ClarkeWood Charity Round-Up

Here at ClarkeWood, we are very big on taking ownership of our CSR. The past few months have been really hectic with lots of different charity events! From inspiring talks to jumping out of an aeroplane, we really have done our bit for charities in need.

As a company we feel it is vitally important to support local charities making a tangible difference to our community. This year we have focused our efforts on two charities, St Richards Hospice and Sight Concern Worcestershire.

We'd like to share a few of our fund raising events, to show you how you can get involved. Plus the benefits that come with charity work.

January - June : St Richards Hospice

St Richards is a fantastic and worthy charity, which has a place in the hearts of local people. They offer care for ill people and support their families, offering them the best possible quality of life. Over the 6 months that we supported them, we attended multiple events such as; Ladies Day at the races, Cheltenham Gold Cup evening, we sponsored Part with a Pound day and also did a Skydive. ClarkeWood’s Victoria also spoke at a corporate event and over the 6 months raised over £9,000.

Part With a Pound Day

'Part with a Pound' day, held in March, offers the opportunity to dress up, dress down, dress wacky or simply donate a pound not to dress up! The day was a great chance to raise money for charity, while having fun and team building. Some of the ClarkeWood team got very comfortable in their new looks, as you can tell! The day raised Approx. £5000, which is a fantastic achievement!

Skydive

Recently, the team took to the skies at the Hinton Skydiving Centre in Oxfordshire and raised a fantastic £2,200!  "We are all still reeling with excitement from the jump a few days after, it is truly an experience not to be missed and we all agree that it is most definitely the best thing you can do with your clothes on! The next challenge is to find something to top this!"

Other ways we got involved...

Victoria also recently spoke at an event arranged by St Richard’s, to local corporate supporters. She explained how we had got involved and how charity fundraising helps others while helping you. Getting involved with charity events seems like time and effort, but it is so worthwhile. It’s easy to get involved and it gets your company some column inches, getting your name out there locally. (As well as being great fun and improving team morale!!)

July - December : Sight Concern Worcestershire

After our incredible achievements with St Richards, we are now, supporting Sight Concern. Sight Concern helps around 2,500 people in the Worcestershire area who are blind or partially sighted across our county. A great cause which recently, got refused funding for a specialist children section - so they desperately need our help!

Although our support of Sight Concern has just begun, we’ve already taken part in some exciting events...

Jail N' Bail

The first event we took part in was 'Jail N Bail'. Several local business men were held in custody outside Worcester Guildhall, until they raised 'bail' of £500 each. Lee was detained for his crimes against consistently outrageous public displays of dad dancing. Lee managed to gain bail around 4pm after passing his target by £40!

Our support of Sight Concern has only just begun and we are sure there will be many more exciting opportunities to raise money for charity. We already have a few things in the pipeline, hopefully happening soon. Such as -

'Firewalk'

The Sight Concern 'Firewalk' is exactly what it sounds like - walking across fire! Our brave team will have their feet firmly on the ground after their skydiving challenge, yet they will be walking over burning hot coals!

Dolphin Computer Access

Dolphin is a local pioneering company, based in Worcester, who offers computing solutions for blind or visually impaired people. They have developed a special system called GUIDE which allows visually impaired people to use a computer. What they do is fantastic, offering people the chance to be independent and have the experience that others take for granted.

We are currently looking to find IT job seekers, graduates and students who would be willing to give up their time and volunteer to teach and train visually impaired people how to utilise the GUIDE program.

We are raising the funds for 6 people to be put onto dolphins “train a trainer” courses where the individuals will learn how to use the software and learn how to train the users on it.

It will be an opportunity to get a free qualification and skill : making them more employable,

engaged with community and attractive to employers. It also means that sight concern can branch out around the Worcestershire area as part of their district development plan.

We will keep everyone updated on how these events progress.

Meanwhile, we hope you can see the benefits of taking control of your CSR.

Charity work is a fantastic thing to get involved in for many reasons:

· Boosts team building and morale

· Promotes your company in the local press

· Easy and Worthwhile

To be continued....

A Day in the Life of an Apprentice : Part 1

Last week saw the fantastic completion of

“100 Apprenticeships in 100 days”

Campaign. The campaign was run by the Worcester News, who more than doubled their target!

 After successfully recruiting an admin apprentice two years ago, ClarkeWood Consulting decided to once again get involved with the scheme and recruited two new superb apprentices.

 Ben Proctor –Sales, and Lauren Henley – Business Management and Administration.

ClarkeWood are strong advocates for companies becoming involved with apprenticeship schemes as well as encouraging young people to really consider their options and what an apprenticeship could mean for them.

With this is mind we have asked Lauren to interview Ben at the start of his journey, 3 months in as he settles and then again on completion of his 6 month, in the hope of gaining a real insight into what it’s like to be an apprentice.

To start off our series of apprentice blogs, we’d like to introduce you to Ben and Lauren by giving you an insight into what lead them to an apprenticeship and how they are initially finding it.

Lauren: In January, my year was planned and I knew exactly what I would be doing. Or so I thought. What is your background, and what were you doing 1 year ago?

Ben: I was just finishing my first year of studying Chemistry at the University of Glamorgan in Wales. During my time at university I worked part-time for a Students events company in Cardiff.

Lauren: A friend had just begun an Apprenticeship. I knew nothing about apprenticeships and wouldn’t have considered one. She loved it, and encouraged me to sign up. Did you have an opinion of Apprenticeships before you decided on one?

Ben: I had quite a good opinion actually. A few of my friends from high school had gone on to do apprenticeships and were really enjoying it; as well as earning good salaries!

Lauren: Being in full time education you seem to get filtered through School > College > University; feeling although it is the best and only option. How does learning on the job compare to being in full-time education and has it, so far, had a different impact on you?

Ben: Being in a working environment gives you more of a reason to get up each morning. Every Uni student can think of a time where they just really didn’t want to get up, be it for an 8:30 start or for the last lecture on a Friday!

Lauren: Now I’m starting to get into my apprenticeship, I’ve learnt that education isn’t always the answer. What is the most valuable thing you’ve learnt so far?

Ben: To be confident! If you are confident, people will believe in you and trust you. If you aren’t confident then it makes everything so much more difficult.

Lauren: My original plan was start a degree in Fashion Design. What are your goals for the future and how do you think your Apprenticeship has influenced that?

Ben: I’d love to get into the senior side of things, including management of my own team and patch... Time will tell how that works out!

Lauren: Finally, we both had similar situations which lead to us choosing an apprenticeship. What kind of person would you recommend an apprenticeship too?

Ben: I’d really recommend them to anyone who hasn’t completed a university course, or is looking for a complete change in career. There are so many different courses available, so there will be one suited for them.

                                                     

Now that you’ve had an introduction to our new recruits we will follow them up in three months time to see how they are getting on.

During our interviews with both Lauren and Ben we hope to give you a firsthand insight into their experiences allowing you to access a viewpoint otherwise unavailable.

We hope to highlight how beneficial the apprenticeships schemes can be for companies of any size as well as rewarding and encourage you too to consider becoming involved!

Is Corporate Social Responsibility important for your business?

“The time is always right to do what is right." (Martin Luther King Jr)

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been debated for some time now; with business owners commonly questioning and doubting whether or not CSR is beneficial for us as a company? Will it help to increase profits? How much is this going to cost me, taking into consideration time, effort and money?

Or is this just a “nice idea”.

Often businesses have taken a strong skeptical viewpoint, accusing CSR of being merely window-dressing and public relations puffery. This initial standpoint from corporate businesses however were usually the opinions of the individuals directly benefitting from the company’s profit levels.

“Generosity with shareholders money is not philanthropy, it is theft!” (Hopkins 2007)

CSR on any scale can be seen as positive for both the professionals and beneficiaries involved, ultimately larger corporate powers need to be shouldering the responsibility they have to aid and support less fortunate environments or structures.

Unfortunately CSR is still very much an optional strategy which while this is not ideal for the greater good, does open up the opportunity for smaller SME’s to use as a tool very much in their advantage.

It is easy to understand why a business would potentially place the concept on the back burner in climates such as these; however are you overlooking CSR as something to take part in only when times are affluent when in actual fact it’s during the challenging times that being a “responsible business” is more important than ever!

Companies that are finding themselves affected by difficult climates are needing to change their short term thinking into longer term strategies, several of which could be strongly influenced by positive CSR.

Five beneficial reasons why your company should embark on their CSR journey:-

1.       Enhanced brand image and reputation

A good reputation is vital for a successful company, with the rapid growth of social networking it is becoming more and more relevant and vital for SME’s as well as corporate to have a strong positive brand image. Companies gain referrals and testimonials to increase trust and reputation for prospective clients to view, this same theory can be applied to positive CSR.

2.       Increased sales and customer loyalty

More and more consumers and suppliers are focusing their purchases towards socially and environmentally responsible products/services.

In European studies results have shown that 2 in 5 people would be willing to pay more for a product/service that have a positive CSR and conversely 3/6 people actively boycott or support products/services also on their public CSR.

Coupled together with a company’s USP’s these elements provide a powerful statement to be utilized.

3.       Increased productivity

Employees are vital to a company’s success and it has become more and more apparent that by investing in your work staff and valuing their input, strongly increases productivity.

Peoples awareness of social issues are greatly increasing with easier access to information becoming readily available and on a personal level there has recently been a massive increase in the number of volunteers received within local communities.

This therefore implies that employees on a personal note are taking action more and will naturally expect the same attitude and sense of responsibility to be applied within their working environment also.

4.       Attraction and retention of Employees

A company’s dedication to CSR can really be a drawing point for potential employees at all levels. Graduates are aware of the current climate and therefore leaving university in search of career prospects within a company that have longevity and security; no longer are people solely driven by salaries.

The same can be applied to the senior individuals where slight salary increases matter even less, employees look for values and respect not only in them but within the organization itself and CSR can provide the perfect tool to display this effectively.

5.       ‘Keeping up’ with competitors

This is where business is heading regardless of the company and regional culture, no matter how small your input CSR can only provide your company with positivity.

A companies reasons for beginning their CSR will all be differing however more often are local authorities, employees , investors and suppliers beginning to place pressure on the decision maker to “do the right thing” this is for your CSR but also and inevitably for your business.

Those that get left behind especially in a business climate such as this are going to be missing out on business opportunities, competitor advantage and improved management opportunities.

Here are just five points that will hopefully encourage you to embark on your CSR journey if you have not begun it already.

Those company’s not engaging in CSR are not only under managing their impact on society and the environment, they are under managing their own economic self interest.

“The future belongs to those who understand that doing more with less is compassionate, prosperous, and enduring, and thus more intelligent, even competitive." (Paul Hawken)

Check out our latest blog to see how ClarkeWood Consulting have been actively promoting their CSR!!Network4Charity

Doing our bit for CSR in style!

Here at ClarkeWood Consulting we take our Corporate Social Responsibility very seriously and on the 29^th of July we played a large part in sponsoring a Network4Charity Black Tie evening that was held at the Worcester Warriors Rugby Club.

The evening was in support of Education for the Children and saw a true mix of business with pleasure for several of the local business owners who attended.

With an eclectic mix of guests, champagne reception, great food, plenty of wine and some exceptional live music that even tempted a few of our guests up to dance (you know who you are!) the night proved to be a success.

ClarkeWood Consulting were the main sponsors for the evening and along with their guest clients who attended; played a pivotal part in helping to raise the £2800 on the night itself.

Pictured here is Lee Clarke and Lynn Taylor as the two sponsors for the evening, with the founder of Education for the Children David McKee; Rhiannon, Carol and Christine who all work for the charity here in England and the two organisers for the night Cady Walker and our own recruiter Victoria Taylor.

(Lee holding onto his prized rugby ball bought in the auction which was kindly signed by the Warriors) 

Despite popular belief not all recruiters are evil and sent here simply to harass you at the most in opportune moments of the day; the whole team here at ClarkeWood really believe in giving back to those less fortunate than ourselves as often as we can and thoroughly enjoyed  being a part of supporting such a fantastic cause like Education for the Children.

Please take the time to watch this short video which was shown on the night as it really demonstrates the positive work that the charity have and are continuing to do.

For more information on the charity and the great work that they do please follow this link www.eftc.org.uk

How to fill your Worcester IT job vacancies

ClarkeWood Consulting has a specialist team focusing on recruitment of IT & Technical Professionals across the 3 Counties of Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire.

The team works with a wide variety of organisations, varying from SMEs through to large, blue-chip companies, providing a bespoke recruitment service that is highly valued by our clients and candidate alike.

What we do for clients…

·        We make sure we understand your requirement. Our large database and comprehensive advertising and CV search facilities ensure that we track down the best person for the job.

·        Each applicant is thoroughly profiled to produce a shortlist of candidates suitable for your role – we will not bombard you with pointless CVs!

·        ClarkeWood Consulting has a reputation for excellence – we will manage the recruitment process from taking the initial job spec through to delivering and closing offers.

·        We offer a tailored recruitment service to best suit your needs from search & select to headhunting from your competitors!

What we do for candidates…

·        ClarkeWood Consulting has an unrivaled network of clients across the local area giving us access to a constant flow of new IT & Technical requirements.

·        Our close relationships with our clients ensure you will always be well prepared for any interviews and will receive full feedback on how you have performed.

·        We understand that the job market can be tough so we look to provide as much help and support as possible during your hunt for a new role.

If you are a company who would like to find out more about the service we provide, or perhaps a candidate interested in talking about current opportunities then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Contact Lee on 01905 727750 or email lee.clarke@clarkewoodconsulting.com

Worcester IT Jobs - a local perspective

Worcester IT Jobs are on the increase

ClarkeWood Consulting is a locally based IT Staffing specialist with an array of job opportunities across the three counties of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire and a network of locally based candidates to match.
We have seen a steady increase in the number of Worcester based IT jobs since August 2010 a clear indication that business confidence is up in the region.
In November we registered over 15 new vacancies that were Worcester IT jobs alone with a further 18 IT jobs across Gloucestershire and Herefordshire.
December has again seen a steady number of new vacancies registered both permanent and contract opportunities with companies conducting interviews right up to Christmas Eve.

The vacancies are all new growth, new projects to be manned, new ecommerce sites to be built, new orders have come in so staffing levels need to increase. This is all good and positive news for the Worcester IT job market in 2011.
The recent IT jobs that we have registered cover a variety of technologies and expertise as indicated below:

• Web designers – good HTML, CSS Front end web designers who can integrate CMS websites with backend developers
• Web Developers – Both application and backend web developers across both opensource, PHP & java and Microsoft with ASP.Net and C#
• Project managers, Business Analysts and Online Marketing Specialists
• 1st & 2nd line support engineers – both helpdesk, desktop and field positions
• IT trainers – both end user and engineer level

These are just a small number of the vacancies we have recently filled or are still working on.
Those clients choose to work with us because of our expertise, focus and knowledge in IT recruitment and the fantastic level of service we provide.
ClarkeWood Consulting - established 2009 - is Worcester's first and only IT specialist recruitment consultancy, staffed by a group of dedicated recruiters with over 20 years of successful IT recruitment experience. Thanks to this experience, ClarkeWood Consulting is able to deliver high level service standards and results.

For all your  Worcester IT job vacancies instruct the best, we specialise in matching local businesses with local talented professionals:

-          Call our consultants on 01905 727750 to ask for more information
-          Request a meeting with myself to discuss service levels
-          Receive a sample of available profiles every month to keep you up to date on what is going on in the market place
-          Or just send us your requirements via email to lee.clarke@clarkewoodconsulting.com
-          Or visit our website on www.clarkewoodconsulting.com

Recruitment and Retention - using a local specialist

Recruitment and retention within the IT sector is a key challenge for over half of employers according to a recent report by the Government.  Around a third (31%) reported that recruiting the right talent is likely to be difficult in the coming months, whilst one in five (21%) said retaining their people would be a challenge.

Many employers are finding the measures taken during the downturn have left them lacking the skills needed to grow again.  Now the economy is officially out of recession, there is a real need to bring new, high calibre people on board to ensure the recovery continues.

In addition to technical expertise, employers now expect their IT departments to be more proactive when it comes to suggesting new solutions (22%), communicate better with the business (28%) and have a greater commercial focus (22%).

Recruiting and retaining the best talent is becoming a major challenge for a many IT employers as we move into the upturn. 

Over half of IT employers have not reviewed their recruitment processes in the last 12 months, yet hiring processes optimised for a downturn will not suffice in an upturn

In an improving economy, growing IT departments should look at how they are attracting new talent into their organisations because as the economy heats up, skilled individuals will be harder to find, and more expensive.

Historically companies struggle with retention at the beginning of an economic cycle, so at a time of crucial growth employers will need talented individuals that know the business inside and out.

With over 20 years Recruitment experience, all within the IT sector ClarkeWood is here to help you with all your Recruitment matters. We are specialists in matching top local companies with talented local people.

For a free no obligation review of your current recruitment process or needs, we will come to you and discuss how working in partnership with a dedicated local solutions provider can help your business grow, call us on 01905 727750

How Do You Save Time Recruiting?

By asking yourself “what is the most valuable use of my time right now”.

Would it be:

·         Writing a detailed job specification that will get across what you want the new employee to do, and one that best conveys your company to that prospective employee.

·         Write up a job advert and make sure it complies with current legislation on the multi discrimination laws.

·         Deal with and negotiate best price for your job advert whether that is paper based or/and online.

·         Wait for those advert responses.

·         Deal with those calls/emails wanting more information on the job/salary etc, before even submitting a CV.

·         Collating all of those CV’s together and reading them.

·         Working out which candidates you want to bring in and interview.

·         Arranging those interviews and informing the unsuccessful ones that they haven’t made the grade.

·         Arranging next round and final interviews.

·         Delivering the offer of employment and hoping they accept.

Or would your time be best spent on doing what you do best running your business/department and making money/profit for your organisation.

As Bengamin Frankiln puts it "An investment in knowledge pays the best interest"

At ClarkeWood Consulting we can help you do this by taking all of the time consuming steps out of recruitment.

Our specialist recruiters will:

·         Visit you on site and take a detailed spec from you verbally - we do all the writing!!

·         We see the working environment get a feel for the company culture and values so we can share this with prospective candidates.

·         We have access to candidates across multiple medias at a fraction of the cost you would have to pay.

·         We don’t wait for advert responses therefore you do not have to wait for CV applications. With a current live database of just over 2,000 local IT professionals registered we start work on the vacancy straight away.

·         We manage all the calls, all the CV’s, the CV sift, the pre-screen interviews and the selection process so you can focus on your business.

·         We manage all the interview process, the feedback, the offers.

This fantastic time saving service is FREE, only when we deliver the right candidate at the right price for the right role do you have to pay a fee. For a FREE no obligation chat contact us on 01905 727750.

Why use recruitment agencies?

We are here to save you time and money. 

How you may ask?  

By delivering you a high quality driven recruitment service at low cost, insuring you hire the right candidate no more square peg round hole recruitment methods.

A good recruitment partner will enable you to focus on your business and take away the pressure and stress of:

·         Writing a job specification

·         Reducing advertising costs

·         Candidate search and selection

·         The CV paper sift

·         Arranging the interviews

·         Interviewing those that looked good on paper but turned out to be an ill fit

·         Negotiating the salary

·         Arranging the start dates and paperwork

  

When you are looking to expand your business and have a need for new IT technicians or developers let me know and I will come and meet with you to discuss the roles and an introductory offer. 

ClarkeWood consulting is an IT specialist recruitment consultancy delivering a premium quality service with local knowledge and a more personal relationship for clients in Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire. 

Please view my linked in profile, this will show you my background, and also allows you to see the 25+ recommendations I have for exceptional service in the staffing industry.  

http://uk.linkedin.com/in/leejclarke