. They know your business and partner it effectively already, so there might not be a need to see them face-to-face and a phone conversation should be ample.

But if you haven’t met them previously, ultimately it should. For a start it gives you the opportunity to meet the person to whom you are entrusting your role and evaluate their integrity and transparency. As well as you meeting them, they get to meet you and your business face-to-face.

A face-to-face meeting gives the consultant an insight that they can’t achieve over the phone or via email and it’s an insight that goes beyond the job spec. They get see the premises, your location, the department; are you open plan with great open communication channels? Is the office light and airy? Where does the team sit and what structure does it have? How does this affect dynamics?

All these considerations help a consultant identify a selection of candidates that will not only match the skills and experience you require, but also the cultural fit which is so essential. This ultimately saves you time in the long run as you aren’t riffling through CV’s that are totally irrelevant or meeting a candidate at interview that doesn’t match your dynamic and as you said, time is key.

So if this is a developing relationship it should save you time in the long run, but if you know them well and trust their knowledge of your business then save your time for juggling all of those other balls.

Best Regards,

Alexander

HR Job Hunting Advice for 2012

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The HR team at Alexander Lloyd has historically seen an surge of new job seekers in January, keen to explore their opportunities and buoyed up with New Year’s resolutions as to how they can either further their career or find a fresh challenge. This year has proven no exception to the rule, with the team able to report a 15% increase in job seekers during January 2012 as opposed to November and December combined!*

It seems that despite the cautious prognosis for 2012, senior HR job seekers are staying on trend and venturing into the market early this year. Whether this will continue into the coming months remains to be seen, but if you are one of those considering a move this year, take a look at our top tips for successful job hunting in 2012.

Register with the right consultancy

Our recent article published on Changeboard discussed whether registering is always necessary, but for those who find it is, we always recommend that you only work with consultancies you trust and importantly specialise in your market and seniority level. You may have come across some consultancies in your position as a client but if you haven’t, do your research and be strategic about whom you contact.

Your CV is your sales tool

As an HR professional, you are in the unique position of seeing many CV’s cross your desk on a regular basis and know how important a really good document is in order to sell your skills. If you haven’t been on the job market for a while, take the time to revisit your CV and update the skills and experience that you have gained in the interim. Keep the layout simple and easy to read and make sure that your relevant skills and achievements practically leap off the page at the employer.

Achievements really need to be quantified to ‘pack a punch’ so try to include aspects such as how and where you cut costs or time, where you implemented new strategies and what impacts they had. You need to demonstrate that you can do the job and in a way justify your salary – if you are worth £50,000 a year, then an employer needs to see why.

Be strategic

You employ strategy in your job on a daily basis; so do the same for your job search! Once you have considered your motivations for leaving, writing your wish list can really help to narrow down what you want and aid perspective. What are your skills and where do they lead you? Do you need to add to these to attain your goal? Where do you want to work? For whom? What do you want long term? Stability? Progression? These questions will aid you in taking the steps towards what is the best solution for you in the short, medium and long term.

Be proactive

We understand that a job search, particularly a protracted one in a challenging climate can become demoralising and a struggle. Under these conditions it is difficult to maintain the levels of pro-activity that are necessary to be successful. Unless you are very lucky, it is unlikely you are going to get headhunted and a job appear without some degree of ongoing practivity so do follow up on your applications, both direct and via agencies.

Networking

In this age of social communication, networking is just as crucial as it was before the advent of Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, it is simply happening online. LinkedIn is the number one business networking tool available, and is used extensively by recruiters and companies alike to source new talent. It is a simple proactive task that that will expose your professional profile to a wide audience and optimise your chances of success.

* Information relating to Alexander Lloyd internal data 2011 / 2012.

Top Pensions and Benefits Job Hunting Tips for 2012

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Pensions and Benefits team at Alexander Lloyd traditionally sees an influx of job seekers buoyed up with New Year’s resolutions, keen to explore their opportunities and how they can either further their careers or find a fresh challenge for the New Year. This year has proven no exception to the rule, with the team delighted to report a 103% increase in job seekers during January 2012 as opposed to December 2011.*

So, despite the less promising predictions for 2012 (in comparison to a stronger performance for the sector last year), we have witnessed a stronger than anticipated start to the year. Whether this will continue into the coming months remains to be seen, but if you are one of those considering a move this year, take a look at our top tips for successful job hunting in 2012.

Strategic job hunt

It is always advisable to search for a new job from a position of strength. Think carefully about your motivations for leaving therefore, if the desire is a knee-jerk reaction to something negative that’s happened, then delve deeper and examine whether you have other, underlying reasons. Are they more than just the money? If you do consider that your motivation for leaving is the correct one, write your wish list. Where do you want to work? For whom? What do you want long term? Stability? Progression? These questions will aid you in taking the steps towards what is the best solution for you in the short, medium and long term.

Work with the best consultancy

We always recommend that you only work with consultancies you trust and who specialise in your market and seniority level.Communication is key when working with a consultant, and you must be able to discuss in-depth about what it is you want from a job, why you are leaving your current role, what it is you don’t want from a role, who you do want to work for, who you don’t want to work for... the list goes on. One sign of a good consultancy is that they will be available to chat to when you aren’t at work so that you can communicate easily with them.As a result, your consultant will be able to present opportunities to you that are the best fit for your skills and experience.

Our hot tip is to keep a list of the opportunities that they speak to you about. If you are working with more than one consultancy it can easy to lose track of who has put you forward for what.

Your CV is your sales tool

If you haven’t been on the job market for a while not everyone keeps their CV up to date. Take the time to revisit it and update your skills and experience that you have gained in the interim. One of the biggest mistakes is a one size fits all approach, particularly if you have had a long and successful career, it can be a struggle to fit all of your skills and experience into the document.

Take a look at the role that you are applying for and make sure that your relevant skills and experience practically leap off the page at the employer. You need to demonstrate that you can do the job and in a way justify your salary – if you are worth £50,000 a year, then an employer needs to see why! Any good consultant will always be happy to give you advice on how to improve your CV, be that in terms of content or presentation if you ask.

The job interview

Preparation should go beyond simply an overview of the company, but include products and schemes that they deal with. Use your consultant’s expertise when it comes to company culture, it’s structure, especially of the Pensions or Benefits team. This is a really crucial part of the consultancy services that are on offer to you.

* Information relating to Alexander Lloyd internal data 2011 / 2012.

Growing your Pensions team in 2012

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The start of a New Year doesn’t mean it is only job seekers who are reviewing possibilities, but businesses also strategically consider their recruitment needs for the coming year at this time.

If you are looking to acquire the best new talent for your business in 2012, here are our recommendations for a successful recruiting process.

Pick and choose your consultancy

If you are using consultancy to aid you in filling the role, be selective about who you use. An agency that doesn’t specialise in the sector or the level in which you are recruiting for will struggle to provide you with top quality candidates that match the specification you are searching for.

Communication is key

A good consultancy will manage the process for you, from an initial meeting to fully grasp the specifics of the role and your company, to managing candidate’s expectations through the interview process. It may seem a chore to meet with a consultant; however it allows them to be much more fully briefed than a telephone conversation. They will get to see the location of the business and its premises, experience the company culture coupled with a much improved level of communication face to face. All this contributes to presenting you with the best possible candidates that fit your criteria.

The tortoise doesn’t always beat the hare

If you are aware that your processes take time, advise your consultant of this at the start and they will be able to manage a much smoother process for you, managing candidate’s expectations and reducing the risk of losing really good people. We are aware of how crucially important it is that you appoint the right person, any type of a recruitment is a true investment in your business, not just for today but for the future.

Does a New Year mean a new Compliance job?

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Does a New Year mean a New Job?

The start of a New Year often gets people thinking about their careers and the idea of starting afresh both personally and professionally is rather appealing to many. Indeed a new job is listed as the fifth most popular resolution for employees in the UK, but we never keep resolutions! Or do we? Surprisingly, a longitudinal study demonstrated that 40% of people do actually still keep their resolutions after six months.

So it appears that many of us do and despite the less promising predictions for 2012 (in comparison to a strong performance for the sector last year), we do anticipate that the recruitment levels will be broadly maintained. If your New Years resolution is to take your career to the next stage therefore, make sure you are part of that 40% and grab hold of the opportunity with both hands using our top tips for success.

Your CV must sell you

If you haven’t been on the job market for a while it is highly unlikely that you have kept your CV up to date. Take the time to revisit it and update your skills and experience that you have gained in the interim. One of the biggest mistakes is a one size fits all approach, particularly if you have had a long and successful career, it can be a struggle to fit all of your skills and experience into the document.

Take a look at the role that you are applying for and make sure that your relevant skills and experience practically leap off the page at the employer. Key words are (if you will excuse the pun), key here. If you have TCF, KYC, AML or other industry specific skills and experience then make sure you include them and they are easily identifiable. An employer won’t assume that you have them – you have to let them know! Any good consultant will always be happy to give you advice on how to improve your CV, be that in terms of content or presentation if you ask.

Take a tactical approach

What’s on your tick list? Think carefully about your motivations for leaving. Is the desire a knee-jerk reaction to something negative that’s happened? Are they more than just the money? Where do you want to work? For whom? What do you want long term? Stability? Progression? These questions will aid you in taking the steps towards what is the best solution for you in the short, medium and long term.

Select who you work with carefully

Only work with consultancies you trust and who specialise in your market and seniority level. Communication is key when working with a consultant, and you must be able to discuss in-depth about what it is you want from a job, why you are leaving your current role, what it is you don’t want from a role, who you do want to work for, who you don’t want to work for... the list goes on. The more information a consultant has about your job search, the better fit the roles they present to you will be.

Breezing an interview

An interview is your ticket to a new opportunity; your chance to stand out and really project your individuality and display your soft skills. Lack of preparation is one of the most commonly cited reasons for job seekers tripping up at the interview stage. Preparation should go beyond simply an overview of the company, but include products that they deal with such as foreign exchange or how many assets or investments under management, products or bonds they deal with. Use your consultant’s expertise when it comes to company culture, it’s structure, especially of the compliance team. This is a really crucial part of the consultancy services that are on offer to you.

Growing your Compliance team in 2012

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A New Year beginning doesn’t mean it is only job seekers who are reviewing possibilities, but businesses also strategically consider their recruitment needs for the coming year at this time.

The Compliance team at Alexander Lloyd traditionally witness a surge in the number of jobs that companies are looking to fill during January and February – 31% higher than those that are available during November and December. So, if you are looking to acquire the best new talent for your business in 2012, here are our recommendations for a successful recruiting process.

Pick and choose your consultancy

Keep a toe in the market waters

Even if you aren’t actively recruiting at any given time, we recommend that you keep an eye on what the market is doing in the interim.

Some consultancies will help you in doing so by sending through candidates now and again. This allows you to keep up with salary rates and gives you an insight into skills that might benefit your team.

The tortoise doesn’t always beat the hare

If your internal processes mean that it takes quite a while to make a decision on your short-listing for example, it is possible that someone else will have snapped up those candidates in the meantime. If you are aware that your processes take time, advise your consultant of this at the start and they will be able to manage a much smoother process for you, managing candidate’s expectations and reducing the risk of losing really good people. We are aware of how crucially important it is that you appoint the right person, any type of a recruitment is a true investment in your business and it’s people, not just for today but for the future.

Statistics compiled from Alexander Lloyd internal data 2011

Employment Law Update Breakfast Forum

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

We are delighted to announce the date of the next Alexander Lloyd forum as 24th February 2012 at the Ramada Plaza Hotel, London Gatwick (based in Crawley).

Case law is continuing to change the landscape in which employers are operating and ASB Law will be reviewing some of the most important cases from the last 12 months and their implications for the way employers operate.

In addition, ASB Law will be reviewing and sharing their thoughts with you in respect of the key changes the Government has recently announced and the consultation they have launched on other aspects it is intending to review - including the Tribunal process, the complicated and much-criticised TUPE Regulations, as well as potentially simplifying the rules on collective redundancy consultation.

If you are interested in attending the forum, please emailevents@alexanderlloyd.co.uk for further details.

For directions to the Ramada London Gatwick, please follow this link.

Growing Your Accountancy Team in 2012

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The start of a New Year doesn’t just lead to job seekers considering their options, but those looking to recruit are often considering their strategic recruitment needs to co-inside with a new financial year, or are being forced to replace those who have left for pastures new.

The team at Alexander Lloyd traditionally witness a surge in the number of jobs that companies are looking to fill during January and February – 17% higher than those that are available during November and December. So, if you are looking to acquire the best new talent for your business in 2012, here are our recommendations for a successful recruiting process.

Pick and choose your consultancy

If you are using an agency to aid you in filling the role, be selective about who you use. An agency that doesn’t specialise in the sector or the level in which you are recruiting for will struggle to provide you with top quality candidates that match the specification you are searching for. If you have numerous different agencies working on the role, it is highly likely that you will end up receiving the same candidates from each one.

Make the time to meet you consultant

Many people consider this to be a waste of precious time and believe that a phone call will be adequate to effectively communicate your requirements. However, any true consultancy will want to meet you face to face to discuss not only your requirements for the role, but to learn about your business and it’s culture to ensure that the candidates they present to you are the best fit for your business. This is extremely difficult to get a feel for over the phone, and you’ll often find that the candidates they would have presented to you will be discounted following a face to face meeting.

The tortoise doesn’t always beat the hare

Whilst we appreciate that any new hire is a considerable investment for a business, and the pressure to get it right first time is immense, it is also important to keep in mind that there is other competition for the top talent on the market. If your internal processes mean that it takes quite a while to make a decision on your short-listing for example, it is possible that someone else will have snapped up those candidates in the meantime. If you are aware that your processes take time, advise your consultant of this at the start and they will be able to manage a much smoother process for you, managing candidate’s expectations and reducing the risk of losing really good people. We are aware of how crucially important it is that you appoint the right person, any type of a recruitment is a true investment in your business and it’s people, not just for today but for the future.

Statistics compiled from Alexander Lloyd internal data 2011

Does a New Year Mean a New Job for Accountants?

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

At this time of year it seems that we always see the same tired headlines appearing again and again, it’s a New Year, then it must be time for a new job! Mustn’t it?

For some, the answer is yes indeed. A new job is listed as the fifth most popular resolution in the UK, but for those in the Accountancy profession it’s not necessarily always the case. Year End seems to feature as much, if not more as trigger point for the Accountancy profession to begin job hunting. Last year, the Finance and Accountancy team saw a 7%* increase in job seekers during the three months following April, in comparison to the three months preceding April.

It is our experience that those at more senior level are more likely to see the financial year out in their current position owing in part to the level of responsibility they have for the process but also in some cases relating to their end of year bonuses. Whilst this might seem a cynical approach at first glance, if you have spent a year earning your bonus why shouldn’t you postpone your search until you have received it?

Those in mid level or operational positions however, are less inclined to wait for year end, but are strategic and start their job search prior to the New Year, from November onwards with the idea of starting afresh in January. Often this approach works perfectly and the old adage New Year, New Job really does apply, but for some the process takes that much longer to complete and their search rolls over into the first few months of the New Year.If you are still job hunting therefore, or considering your options with a view to starting soon, here are our top five tips for successful job hunting in 2012.

Be strategic in your job search

You employ a strategic approach every day during your working life, apply the same to your job search. Think carefully about your motivations for leaving, are they more than just the money? Where do you want to work? For whom? What do you want long term? Stability? Progression? These questions will aid you in taking the steps towards what is the best solution for you in the short, medium and long term.

Be selective about who you work with

Only work with consultancies you trust and who specialise in your market and geographical area. Many feel meeting a consultant face to face is a waste of time, but it is vital to not only establish credibility, but the culture fit of suggested roles.

Communication is key

About what it is you want from a job, why you are leaving your current role, what it is you don’t want from a role, who you do want to work for, who you don’t want to work for... the list goes on. The more information a consultant has about your job search, the better fit the roles they present to you will be.

Your CV is your sales tool

One of the biggest mistakes commonly made is a one size fits all approach. You must tailor your CV to the role that you are applying for. Particularly if you have had a long and successful career, it can be a struggle to fit all of your skills and experience into the document. By tailoring it, it ensures you highlight the skills and experience you have that are most relevant to the role for which you are applying. Your consultant will always be happy to provide advice on how to improve your CV if you ask.

I don’t need interview preparation

An interview is your ticket to an opportunity; your chance to shine and really project your personality and demonstrate soft skills. Lack of preparation is one of the most commonly cited reasons for job seekers tripping up at the interview stage. Preparation should go beyond simply the company financials, use your consultant’s expertise. This is a really crucial part of the consultancy services that are on offer to you, so why not take full advantage?

* Statistics compiled from Alexander Lloyd internal data for 2011.

Managing Sickness Absence in Accountancy teams for 2012

Tue, 3 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Sickness absence is a very well recognised issue within the work place today, with new reports coming out seemingly every week on the severity of the issue and the costs to the economy; £13bn at the last count. However, less well known and documented, particularly in the UK, is the problem of sickness presenteeism.

Defined as the loss of productivity when employees come to work when they are unfit to do so and perform below par as a result of their illness, it is estimated that the cost of presenteeism to the economy is a staggering £19.5bn. The biggest cause of sickness absence has been cited recently by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development as stress, a complaint that accountants are no stranger to, particularly during the fast approaching year-end period.

The impacts of stress

It is claimed that 82% of accountants suffer from stress related problems, a figure which is on the rise, caused by longer working hours and increased volumes of work, both of which are exacerbated at this time of year.

Worryingly whilst stress is the primary cause of sickness absence, “mental ill-health is particularly likely to be manifest in the form of presenteeism than absenteeism” raising questions over the impact of stress-related presenteeism on workforce and its productivity.

Many employers do not taken into account the potential impact that arises as a result of presenteeism, which tends to become intensified when an employer has a stringent sickness absence policy. Job insecurity, supervisor support and job satisfaction are also contributing factors as to why employees feel the need to come to work when they aren’t well and are accompanied by the pressure of deadlines and increased volumes of work. 48% of employees site an increased volume of work as the main cause of stress in the workplace, which turns our thoughts to the inevitable increase in work volume that a year-end brings.

There is a huge amount of material around on the variety of methods that can be used to try and keep your staff’s stress levels to a minimum and thus reduce the potential costs of absenteeism or the even higher costs of presenteeism. We have selected the ones that we feel can be most useful:

Consider your resources

Both in the long and short term. If you are under resourced on a daily basis, at a time of increased workload this is only going to be felt even more.

Work allocation

The temptation to take on too much yourself, or increase the load on a reliable employee can be very high in deadline situations. Try to make sure that the load is distributed appropriately across the team.

Support and acknowledge your team

Acknowledging a job well done and praising an employee’s performance will give an extra lift and boost the motivation levels.

Very long hours

They may be essential for a while, but it’s important to remember that they can only be sustained for short periods of time; overly tired workers become less and less productive.

Healthy lifestyle

Promoting a culture of exercise and well being will not only help during times of increased stress, but on a day to day basis. Physical activity has been proved to decrease stress levels and fun approaches like pedometers at work can be really beneficial.

Originally published by Gaapweb.com 29/12/2011

Jobs Market Round Up of 2011

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Seasons Greetings

Seasons greetings from the Accountancy team at Alexander Lloyd! Christmas and New Year are fast approaching, and with 2012 looming, the Accountancy team have taken a quick breather from the December whirlwind to reflect on the last twelve months, and take a sneaky peek into the New Year and what new challenges it might bring.

2011 saw growth in Accountancy within the financial services sector, particularly within those companies with international affiliations. This growth has been mirrored in the interim market as well as the permanent, with contractors being re-engaged after the austere times in 2009 when nearly all contractors had their assignments terminated within a very short space of time.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, there has been very little movement within the public sector market, particularly in Surrey, Sussex and Kent where the closure of the PCT’s has hit the local public sector workforce hard. Reviewing the predictions for job losses in the region of 700,000 across the sector as a whole, we certainly don’t anticipate seeking any change to the situation in 2012.

Finance Business Partners in demand

Within those areas that have been recruiting however, Finance Business Partners and Management Accountants are the ones in the highest demand. Accountants with commercial acumen and business focus are seen as huge assets to the business, bridging the gap between the Accounts function and the stakeholders across the rest of the business. Historically newly qualified Accountants are always in high demand, and this year has been no exception, particularly those moving from practice to industry are seen as valuable additions to a department.

Increasing candidate confidence

The good news for 2011 was the increase that we saw in candidate confidence, particularly in the first six months. More people were willing to consider their options, particularly in the pursuit of career progression than we had seen certainly in the previous year, and this increased candidate movement has resulted in employers having more choice when it comes to filling their roles.

This greater choice has coincided with an emerging trend of increasing pressure internally to make the correct choice in the appointed candidate. Due to the tightening in of belts all round, the inherent costs in recruiting a new hire are not to be taken lightly and employers only want to go through the process once. As a result, the interview process is becoming more protracted as more candidates are being seen at each stage. This has extended into the interim market too, in terms of increased interview stages. Whereas previously, most employers were content for a single interview, there are commonly now two stages to the process to appoint a contractor. The net result to these trends is increased timescales for the entire recruitment process, as employers make doubly sure that their choice of candidate is spot on for the business.

Cautious start to 2012

We are anticipating that this tentative approach will continue into the New Year and if anything become more cautious, accompanied by a lowering of candidate confidence particularly in the financial services and manufacturing sectors. There is real uncertainty about the impact that the Eurozone crisis will have on the UK economy, and until it is seen that some progress is being made thanks to the new fiscal measures that are being put into place, both employers and job seekers will tread very carefully into the New Year.

Professional Practice Round Up 2011

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Review of 2011

2011 has been a fairly good year for the practice jobs market in the South East, certainly when you hold up the previous two years for comparison. The team are pleased to report an increase in demand during the first six months of the year for corporate finance roles, seeing a combination of both back filling and newly created vacancies become available. It is generally taken as a positive indication that these types of roles are increasing, particularly at manager level, and we have unsurprisingly seen a slow down in the latter half of the year in part due to the situation developing in Europe. The team did witness a comparable increase in the number of managerial positions becoming vacant in audit in the first six months of the year, whereas the last quarter has seen an increase in demand for audit seniors. On the flip side, tax has been a slow mover during 2011 and whilst it is an established trend within the practice arena, candidate movement has been minimal in comparison with previous years.

Salaries

Salaries have seen a slight increase in the top tier, with pay rises up to 5% not uncommon. Mid tier firms in comparison have not necessarily been able to award the same level of raise and subsequently the team have seen mid-level firms struggle to compete and attract new talent this year.

Candidate confidence

Whilst there have been a number of roles available this year, this hasn’t necessarily correlated with the number of candidates with the desired skills and experience for those roles. There is still not enough candidate movement in the market to match the demand, and subsequently the frequency of counter offers by employers for anyone qualified for more than a year or so is high. It has also resulted in the need for very quick responses on the part of employers as these top quality candidates that are in high demand are snapped by very rapidly, there has been no time for employers to rest on their laurels this year.

2012 challenges

Looking forward into 2012, we certainly don’t anticipate a change to this trend, if anything we anticipate the first six months of the year will see few candidates moving around, and employers likely to put projects on hold until the situation in Europe is a little less shaky and the results of the measures recently put in place begin to take effect.

Pensions & Benefits Jobs Round Up for 2011

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This has certainly been an up and down year for the Pensions and Benefits job market, the team have seen the high demand unable to be sustained in the second half. We are pleased to note that Senior Pension Administrator roles have been in consistent demand despite this slight slowing down, and interestingly there has been a discernable increase in the number of Account Management roles coming onto the market in the latter half of 2011, indicating that some organisations are looking to move forward and focus on growth in the New Year, as well as backfilling roles that have become available due to increased candidate movement.

Candidates in demand

Diploma qualified candidates were in high demand this year, and with the RDR fast approaching, we anticipate that this will only get stronger as time progresses. Those who have been a little slow out of the blocks regarding the qualification may find themselves in a difficult situation this coming year, with fewer employers willing to consider a candidate unless they are either qualified or well on their way frown the road to their qualification.

This increased focus on candidate qualifications is evidence of the stringent approach that is being taken by employers across the board to the criteria that candidates must meet in order to be considered for a role, and the pressure on the internal recruitment team to get the right person is considerable. As a result, the number of candidates that are being interviewed at first stage for a role has increased, from an average of 4 to 6 for a mid level role, to 6 to 10 and even more on occasion. The number of interviews has also increased, whereas some roles may have only had one interview in the past, second interviews are now the norm across the board. This increased focus has impacted greatly on the amount of time that the recruitment process is taking; it hasn’t been unusual for a period of five to six months pass before a decision is reached.

The instances of employees being counter-offered by employers has also seen a noticeable decrease this year, and often seeing offers for replacement being made internally rather than externally recruited.

Looking forward to 2012

We have seen an improvement in job seekers confidence in considering a move across the year as a whole, demonstrated by a higher percentage of roles becoming available on a back-filling basis due to the current incumbent moving on rather than the creation of brand new roles on the whole. We are not however anticipating that this confidence will carry forward at its current level into the start of 2012 on the part of the employees or the employers thanks to the uncertainty over the Eurozone situation and the potential knock on effects on the UK economy. As a result, we anticipate that our entrance into the new year will be taken with tentative steps until the outlook from the continent looks a little less shaky which will hopefully be the case as the year progresses.

Compliance Jobs Round Up of 2011

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Seasons greetings from the Compliance team at Alexander Lloyd! A whirlwind month has been had, with everyone tying up loose ends before the Christmas break, and gearing up for the inevitable New Year’s resolutions of finding a new role for 2012. For our Christmas edition of the Compliance Insight, the team have taken a quick breather to review the ups and downs of the last twelve months, and bring you a sneaky peek at what 2012 may yield.

2011 Highlights

Looking back over the last twelve months we have seen asset management and investment have a more robust year with some new roles being introduced, and jobseekers moving around creating a need for replacements, thanks in part to dealing with product areas that have weathered the financial storm in better shape than others. The retail and the mortgage sector has seen little in the way of movement in 2011, which is no real surprise considering the challenges to the financial markets, particularly in the last quarter, which saw a number of redundancies made across the sector, although Compliance has suffered less that many others during this time.

Job seeker confidence

Job seeker confidence as a whole has seen an improvement through the year, with many more Compliance professionals willing to consider their options than at the start of the year. Those candidates who are considering a move are understandably only willing to do so if the price, and the situation is right. We saw more of a willingness in the first few months of 2011 to consider moves that may have offered more long term scope and opportunity but little increase in the way of remuneration than we are now. Job seekers are seemingly less willing to compromise on their immediate package for a promise of opportunities to come.

Also less willing to compromise are the companies themselves throughout the hiring process. The cautiousness with which most are approaching new hires means that the pressure is on to get the decision right first time. As a result the number of people that are being interviewed for each role is increasing and the number of decision makers involved in the recruitment loop is also increasing. Whilst this approach is perfectly understandable in the current climate, what it does mean is that the entire process is taking that much longer to complete and reach consensus.

Looking forward

Despite a cautious approach, the Compliance team is expecting to see organisations growing their Compliance function in the New Year and investing in new people. A word of caution however; thanks to the uncertainty generated by the current Eurozone crisis and it’s potential impact on the British economy, no one is really sure what next year is going to bring. However, one thing is likely, the increasing focus on risk and regulation will mean that Compliance is one the few areas within the financial services market that may have a more stable outlook.

Registering with a Recruitment Agency

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

What are the benefits of an HR professional registering with a recruiting agency?

Why look to an agency?

For an HR professional today, this may be a valid question – why bother indeed?

Your situation within the human resources industry places you in a fairly unique position. You are intimately involved with the recruitment process on both sides.

As a human resource professional, you understand the processes of recruitment and the way in which it works from both sides of the table, albeit more commonly as a recruiter rather than a candidate.

The benefits of registering

When you engage a consultancy as a client, you tend to choose those with whom you have an existing successful relationship with, and you do so in order to access their large database of candidates, many of whom may not be freely available on the open market. Turn that idea on its head for a moment. When you register as a candidate you become part of that database in order to access the relationships that the consultant has developed with their clients.

Recruitment consultants are sales people; it is in fact one of the most frequent complaints laid at their door. However, ask any sales person in any market who works on a business-to-business basis what the secret to their success is, they will give you the answer, ‘relationships’. They take time and effort to build, you personally may have one or two with select recruiters that can add value to your business, and this is the key benefit that you are tapping into as a candidate.

For the full article, please visit Changeboard.com

HR Jobs Market Round Up for 2011

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Christmas is fast approaching, and in the whirlwind of getting the decorations up, enjoying the Christmas party and braving the shops (and that’s just for the office!), the HR team at Alexander Lloyd have taken a quick breather to reflect on what 2011 has meant for the market and have a quick peek at what 2012 might bring.

2011 progress

It’s no understatement to say that 2011 has been a tough year for everyone, especially in the latter half of the year, with the unforeseen Eurozone crisis and a shaky time for the UK economy making an impact on the tentative steps that had been taken early in the year.

However it certainly hasn’t been all doom and gloom this year. The team has seen growth and positive momentum developing in both the internal recruitment and learning and development sectors of the market.
Learning and development particularly is an encouraging sign of improvement, with many roles being filled that had been empty for some time, in part from 2009 when it was one of the most badly hit areas. Recruitment on the other hand seems to be undergoing a period of increased movement, particularly in terms of upskilling teams and in some cases implementing a new recruitment team with the aim of cutting costs by bringing the function in house.

HR Business Partners in demand

Strong HR generalists in a business partner role have continued to be in demand throughout the year, particularly those from a FTSE 250 brand. Background and sector has seen an increase in its relative importance for organisations considering new hires this year, with may refusing to consider HR as a transferable skill and seeming to rely on a grounding in the sector to aid a new starter in hitting the ground running, as opposed to a more invested approach that we have seen in the past. In our opinion, this reflects the cautiousness with which recruitment has been approached for the whole of this year, and we anticipate that the trend will continue into the coming year.

Another trend that we have witnessed developing throughout the year reflecting this cautiousness, is the increasing numbers of people who are involved in the recruitment loop. Seemingly more people are involved in an effort to “get it right first time” when the decision is made. The knock on effect however is that the time it takes for the process to complete is increased, in some cases quite considerably, and in others no consensus is reached and the process begins again.

Looking forward to 2012

We predict that there will be little change to this circumspect approach to hiring in the New Year, and don’t foresee a huge improvement in momentum and movement, certainly for the first six months. Having said that however, there is a much greater willingness on the part of HR candidates to consider opportunities, which is a direct contrast to a couple of years ago when the hatches were well and truly battened down. We hope that candidate confidence will coincide with an increase in those opportunities they are searching for, but for that we will have to wait and see.

What Does a Candidate Look for in an Employer?

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

In a time when both job seekers and employers are cautious about moving roles and hiring respectively, it is inevitable that the tick list of requirements grows ever longer and more stringent. Employers are becoming stricter on their requirements, only engaging someone if they match their criteria almost exactly, whereas job seekers are understandably not willing to consider moving roles unless the employer meets their criteria. Obviously what a candidate is seeking is eminently personal to them and will differ greatly dependent on the individual, however, our consultants do see trends appearing in line with changing market conditions.

Security vs Opportunity

In more stable times, most job seekers are looking for opportunity, whereas in our current market, security is very much in the forefront of minds. This has a direct impact on the types of companies that job seekers are looking to target as the perception that a larger company equates to increased security over an SME persists, leading some unwilling to pursue SME options.

Location

Location of an employer plays a huge role in any job hunting. For some, relocating for a role is a feasible option, particularly if they are seeking career advancement or are out of work. For others however, the risk of relocation is simply too high to contemplate and links directly to the issue of security. What happens if one makes the move only to find yoursellf redundant a year down the line?IndustryIndustry specific experience plays an increasingly prominent role in employer’s decision-making process. For a candidate, the employer’s industry also plays a significant role as many will be drawn towards those industries that they already have experience in, considering that they will a) be more attractive to a potential employer, and b) having an established knowledge base upon which to rely. For others though, a new industry may pose new and exciting challenges and widen their knowledge base, leading to new opportunities.

Company Culture

Company culture may be of slightly less concern than location, company size and industry, but it is an important element that should not be disregarded. Entirely dependant on the individual, a cultural fit in an important factor that employers also consider carefully. If a collaborative culture is an environment that best suits the job seeker’s personality they will be less inclined to operate in a more rigid structure that does not encourage their preferred manner of operating.

Remuneration Package

What an employer can offer in terms of an entire package, not just a basic salary has become increasingly important, although the weight attached to individual benefits will differ dependant on the individual. It does not pay to underestimate their importance however and employers must look carefully at the component parts of their benefits on offer and the manner in which they can be used to attract talent.

Whilst employers have tight criteria that jobs seekers must meet in order to be successful, it remains the fact that they must also tick the boxes of the job seeker and present as an attractive proposition in order to attract the highest calibre of candidate. It will work to a job seekers advantage to have an idea of what exactly their criteria is, however a word of caution that a too specific approach may mean that you allow opportunities to pass you by.

To Accept or Not To Accept - The Question of Counter Offers

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The Pensions and Benefits market has traditionally been one where candidates are in short supply and subsequently, high demand. When someone does take the decision to move jobs therefore, it has a huge impact not just on that individual but also on their current employer; even more here so than in markets where candidates are in more plentiful supply, as the difficulties in replacing them are that much greater. During the turbulent economic times of the recession, very few people were voluntarily moving jobs. Since then however, we have seen an increase in the number of job seekers that are considering their options, whereas before, many people were staying in positions in which they felt dissatisfied.

So, as an employee you have taken the plunge, explored your options, gone through the interview process and been offered an exciting new role. This is always a slightly unsettling time and many understandably feel the process of resigning from their current role to be a stressful one.

Submitting Your Resignation

When the time comes to submit your letter of resignation, there is often a palpable sense of relief and the excitement of starting a new role comes to the fore. However, what happens if the following day your employer presents you with a counter offer? What do you do for the best?

This is a very difficult situation in which to find oneself. On the surface, it appears to be in the employer’s interests to retain you; you are a valued employee, one that is difficult to replace. They are able to keep your skills and experience within the business rather than have to progress once again through the recruitment process, which can be incredibly time consuming. You are in situ; you know the company and are an established member of the team whom they have already invested in through training and personal development.

From your perspective, it can be an appealing and very gratifying offer. The company clearly wants you to stay and a senior member of the business who you may not have had significant contact with previously, is telling you how valuable you are to the team, and offering a pay rise. In addition, you are within your comfort zone; you know the business and the people. At this stage, it is vitally important that you examine your reasons for leaving in the first place. Is your motivation more than simply remuneration? In most cases (although not all) it is and may rather be due to a desire for career progression or disillusionment with the company and working environment itself. Ask yourself the question; is this going to change or by accepting an offer are you simply placing a plaster on the real issue?

A Long Term Solution?

Being counter offered with a pay rise or a promotion is unlikely to resolve the underlying reasons that first motivated you to search for another job in the first place. In this instance we find that in many cases the employee will be once again be back on the job market within six to eight months, as the problem has not been resolved through a pay rise. In the experience of the Pensions and Benefits team, a year or so ago, the team was working with Pensions Administration Manager who was very disillusioned with their working environment. We secured them a new position with a pay increase, and an environment that was a much better cultural fit for them, and when they subsequently submitted their resignation, their employer offered to double the pay increase to keep them. They accepted the counter offer, however within five months were back on the phone looking for a new role, as the environment had not improved and the initial problem remained.

Alternatively, if your motivation for leaving is down to remuneration and you feel that you are being undervalued either through the employer’s inability to offer an increase, or through a failure to recognise your worth, it is not generally held to be a good idea to accept a counter offer. Using this process as means of forcing your employer’s hand should be completely avoided. It almost always causes a collapse in trust and to questions being raised about your loyalty and commitment to the company. If they believe that you have demonstrated disloyalty it is doubtful that the previous levels of trust will ever be re-established, which can have ramifications for your long-term career in that company.

Communication is Key

If you feel justified in receiving a pay increase or promotion, it is always recommended that you firstly have an honest and candid conversation with your employer, laying out your reasoning. Through open channels of communication there is a much greater chance that you will be able to come to a mutual agreement that has fewer potentially negative implications later in your career. If the employer is not able (and in the current economic climate many are not, through no fault of their own) or willing to negotiate in terms of remuneration then if you still wish to pursue the issue, consider your wider options, and explore the market with a clear conscience.

How Long Is Too Long To Fill a Role?

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

HR has traditionally been a candidate rich market place and the impacts of the recession have only exacerbated this tendency resulting in a buyers market. Taking this situation into account, how long is a reasonable period of time to recruit new personnel?

The larger pool of candidates for the lower level operation roles should result in a much quicker timeframe to fill the role than at the more senior end of the scale, where the personal specification becomes more demanding and the ideal candidate more difficult to locate. In the current climate, some companies have taken the approach to sourcing candidates directly as opposed to using a consultancy, but how long do you keep the role in house if it is proving difficult to fill?

If one is searching for an HR Administrator or Assistant and it takes in excess of three months, during which time there is a period where the duties of the role are unfilled, it could be argued that the loss of efficiency and the additional strain placed on the current resource is actually counter productive and may result in no actual cost saving. In the view of the Alexander Lloyd HR Operations team, a generalist role of this type should not take any longer than four weeks to complete the process.

More senior roles will of course take longer to complete the process as often simply advertising the role is not adequate to source the candidate who meets the specification and is the cultural fit. The additional direct sourcing techniques such as headhunting require a specific skill set and are (as importantly) extremely time intensive. If you are looking to grow the HR function then you may have the luxury of accommodating an extended timescale, however if you are seeking to backfill a role then time is generally of the essence. Can you really support what are not unusually six or even eight month time frames as opposed to the two to three months that are much more reasonable, and with the right skill set, highly achievable?

HR professionals undeniably have an advantages over any other when it comes to recruiting for positions in their own departments; they have an in-depth understanding of the actual market and the techniques involved in sourcing high calibre employees. However if success isn't achieved and you are facing an excessive timescale in filling a role there must come a point when you consider alternatives of considering additional methods or outsourcing to a reputable third party.

Acing an Accountancy Interview

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Being a job seeker is challenging in today’s highly competitive marketplace. One of the most consistent areas of concern for those seeking new roles is performing successfully at the all-important interview. It is not surprising considering the time and effort that has gone into getting this far and the pressure on you to shine is considerable.

The very first thing to do is thoroughly quiz your consultant on the interviewer and the company. How many people and who will be conducting the interview and what are their roles within the company. How do these relate to the role that you are interviewing for? Any good consultant will have all these details to hand and be able to fully brief you. The other important question to ask them is what format the interview will take, will you be asked to take tests? Many accountancy and finance roles will require you to pass numerical and verbal reasoning and possibly personality assessments. Whilst there is little practical preparation you can do for these, you must be prepared for them so that there are no nasty surprises on your arrival.

To read the full article, please visit Gaapweb.com where it is published in full.

Are We Really Equals?

Tue, 8 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Reflecting on the ‘Women in Business’ investigation undertaken by Alexander Lloyd and Surrey University in 2002, it becomes apparent how attitudes towards women in the work place have changed. Such a public demonstration of the refusal to accept this type of comment is a positive step in demonstrating that there are consequences to this type of behaviour.

The Sex Discrimination Act (1975) and the Equality and Discrimination Act, clearly outline guidelines regarding sex discrimination for issues from recruitment, promotion and determining pay, to what is and is not acceptable behaviour in the work environment.

But how much of an impact does this have on real attitudes within the workplace?

In 2011 women are still being subjected to inappropriate comments and the pay gap still persists between the genders. The survey illustrated a gap in the salaries between men and women in the same job. Eight years on with the Equality Act in place, the hope was that this gap was diminishing and that these types of attitudes would be totally wiped out by now.

This does not seem to be the case. The perception of the financial services sector is that it continues to be a very "macho" environment that is a difficult setting for women to forge a strong career. When we consider the position of women in this workplace it is not inappropriate to say, the higher you go, the harder you have to look for a woman. Despite an established trend of women out performing men at every stage of higher education, once they cross to the workforce the position reverses. A report by the Cranfield School of Management published in 2010 confirms that out of the 1,076 members on the FTSE100 boards, only 135 are female – 12.5%. Over the last three years, this figure has changed very little and the talent so clearly demonstrated during higher education is not being realised in business.

As recently as 2002 the BBC published a report from the Equal Opportunities Commission that suggested people believed that choice, rather than discrimination was the reason for women receiving lower pay than their male counterparts and by association not progressing up the career ladder. Part of this was a segregation of women into lower paid sectors and the woman’s traditional role within the family.

However, more recent reports suggest that there has been a shift in stereotypical attitudes towards the role that gender plays within the family. In 2008, only 16% of people agreed with the statement :

‘A man’s job is to earn money; a woman’s job is to look after the home and family’.

It is a much less prevalent idea in today’s society that it is solely the woman’s responsibility to raise the family and the man to be the breadwinner. Traditional gender roles are beginning to become more blurred and it is no longer a surprise should it be the father who takes on the child care responsibilities.

So, how do we account for the lack of women in financial services and higher paid roles? Do women rather lack ambition?

“As a company director and professional working woman, I would have to answer no. Women can be ambitious and are more than capable of fulfilling their potential and there is evidence of a gradual change in the established trend. In the past decade, female participation in what was considered a predominantly male realm has steadily increased, and the gender pay gap, whilst not having disappeared does seem to be slowly decreasing. Such positive steps are not assisted by attitudes that we have recently seen. So how do we counter the persistence and contribute to this gradual cultural change?” says Karen Cole, Commercial Director at Alexander Lloyd.

Companies of course have a responsibility towards their employees and ensuring that there is a comprehensive equal opportunities policy in place is an important step in that process. This policy should be sure to cover what is deemed unacceptable behaviour in addition to clearly defining the manner in which the company recruits and manages its employees. In terms of behaviour however, it remains the individual’s responsibility to ensure that they abide by and enforce those policies when interacting with their colleagues. People should only ever be selected based on skills and experience and once in the job that the staff member is treated appropriately. There is no reason that anyone should endure discrimination of any kind within the work place be in gender motivated or otherwise. This means demonstrating respect and fairness towards all whom one interacts.

Writing an Effective Pensions CV

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

It is your professional identity on paper. Considering the importance of getting it right, the wide and not always wonderful selection of CV’s that cross the desks of the Alexander Lloyd specialist Pensions and Benefits division on a daily basis is remarkable.

A CV has a fairly standard layout that incorporates small variations, but the core is a clear and concise structure including, personal details, personal profile, qualifications, professional experience and achievements and general skills.

Personal Details

Keep this simple. You need your name, address and contact details. Make sure these details are up to date and regularly checked. If you have one, add your LinkedIn profile address to this section. It is not advisable to include any equal opportunities information such as your date of birth, marital status or nationality.

Personal Profile

This is your first chance to make an impression on a potential employer, to make yourself stand out from the crowd and grab their attention. This is not your life story. You are looking to include succinct details about your key skills, experience, achievements and strengths. For example:

“A highly skilled PMI qualified Pensions Manager with over ten years experience gained within both an in-house and consultancy environment, managing administration teams varying from 5 to 20 members. Well-developed inter-personal and man management skills have contributed to success in implementing new processes that resulted in improved efficiencies and service levels.”

Qualifications

As a qualified professional, employers are firstly looking for evidence of your Pensions qualification, so list these in chronological order of achievement. If you are actively studying towards a qualification, please ensure you include this with the month you are due to complete your studies.

If you have additional qualifications from other industries, such as Prince2 for example, make sure you include them as long as they are relevant to the role that you are applying for.

Employers will also want to know whether you are degree educated and if so, the degree title, class and which you university you attended. A-level qualifications are useful to list, along with the grades achieved, however GCSE’s or equivalent secondary qualifications are not necessary. If you do wish to include them, we would suggest they are not listed individually but the total number and grades as in A – C. It can be helpful to stipulate English and Maths if you are early on in your career.

Professional Experience & Achievements

Working backwards in time from your most recent role, use a bullet point format to lay out your experience. Each role must start with your job title, company name and the dates (including month and year) in which you worked for the company. It is a good idea to add in a synopsis of the company particularly if it is an SME, but limit this to a single line, you are selling yourself not your company.

If you have worked for one company for a number of years and progressed in a number of roles during this time, then it is essential that you detail the company and your entire length of service at the start. Then list each separate role and it’s responsibilities, including the timescale spent in each role in brackets next to the job title. Do not include the company name each time, as at first glance this may appear that you have moved jobs too frequently when what you actually have done is shown good progression.

If you do have career gaps, detail what you were doing during this time; were you on maternity leave or raising a family? If you were made redundant and have been seeking a job, stipulate redundancy as your reason for leaving and make it clear you have been proactively seeking new roles since. Particularly if you have been doing contract or interim work, make sure you include this along with the job title to make it very visible these were short-term roles and you don’t hop from job to job.

In each role keep the format simple, so we recommend listing your responsibilities under one heading and achievements under another. When describing your responsibilities, do not use first person narrative:

• “I managed a team of administrators in the Group Risk Department.”

• “I provided training and support to team members.”

This can lead to the description becoming rather verbose and vague and it ends up a list of “I did this, I did that”. Instead use the third person narrative and be specific:

• “Responsible for the provision of training and day to day management of a team of 6 administrators in the Group Risk Department.”

It is beneficial to look at your role from the perspective of a job specification and approach the description in this manner, not scrimping on the use of industry terminology and “buzz words”. Be specific in the types of schemes you have managed, and the size of teams. This shows not only your development in man management skills for example but also your technical knowledge and ability.

If your career is more sales focused, or the more senior the roles you occupy, the more important achievements become. In this instance, include a section underneath your responsibilities detailing your achievements in the role. Employers want to see where you have made an impact in a business, implemented or improved processes and generally exceeded expectations.

However, a word of caution when considering your achievements; ensure they are relevant to the role that you are applying for and can be substantiated.

Computer Skills

Computer skills are important for a prospective employer and they will want to know what relevant and well-known in-house packages you are familiar with such as Profund or Axis, and your level of competency. If you are a super user for any of the packages, then make sure you detail this. Of the Window’s packages Excel, Word (and Powerpoint if you are in a sales environment) are the most important. Employers do not need to know that you can use Outlook or Internet Explorer. If you also have Access, Visual Basic or SQL skills, then make sure you add these in.

Hobbies & General Skills

The inclusion of a hobbies and interests section can be a very contentious topic. Many recruitment consultancies will recommend they are omitted, along with equal opportunities information. Including them can risk alienating a potential employer and may cast a bad light on your application. Those areas deemed lower risk are activities that are team orientated or altruistic such as charity work (as long as the information is accurate), but if in doubt either speak with your recruitment consultant or leave them out.

How Long Is Too Long?

Many people will argue that a CV shouldn’t be more than two pages long but for those with many years experience, how do you fit it all in? Firstly, don’t be too concerned with extending the length to three or even four pages if necessary. We strongly advise against falling into the trap of putting detail against your most recent role and simply listing dates and job titles for the rest. As a minimum, ensure you have detailed information against your previous three to five roles, dependant on your circumstances.

To avoid repetition, if you have had a number of roles with similar we recommend you list fewer but different areas of responsibility for each role stipulating the schemes you have worked on and the sizes of teams you may have managed. Do not copy and paste either from your job description as this is very obvious, or previous roles they need to demonstrate differences and preferably progression. Importantly, don’t forget; employers are not interested in your weekend job for Marks and Spencer when you were in your teens, only roles that demonstrate up to fifteen years of experience. If you are at the start of your career however and looking for your first job in Pensions, your previous roles are important. If you have supported yourself through university for example, include this but ensure it is very clear that this was the case.

Tailoring

In this market, a one-size fits all approach is not appropriate, especially for more senior roles. This doesn’t mean however that you have to rewrite a CV for every new application, nor does it mean that the information provided is less accurate. Rather it is designed to focus on specific skill sets that are relevant to the role for which you are applying.Have two or three CV’s that are tailored specifically for the areas that you want to pursue, highlighting the relevant skills. Any good consultant will keep these on file and use the appropriate one for the role that they are submitting you for.

The key things to keep in mind are firstly relevance; place yourself in the shoes of the hiring manager – what would you want to see from an applicant? Secondly, if you feel that additional help is required, a good recruitment consultant will give you an opinion and tips for improvement.

Lastly, proof, proof, proof! Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors can have a hugely negative impact; so ask someone to cast a fresh pair of eyes over the finished product to see if they can pick out any errors. This is your professional identity; as such it should sell your skills and experience to the full.

Successful Agency Workers Regulations Forum

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The discussion, lead by Andrew Knorpel of asb law covered the hot topic in HR that is the new Agency Workers Regulations which are coming in to force on 1st October 2011.

We were delighted to welcome a delegation of our local HR colleagues today and would like to extend our thanks for their active participation which resulted in an event thoroughly enjoyed by all.

To download a copy of the presentation, please follow this link: Agency Workers Regulations

Surviving a Panel Interview

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The challenges of panel interviews for today’s job seekers are examined by the specialist Pensions and Benefits division at Alexander Lloyd.

If you were to ask a consultant or pensions manager, “How often have you faced a panel interview?” the answer would likely be frequently.

They are an inherent part of the recruitment process for those with a focus on sales and the further along your career pathway you progress the more likely you are to encounter them.

However, despite the fact that they are common, the danger of a ‘rabbit in headlights’ response remains very real.

Richard Latham, head of Alexander Lloyd’s Pensions and Benefits division explains; “Sitting in front a number of people being drilled on your knowledge and strengths can be intimidating for anyone, significantly increasing the nerves that are already present through the interview process.”

Panel interviews are particularly challenging, and being a different approach than standard one to ones, require more thought and preparation to confidently navigate yourself through.

For the full article, please visit the Pensions Management Institute's InsideCareers.co.uk

Writing an Effective Accountancy CV

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

John Richardson is a Senior Manager at Alexander Lloyd. He joined the company in 2003 and currently leads the Accountancy & Finance divisions. He specialises in recruitment of qualified level Financial Directors and Controllers for both blue chip and SME clients, and also recruits niche roles such as tax/treasury and corporate finance and audit.

A CV is a document that has one purpose and one purpose only – to sell you, the job seeker. This is your sales tool designed to demonstrate to potential employers that you are the ideal candidate for the job; it is your professional identity on paper. Considering how important it is to get it right, the wide and not always wonderful selection of CV’s that reach the desks of Alexander Lloyd's specialist Accountancy division on a daily basis, is astonishing.

A CV should have a simple layout that incorporates small variations. The core, is a clear and concise structure that includes personal details, personal profile, qualifications, professional experience and achievements, and general skills.

For the full article, please visit Gaapweb.com

Stand Out From the Compliance Crowd

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The recent flood of new legislation and regulatory changes, and those yet to come, have led to an increase in the demand for compliance professionals in the south east, particularly to fill policy implementation roles.

Organisations are increasingly taking a more active approach to compliance and have begun to monitor activities which were previously carried out as standard. Firms have come to recognise that they need to dedicate resources to the interpretation of regulation and its subsequent implementation, and whereas they may previously have been happy to outsource compliance matters they are now looking to recruit in-house staff.

Compliance professionals might therefore be wondering how to make themselves stand out from the crowd amid what will undoubtedly be strong professional competition, given a reasonably buoyant market and the increase in candidate movement in the market place. Many employers will consider professional qualifications a "given" when reviewing applications, and indeed it is not advisable to consider moving employers while studying; a fully qualified compliance officer is a much more attractive proposition than one who is only part-qualified.

Qualifications are, of course, an essential part of ensuring that those who undertake a compliance function are competent and fully cognisant of the arena in which they operate. This is reflected in the variety of qualifications that are available, dependent on the industry concerned, and the continuing review to which they are subject. All this has stemmed from the recent changes which have been proposed to implement the Retail Distribution Review by January 2013.

Additional Skills

Given that professional qualifications will be considered par for the course, therefore, candidates will need to know how to grab potential employers' attention, and to establish exactly employers will be looking for as "added extras". Without doubt, the focus has begun to move to the need for candidates to demonstrate business acumen and to be able to interpret the necessary regulation and legislation in a light that will benefit the business. The traditional perception that the compliance team is "policing" the business' activities at the expense of maximising income or profitability seem to be starting to dissipate. In their place, a realisation that compliance can benefit the business is starting to dawn.

In addition to business acumen, it will be important for candidates to acquire effective communication skills. The ability to interact with individuals across an organisation's hierarchy, from the most junior member of staff to the most senior, is absolutely essential given the demands of the role. Candidates must have the gravitas to advise and counsel senior staff in matters of policy, while at the same time being able to convey the kind of approachability which will enable them to communicate instruction and guidance to junior employees. On the surface, it is a tall order for applicants to try to demonstrate these abilities effectively on paper.

It will therefore be essential for candidates to set out clearly in their applications details of when and where they have had to interact with colleagues across the hierarchy, highlight reporting proficiencies upwards and interact company-wide in previous roles.

Technical Skills

The need to acquire and demonstrate these additional skills does not detract from the importance of technical expertise and the extensive associated skill set. Rather, it highlights just how aware employers are of the need to appoint well-rounded individuals with commercial acumen and a diverse communication skill set to positions of responsibility. By clearly demonstrating such skills during the application process, candidates will present themselves in the most attractive light and therefore maximise their chances of achieving their goal: the job.

Top tips for how to stand out from the crowd:

1. CVs should be tailored

If the role for which candidates are applying focuses on a specific discipline, e.g., a monitoring role, and candidates comes from more generalist backgrounds, they will need to take the time to tailor their CV so that the monitoring experience they have acquired is highlighted. A potential employer will be looking for vital skills and experience; if candidates have these, they should make sure this is easily apparent to the recruiting employer.

2. You know what you know

Candidates with specific product knowledge and experience should make sure that they provide full details of it.

3. Keep up-to-date

Those candidates who have a well-developed market awareness and who keep themselves up-to-date with the changes in the market place are a very attractive prospect. Being able to discuss market conditions confidently in an interview setting and demonstrate commercial acumen will increase candidates' chances of reaching the second interview stage.
4. Use a specialist recruitment agency Using an agency that specialises in a particular market will make the search for a new position much more hassle-free.

5. Are candidates LinkedIn?

Social media is playing an ever-greater role in society, and in the job market in general. For candidates looking to develop their careers, LinkedIn is a beneficial tool which will enable them to connect with other professionals in the market, find out about new opportunities and keep their fingers on the pulse.

Video CV's - fad or the future of recruitment?

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Technology is constantly changing and recruitment follows suit. With the introduction of the 'video' CV, is this the future of recruitment or simply a fad that won't last the course?

The rise of video CV's

Long gone are the days of relying on newspaper adverts and faxed CVs; now we're in an age of on-line job boards that give you the ability to reach a huge audience within staggeringly short timescales and emailed CV’s which land on the desk of the recruiter almost instantaneously.

In many respects, video CVs are a natural next step along the way, but I do have to wonder about their true long term value as part of the recruitment process.

The personal touch

As with many advances in technology, there has been plenty of hype generated about the video CV, particularly about the edge that it gives the applicant in 'standing out from the crowd'. Video CVs are used infrequently enough across the board that they do catch the eye when you receive one. However in my opinion, there has been too much emphasis placed on their ability to help you stand out from the crowd when talking about the benefits. What happens if they do become commonplace? Surely this edge is lost? They must therefore have more to offer if they are going to become standard issue.

From a potential employee’s viewpoint, the key benefit is the fact that they do provide an opportunity to bring about a personal touch to a stage in the recruitment process that can be rather faceless, as you are reliant on a paper CV to showcase your skills and talents. Getting the opportunity to bring your personality to the fore and demonstrate those softer skills, not least the ability to communicate effectively which for many roles (particularly those that are sales orientated) is paramount, is greatly beneficial particularly if it aids you in securing that all important interview.

From an employer’s perspective, a video CV can be enormously useful in short listing candidates for interview as it does provide that extra dimension that paper can’t communicate and provides insights that one wouldn’t necessarily glean until the interview itself. This will of course help to save the interviewer’s time by deselecting unsuitable candidates at the start.

The complications of video

With positives also come negatives. One of the most concerning is the increased risk of discrimination, on the basis of race, age or disability in particular. As recruitment consultants, we don’t generally recommend that job seekers include photographs on their CV unless it’s relevant to the role. Therefore, is the video simply the next step forward and an even higher risk?

And there's the issue of quality. From the perspective of a job seeker, a video CV can actually have a negative impact on their application if they are poorly presented. The best candidates with a poor quality video may miss out on an interview, and be damaging their chances. So, if you want a quality product – do you have the skills to create one yourself? For many, the answer to that would be no.

While technology has moved on, and it would in theory be possible to record one on your iPhone or iPad, those commercial available options may have the picture quality but certainly not the sound. In addition, filming and editing are a very specific skill set, so if you want a quality product that does you credit, your only real option is to pay for a video to be shot and professionally produced. You are immediately adding additional costs that in the current climate few can afford. What then happens if you need to update your CV? You are faced with more outlay to bring it up to date with your skills and experience.

This brings us on to the issue of tailoring. It's very difficult to fit every aspect of your career into the accepted two pages and therefore it's only practical for many job seekers to tailor their CV and provide different focus on their varying skills sets and experience dependant on the role for which they applying. Are you then faced with the need for two or three different videos, which have to be paid for, or try to accommodate a one size fits all approach?The solution for the future?

All in all, I can’t foresee a time when the video is going to replace the paper CV and will be widely used across all industries. There are some serious concerns about the issues of opening up the risk of discrimination, and also the challenges of presenting a really top quality product that does the job seeker credit.

On the other hand, there may be a place for the video CV in certain markets, particularly those relating to sales, media or PR where the presentation of the candidate and their communication skills are paramount to the role.

First published on Changeboard.com 09/09/2011

One of the most watched video CV's on the web - take a look

Newly Qualified ACA? What Next?

Tue, 6 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The ACA results are published tomorrow, and for those of you who will be achieving fully qualified status, this is a unique point in your career. Decisions made now will have far ranging impacts on the road that is ultimately travelled. For the full article please visit Gaapweb.com

To Accept or Not to Accept: The Question of Counter Offers

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Published today on GaapWeb, John Richardson discusses whether it is beneficial long term in accepting a counter offer once an employee has submitted their resignation.

The rejuvenation of the job market in the Finance and Accountancy sector has without doubt gathered pace in the last six to eight months. One of the results has been an increase in job seekers willing to explore their options whereas before, many people were staying in positions in which they felt dissatisfied due to fears about the turbulent economic climate.

So, as an employee you have taken the plunge, explored your options, gone through the interview process and been offered an exciting new role. This is always a slightly nerve wracking time and many understandably feel the process of resigning from their current position to be a stressful one.

Submitting Your Resignation

When you sit down with your line manager and submit your letter of resignation, there is a sense of relief and the excitement of starting a new role can be indulged. However, what happens if the following day your employer presents you with a counter offer? What do you do?

For the full article please visit GaapWeb

Agency Workers Regulations Forum

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

To be held at the Ramada London Gatwick Hotel between 7.45am and 11.00am on 30th September 2011, we take the opportunity to cover a hotly anticipated topic.

Once of the biggest changes in recruitment and employment law in recent years, the new regulations will demand fundamental changes to the manner in which organisations manage their HR strategy for agency staff.

Our event partners ASB Law will take you through the published guidance to ensure that you are prepared and your processes are compliant.

If you are interested in attending the event, please email events@alexanderlloyd.co.uk to register your interest.

For directions to the Ramada London Gatwick, please follow this link.

Coping with Redundancy

Fri, 8 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Simon Geere, the head of Alexander Lloyd's HR division discusses the emotional impacts and how to take in the next step in "Coping with Redundancy". For the full article, please visit www.changeboard.com

Alexander Lloyd Publishes Salary Survey

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Our survey findings report an increase in confidence from both a jobseeker's and employer's perspective in the last twelve months.

We have witnessed increases in those looking to recruit new staff both to fill roles as people move on, but also for the purpose of growing teams and redistributing resources that had been put on hold during more difficult times.

For the full survey and market commentary, please click here.

Bribery Act Forum

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Our forum on 24th June in association with asb law was a resounding success. Returning to the Crowne Plaza, Crawley we were delighted to welcome delegates from the fields of accountancy, HR and financial compliance.

Our colleagues from asb law delivered an insightful and informative presentation on the implications of the introduction of the Bribery Act next month and provided advice on how to mitigate risk of individual and corporate liability.

We are pleased to make the presentation available to download here

We will be announcing the date of the next forum soon, if you have any recommendations for preferential topics, please email events@alexanderlloyd.co.uk

Alexander Lloyd Bribery Act Forum

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This event will feature on the upcoming implementation of the controversial Bribery Act in July and what changes businesses may have to make to their practices to mitigate risk of individual and corporate liability.

We are once again returning to the prestigious Crowne Plaza Hotel, Crawley for this hotly anticipated breakfast forum.Directions to the venue can be found here at: http://www.crimsonhotels.com/crowneplazagatwick/location-en.html

For further details, please contact the Marketing Department on 01293 572900.

Human Resources Salary Survey

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The expert HR team at Alexander Lloyd have undertaken a trend based analysis on the remuneration offered to HR professionals over the previous 12 months. For full details, download the PDF version here

For enquiries relating to the survey, or your recruitment needs contact the team today on 01293 572900.

Selling Yourself in a Competative Market

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Alexander Lloyd's Head of Professional Practice discussed how to sell all your skills, not just your technical expertise on Gaapweb.com

Successful HR Breakfast Forum

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Alexander Lloyd is delighted to report on the success of the forum "Handling a Tribunal Claim" in association with asb Law.

Hosted at the prestigious Crowne Plaza for the first time, a selection of local HR professionals were invited to hear the employment law specialists at asb Law discuss tribunals and debate on how the new proposals will impact on the process once they are implemented this year.

To download the full presentation, please click here.

Alexander Lloyd regularly hosts these events. To be added to the mailing list for notification of future forums, please email info@alexanderlloyd.co.uk

Making a Million? All in a days work

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

A new addition to our exclusive Millionaires Club was reported today. Traditionally the territory of a highflying few, at Alexander Lloyd this is the second consultant to make the grade in three months. So what, you may ask entitles a consultant to wear the Millionaires mantel, or in this case the luxury £5,000 Rolex Submariner given to each member?

The simple answer is the successful generation of £1,000,000 in net revenue during their tenure with the Company. The successful consultant on this occasion is the highly experienced and technically astute Principle Account Manager Richard Hayes, who specialises in Alexander Lloyd’s flourishing Pensions and Benefits division.

Of his recent success, Richard says, “I was really pleased to hit the million mark. Alexander Lloyd is a great place to work, as the company creates a relaxed environment in which to work along with the tools we need to focus and actually do the job. You feel rewarded for the work you do with a great commission package but it takes more than just that. It’s a really sociable company with more nights out than my head cares to remember! The highlight has to be Goodwood last year for our summer bash.

In my time here I have been lucky to win various recognition awards including some of the latest high tech gadgets, along with a trip to New York and Red Letter days for different successes. I can’t think of a better place to work.”

Easy to say after being given a £5,000 Rolex, but Alexander Lloyd genuinely has an outstanding record of employee satisfaction. The average length of service is 4 years and 7 months and an annual staff attrition rate that is only in single figures; a real triumph when you consider the industry average exceeds 30%!

Neil Quarendon, Operations Director puts this success down to; “Passion. We are passionate about each and every individual we employ. We recognise the unique contribution that they make to our business. As a result, we pay well above the industry standard and offer exceptional commission and bonus packages. Our high flyers continue to earn sixa figure salaries, five of whom sport their Rolexes with pride, despite the downturn in the economy. A boast I doubt many others could match at this moment in time.”

With a workforce who feel valued and rewarded for their efforts and continuing success despite the economic downturn, the clock, or should we say Rolex is ticking for the news of the next consultant to join the club.

MOVING INTO PRACTICE IN THE NEW YEAR?

Fri, 4 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Alexander Lloyd's Head of Professional Practice considers the ways of moving into practice for 2011. To read the full article visit Gaapweb.com

Are We Really Equals?

Fri, 4 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

How have attitudes towards women in the workplace changed over the last few years and how prevelant is sexism within the workplace today? To read the full article visit Changeboard.com

BLUE MONDAY SPARKS MASS JOB HUNTING

Fri, 4 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Alexander Lloyd sees huge increase in job seekers on the most depressing day of the year. For the full blog visit Gaapweb.com

HR Breakfast Forum

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Alexander Lloyd HR Division Breakfast Forum last week was a fantastic success with a great turn out at the Ramada Hotel. A great big thanks to asb Law for partnering with us for this event- watch this space for more information on the next upcoming event in the New Year.

Latest News

Sun, 20 May 2012 08:06:25 GMT