Richard Herring Operations Director

The Good Old Days!

Young industry Technology first, business second Full of start-ups and young entrepreneurs Recruit in own image - “People Like Us!” Typical profile early 20’s to early 30’s Over 35 and ……….

Matured industry Business first, technology second More “corporate” culture with mature management Formalised recruitment Typical profile mid to late 20’s to mid to late 30’s Over 40 and ……….

Hiring today: Technical skills Business awareness Team fit Extra something Knowledge & Experience Personality Knowledge & Experience & Personality

Culture Fit: “The customs, institutions and achievements of a particular group of people” Living and evolving Like minded people with common goals Organisational culture and sub-cultures

Culture fit = “People Like Us” Maturing industry = maturing culture

The Cost of Recruiting: Hiring fees Interviewer’s lost productivity Increased workload on others - lost productivity Induction and training costs

High staff turnover = very high costs to the business Older workforce = lower staff turnover

Underlying Trends IT industry is maturing More business focused Recruitment processes are more structured and thorough Typical age range has shifted Culture fit still critical

Temporary Effects Focus on cost –reduced headcount –projects on hold Fewer jobs More demanding job specifications Young versus old?

Attractive Applicants Develop first class communication skills Develop relationships with agencies - be human! Detail your personality in your CV Make your CV easy and enjoyable to read - It is your marketing document

Make yourself marketable Detail your strongest attributes, giving examples of how you applied them Show your determination by detailing how you have kept up to date with technology Ensure that your technical experience can be assessed easily, showing ability and length of usage

Example 1 “In this particular role I used my user liaison skills to their fullest, to ensure that the development team obtain a comprehensive understanding of the business need”

Example 2 “I have maintained a strong understanding of up to date internet development languages and tools such as J2EE; ASP;.NET; COLDFUSION; BROADVISION and VIGNETTE. I have studied each of these languages from home and have developed applications, to cement and stretch my ability.”

Example 3

How do you facilitate a match ? To find your perfect match is hard work Abundance of vacancies OR of applicants creates a huge problem Be prepared for a lot of “leg work” You or your company, must become KNOWN

Agency or Direct Route ? The direct route can be a stab in the dark An agency should do a lot of the leg work for you An agency should have a greater pool to fish in Agencies normally have strengths in either certain markets or certain types of client You must identify suitable agencies

Identifying suitable agencies Large agencies are sometimes the only route to large companies Smaller agencies often specialise in specific technical areas Study the internet job boards Locate and question suitable individual agents Select up to a dozen agents to work with

Building relationships with agents Work hard to build relationships with agents who specialise in people or companies like you Remind agents that they will make money from you. Are you a marketable commodity? Respect peoples time, ask to meet them if there could be mutual benefit Read & discuss job specifications

Summary It’s a people business. Ensure that you get to know people Work hard. The more you put in, the greater the chance of success Take a very professional approach to recruitment Develop relationships with agencies Things are getting better!

Richard Herring Operations Director