Nov 20, 2018 | IT
I’ve never really understood it. When I walk into McDonald’s and ask for a burger, the first thing they do is ask me if I want cheese with it. No, then I would have asked for a cheeseburger! But you know what, when I’m not being grumpy, it works. Because statistics show that at least 70% of the time people will say yes. It’s one of fast-food franchises’ most effective upsell strategies.
The point is, just because you haven’t thought of it, doesn’t mean you don’t want it. Sometimes all it takes is for someone to make a suggestion, to make you aware of a need (or in the case of a burger – a want) that you didn’t even know you had.
In recruitment sometimes what you think you want isn’t always the same as what your business needs. Often when a key person leaves the instinct is to replace them with a carbon copy. But maybe there is someone better out there. Someone who can offer something different, someone who has experience in a different industry that can be transferred to make your business more competitive.
But how will you know this unless someone suggests it? This is where a recruitment partner comes in. They have an outside perspective and years of industry experience. At Langley James, we like to work with our clients as their recruitment partner so that we can help them grow their business effectively. Working together we get to know your business as well as you do so that we can help you discern your recruiting needs. So even if you don’t want cheese on your burger today, at least you have it as an option to consider.
If you have questions about recruiting for your IT team call us today Tel: 0207 788 6600. Or even better let’s meet up and discuss it over a burger or two. Let’s see if your business needs some cheese.
Nov 12, 2018 | IT
You may recall that we were recently talking about burgers. I don’t know what it is, but there is something about envisioning the taste of food that always comes to mind when I start to talk about recruitment.
Taste is something so personal, what one person loves, another will hate. Take brussel sprouts for example. I can’t think of a single reason why anyone would consider them a food, never mind appetizing but there are people who love them. Apparently, I don’t personally know any – but I believe they exist.
Recruitment is the same, it’s personal! Well at least it should be, because it’s about people – not employee numbers and job descriptions – but living breathing people that add real value to a business.
And that’s why it’s about taste, or fit, finding the right people that can not only do the job, but also fit the culture of the company. People that will join and grow with the business, yes even if for some strange reason they happen to like brussel sprouts!
So what is the taste of your business? What type of people do you want working for you? And how can you find them?
Let us help you answer those questions, because that’s what we do best at Langley James Recruitment.
Nov 5, 2018 | IT
Avoid ‘Zombie’ Employees: Use Contractors
Confidence is up but where are my team?
Move at lightning speed to secure the permanent candidates you want. Quality candidates are getting harder to find as demand overtakes supply.
The wrong choice of candidate can manifest as the stuff of nightmares… the ‘zombie’ employee. Completely disengaged with you and your business and with the motivation and company loyalty of a slug, ‘zombie’ employees can cost you money, time and reputation, not to mention raising your stress to the level of a volcano about to erupt.
Massive Losses
40% of companies in the UK estimate that a mis-hire has cost them over £16,000 while a quarter estimate the figure at over £30,000. Even losses of over £100,000 are being reported.
But quality hires are being snapped up as fast as they appear. What can you do to avoid a potentially professionally fatal ‘zombie’ attack?
Zombie Insurance
You have two choices when it comes to ‘zombie slaying ’. You can act fast and snatch the talent from above the waiting arms of your competitors… or you can find peace of mind by utilising some of the most flexible and talented of IT professionals: Contractors.
Benefits of utilising a Contractor
– Many may accept a permanent role
– Available on a short or long-term basis – from a few days to 2 or 3 months
– Motivated and inspired by new challenges
– Experience working in many different environments
– Fresh ideas and industry knowledge into your team
– Short-term, low risk commitment
– Utilising a Contractor is a great idea while you make decisions on the future of a role
We can help
Here at Langley James, we know how to find the most vibrant and talented IT professionals available, from Web Developers to IT Managers and everyone in-between. Many of these candidates are available for short term contract work.
Whatever your requirements, permanent or contract, and up to the highest level of seniority, we can match you with the ideal candidate.
To discuss your IT recruitment needs please call us on 0207 099 4839 or email us at langleyjames@langleyjames.com.
We’d love you to join in the conversation. Tweet us @ITRecruitment or follow us on Facebook.
Oct 31, 2018 | IT
What are you going to do with your candy? Hoard it, share it or scoff it? Or are you holding out for more?
Many companies delay making a decision to make an offer to qualified candidates, even when they have a shortlist of top talent in their grasp. For some reason they think if they just wait another day a better CV will arrive tomorrow.
Truth is Halloween has passed, there’ll be no more trick or treating until next year. And if you’re holding out for better prospects you’ll lose the option to the top talent available now.
Langley James gives you a shortlist of top candidates vetted and summarised to include benefits of hiring. If you want to hire people worth recruiting, decide now.
Oct 31, 2018 | IT
It’s all great fun until you’re the one who ends up with the trick instead of the treat. The hire that went wrong, the person who can’t do the job after all.
If you want to skip the trick and score the treat, then you need a recruitment partner who not only knows the IT industry and how to identify a high calibre candidate, but also someone who gets to know your business well enough that they can help you clearly define your IT recruitment needs.
We test, evaluate, vet and interview thoroughly so that the candidates we present as a shortlist are qualified and suitable. We eliminate the tricksters from the list and present only the treats. People worth recruiting!
Oct 31, 2018 | IT
What’s really scary? Making the wrong hire.
It not only costs the company money but also reflects poorly on your ability as a hiring manager. So how can you see behind the disguises that so many candidates put forward?
A qualified recruitment partner not only knows the industry, but also takes the time to get to know your company and specific recruitment needs.
At Langley James our detailed testing and vetting process takes a critical assessment of candidates skills, experience, abilities and personality so that we know they can not only do the job, but will also be a good fit and add value to your business.
We specialize in IT recruitment, finding people worth recruiting.
Oct 24, 2018 | IT
It’s Burger Day and you know exactly what kind of burger you want; a double patty with melted cheese, caramelized onion and all the fixings! You can almost taste it already, can’t you?
That’s what it’s like when you’re looking for the right person to join your IT team. You know what you want, but finding them, well…isn’t always that easy…unless you have the right recruitment partner.
Someone who uses all their resources to understand exactly what you want. Who takes the time to understand the how, the what and the why of your business, not just the who.
And then sends you a shortlist of candidates summarized by their key attributes and benefits, and why they’d be good for your business, not just a pile of CV’s.
This is Langley James Recruitment and this is what we can do for you. Since 1999 we’ve been recruiting for the London IT industry.
Talk to us, we can help you find the right people for your IT business. Junior, intermediate or senior, our database is extensive and we work until we find the people who match exactly what you have in mind.
Call us on 0207 099 4839 or email langleyjames@langleyjames.com.
And while we’re on the subject of burgers…. Go on order your favourite, you know you want to!
Jan 23, 2018 | IT
There’s no doubt that the internet and emails are an integral part of every day business life, not to mention online banking, cloud-based CRMs, phone systems and card payment devices. So much so that life can simply stop when there are connectivity issues or internet blackouts.
A report by the telecoms firm Daisy Group found that 47% of managers thought they rarely or never suffered from poor connectivity, when in fact companies are experiencing an average of 45 minutes downtime every week.
How much is poor connectivity and downtime costing business?
The report found that this is equal to more than £500 per employee, per year, in lost productivity. A prior study, earlier in the year by OnePoll found that slow internet connections and IT downtime is costing the UK economy £11 billion a year in lost productivity. And a study by Aberdeen Group UK found downtime cost an average of £138,000 per hour, varying across industries from £55,000 per hour in the media sector to £3.91 million per hour for large online brokerages. The costs come from paying employees to simply do nothing, to paying an individual or firm to fix the problem and of course any lost sales. There are also hidden costs such as employee overtime, missed deadlines, damaged reputation and customer dissatisfaction.
What’s the problem?
The problems can often be simple ones such as faulty modems, damaged wires or corrupted profiles. These kind of issues can normally be resolved in a day or so, even a few hours. One survey of UK, US and Canadian firms found that 82% of network downtime problems were caused by IT personnel making errors when configuring changes to the network. An irritating truth, when you know the majority of these kind of errors could have been avoided with more diligence or experience. With the rise of joint space and co-working environments wi-fi connectivity can be an issue. Owen’s Garage is a co-working space in the US and Kurt Rathmann, CEO of ScaleFactor Partners uses it regularly. Inevitably there are connection issues now and again and he eventually calculated that a four hour internet outage could be costing him up to $3000.
What do employees get up to during this downtime?
• 60% – taking care of personal business
• 48% – taking an extra coffee break
• 25% – checking Facebook
• 7% – indulging in a spot of retail therapy
• 9% – looking for a new job
• 30% – swoting up on some work-related reading
What should managers be doing?
The survey also asked managers what they thought they should be doing about such issues. One in eight said they didn’t know, 17% said they’d review things when the contract is due for renewal and another 17% said they would only review things when staff make a complaint. Really, as businesses change and grow, connectivity should be reviewed regularly and in line with these changes to ensure processes aren’t being held back by slow internet connections.
The government have committed to upgrading broadband for many of the UK’s cities and superfast broadband is spreading fast as providers compete. Having a connection that is built with your specific business, users and activity in mind is important to make sure it will work for you. If you need to hire IT professionals to advise or become part of your in-house team, speak to us and see how we can help. 0207 099 4839
About
Langley James – Leading IT Recruitment Specialists
Here at Langley James we are specialists in IT recruitment and whether you are working with us for the very first time, or you are one of our many loyal clients, we take time to understand exactly what you are looking for. You will receive the same exceptional level of client care each and every time you return to us.
We have a simple guarantee: we will deliver a shortlist of between 3 – 5 candidates within 5 working days for permanent staff and within a couple hours for contractors. Not only will these candidates be qualified to perform the role, we will ensure that they share your company values and ethos.
To discuss your IT recruitment needs and help you find your next superstar. Call us on 0207 099 4839 or email us at langleyjames@langleyjames.com.
We’d love you to join in the conversation. Tweet us @ITRecruitment or follow us on Facebook.
Langley James is aiming even higher this year
We have doubled our candidate attraction advertising budget for this year, these are the job boards and social media, we are continuously advertising building our network of the best candidates rather than just getting a snapshot of those candidates that are looking at that moment in time. We have appointed an in house trainer/coach to further develop our existing staff and ensure a continuity of service is delivered from out new joiners in the Langley James way.
We are having a record breaking January, already exceeding our previous best with 2 role being filled from taking the job spec to the candidate starting with 12 hours
Jan 17, 2018 | IT
Preferred Supplier Lists – Food for Thought
Implementing a PSL is meant to: –
- Cut down on contact from suppliers
- Save time
- Allow you to build relationships with your suppliers
- Act as a form of quality control
- Allow pre-agreement of terms
So why have 80% of companies operating a PSL had to source from outside their list in the last 12 months?
Is your PSL delivering?
- Are you satisfied with the quality of service you have received?
- Do you have a good relationship with your suppliers?
- Do you wish your suppliers could do more for you?
- Are your suppliers specialists or generalists?
- Do you receive services from outside your PSL?
- Do you struggle with the administration of multiple suppliers for one service?
- Would you offer your supplier repeat business if they were not on your PSL?
How many is too many?
PSL’s containing over 50 or even 100 suppliers for one service are common! In order to be of any use, a PSL has to incorporate choice, but at what point does the size of your PSL become an administrative nightmare or simply pointless?
PSLs vs Relationships
A supplier having pride of place on your PSL does not guarantee a healthy relationship. A quality supplier will seek to understand more about your business and your requirements whether it is the 1st or 40th time you have worked together. Beware the complacent supplier who believes your repeat business is guaranteed simply because they are on your PSL.
A question of choice
Is your PSL restricting you from working with the people who are best placed to help you? In contrast, are you limited to using ineffective suppliers just because they are on the approved list? No one understands your business better than you and in the ever changing world of business, you deserve the right to be flexible and to tailor your choice. Why be constrained?
Langley James – Leading IT Recruitment Specialists
Here at Langley James we are specialists in IT recruitment and whether you are working with us for the very first time, or you are one of our many loyal clients, we take time to understand exactly what you are looking for. You will receive the same exceptional level of client care each and every time you return to us.
We have a simple guarantee: we will deliver a shortlist of between 3 – 5 candidates within 5 working days for permanent staff and within a couple hours for contractors. Not only will these candidates be qualified to perform the role, we will ensure that they share your company values and ethos.
To discuss your IT recruitment needs and help you find your next superstar. Call us on 0207 099 4839 or email us at langleyjames@langleyjames.com.
We’d love you to join in the conversation. Tweet us @ITRecruitment or follow us on Facebook.
Langley James is aiming even higher this year
We have doubled our candidate attraction advertising budget for this year, these are the job boards and social media, we are continuously advertising building our network of the best candidates rather than just getting a snapshot of those candidates that are looking at that moment in time. We have appointed an in house trainer/coach to further develop our existing staff and ensure a continuity of service is delivered from out new joiners in the Langley James way.
We are having a record breaking January, already exceeding our previous best with 2 role being filled from taking the job spec to the candidate starting with 12 hours
Nov 14, 2017 | IT
As we get closer to the end of the year, and 2018 is almost within sight, it’s a great time to think about building your team and recruiting. Commonly, January, the start of the New Year and its associated fresh starts and resolutions, are perceived to be busy times for recruiting new employees. For many organisations it is, but starting early and preparing yourself now for hiring could be much more efficient and rewarding.
Applications to jobs in November and December are 3% higher than the yearly average.
Now, we don’t know, but this could be affected by the high amount of Christmas positions that are up for grabs in the retail and delivery sectors in the lead up to Christmas, but it does show that the year’s latter months are not a quiet time for recruiters. Hiring from September to December allows your new members of staff to join the team before the chaotic start of the New Year, meaning they’ll already by integrated into the business and their role come January. Having a new employee start in the build up to Christmas is also a great opportunity for them to mix with the team at festive social events.
90% of job seekers are passive.
According to the Office of National Statistics 90% of job seekers are passive, so they’re likely to act on the right opportunity when it’s presented to them. Many organisations push their job ads out in January as a reaction to the busy and chaotic time of meetings, new objectives, goals and budgets. The space is more crowded and there are more options for the candidate. Advertising your job in the months leading up to Christmas and the end of the year mean your potential candidates are more likely to be attracted to your job with less competition. And with less competition you avoid having to pay higher salaries to secure the right candidate.
It takes 6 – 8 weeks to fill a vacancy.
Adequate planning and preparation for your new team members is very sensible. Advertising, interviewing and selection can take months, and that’s without considering notice periods. Getting the process completed or at least under way, will allow your new employee to really hit the ground running in January, already being familiar with your organisation and with induction and training out of the way.
Project management applications rise by an average of 30 responses over the festive period.
Account management, sales and marketing were the other 3 areas to see this rise in response, and trends like that are really useful in giving recruiters a backing and genuine reason to get on with recruiting at that time. Perhaps there’s some of 2016’s budget to use up, so recruiting a new project manager could be a great way to use it up and save on next year’s training and recruitment costs.
Over the 5 days for Christmas, 49% of applications were made on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Boxing Day.
Although these guys wouldn’t be starting until the New Year, this is an interesting stat, and shows that during the downtime of the Christmas break, people still have jobs on their minds. Fresh starts and New Years resolutions may be the driving factor, but by getting your vacancy prepared early you’ll be more likely to catch those proactive candidates looking for their next move before the New Year.
If you’d like to speak to one of our experienced Langley James consultants about hiring new employees, get in touch today.
Oct 17, 2017 | IT
3 questions to ask the current jobholder before you hire a new one
Before you interview for your IT opening, there’s someone else you need to interview first: the current jobholder. After all, there’s no one who understands the position better than the person who’s currently doing it! Sure, you know what the job involves, and you understand what skills and qualifications are required to do the job successfully. But they know the highlights, the challenges, the most efficient ways to get things done – all of the things you’ll need to make sure the next employee is aware of when they take over.
Here are 3 simple but insightful questions to ask the current jobholder before you interview the next:
1. What is your typical workday like?
Although you’ll have a fairly good idea of what the current jobholder does on a day-to-day basis, you may not know exactly when they work on each task throughout the day.
Make a note of their answer and work out how much variety there is throughout the day. You can then use this information to help you decide if the candidate is a good match.
For example, if the current jobholder spends half their day on one task and the rest of the day on another, you can ask the candidate if they feel that a lot of variety is important to them in their work. If they say that they are more suited to getting stuck into only one or two projects at a time, then they would likely enjoy and excel in the role.
2. What has been the least enjoyable aspect of the job?
This question will give you valuable insight into what is difficult about the role, what’s confusing, complicated, or even uninteresting.
When you’re interviewing your candidate, ask about what they don’t enjoy about their current job. Needless to say, if their least favourite tasks are similar to your current employees, you’ll need to make sure that the candidate is aware that the job opening involves these aspects.
You may also be able to discover if there are any particular tasks that the current jobholder feels would be more efficient to complete a different way, which is always handy to know.
3. Describe a time where you’ve had a problem to solve specific to your job – what you did you do to fix it?
With this information, you can put together a competency-based interview question where you can describe the same situation to the candidate and ask them to explain what they would do to overcome the problem.
As you know that the problem actually occurred within the role, you can be confident that the answer will be a good indication of how well the candidate would manage if they were hired.
We’re always happy to help you to get the most out of your interview process and find your perfect new IT professional. Give us a call on 0207 788 6600 for advice tailored to you.
Aug 22, 2017 | IT
Ask a silly question, get a silly answer, right? Well perhaps your questions aren’t silly, but if they’re straight out of the textbook, you’re likely to receive the same textbook answers from all of your well prepared candidates. And as a recruiting employer that’s only going to make life more difficult for you. After all the main purpose of interviewing is the get to know each individual candidate and determine who will best suit your role, so it’s down to you to carefully craft some intelligent interview questions that will tease out some interesting and revealing answers.
Who Uses Textbook Interview Questions Anyway?
If you’re part of a well established organisation, you may have interview procedures and guidelines in place, and sometimes a lack of innovation or slight complacency can mean interview questions are rarely updated. Styles change, skills change and candidates expectations change, so it’s always important to refresh and review interview questions. Textbook style questions are often found in technical job interviews, and they’re often genuinely needed to validate a candidate’s skills and knowledge. However, perhaps these kind of questions are best off in an initial screening process, a written or online test if appropriate? They will not reveal the real caliber of your candidates, and that’s exactly what you should be doing in your face to face interview.
What’s Wrong with Textbook Answers?
Those who can give you the perfect definition or theory may be well educated and informed, but how do you know if they’ll fit into your team, how do you know they’ve experienced this theory in action? Anyone can revise, but not everyone has the depth of experience and practical workplace problem solving skills that can only be revealed by asking open-ended and ‘tell me about a time when…’ questions.
Digging a Little Deeper
Chances are many of these textbook interview questions can be answered by looking at a candidates CV, application form or online portfolio. You should of course be up to date with these before the interview, so don’t ask questions you already know the answer to. A key part of your role as interviewer is to listen, and you want your candidate to really feel like you are listening and that you’re genuinely interested. Asking questions about experiences and previous scenarios will open your candidate up and allow them to share stories about how they’ve applied their knowledge, not simply what knowledge they hold.
At Langley James, we’ll work hard to put the right candidate in front of you from the beginning, but once it’s your turn to do the interviewing we’ll be there if you need any further help or ideas. To find out more contact one of our consultants.
How can an IT recruitment agency help your business to excel?
How can an IT recruitment agency help your business to excel?
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