Recruitment Survey 2007/ 2008

A high in recruitment, despite the number of permanent placements falling by 8%, it seems employers are willing to pay more for the right candidate.

Article:
Employers are hiring less but are paying more to find the right people, according to a new report.

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation's Annual Industry Turnover and Key Volumes Survey 2007/ 08 shows turnover in the UK's recruitment industry hit a record high of more than £27bn between April 2007 and March 2008. The growth has been achieved through a sharp increase in turnover from permanent placements rising 21.7 per cent from £3.514bn to £4.276bn.

This high has appeared despite the number of permanent placements falling from 787,280 to 726,863 which the REC believes is down to employers willing to pay more for the right candidate.

REC chief executive Kevin Green said: "The huge growth in permanent recruitment turnover shows that employers are willing to pay more for the right candidate."

"This remains the case even in the changing employment climate. The downturn is really putting the skills of professional recruiters to the test but at the same time, this is giving them a real opportunity to shine and show employers what they're really made of."

He added: "As we enter a significant economic downturn, it is vital that the recruitment industry retains its ability to help the economy bounce back from the bottom of the cycle which will in turn enable early recovery."

"Within this context, we must ensure that new legislation such as the EU Agency Workers Directive and the taxation of recruitment services are implemented and reviewed in a way that does not add further barriers."

"The recruitment industry plays a crucial role in the economic success of the UK by ensuring the efficient delivery of human resources where they are most needed - in both good times and bad."

"Currently, some niche players are faring particularly well, for example those providing risk management specialists to the financial sector, while good opportunities for consolidation are emerging in most occupational sectors. The year ahead is likely to test companies, with flexibility and control of cash the key factors in achieving success."

ArticleSource:
BD Recruitment are a specialist IT & New Media recruiter for jobs in Leeds, jobs in Liverpool and jobs in London, based in Manchester, UK.

I still like writing links that include the words "Click here..."

This article by Nick Usborne at excess voice is definitely worth a read.

I speak to a lot of internet users that are not familiar with links that have no call to action, what do they do when they visit a page with no directions, they hit the back button; read on.

I know. I'm bad.

So much has been written about how passé and generally newbie-like it is to write a link that includes the words "click here".

Not good for search engine optimization. Wasted words.

Totally unnecessary for readers who have long since learned to click on text that looks like a hyperlink.

So why do I like using the words "click here?"

Because those two short words encourage my readers to take a very simple, no-commitment, non-scary action.

By way of example:

Learn more about Organic Flax Seed face cream...

Or...

Click here for information about Organic Flax Seed face cream...

Is the second one so bad? I don't think so.

When I look at the first one, it's asking me to make a commitment of time and thinking power to "learn more". If I am really interested in Organic Flax Seed face cream I'll probably go ahead. I really do want to learn more.

But what if I'm only slightly interested? Just a teeny bit? Before clicking the link I have to commit myself to "learning more".

Now let's look at the "click here" version.

I'm not asking them to learn anything. I'm just telling them that there is some more information on the next page.

All I'm asking them to do is "click here". Nothing scary about that. No commitment involved. No sense that they are being drawn down a sales funnel that will leave their wallet a little lighter.

Some people might suggest I write the link like this:

Organic Flax Seed face cream...

In fact, that is how I see more and more links being written. No call to action (click here), no indication of what you'll find if you do click that link.

Experts will tell me, "Don't be a pain Nick, you know as well as we do that it is sufficient to just name the product or service and make it look like a link.

People know what to do."

Yes, site visitors do know what their choices are when they see some links.

But what's wrong with encouraging them to actually DO something, and click that link?

Other than it being unfashionable and uncool, what is the problem with saying, for more information on creating effective links, click here?

In part, yes, I'm being contrarian and deliberately provocative here.

But it irritates me sometimes that people have stopped writing "click here" as part of their links text simply because everyone else has stopped.

By all means exclude those words from your links. But first, give some thought as to why you are doing it.

Myself, I still say "click here".

In a hyperlinked world, those two words strike me as being the simplest and most universally recognized call for the reader to move forward - from one page to the next and to the next.

Source:
Nick Usborne, home of the Excess Voice newsletter for online copywriters.

Bank Funding for Small Businesses

The FPB (The Forum of Private Businesses) is petitioning the Government to ensure that the banks deliver on their bail-out obligations and remain open for business.

Following a seminar held at the London Guildhall to discuss the European Investment Bank's (EIB'S) £4 billion business fund, small businesses are calling for a return to 2007 lending levels.

The seminar was attended by the President of the EIB, Philippe Maystadt, the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, Peter Mandelson, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, in addition to representatives from UK banks and businesses.

The FPB, which is preparing to meet with Lord Mandelson and representatives from the banks on the new small business lending forum, has posted its petition on the Downing Street website.

Nick Palin, the FPB's Director of Finance said: "The European Investment Banking funding, which is being earmarked specifically for businesses, follows the £37 billion in tax payers' money that the Government has already ploughed into the banks.

There can be no excuse for the major lenders not to live up to their responsibilities to small businesses. We are backing Government's repeated calls for access to finance to be restored to 2007 levels, and will continue to push for this to happen as quickly as possible"

He added; "Already, more calls are being received by our member helpline concerning issues such as increased overdraft rates and reduced credit lines. Through its new economic downturn panel, the FPB will continue to scrutinise the banks' relationships with their small business customers. Through the petition, we are urging the government to do the same".

Source:
BD Recruitment, specialists in recruiting for new media IT jobs , based in Manchester, UK.