Newsletter Issue 2 2007
Welcome to the 2nd edition of our corporate newsletter. We hope you found the first issue of interest.
This month we highlight a few of the difficulties faced within organisations and the ways in which networx can help you tackle these issues.
Despite its introduction in October last year, the new age legislation still raises a number of questions. Drawing on our knowledge within this area we provide you with a brief guide to help you comply with these regulations.
In addition we also take a look at Graduate recruitment and how networx can assist in this process.
During December and June many companies start the long and at times difficult process of recruiting Graduates. It can be a long drawn out process, which if completed internally can be very time consuming.
Did you know that networx could help run your Graduate recruitment?
As 95% of graduates search for their first job using the Internet the expertise and guidance of an online recruitment specialist is often paramount to the success of this kind of recruitment activity.
networx have successfully managed a number of graduate schemes. We were so successful with last year’s intake of graduates for Doncasters, that they have asked us to run it for the second year running!
If you are considering any graduate recruitment activity in the near future here is how we can assist:
Firstly, a dedicated graduate recruitment section can be implemented within your existing corporate website. This provides all interested parties with valuable information they require and the ability to quickly and easily apply online.
View the Outokumpu Graduate Careers Website
In addition to drafting an advert and advertising it on graduate focussed online job boards, you can ensure maximum exposure amongst your target audience. Graduate schemes are often extremely popular and response is generally high so in order to facilitate the identification of high quality candidates, all applications are sifted according to pre – determined selection criteria.
Suitable applicants are then invited to attend an assessment day run by networx, where various activities can be undertaken to assess individual qualities and skills. This assessment will be organised to your own requirements and the necessary arrangements made on your behalf.
If you are considering any graduate recruitment activity we will be willing to provide you with any advice or guidance you require.
The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations came into effect on 1st October 2006 and makes it unlawful to discriminate against workers, employees, job seekers and trainees because of their age.
Challenged with implementing the new policy throughout networx, Operations Manager, Stephanie Renton commented:
"It's a minefield out there! The truth is that until certain cases are brought to a court of law it is difficult to understand the degree to which this regulation will truly affect the workplace."
By understanding the implications of direct and indirect discrimination we can ensure that we comply with the regulations. We have attended seminars and received advice on what 'The Age Discrimination Act' means to our clients and us, to be confident that all our vacancies advertised are in line with the new regulations and positively encourage applications from a diverse candidate audience.
It is increasing becoming difficult for companies to keep up with the ever-increasing legislation, here are a few pointers on how to put these new regulations into practice: (ACAS)
"8 out of 10 employers have taken steps to cut recruitment costs over the past 12 months, according to a survey by Personnel Today's sister publication, Employment Review."
"The survey shows that the introduction of online job applications is regarded as the most effective way of improving recruitment while cutting costs."
All too often this kind of survey is conducted on FTSE 100 organisations and generally are not reflective of recruitment in 'normal' organisations and SME's. Although networx can cater for the larger organisation our primary focus is to provide access to effective recruitment solutions to companies who need and benefit from it the most!
For example, the findings of this survey identified that 74% of the organisations said they were utilising online job applications as the most effective way of improving recruitment while cutting costs.
These kinds of statistic are far beyond what we would expect within our target market. The main reason being that the implementation of a recruitment management system often carries a stigma of substantial investment.
networx are celebrating and would like to share our good news with you.
Following a conscious effort to improve the candidate experience of applying for a job through the Internet, networx have achieved Top 10 status on Jobsite's Recruit rank for highest rated customer experience, based on feedback from job hunters, we are currently 8th out of 597 agencies!
Our dedicated team have been implementing additional procedures over the past few months to ensure that the 'candidate experience' is of the highest possible standard.
This has affected our customer's response, as jobsite is not the only site that we are adapting the 'candidate experience' to. Quality job hunters will feel more comfortable in applying for a job through networx and do not feel that they are sending their CVs into a black hole, so therefore we are increasing our success rate.
Our Director Andy Pierson recently quoted in a number of publications, when asked to comment on using the Internet as part of recruitment process:
"My advice is that we should benefit from the use of the Internet but maintain the right balance with human interaction so we are practising what we preach!"
Please see www.jobsite.co.uk.
The difficulty and costs associated with attracting quality candidate's means that employers are keen to improve the experience of applicants. We live in a world where most things can be done online and candidates expect the same when applying for jobs. Offering regularly updated lists of vacancies with an easy to use application method may only be the beginning of the process but getting this right presents a professional and positive image.
networx believe the reason for their success is down to customising each apoint+ solution to meet their clients' individual needs. Some clients have large HR departments and set-up the apoint+ system to support and improve their established methods and processes, others with less available resource implement a system that works alongside our managed service.
Of particular importance to many clients is the need to achieve greater control over recruitment activity. This can be separated into strategy as well as workflow, affecting different people within the organisation in different ways. For some, the most important benefit is the ability to support strategic decision-making and report on volume, costs and supplier performance. For other more operational users, the ability to access vacancy/candidate information and work effectively with Line Managers is essential.
Another important goal is that clients want to improve efficiency. The apoint+ technology reduces administration time throughout the recruitment cycle, progressing candidates to interview becomes a more streamlined process whilst declining the unsuccessful applicants no longer takes the time and resource. Also, within the remit of efficiency, apoint+ ensures our clients maximise their relationship with Recruitment Agencies via automatic vacancy notifications and online candidate submissions.
Above all, the shift towards a more service driven economy has resulted in most clients acknowledging the importance of people within their organisations. A key factor when implementing recruitment software is to ensure quality candidates can be accessed quickly. The use of scoring and filtering technology helps to identify the best available candidates much quicker than before, however clients want to look beyond their current vacancies and plan for future requirements. Registering candidates and building a pool of available talent adds enormous value to that recruitment process.
The use of technology can offer enormous benefits to candidates and employers throughout the recruitment process. However, we must remember the importance of maintaining a balance between personal contact and technology. Use technology to improve and support your processes but don’t expect it to do everything for you.
2007 is another exciting year for networx as we will be launching a new system that is specific for ad-hoc users and the company that has a smaller recruitment requirement.
My career in online recruitment started in the late 90s when the introduction of Internet Job Boards was being received with an amount of cynicism, especially when over ambitious suppliers were making audacious claims that the recruitment revolution had arrived. However, these initial years were of great value to me and provided the thinking that later became reality in the creation of networx. Along with many others, I quickly identified the benefits that recruiting online would bring over the coming years but my questions surrounded how it could be used most effectively.
Problems faced by early adopters of the online recruitment phenomenon were all too apparent. Companies were presented with the task of writing appropriate and searchable online copy together with selecting the most appropriate job boards upon which to advertise their vacancies. This often led to a poor inappropriate response and further administration requirements of sifting and communicating with candidates.
Developing the concept of networx was very simple. We would use our expertise and the Internet to source candidates for our clients and then manage the recruitment process for them. The best description used is a hybrid between online recruitment advertising and traditional agency services, but provided without excessive placement fees.
As with all start-up businesses financial capital was a necessity. For initial investment we approached David Jones CBE, whom at the time was CEO of NEXT Plc. With a keen eye for investment opportunities David became involved with networx at the beginning and has subsequently accepted the role of Chairman, an appointment that brings great value to a business like ours.
networx began trading in 2001 and consisted of three founder members, Jeremy Cartwright, Darren Nuttall and myself. As expected the first two years were testing times with the three of us working long hours to undertake every role required to manage the day to day operations as well as ensuring a solid platform for growth. Our vision was to develop a business that would provide our clients a complete online recruitment solution. Quite an ambitious objective in the early years but something we can confidently claim to have achieved with networx as it is today.
The Internet has changed the way companies recruit and with this brought fresh challenges to those striving to maximise the benefits. Building on our corporate vision, 2005 saw the launch of our Recruitment Management system apoint+, a software product that supports clients such as Hallmark, Gamestation, RS Components, Northern Foods Transportation, TJ Hughes and Punch Taverns. In the last quarter we have exceeded our target for apoint+ sales with ten new clients, including Reebok Europe, Farnell in One, West Bromwich Building Society, and United Co-op Services.
By combining the apoint+ technology with our established managed service we have created a unique offering that benefits our client base. Helping to overcome the challenges of Time, Efficiency, Control, Cost and Quality.
The company recently reported a turnover of £2m and now employs 30 people all of whom are very important to the business and me. Our success has been built on the ability of our people. Our consultants and account managers have established great relationships with their clients through understanding and listening to their needs. We approach business with a common sense view. We are not trying to reinvent the wheel, we simply partner with our clients offering them a service to compliment and enhance their recruitment process. With an 80% retention rate we are proud of the loyalty our clients have shown, this has been a key factor to our success and too often a rarity within the recruitment industry.
The online recruitment industry will continue to grow and businesses will constantly strive to improve processes and efficiency. Technology will play its part in this evolution but we mustn’t forget the simplicity of the recruitment cycle and remember that we are dealing with real people.
My advice is that we should benefit from available software but maintain the right balance with human interaction.
This year will see substantial growth for networx as we plan to expand our managed services and apoint+ technology further south. We will also be widening our target market by launching an innovative and exciting new offering during 2007, something I’m personally very excited about.