A New Year, a new decade and a time for change.

It’s time to reflect.  Not just on another year gone but on the next 10-year horizon.

Economic growth should be stimulated now the UK has left the EU and entered a transition period until the end of 2020.  This, in theory provides at least 11 months of stability and with the shackles off, businesses can now finally plan with some certainty after previous deadlines were not stuck to and the UK remained stuck in Brexit limbo.

Businesses have responded quickly to the UK’s new political landscape according to a recent survey by IHS Markit and the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS).  It suggests for example, that the services sector stabilised in December and that order books had picked up, with optimism at its highest level for 15 months.  This concurs with other surveys purporting that Britain’s economy is on course for a strong 2020. The services sector is particularly important because it accounts for around 80 per cent of the British economy.  It also happens to account for a large proportion of our client base.

Organisations need talent to grow and push forward with resourcing plans.  We are entering a period of significant change and the interim world has to adapt.  With the ongoing Brexit twists and turns and the immediate changes to the reforms to IR35 due in April 2020 to the private sector, there are currently more questions than answers.  I believe IR35 does provide an opportunity to ensure that interim assignments are more clearly defined and scoped with pre-determined timescales and objectives.   It reminds me of the ‘true’ interim market when this was the expectation and the norm before the new breed of interim became a thing, creating a ‘grey’ interim world where  it became a convenient route to a permanent role and over use of the title culminating in the growth of the ‘interim’ interim.

Our role is to consult with businesses that all face similar challenges and all need certainty and clarity to move their own organisations forward.   After all, how can we expect businesses to plan if they don’t know what they’re planning for? Resourcing is part of this planning process and certainly makes up the bigger picture when implementing New Year and new decade strategies.  Without the people to execute the plan, nothing happens. Without the flexibility and deliverables an Interim resource provides, the business can’t change.  Without the option of bringing in someone to take advice from, how are you sure the right decision or direction is being taken?

Doing nothing is not a strategy.  Businesses will continue to resource experienced executives in times of change, transformation, restructuring, crisis etc. but the reforms to IR35 quite frankly contradict the modern world we now live in where the effects of technology are quite profound.  Many organisation are becoming more automated regardless of sector, AI is growing and digital transformation is firmly on the agenda.  Flexibility is key. The next 10 years will bring about profound change and resourcing flexible talent must form part of the strategy.

For further information on Macallam Interim Resourcing or for a confidential discussion please contact Steven Wynne, Managing Director on 01423 804900 or steven.wynne@macallaminterim.com  or visit www.macallaminterim.com

 

Top 10 CV Do’s & Don’ts

A Curriculum Vitae is an essential marketing tool and getting an interview can depend on how good your CV is. The way you present your CV can have an overwhelming influence over whether your CV is even read, let alone get an interview. You need to consider what to include, how much detail is needed and how to make your CV stand out from others.

Do...

1. Construct your CV with your prospective employer in mind. Look at the job advert or specification and think about what the job involves, and what the employer needs. Find out about the employer, culture, operating style and make your experience relevant.
2. Tailor your CV to the job. Your CV shouldn't be your life story but should be tailored for the job you're applying for, focusing on the aspects that are important for that role. 
3. Make it clear and tidy. Check your spelling and grammar and read it through carefully. It’s amazing how many CV’s have spelling mistakes in them.
4. Place the important information up-front. Put experience and education achievements in reverse chronological order. Include experience and interests that might be of use to the employer: IT skills, voluntary work, foreign language competency, driving skills, leisure interests that demonstrate team skills and organisation/leadership skills. 
5. Quote concrete outcomes to support your claims. For example, ‘This reduced the development time from 7 to 3 days’ or ‘This revolutionised the company’s internal structure which led to a reduction in overheads from £2.3million to £1.7m per year’. 

Don’t...

1. Include information which may be viewed negatively – failed exams, divorces, failed business ventures, reasons for leaving a job. Don’t give the interviewer any reason to not include you. 
2. Make your CV more than three pages long. You can free up space by leaving out or editing information that is less important. For example, you do not need to include referees or include a detailed account all of the jobs you have held since school. Place more emphasis and detail on the recent and most relevant ones. Add details about your most recent qualifications, which are more relevant, but summarize the rest. 
3. Dilute your important messages. Don’t bother with a list of schools you attended or a long list of hobbies. Such things like this and school grades can be summarised. Concentrate on demonstrating the skills they require, what you have achieved and what benefits your clients have gained from your work. 
4. Use jargon, acronyms, technical terms - unless essential. 
5. Lie – In this era of the “Information economy” people and employers have many ways of checking what you say is true, and may dismiss you from the process or at worst employment if they find this is untrue.

If you do not have the time to create a new CV or you feel you need expert assistance with re-writing or re-modelling your document why not join up to our Talentrack career consultancy programme.  

For further information click here.