George Osborne (remember him?) and the idea of the Northern Powerhouse have been absent from the public eye in recent times. While the former left politics altogether and now holds approximately 47 different jobs, including Editor of the Evening Standard, the latter suffered from the Brexit vote and the ensuing general election and has, until recently, been relegated to the back burner. However, according to recent reports, the Northern Powerhouse is back on track, but what will it mean for recruitment?

Rising optimism

Jim O’Neil, the former Goldman Sachs economist – who quit as Treasury minister last year after a series of disagreements with the government – is now feeling more positive about the prospect of the Northern Powerhouse project actually happening following the departure of two key advisors. He commented that the resignation of Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill removed two significant barriers that had previously held back the development from taking place. “[Theresa May] has lost the two main internal opponents of the Northern Powerhouse…They would not even use the term.” He also insisted there was now ‘sufficient momentum’ from government to press ahead, adding, “It is up to people locally to take that momentum and carry it on.”

But what would the Northern Powerhouse mean for recruitment in the UK?

The development of the Northern Powerhouse would spell good news for firms based in the Northern regions of the country. In a survey we conducted last year, 75% of companies were optimistic about the potential impact of the project with the main reasons cited as improved transportation links between major employment hubs as well as an increase in population, meaning a larger, skilled talent pool for organisations to hire from.

The success of businesses – aside from those that are now employing robots – tends to hinge on the skills and expertise within their workforces. Without access to skilled talent, firms have little chance of being successful, regardless of the strength or willpower of their leadership. However, in recent years many have struggled to attract the potential employees they need to facilitate growth and expansion and instead have faced significant hiring challenges. The introduction of improved links with the rest of the country, and the knock on investment and development that this infrastructure would attract, could bring thousands of professionals to other areas of the UK, removing the current economic mismatch between the North and the South and potentially creating a myriad of jobs across a wide range of industries.

The Powerhouse is still certainly in the concept stage and there is a major amount of work and activity that needs to take place to even get it off the ground. However, if Jim O’Neill’s predictions are correct and it does get closer to being given the green light, firms across the UK, but particularly in the Northern part of the country are likely to benefit.

Businesses in the North specifically are justified in feeling that the region has been neglected in favour of the South in recent years, however the development of the Northern Powerhouse could change all that. It could level the playing field, respread investment across the UK and mean that businesses in areas that had previously struggled to hire, would now have access to much larger talent pools, what’s not to like?

What benefits do you think the Powerhouse could create for northern businesses?

Take a look at some of our other blogs to find out about employment opportunities in the North.

Or take a look at our current jobs to find your next game changing role.

Starting your own business, or even working for an organisation that’s in its infancy can be challenging. There are a significant number of obstacles to overcome and even when you’re up and running, the problems will still come thick and fast. From monitoring performance, financial management, staying onside with regulations and compliance to maximising your data and offering outstanding customer service, there are myriad challenges to keep in mind. And that’s before we even mention the additional uncertainty that Brexit is likely to create. It can be useful – and wise – to seek advice from other sources and where better than your region where there are likely to be other organisations and individuals facing similar challenges to you. With that in mind, what are the top North West business blogs?

North West Business Insider

Probably the most well-known of all the top North-West business blogs, the North West Business Insider is part of the ‘Insider’ series and offers a wide variety of news, discussions and advice pieces aimed at professionals and businesses of all shapes and sizes. Clicking on the ‘advice’ tab can open up information on property investment, the best places to meet and network and much, much more.

North West Business Life

Another highly popular site with a wide readership, North West Business Life offers practical advice to firms and professionals on how to effectively use programmes like Excel, which is becoming ever more relevant in the data-driven age in which we live. It also features more left-field pieces on the importance of internal communications within organisations as well as interviews with some of the leading business figures in the North West.

Torchtalk – Better Business Bureau

Torchtalk, an offshoot of the Better Business Bureau, offers advice to business leaders on improving efficiency as well as giving career tips to individuals looking to enhance their employability. Particularly relevant to business owners are the recent sections on e-commerce and how firms can get going from a standing start.

Lancashire Enterprise Partnership

The Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is a valuable resource for firms looking to gain potentially game-changing advice. This site offers funding tips for early stage and start up businesses along with guides on areas including developing digital skills. There’s also a specific ‘Chairman’s blog’ area containing views from the head of the partnership.

North & Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce

This isn’t strictly a blog, but the North & Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce offers insights on aspects including marketing as well as a wide range of helpful tips for start-ups. Perhaps the most valuable resource is the training section which promotes sessions on finances, communications, international trade, IT & software, sales & customer service and marketing.

These top North West business blogs all offer a wide range of diverse advice and handy tips for both businesses and professionals. However, one of the biggest challenges for any firm is managing its workforce and recruitment challenges. And if you’re looking for tips on how to maximise efficiency, or where to source the talent you need, then our very own blog will be suited to you.

Check out some of our other blogs to find career and development advice for both businesses and professionals.

Or take a look at some of our current jobs

While social media can be an excellent way of promoting your individual brand and add a personal context to your CV, it also has the potential to significantly damage your online reputation and may hinder you in your search for your next role. There is no way of knowing what the long term implications of posting content online will be, a status or photo that may seem harmless at the time may discourage a future employer from taking you seriously, or considering you for the position at all.

Protect your online reputation

According to research conducted by cyber security experts Norton, millennials need to be more conscious about their digital footprint. More than a quarter of 18-34 year olds have no idea what appears when their name is searched online, and perhaps more worryingly 48% of hiring managers indicated that they chose not to take on an applicant after discovering something on their social platforms. Moreover social media is a standard used by recruiters to help them select appropriate candidates for interview. So how can you manage your online reputation, and ensure that it bolsters your CV, rather than hinders your job prospects?

Start by googling yourself. This is the first step that any recruiter or potential employer will take, so it’s important that you know what they’re likely to find. As the number of social media profiles we have steadily increases, so too does the amount of information potential employers are able to find out. So it’s important to check your privacy settings. While you may want to have more professional platforms such as LinkedIn and Twitter open to the public, it’s unlikely that you’ll want employers to be able to trawl through your personal photos on Facebook or Instagram.

What would a potential employer think?

It’s also worth considering the type of content you are posting on your profiles and the impression this might give to a future employer. It’s definitely not advisable to post potentially embarrassing photos on any of your public profiles, or to ignore unprofessional ones you might have been tagged in. In addition it’s worth bearing in mind how a rant about how awful your day at work has been might look to someone thinking about hiring you. Impulsive updates are also not a good idea – take Donald Trump for example, who has launched countless Twitter rants and now faces a serious backlash which is likely to hurt his campaign for the most powerful job in the world.

Social media can be great at demonstrating your personality, however in terms of advancing your career it’s important that you find the right balance between personal and professional updates. You might want to tweet pictures of the salad you had for lunch, but you might want to counter that with a link to a recent blog you have written, or write about a professional development course you went on recently. For every five updates you post, it’s recommended that at least one is directly related to your career or personal development, that way an employer only has to scroll through your most recent updates to know you are hardworking and committed to your role.

Finally, make a note of who you are regularly engaging with on Twitter, if you are retweeting or sharing friends’ updates it’s vital that you consider how these might reflect on you. Try to engage with industry professionals or get involved with live chats to show that you are actively engaging with relevant sector conversations.

Don’t let your reputation be tarnished through social media

Social media can be great for interacting with friends, however it can also be a professional minefield so ensure you always remain conscious about how a potential employer may view your online profile, and make sure your profiles and privacy settings are all in order before beginning to search for a new role.

For more tips from the Clayton Recruitment team click here. And if you’re looking for your next role we should be talking. Get in touch today or take a look at our vacancies here.

©depositphotos.com/godlove

We recently undertook analysis of the North West employment market which was covered by recruitment publication, Recruitment International and professional body, The Association of Professional Staffing Companies(APSCo) featuring comment from our commercial manager, Tracy Bolan.

The research is based on a comparison of vacancy levels across our broad areas of expertise and highlights the ongoing skills requirements of employers in the region. The findings show that there are increased levels of demand for accountants in practice, sales administrators, sales hire desk controllers and welders here in the North West.

©depositphotos.com/AndreyPopov

There was once a time when onboarding was somewhat of an afterthought, or indeed, a non-thought, for many organisations, however most companies will now have comprehensive programmes to ensure that successful candidates are swiftly integrated into their culture. Even so, as a new starter you should make the most of your first few weeks at a new organisation, and take steps to ensure you onboard yourself to the best of your own ability.

Before you begin

Make sure to utilise the break between roles. Don’t let the grass grow beneath your feet on the gap between finishing an old position and starting a new one. While it is important to make sure you’re well rested and mentally prepared to start in a new job one of the most effective ways to make use of any time off in-between is to create the foundations for strong professional relationships. Write a personal thank you to your interviewer, or hiring manager, thanking them once again, and take time to find out what you can about your new line manager and colleagues.

Review your induction schedule and handbook. It’s likely that you’ll receive both before your start date, so make sure you set aside plenty of time to read them both through thoroughly. Pay particular attention to the dress code, and give yourself enough time to find appropriate outfits if the formality differs from your prior place of work. If you aren’t provided with a schedule or policy handbook, requesting them will certainly set a good impression.

In your first week

Regardless of seniority, as a new starter, it’s crucial that you take the time to speak with each of your new colleagues. Establishing the foundations for strong professional relationships creates a more enjoyable work environment and can help you grasp the office structure and culture more quickly. If it helps, prepare some small-talk topics to draw on when introduced to new colleagues – this can be particularly useful if you’re joining a large team.

At the end of your first week, schedule some time to sit down and speak with your line manager to discuss how you are finding your new role. This conversation will give you a chance to get some initial feedback, discuss anything you are finding challenging, and ask about how your progress will be reviewed in the coming weeks and months.

Looking forwards

Professional development should be an ongoing effort. Make sure to set yourself a 90 day goal at the end of your first week, and regularly review your progress towards achieving this. It is also important to regularly review your skillset and discuss opportunities to develop any skills which would benefit your new work, or team.

Find more career advice and insight here.

Lynn Sedgwick, Managing Director of Clayton Recruitment, recently featured in the Daily Mail offering her top three tips on negotiating the salary you want. Here is her advice:

Demonstrate your worth in monetary terms

‘That means giving examples of the times you’ve saved – or made – your employer money or have achieved something that has made a significant difference to the firm like changing inefficient processes, or opening a new business division.’

Be prepared to negotiate

‘You need to be able to state your case in a clear and concise way and don’t be afraid to haggle. The vast majority of interviewers will expect this to happen and so will leave a bit of wiggle room to potentially move your salary up.’

Good experience if handled correctly

‘The worst thing that can happen – if you conduct yourself properly – is that the interviewer says “no” and that answer won’t last forever. Even an unsuccessful salary negotiation can provide you with good experience so it’s worth giving it a go if you value your chances.’

You can read the article in full here. And more tips from the Clayton Recruitment team visit our blog.

©Depositphoto.com@ garagestock

We usually use this blog as a platform to offer advice, tips and updates on our specialist sectors including care home nursing, logistics and finance. However, Clayton as a business is also always on the lookout for the next generation of talent to work with us, which is why we’ve outlined our top tips on how to be a successful recruiter.

Fill yourself with confidence

You’ll need to be able to hold your own with people who are experts at what they do, and don’t appreciate their time being wasted. Nobody wants to be consulted on a potentially life changing job move by someone who they suspect might not know their specialist field as well as they say they do. You need to be confident enough to take on new areas of expertise, but also be able to portray that confidence to clients and candidates. In addition, you’ll have to be comfortable picking up the phone and engaging with people who don’t know what your credentials are and likely to be at least mildly sceptical about what you’re doing. Working at Clayton takes a confident self starter who is willing to become a subject matter expert.

Be a great communicator

Along similar lines, you’ll need to be an effective and concise communicator and get your point across quickly. You’ll probably be speaking to people who are busy in their current roles and don’t want to waste hours of their lives chatting to a recruiter. You’ll also need to be able to master your email communications and online marketing on platforms like LinkedIn. After all, you’re not going to have much success if your job advert iz ritten lyk dis, lol.

Be resilient, target driven and motivated

It’s not just applicants who face rejection, recruiters do too and you need to be able to take the bumps in the road and still be able to perform to the best of your ability. You’ll have good days and bad – that’s a given – but the secret is being able to prevent the bad days from affecting your output. At the vast majority of firms, you’ll have certain KPIs to work to. That’s an approach that’s not suited to everyone and while not all organisations have the same model, people who are motivated by the idea of working to specific goals will do well here. More autonomous, freewheeling types who are set on recruitment may have to delve a little deeper to find those few businesses with a softer, more consultative approach.

Be a multi-tasker

As a job applicant it’s unlikely you’ll have used just one recruiter to help your job search and organisations are the same and will look to multiple sources for their own talent. This means that if you can move quickly and efficiently, then you’ll be able to beat your competitors. However, you’ll also have a lot to do at once and will likely be dealing with a lot of vacancies and therefore multiple companies and even more candidates. Consequently, you must be able to juggle multiple projects and tasks simultaneously. You’ll have to keep in mind the details, experience and motivators of a large number of people and this requires a lot of organisational competency. If you can master the idea of ‘less haste, more speed’ (i.e doing things quickly, but well) then you should be ok.

Obviously, there a lot more skills required to be a successful recruiter and the job requires you to have the ability to think on your feet and to back your own ability and knowledge. If you’re looking for a career in a challenging and fast-moving, but also highly rewarding, industry and want to join a successful, supportive and rapidly growing organisation, then get in touch with one of our expert consultants for a chat.