It is often taken for granted that identity and personal information will be held in the highest confidentialty by our GP’s and local hospital doctors, however concerns are growing for the security of our data as technology develops and the need to pass data to and from locations increases. Are our GP’s being sold the correct software with sufficient training and security to protect the information they have?

Key focus for GP’s is clearly patient care and this is where their expertise lies and where we would want it to be, is it fair for them to hold responsibility for the security of data ?

As Industry software increases then pressure to ensure the right training and solutions are sold to the right people. Through our own activity in the market place skilled professionals with the right balance of Medical Device and technology/software solutions knowledge is not in abundance therefore highlighting them as a ‘wanted skill’ in a sector that is still hiring even in the hard times we have recently faced (Antal’s 6th Global Snap Shot highlights this).

My advice for those that have a skilled work force in this area is, hold to them, and treat them well as they will be targets for direct approached as the need for their skills increase.

There is a great article on this in hes (healthcare equipment suppliers) news, CLICK HERE for more information

Prior to the economic crisis international expansion appeared to be at the top of every successful retailer’s agenda, a show case to replicate their success in the UK. However the recession hit hard and such expansion plans were put to one side in order for focus to be directed at the UK and survival.

Although total recovery is a very long way off and there is still an air of caution for many international expansion is back on the agenda. George Wallace, Chief Executive at the international retail consultancy MHE retail has suggested that in reality “…It’s probably never been off the agendas for the strong players…on the backburner…for companies that are performing well then international is becoming a priority…”

A similar result is reflected in Antal’s 6th Global Snap Shot where 73% of Retailers spoken with, across the globe, discussed that they were hiring new talent in the next 3 months. As Retailers enter into non domestic environments the demands for skilled professionals that understand local needs as well and be able to dissolve the company’s culture into the new enviroment become important. Respect for a new markets culture and the different demands of the customer is essential however many find the transition of the UK culture into a new country difficult.

Antal as an organisation has been able to help with such problems utilising the retail knowledge in the two markets and combining them together to search for talent for clients. Working with a UK fashion retailer to enter into China utilised the skill of the UK and Hong Kong offices to deliver results. The new increased demand for professionals in the market will push a war on talent in the coming 2 years in all of the emerging markets.

Where to go?

US – Us market is still looking hard for UK retails to crack however South America is starting to look very Hot.

Europe – Value retailing seems to have been the main push in Europe, during the economic squeeze and less disposable income available, the demand for value has been high. Retailers such as Primark have announced success in locations that others have not been so lucky. However increased borrowing rates have slowed the drive in Europe but there are still a lot potential in Eastern Europe and in location such as Belgium who are starting to recover.

Russia - A location once sort after by most big retailers, a target destination for emerging market expansion. Whilst many seem to be performing well here the success still has risk with crime and corruption making entering the market a risk.

Middle East – Since Dubai has faced the financial crisis of recent month’s confidence in this area has been shaken. Franchise has been the main expansion drive here time will tell whether it can re gain lost ground.

India & China – These markets still remain strong hot spots for international expansion. The cultural challenges are high however the rewards are much greater.

New emerging market – In parallel with Antal’s own expansion the new emerging markets for retail seem to be in South America, Egypt, Indonesia, South Africa and more.

Moving forward into the last quarter of 2010 it is fair to say that as a provider of talent to the international Retail community, Antal is in a strategic position to help retailers (UK and international) to expand in any of the emerging markets that are becoming attractive, with local and international knowledge to source the right individuals for their needs.

Liz Dillon - Managing Partner

Following the economic crisis and as the MedTech market around the world begins to pick up, UK companies are being given tips on selling their products overseas at a series of events organised by Medipex, the NHS innovation hub.

The organisation is working with the New Jersey-based Transatlantic Business Council to help UK healthcare companies develop their businesses in both the US and continental Europe.

The first activity will be held in Germany in November a meeting Growing Your Business Abroad, prior to this year’s Medica – the world’s largest medical technology exhibition, which opens in Dusseldorf on 17 November.

“The timing could not be better for British healthcare companies wishing to enter the US market”

The event has been organised to give UK MedTech firms an opportunity to meet with their counterparts from both sides of the Atlantic at the same time as discussing their international market entry plans with venture capitalists, investment bankers, corporate lawyers and regulatory experts.

Michael Della Pella, chairman of the Transatlantic Business Council, said: “This symposium is the first of a series of combined initiatives. We feel the timing is right with the healthcare investment market in the US beginning to move out of recession. This is being driven by an anticipated big expenditure wave over the next five years as a good portion of federal funding expansion is allocated to the healthcare sector. The timing could not be better for British healthcare companies wishing to enter the US market.”

Medipex/Transatlantic Business Council have also suggested further such meetings to include a series of international healthcare business briefings to be held in Atlanta, New York and Boston in the US and Sheffield in the UK.

“Identifying and validating international business opportunities can often be difficult for companies to identify and this service aims to help them do this more effectively”

International collaboration like this and strategic international growth plans for UK MedTech companies expanding will have the same impact on talent as when US organisations started to expand in Europe, a demand for professionals who have ambitious goals for their careers and do not have geographical boundaries.

This is exactly where Antal has been able to provide additional support to its clients, when entering non domestic countries by delivering local knowledge in extreme markets. The climb out of the economic crisis gives us the opportunity to drive our growth as a leader in providing a service to the Healthcare industry.

Major organizations such as GE, Siemens, and Philips appear to be focusing more and more on medical products for India and see the strategy for India as the springboard for emerging markets – not too dis similar to Antal’s own growth in this market and It has been noted in the trade press that the Indian medical devices market is growing at +10 pct a yr (PWC)

In a trade article by Rina Chandran, Sujay Shetty (leader of the pharma practice at PWC in India) says the following about the Indian healthcare market.

“In theory, the opportunity is huge…”.
“In India we want first-world technology at third-world prices. So India can also be a springboard for Africa and Latin America, which have similar needs…”

According to PWC the €30 billion Indian healthcare industry is due to double in value in the next 5 years and with this in mind it is not surprising that the leaders in most Medical Device categories are focusing their innovations and technologies in such a market. An example of this can be seen in GE Healthcares R&D facility where they have recently launched the MACi, which is a portable electrocardiogram (ECG) machine that weighs less than 1 kilo and runs on a battery (even in hot, dusty conditions) enabling ECGs at just $0.20 each compared with around $50 currently.

Ashish Shah (General Manager for GE Healthcare’s global technology) has also been reported to say that …”So far, innovations were geared toward the United States and Europe and artificially pushed into the Indian market …” however “…Today, we innovate for India in India, thinking in rupees and paise rather than dollars and cents…”
A recent KPMG report indicates that the Indian Healthcare infrastructure expenditure in 2013 will hit $14.2 billion, a near 50 percent increase of the 2006 total, and this will be helped by new technologies, the growth of hospital chains and increased government spending in this sector.
For us here at Antal this is significant findings that will have a huge impact on the available talent within this developing market. How will they source their t talent pools for these technology R&D teams? If taken internally from other areas of their businesses (which is a natural assumption) how will those gaps be filled? Is there enough emerging organic talent to fill the demand? My estimation is that a war for talent in the Indian market will emerge and the demand for skilled professionals across all disciplines will become a commodity.
We are already working with clients to avoid this happening within their businesses sourcing rising start talent to join them now and have them ready for development when the time is right.
If you are an individual in the medical device sector that wishes to have a confidential conversation regarding opportunities in the region the please get in touch.
Similarly if you are a Medical Device organization with needs in this area and want to discuss a future talent strategy our details are below.

It has been widely stated in the industry news this week that doctors have devised a blood test that could tell young women the age at which they will no longer be able to have children.

By measuring the levels of a hormone produced by the ovaries women as young as 20 could be able to pinpoint within a few months of when they will cease to be fertile.

The research has been lead by Dr Fahimeh Ramezani Tehrani, a senior researcher at the Endocrine Research Centre in Tehran and while this research has not been verified on a large scale as yet he has stated that “Our results suggest that the noval marker anti mullerian hormone or MAH (produced by the ovaries) could precisely forecast the age of menopause, even in young women.”

Dr Heather Currie, co-editor or Menopause International, has also spoke out of the powerful benefits that this new test could have.

• Whilst it would allow those women trying to balance a career and family the insight to know what their boundaries were
• It would allow women potentially at risk for early menopause an alert for possible hurdles they may have in reproducing and set our time scales. This is particularly key when statistics show that about 110,000 women in the UK (at any one time) are going through premature menopause in their 30’s.
• It could reduce the suffering of trying too late
• Early menopause has other heath risks i.e. risk of Osteoporosis and heart disease therefore early knowledge could allow for preventative measure to be brought into play.

More details will be announced at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Rome however from this early indicator this advance in testing could have a significant impact on the health service, and its patients as well as the industries supplying them.

“ … Possible investment in Russia…”

The Indian commerce and industry minister, Anand Sharma, discussed how India was “very keen” to develop biotechnology, nanotechnology, genomics and bioinformatics in Russia whilst visiting Russia last week. It has
been suggested by analysts that these are amongst the technologies India is trying to develop with a view to enter into the Russian healthcare industry, demonstrating their readiness to invest in Russia’s pharma industry. It has been suggested that wheels are in motion to establish joint manufacturing and regulatory protocols and it will be interesting to see what talent resources are available to them in this development.

“… New – Joint Venture…”

It has been noted in trade press that a US based distributor of Medical Devices, Chindex International, is ready to form a joint venture with Chinese firm Fosun Pharmaceutical (Fosun Pharma). By combining products from both companies product portfolio they will trade going forward in the Chindex brand. Chindex distributes devices such as diagnostic ultrasound scanners, surgical systems, imaging technologies and women’s health products. Fosun Pharma specialises in distributing Western and Chinese products within China, with specific focus on the pharmaceutical, property development, steel, mining, and retail sectors. It will be interesting to see how this effects the distribution of the market share for these product areas in this region and the knock on effect sales will have on the joint ventures need to increased product knowledge in its sales force. How will their competitors bluster their internal teams to prepare for possible loss of revenue?

The medical sector is very important for the Antal Global Net-work and as a result plan to invest and expand our presence even further in this market throughout 2010 and beyond.

Over the last year Antal has clearly seen its clients affected by the global market conditions. However have also seen a variety of different approaches taken by organisations to survive this tough period and as a result have helped and are helping a number of companies to move/expand into new and existing markets to drive their businesses forward. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top at the end of the day.

Our aim here at Antal is to continue to provide our clients with a market leading solution to their talent requirements. As the market starts to turn so will the demand on talent and skilled professional will once again become a commodity. Through the continued growth of our presence and network in this sector Antal will be able to continue to provide the rising star profes-sionals in all market conditions.

It is obvious to us here at Antal that there is certainly a need for a specifically designed service to help organisations within the Medical Device sector both on a domestic and global basis. Offering market knowledge/understanding and targeted talent sourcing whether it be due to replacement, expansion, entering a new market or acquisition . Antal is able to deliver a solution that will control its service centrally whilst having the ability to delivered in local market equally well. This alongside our matrix ability to deliver across ALL disciplines is a distinct advantage to both clients and candidates.

CLICK HERE to read the full Medical Device & Healthcare Newsletter

Antal Global Snapshot Edition 6

A regular survey of hiring and firing trends around the world has found that, not only have recruitment levels in the UK increased since the beginning of the year, they are now the highest amongst the larger economies Western Europe.

The ‘Global Snapshot’ from the international recruitment firm, Antal surveyed more than 9600 organisations in 55 countries on whether they were currently hiring and firing at professional and managerial level. It then asked whether they planned to do so in the coming quarter. 60% of British companies said that they were currently hiring compared to 59% in the last report.

The survey also showed that UK organisations plan to raise their hiring activity over the next three months, although only by 1%. The number of companies letting staff go is also expected to fall to just 19%, down from 38% in January..

Elsewhere in Western Europe, hiring levels in France stood at 53% and in Germany at 41%. However many of the smaller countries bettered their larger neighbours, namely Belgium (66%), Netherlands (63%) and Switzerland (60%).The lowest levels of hiring were in Luxembourg at 29% and Malta at just 6%. More countries in Western Europe had experienced a drop in hiring levels than in any other geographic region.

“Although some countries, particularly in Western Europe, are still seeing a decline in the employment market, the global picture has definitely improved once again,” says Antal’s CEO, Tony Goodwin. “In the last two editions of Global Snapshot we have hesitated to suggest that a genuine and sustained recovery is underway, wary of the fact that more unpleasant surprises might still be announced by the banking community. However the fact that this industry now tops the list of the world’s most active sectors gives us the confidence to predict that a double dip recession is now unlikely to take place. As a result the nascent war for talent that has already broken out is likely to become fiercer over the next few months, as the most prescient businesses snap up the people who will enable them to secure best advantage in improving markets.”

About Antal International

Founded in 1993, Antal International is a management and professional recruitment specialist with a particular focus on the sourcing and retention of candidates in the ‘Generation Y’ bracket. One of the first recruitment organisations to devote substantial resources to emerging markets, the company now has offices in 30 countries and works with many of the world’s most successful and ambitious multi-nationals.

www.antal.com

snapshot.antal.com

Adam Kaye - UK Managing Director

We all know that the market has changed. Because the recession changes business decisions, tightens budgets, freezes long term hiring etc your projects are now complex and more business critical than ever.

A solution to this is a highly skilled professional specialist who can come in to your business and help deliver your project with success, on time and to budget. Whether the project is to implement a system, restructure a department, deliver a migration or to develop a bespoken solution, there are specialist candidates who have the experience needed to delicately deliver a business critical project, all of which have had the experience of budgets and time frames to work against and are now available to come in to your business as quickly as tomorrow.

Interim Solutions or Contract recruitment is a very cost effective way of hiring the skilled people you need for the length of the project you need them for. This will not let you compromise on the quality you need either. The majority of Interim candidates are over qualified for the job in hand! A specialist contractor with Java, .net, SAP, Oracle, Documentum, project management, ERP Business Intelligence, Business Objects and so on and so forth, have the experience in working to tight budgets and schedules, but many of you do not know where or how to find them and how to hire them.

Antal International has an incomparable pool of talent amongst its global network database. With over 120 offices in many major cities around the globe, we have local specialists with the local market knowledge who can find local people in many disciplines and sectors and have been since 1993.

I run the European Contract/Interim business unit for Antal International, placing highly skilled nationals, ex-pats and Internationally skilled professionals in to specific projects for clients across 14 different European countries.

Please feel free to give me a non-committal call to discuss your current and future projects. I would be happy to listen to your requirements and advise on the best solution that is also time sensitive and cost effective for you. You don’t even have to pay us until we deliver on your requirements.

Please do contact me on +44(0)207 467 2520 or email me at AKaye@antal.com

Adam Kaye - UK Managing Director

Developing web applications using open sources like PHP has become a very popular trend. Recently, there has been an increasing demand for skilled and experienced PHP programmers worldwide.

PHP is known to be one of the most effective open sources available in the market currently. It enables companies to have customized web applications and dynamic websites that can do great things for their online business. PHP programming not only offers flexibility but also helps to deliver secure web applications that can work effectively on all kinds of browsers.
With increase in demands and limited resources many PHP Programmers have started charging higher prices, which becomes a costly proposition for many companies. Because of this all sizes of organizations have started to hire PHP experts from web development companies on a contract basis or to hire full time PHP programmers from the market in order to create and maintain their business website. This not only helps them save time but also helps to save money.

However, companies should still be selective over who they hire and not just take anyone who has some PHP skills. Here are a few things that should be considered when hiring a PHP programmer for your company:

• They need to keep themselves updated with the latest developments in programming.
• They should be experienced. A good PHP programmer must have at least two years of experience in working with projects involving PHP programming. This will allow them to work faster, understand better and produce better results.
• PHP theory is the basic necessity of every PHP programmer. The knowledge they have should be put into test before they are hired.
• Communication is a key part of an effective PHP programmer. It is not enough if the person is just familiar with PHP. Their communication skills should not be undervalued. Bad communication can result in wasted time, effort, money and seeing the end project not meeting the requirements

It’s becoming a challenge for companies to find these experienced professionals to perform the tasks required, and it will be harder as a period of strong employment growth and a shortage on the PHP market is starting.

Are you ready to take on PHP professionals? Do you want to make sure your next hire is the best individual you can attract in the market place today? Give me a call for a discussion on +44 (0)207 467 2520 or email me at AKaye@antal.com

Adam Kaye - UK Managing Director

The importance of Risk Management and Compliance has never been a more poignant a theme as of late. Due to the still evident shock waves omnipresent in the market place, there has been a noticeable and increasing demand for skilled and experienced Risk and Compliance professionals.

Trends in Q4 2009
The Risk market has grown more confident in Q4, and companies have began to source professionals again from external parties as growth in their businesses is forecast as of the beginning of next year. Consultancies seem to be manoeuvring themselves to gain competitive advantage cross sector with niche specialists.

Profiles which appear to be more in demand are those with Basel II, RWA and economic capital experience which is a result of the vested interest on regulatory compliance and risk across financial institutions.
Q3 also saw a high level of interest for technical risk management experts in particular for those with exotic product knowledge and core front office experience.

Within operational risk, professionals at AVP/VP level with strong framework development skills were highly regarded as new potential candidates.
Risk professionals within Power Generation and related manufacturing disciplines were also buoyant due to greater demands to release investment.

Remuneration and Bonus Expectations
The topic of guaranteed bonuses has once again become a relevant subject, with a select number of houses expressing interest in such structures as a method of securing the best talent prior to the close of year. Nevertheless, potential employees do still remain realistic about their bonus expectations, with numerous echoes suggesting that a pay rise would be preferred instead of relying on a bonus next year. It does not come as a surprise that generally speaking, increased salaries were seen as the best method to secure the best profiles and steer them away from the competition. Interestingly Q4 also saw the imminent return of both counter offers and buy-backs as companies wrestled to retain their top achievers, evidence of a distinctly candidate short market in majority of areas within risk.

It is becoming more and more of a challenge for companies to hire these experienced professionals to boost competitive advantage and it will be harder as a period of strong employment growth and a shortage of Risk and Compliance profiles on the market is starting.

Would you be interested in securing your business top tier Risk and Compliance professionals? Were you to feel you would like a consultation on the solutions available in your area and location, call Adam Kaye on +44 (0)207 467 2520 or email me at AKaye@antal.com

Adam Kaye - UK Managing Director

The credit crisis had plunged the world economy into the deepest recession since World War II.

The recession was of an entirely different nature from the one at the beginning of the 80’s. Low profits and lack of incentives were the key problems at that time. In 2009 we are dealing with speculative bubbles resulting from a surplus of savings on the one hand, and poor regulation and supervision on banking systems, which failed to keep pace with financial innovation, on the other. This combination of macro and microeconomic factors led to the current crisis. The crisis could have substantial long-term effects on the level of prosperity.
How can investment into new human talent maintain a company’s competitive advantage?

HIGHLY SKILLED ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE PROFESSIONALS

While the job market has become more competitive in a number of fields, demand for highly skilled accounting and finance professionals with the right mix of talent and experience is holding steady. Accounting and finance are core business functions vital to an organization’s success in any economy. For many key positions (Accountants, Auditors, Controllers…), employers are experiencing difficulty finding qualified job candidates and also are concerned about retaining their top performers.
Experienced financial staff is needed worldwide to support initiatives related to general accounting needs, growth initiatives and compliance. Firms seeking to improve the management of company resources are placing a premium on job applicants with proven success identifying cost efficiencies and controlling expenses

THE COST OF RECRUITMENT

Many organizations are focused on short term cost savings and miss out on being exposed to those individuals who can make them competitive.
If you want access to the entire labour pool rather than just the best of who is looking, then companies should think about paying the fees for professionals to segment the market to seek out those high calibre individuals. These individuals are unlikely to be actively looking for a new opportunity and need to be carefully enticed away by a third party who has the skills to do this.
It is essential that if you want to recruit an inactive candidate, i.e. one who is not actively looking for career moves, that the benefits of working for your company are sold against the aspirations of that particular individual. Where the succession planning and growth opportunities are and how they are expected to have an impact on the future of the business.
The cost of such hire must be weighted against the cost of hiring an inappropriate individual who may not add the value you desire or put your organization in a position to compete.

I would be happy to discuss Antal International capabilities with you confidentially. We have over 120 offices globally with each office having a team of specialist recruiters in the Accounting and Finance profession.

Please contact me on +44 (0)207 467 2520 or at AKaye@antal.com

Adam Kaye - UK Managing Director

Despite the welcome signs of recovery, company’s should start to build for the future rather than dive into immediate but short-term business.

Despite some positive news that has predicted the end of the recession, sales are still significantly below previous years.

In the year to July 2009, all but one of the monthly comparisons has been significantly below the corresponding period of the previous year. The significance of this decline means that at current levels, sales are significantly below those experienced two years previously.

But are we starting to see a change, are the green shoots starting to appear once again out there?

We do know there is some welcome news as UK employers are reporting improved hiring plans for the first time in three years. The Employment Outlook Survey shows a rise in projected hiring during October to December 2009 for the first time since Q4 2006, indicative of the first positive signs since the economic downturn began.

If the positive signs are to lead to new business being created, businesses will need to review the clients they have been dealing with.

Going forward, companies will need to focus their business development efforts on regaining the trust and respect of their clients against a backdrop of significant change on both sides of the relationship.

Give me a call for a non committel discussion on +44 (0)207 467 2520 or email me at AKaye@antal.com

Adam Kaye - UK Managing Director

Demand for marketing & communications staff is increasing, though employers are only looking for proven performers, who can hit the ground running.

The job market is showing improvement as many companies look to upgrade their marketing capability.

Roles reaching the job market are demanding extremely specific skill sets with little flexibility for ‘nearly there’ candidates, despite the benefits of recruiting professionals full of potential for now and future skills needs.

Digital marketing continues to attract, invest and create job opportunities. With its ability to more directly measure impact, employers are looking for proven success from incumbent staff and have a sharp eye out for talented individuals able to add value using their expertise.

Central government and its associated bodies are keen recruiters of communications skills at the moment, though less communications jobs are coming to fruition in the NHS where the budget sign-off process continues to drag heels.

The picture is more competitive than ever within the public sector for marketing and communications job seekers, as some see it as a safe haven for full-time employees and interims.

Are you ready to take on Key marketing people?

Do you want to make sure your next hire is the best individual you can attract in the market place today?

Give me a call for a non committel discussion on +44 (0)207 467 2520 or email me at AKaye@antal.com

Adam Kaye - UK Managing Director

We all know that the market has changed. We know that when we have the pressure of delivering an IT project, it is not the same as maybe 12/18 months ago. We are going to encounter these problems for at least the next 12 months at different times of the project, starting at the budget, right through to delivery.

Because the recession changes business decisions, tightens budgets, freezes long term hiring etc IT solutions are now complex and business critical more than ever.

A solution to this is a highly skilled professional specialist who can come in to your business and deliver the project. Whether the project is to implement a system correctly, restructure the IT Department or to develop a bespoken solution, there are specialist candidates who have the experience needed to delicately deliver a business critical project, all of which have had the experience of budgets and time frames to work against.

Contract recruitment is a very cost effective way of hiring the skilled people you need for the length of the project you need them for. This will not let you compromise on the quality you need either. A specialist contractor with Java, .net, SAP, Oracle, Documentum, project management and so on and so forth, have the experience in working to tight budgets with tight schedules, but many clients do not know where or how to find them.

Antal International has an incomparable pool of talent amongst its global network database. We are specialists in IT recruitment amongst other disciplines and have been since 1993.

Please feel free to give me a call to discuss your current and future projects, where you think a contract solution would tick the box for you.

I am here to educate you, advise you and tell you about these highly skilled candidates that would be happy to come in to your business on a 3, 6, 9, 12 month basis to ensure a successful delivery.

Give me a call for a non committel discussion on +44 (0)207 467 2520 or email me at AKaye@antal.com

Adam Kaye - UK Managing Director

Its hard to believe after the past 12 months or so that I have to right such an article to you. With so many news and views articles revolving around surviving such a bad recession. Now people want to know can your business survive the upturn? – Where will it end??

Resourcing and senior HR professionals will be in demand come the recovery, according to recruiters.

A survey from IT and business services firm Logica this week showed that over a third of HR departments claim they do not have the necessary HR personnel in place to deal with an upturn.

Our findings have told us that there seems to be a shortage of resourcing expertise because there has not been much recruitment. It is line with all functions that have been made leaner in the past year, where they have focused on quality rather than quantity.

I think as a result of the downturn a lot of senior HR people have been culled, which has left firms exposed if redundancies have not been implemented adequately. And in terms of strategic HR and forward planning, a huge gap of knowledge won’t be in the business.

How does your HR function look as of today?

Are you well equipped in this department to start to take on the upturn?

Give me a call for a non committel discussion on +44 (0)207 467 2520 or email me at AKaye@antal.com

Adam Kaye - UK Managing Director

Employers can minimise the risk of hiring candidates that are ineligible to work in the UK by using agencies, according to recruiters.

Yesterday, Attorney General Baroness Scotland was fined £5,000 for employing a housekeeper who was not legally allowed to work in the UK.

The UK Border Agency said Baroness Scotland had taken the necessary steps to check Tongan Loloahi Tapui’s right to work but had not retained a copy of documents, as required by law.

This really is a silly mistake to make because everyone that wants to work brings their passport now. People are pre-programmed to have a passport to prove they are allowed to work here. It takes no effort to take a passport and keep a photocopy on the person’s file. It is standard procedure.

We at Antal International check passports, birth certificates, full driving licences, qualifications, references and CVs. There is a long list of things to check to. It is integral to what we do.

Civil penalties are no longer just a vague threat that businesses think they’re safe from. This case proves that ignorance is no excuse and the UK Border Agency means business. Baroness Scotland’s case will do nothing but prompt immigration officers to up their game. Business owners had better make sure they have all the correct and up to date employment documents in place fast or face hefty fines which could seriously dent their profits.

You can expect to pay up to £10,000 per staff member if you’re caught out and in today’s uncertain times, nobody can afford these penalties.

There are tools on the market that allow anybody recruiting staff to check if they are eligible to work in the UK by verifying the authenticity of their passport, driving license or visa documents. This is a small price to pay for any company wishing to stay in business.

This is just another reason why you pay recruiters to do this for you. Are you checking that they are doing there jobs and not putting your business at risk?

Give me a call for a non committel discussion on +44 (0)207 467 2520 or email me at AKaye@antal.com

Adam Kaye - UK Managing Director

The accountant’s role is set to become more demanding during the next five years, according to a new survey.

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants survey of 750 business executives across eight countries says an increased focus on risk management will see accountants needing to demonstrate complex business and managerial skills.

The number of accountants required is expected to rise, with 63% of those surveyed regarding accountants as essential to deal with a more challenging trading climate.

In financial services recruitment our clients are asking for accounting specialists rather than generalists – whether it be in accounting policy or risk management etc.

We’re already seeing large practice firms setting up specific functions within these disciplines but this is going to have to gather pace in order for future crops of newly qualified accountants to have the skills required to secure roles in the post-credit crunch world.

Currently, as it stands there’s a lack of roles for newly qualified accountants because our clients don’t believe they offer enough in-depth knowledge in certain key areas.

Does this apply to you?

Or would you be interested in seeing the new crop of newly qualifieds for your business as we all climb out the current economic climate?

Give me a call for a non committel discussion on +44 (0)207 467 2520 or email me at AKaye@antal.com

Adam Kaye - UK Managing Director

A quarterly survey of employment trends in over 30 key countries has found the percentage of organisations in the UK hiring professionals and managers has rebounded to 50% after a dramatic fall to 28% at the beginning of 2009. As a result job prospects for professionals and managers in the UK are now level with the global average.

The ‘Global Snapshot’ from the international recruitment firm, Antal, asked 7397 companies in major markets such as western and eastern Europe, Africa, India, China and the USA whether they were currently hiring at professional and managerial level. It then asked whether they planned to do so in the coming quarter and whether they were currently letting staff go or were planning to do so in the next three months. Current hiring across the globe was up from 46% of respondents in April to 50% now. And the percentage of organisations intending to hire in the coming quarter was up from 44% to 48%. At the same time the percentage of organisations intending to shed staff had fallen from 35% in the spring to 25% now.

In the UK, where Antal currently has 15 offices, 58% of businesses expected to recruit in the coming quarter. Only 31% were in the process of reducing headcount and this was expected to drop to 29% over the next three months.

The most vibrant sectors were energy and manufacturing where 55% and 54% of businesses were currently hiring.

Elsewhere in Europe the employment situation was a variable one. In France 54% of businesses were currently recruiting, in Belgium 50%, in Germany 46% and in the Netherlands 44%.

“After a substantial dip in hiring levels at the start of 2009, confidence seems to have returned to the professional and managerial job market in a significant fashion,” says Adam Kaye UK Managing Director at Antal International.

“We would be very brave, or possibly very foolhardy, to assert that the economic crisis that has assailed the world is over,” says Antal’s international CEO, Tony Goodwin, “but there is little doubt that the results of this edition of Global Snapshot give cause for some optimism. The hiring and firing of staff is one of the most effective measures of business confidence and there is no denying that, with a few exceptions, the jobs market for professionals and managers is improving all around the world.”

“Of course there may still be unforeseen troubles waiting around the corner – the W-shaped recession or the ‘dead cat bounce’, for example, so beloved by the more apocalyptic commentators. But what may save us even if they are lying in ambush is an underlying sense of confidence that appears to be returning for the first time in nearly two long and difficult years.”

Adam Kaye
UK Managing Director
Antal International
Tel: +44 (0)207 467 2520
Fax: +44 (0)207 467 2521
Email: AKaye@antal.com
Web: www.antal.com
64 Baker St, London W1U 7GB, UK

Adam Kaye - UK Managing Director

So are the economies of the world starting to strengthen?

Many analysts, financial institutes and economist have been predicting a worldwide ‘out of recession’ date as 2nd quarter of 2010, but is this just guess work and are we seeing signs of this happening as we speak?

In recent weeks we have seen Germany and France exit recession, China’s already great GDP numbers strengthen, Russia has called the recession over, UK and US declines have slowed and the economies even showed a slight gain, even Spain can now see the end of the tunnel. Poland’s economy grew last month as figures start to raise once again.

So, has the wind changed direction?

While it might not be blowing full steam ahead there seems to be a subtle change.

A lot of organisations, not necessarily large corporates, but SME’s are starting to hire more aggressively. And why not? For any organisation, quarter 4 of 2009 is a great time to look at your staff in the main disciplines of HR, IT, Sales, Marketing, Finance, Engineering etc and see where improvements, replacements and even additions can be made, whilst you are in a very strong position with a huge choice of candidates/professionals available to you. In most cases these individuals will not just turn up at your office one day, you have to go and find them.

Many of my clients are taking advantage of the current climate and this small upturn by strengthening their teams, making adjustments, replacing under achievers, so they are in the strongest position they can be for when the upturn takes an almighty raise up the charts. They want to be a step ahead of their competitors, the blue chips and the big corporate players,

By doing this, they will. As we all know we will come out of recession and we will see green, fresh grass once more. But how ready will you be to attack the markets and become a stronger player. There is only one fundamental commodity that can make this happen – People!

The best hand you can play right now is ensuring you have the right people in your team.

Antal international is a global recruitment company specialising in mid to senior level professionals from 2-3 years + experience across many sectors/industry’s. We will cover Sales, Marketing, IT, HR, Engineering, Management, administration, finance and accounting disciplines across 28 countries worldwide. We have over 700 local consultants who can assist you in finding the best talent in the local market.

Please do contact me on +44 (0) 207 467 2520 or on AKaye@antal.com to discuss the regions we cover and where we can add value to your business. If you would like to speak to a local representative in any region across EMEA, ASIA, USA and Africa, I would be happy to put you in contact with them directly.

Kind Regards

Adam Kaye
UK Managing Director
Antal International
Tel: +44 (0)207 467 2520
Fax: +44 (0)207 467 2521
Email: AKaye@antal.com
Web: www.antal.com
64 Baker St, London W1U 7GB, UK

Initially this may seem difficult to believe as we have heard about high unemployment rates are still common in some countries and in areas of countries that have an overall good rate of employment. Looking behind the scenes we find that business life is changing and many new challenges face today’s employers.

Today it is not enough to be successful in the short term. Long-term sales success and revenue growth requires consistent, outstanding performance that is unique in the eyes of your customers. Today’s businesses have to be at least one step ahead their competitors. In other words you need to be better, faster and/or cheaper and offering high value to the customer.

Globalization forces us to think and act beyond territorial boarders. Suddenly we can lose key customers to a supplier in an East European or even Asian low-wage country. As these countries successfully emerge in the global marketplace for products and services, many blue-collar work jobs in the field of production were shifted to countries advertising with low labour costs. East Europe plays a significant role as a near-shore outsourcing destination for West Europe. In China, a blue-collar worker costs about €260 direct labour costs per month, in India for example €160 per month, which is about 10% of the costs in West Europe. The hard fact coming out of this is that companies and their employees need to follow the requirements of their customers demanding best products and services at a low price.

To manage these challenges companies require different skills from their employees than in years before.

Whereas workers once were judged on the basis of hard work, loyalty and experience, now the key to success are employees with flexibility as well as planning, analytical and globalization management skills. The future lies in management, sales, training and the professions – all of which require high education and training, creativity, soft skills and lifelong learning. With the great business developments in the fields of technology, engineering, communication and sciences we experience that not just global players but also small and medium sized companies are desperately searching for high-qualified workforce.

Please contact Adam Kaye – UK managing Director to discuss this further on +44 (0)207 467 2520 or AKaye@antal.com

Earlier this month the government unveiled its long-awaited financial white paper, seen as the biggest shake-up in the regulation of the City since it came to power in 1997.

The plans have received a mixed reaction from the City. But experts say that the increase in financial regulations is likely to be good news for accountants as financial firms strengthen their compliance departments, boosting demand for advisory work and providing opportunities to work more closely with regulators.

IT system development, internal audit and risk assessment and knowledge of international accounting standards, such as IAS 39, which sets out how to value financial instruments, will all come in focus under the new regime. Regulators will rely on accountants to help police the new regulations.

Clients have been outlining what skills they are looking for from accountants. ‘It’s technical expertise primarily,’ is the general census.

Meanwhile, firms are under pressure to improve their assessment of risk; another trend that is likely to mean more business for accountants.

The big accounting firms have been expanding their regulatory advisory departments over the past few years.

Many are reluctant to publicly acknowledge that more regulations will swell their profits, but, in a statement, Deloitte says: ‘As the enforcement teams at the FSA and SFO [Serious Fraud Office] focus on prosecuting breaches of law and regulation, we would expect there to be an increase in demand for the services of forensic accountants – both in terms of assisting with investigations but also in terms of helping clients to assess their risks and risk management frameworks.’

Businesses, management accountants will also be spending more time on compliance work.

So how is your finance department looking?

Can your business be without specialist Accounting professionals?

Please contact Adam Kaye UK Managing Director at Antal International at +44 (0)207 4672520 or on AKaye@antal.com

Most of 2009 has been characterised by a continuing slump in HR recruitment. Job volumes reached there lowest during mid June 2009, with an 85% decrease in HR jobs compared with 2008.

Mid-May to mid-June signalled the lowest point, where the only positions being recruited for were incredibly specialist, such as learning & development roles, expat positions and comp & bens jobs. There were very few generalist positions available. However, the last few weeks has seen a marked increase. There’s been an incredible bounce upwards.

According to Antal International HR Team in the UK, the HR desks are now handling more roles than at any time since the recession was declared in 2008. And, more importantly, the sheer variety of firms recruiting is a strong indicator the market may no longer be in a downward spiral.

Conversations with clients indicate that departments are now so lean, even a small increase in business activity will necessitate increased HR headcount, with one HR Director admitting his team is so stretched, he might be back up to 2008 headcount levels by the start of 2010.

Another positive is that salaries for roles coming to market have remained very competitive. Despite this, candidates who previously earned £70,000 are now willing to look at roles at the £65,000 mark in order to return to the labour market.

Job seekers are realistic enough to realise that whilst in the good times they may have seen their salary soar from £50,000 to £70,000, the market has re-aligned itself and they are happy to do the same.

Please contact Adam Kaye – UK managing Director to discuss this further on +44 (0)207 467 2520 or AKaye@antal.com

Speaking at an event in Dubai’s prestigious Palace Hotel located at the foot of what has just been named the world’s tallest (as yet unfinished) building The Burj Dubai, Charles Tilley, Chief Executive of CIMA said “There will be a shortage of over 500,000 Accountants in China over the next 5 years and over the same time period India would face a shortage of over 1 million accountants.”

The growth in emerging economies is also playing a role in that many thousands of potential recruits are moving to the new economies to fast track their career just as 20% of Finance Directors admit they are looking at employing people from abroad to plug their domestic gap. It’s all change!

A survey of CFO’s and Finance Directors conducted by Antal International echoes this looking crisis and shows that firms are taking a more flexible approach to HR policies in offering never-seen-before incentives, higher compensation plans and spelling out growth opportunities to assist in attracting Finance Rising Stars.

The advantage to you is to ensure you are actually getting to see the ‘best talent’ in the market today. As there is always bad news concerning our economy in the UK and around the globe, infact , you are actually in a very good position. This is because you now have the opportunity to ensure that you have the very best team in place in readiness for the upturn. The choice of candidates has actually increased 10 fold. Your only responsibility is to make sure you are seeing the best people in the market. You spend a lot of money and time working with partners to aid your search. Make sure you are demanding the best that’s out there.

For over 16 years, Antal international has been supplying Finance professionals at all levels across 27 countries and 5 continents. We do this by applying local knowledge from our local consultants in each and every country.

Q. How much will it actually cost you to ensure that you are seeing the ‘best of the best’?
A. £0GBP, €0 Euros. $0 Dollars.
Y. It costs nothing to speak to Antal, it costs nothing to see our candidates. We only charge a fee, once you have found your candidate, an offer is made and the individual has started.

I am sure you would be happy to pay a small fee once you have the person in place, with the knowledge that you have seen the best candidates available to you today.

Please do not hesitate to contact me, James Griffin, for a further conversation on +44 (0)870 770 0020 or email JGriffin@antal.com

I want to bring to your attention the following market news which I am sure will help you make those vital decisions that can only help your existence, growth and survival in the coming months.

A national Talent Shortage Survey revealed that 30 percent of employers worldwide are having difficulty filling positions due to the lack of suitable talent available in their markets. A surprising result given the current downturn and the associated high unemployment in many markets. These results indicate that while more people may be looking for jobs, they don’t generally have the skills that organizations are looking for.

Employers having the most difficulty finding the right people to fill jobs are those in Romania (62%), Taiwan (62%), Peru (56%), Japan (55%), Australia (49%), Costa Rica (48%) and Poland (48%). The talent shortage appears to be least problematic in Ireland (5%), Spain (8%), United Kingdom (11%), China (15%) and the Czech Republic (17%).

Compared to 2008, employers reporting that talent shortages are considerably less pervasive are those in Hong Kong (down 24%), Norway (down 21%), the Czech Republic and Singapore (each down 20%) and Spain (down 19 %).

After speaking to a large number of HR leaders like yourself, it has become clear that a lot of companies are in desperate need of a recruitment partner that can represent their interests globally without losing the benefits that arise from local market specialists working with local managers to advise, educate and help you attract the best people in that market, in that city, in that country.

Antal International partner with huge number of UK based/HQ’d organisations, recruiting various positions, junior to senior in many countries outside of the UK.

How many of your ‘local’ agencies or recruitment partners on your ‘PSL’ can, could and will be in a position to successfully recruit for your business abroad?

With over 160 offices in an excess of 27 countries covering 5 continents, we at Antal International have an unparalleled global reach.

Please contact Adam Kaye –UK Managing Director on +44 (0) 870 770 0020 or at AKaye@antal.com

There are different views on doing this; some people agree that marketing should be one of the first places to cut costs, whilst others feel that cutting your marketing budget can often cause more harm to the growth of your business!.  Marketing can be expensive and eat away at budgets, however, is there a risk that reducing exposure or marketing campaigns effect sales?!

Some studies do claim that companies who continue to market during tough economic times see growth during those times, where some businesses that cut their marketing budget have reported to see a decrease in sales.   It’s a tough call to make!

On discussing these points with both my clients and candidates they advised that in today’s climate there is a need to constantly re-evaluate marketing strategies and analyse what is working and what’s not.  New options of marketing that costs less, but can still deliver the results are being explored daily.   The consumers mind set and spending habits have changed and marketing needs to adapt to follow suit!   Many also advised that they are planning ahead for when these difficult times pass.  Putting contingency plans in place now will ensure that when the market picks back up they are ready to go! – This is covering both staffing and Marketing Strategies.

Here at Antal we have a dedicated Marketing division that is constantly speaking to businesses and marketing professionals about current situations and opportunities in the industry.  If you currently need assistance in sourcing professionals for your business please feel free to email me or call me directly for a confidential discussion.

Sharon Burkey
UK Sales and Marketing Manager
Antal International
Tel: +44 (0)870 770 0020
Fax: +44 (0)870 770 0021
Email: SBurkey@antal.com
Web: www.antal.com
64 Baker St London W1U 7GB, UK

The growth of the renewable energy market over the next 10, 20 and 30 years will play a significant part in not just our lives; but generations to follow, as we move toward a cleaner and more sustainable existence. In this current climate, as challenging as it is, there is still a great deal of positive news coming from our industry and I think it is important to highlight those areas and focus on those positive stories.

As a group we are looking for input from all external sources, whether they be observational, commercial or just entertaining. If you would like to participate in the next issue then please drop me an email or call on the numbers below, I would be delighted to hear from you.

If you would like to discuss any aspects of this newsletter in greater detail then you can contact me via the details below. Thank you for taking the time to read the Newsletter and I hope you found it useful.

CLICK HERE to read the full Newsletter

Kind regards

Paul

Paul Anderson – FREC
Principal Consultant – Engineering
Antal International – Hadleigh
Tel: +44 (0) 1702 557 626
Mobile: +44 (0) 7738 321768
Email: panderson@antal.com
Web: www.antal.com

Antal sees this market as having a tremendous growth potential over the coming years. As a result of working with a variety of organisations in various sectors, we have seen there is a unifying trend for companies to streamline and automate many of their day to day processes. Although there are still some questioning the costs behind certain aspects of this technology, it is clear to see that these products and solutions provide their clients with impressive improvements not only in efficiency but in accuracy in their required areas.

Over the last 6 months we have clearly seen our clients in this market affected by the market conditions across the globe. However we have also seen different approaches of companies to get through this tough period and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top at the end of the day.

Our aim here at Antal is to establish ourselves as the leading recruitment solution within the Automatic Identification and Data Capture market and along the way extend and build upon our knowledge and network within it.

We have seen since venturing into this market there is certainly a need for a service to help organisations both on a global and local basis, giving them the ability to control our solution centrally whilst having the service delivered in the local market. This alongside our matrix ability to deliver across ALL disciplines is a distinct advantage to both clients and candidates.

CLICK HERE to read the full AUTOMATIC IDENTIFICATION & DATA CAPTURE Newsletter

“For a recruiter who uses a job board it is now more important for them to be accurate and specific in their searches to avoid wasting time ploughing through reams of unsuitable candidates. To do this and avoid isolating potential fee earning candidates is a skill honed from industry and discipline knowledge.”

Phil also believes the benefits to a recruiter working in these markets are that they now have a greater candidate pool to work with who will have shorter or no notice periods, are more motivated and may be willing to take a lower salary and so are easier to place.

Click Here To Read More

“Interestingly in some of our developing markets such as Poland and China most notably, it didn’t really impact until January of this year.” He adds: “But now it really has taken hold and I
have recently spoken to some of my franchisees across the UK and there has been a notable slowdown in the hiring divisions. “This has impacted on replacement recruitment but it`s expansion recruitment which is all but on hold; with replacement recruitment people are taking longer and being more careful about the people they are taking on, taking longer doing reference checking and prolonging the whole interview process.

Click Here To See Tony Goodwin In Recruitment Consulant March 2009

Although there may be a slight ‘slow down’ in the UK we have kept very strong within the international markets. As you will read in this newsletter Antal International can offer the support and exposure to complete assignments others may find daunting and impossible. This of course is due to the geographical coverage and ‘tight knit’ community of Antal.

Not forgetting the UK; I have continued to research the market whilst searching for those ‘rising stars’! I would advise organisations not to rule out exploratory discussions with any candidates that generate interest, even if there are no immediate positions available. It is better for you to be aware of potential ‘rising stars’ that could offer huge benefits to your organisation for the future. Many organisations are holding these conversations in preparation for when the market picks up. The worst thing any organisation can do is leave it until the last minute! I can assure you competitors in the market place who are taking advantage of holding discussion with high calibre candidates will benefit in the future.

Many International clients are also taking slight advantage over the market at present. Clients’ who are seeking high calibre candidates from the UK are currently approaching me. And interestingly there is an increase of ‘rising stars’ opting to relocate on both permanent and contract placements. Locations covered have been Dubai and other areas of the Middle East, Switzerland, Africa, Spain and India!

We are also in the process of managing a number of recruitment projects for organisations that are expanding and opening new branches and factories overseas. With our exposure and offices based globally we can offer these projects an extensive candidate base, internationally, along with local support and a dedicated Key Account Manager, resulting in deadlines and successful recruitment needs being met.

To discuss any of the above or to have a confidential discussion about the market or your requirements please feel free to contact me at anytime.

sburkey@antal.com 0870 770 0020

On the candidate side many PA’s and administrative staff are not being put off by the market slowdown and are still considering a move or life change that they may have been harbouring for years! This becomes more extreme as circumstances change, teams are shed and those left in the office take on the often punishing extra workload left by their contemporaries. Alternatively, if a PA who has been typically used to a demanding and fast paced role sees her workload shrink she will look at making a move and even when the market is slow there is always a market for good candidates!

It is definitely a client market and there is a growing supply of high calibre and readily available candidates. This abundance, however, highlights the need to get the best recruiter on the case. It is essential that we really understand a clients individual business so that the right candidates are shortlisted within the shortest time frame. The best person will always tend to get snapped up quickly and relying on a recruiter with a proven track record to source the right candidate is more critical than ever.

In addition, this year there has been a slow but obvious drop in salary expectations from candidates. Over the past few years, salaries in the secretarial world have been pushed increasingly higher in the recently buoyant market. There have been situations over the last few years where candidates have created their own bidding war amongst clients when their current companies make counter offers to try and retain them. It appears that now candidates are more flexible, realistic and hungry to take the right role and often previously unattainable candidates are becoming available to companies.

So all in all it’s not a case of doom and gloom for clients but the chance to add top quality additions to their administrative teams by using the best recruiter to find the perfect replacement.

For secretarial and admin assignments short, medium or long term please contact Alex at AKL on 0870 770 0020 or alex@aklsearch.co.uk

This can happen in many ways. A lot of my Clients have decided to use a contract solution on the form of somebody who is able to help, to guide, to solve. To keep the pace with the business, to stay ahead of the competition.

During my daily conversations with Contractors & Freelancers I get to know what kind of missions they have and what they do to solve the Client problems.

 Sometimes it the case of an IT Project for a cross application implementation, sometimes the case of an Audit Manager for a Tax Compliance Project or a Team Leader for a Legal Risk Consultancy Firm.

And they love what they do as they are aware that they represent a crucial key for the company progression in the market.

Wherever there is a Project where the best resources are required to let the company progress, stays ahead of the competition, achieves their goals.

A Contract Solution.

In a complex market as we are the one we are facing now are you sure that you have all the necessary skills to face all the challenges?

ANTAL INTERNATIONAL is offering a tailored contract solution recruitment service for all his Clients. A short term assignment, a interim solution, a contract for a fixed term. An international company such as Antal International with a physical presence of 120+ Offices in 26 countries across 5 continents, and a proven track record of servicing clients across an even wider area, can put you in a unique position as you move into new markets and new countries, in the search of new business opportunities on a global scale.

Please contact Giovanni Trolese at GTrolese@antal.com 0044 (0) 870 770 0020

Most recently, the Antal head office in the UK has had requests from both Large and SME companies, to work on positions in locations as varied and diverse as Brazil, Switzerland, Ghana and France. There has been particular interest from Pharmaceutical companies interesting in expanding their international reach in these developing locations. Again this presents a wonderful opportunity for Antal to use its international resources to ensure a long and profitable collaberation with new clients. Our offices remain in constant contact to make sure that candidates are sourced locally and internationally. Often “international” consultancies remain largely separate entities, but at Antal we pride ourselves on collectively unifying our international business, to greater benefit the company and ensure a mark of quality on any recruitment we may be undertaking. There is also a steady upturn in interest from UK candidates that are more open than ever to moving abroad, to minimise the damage to their professional careers that this recession may, and often has, caused.

Recent studies have shown that over 50% of British expatriates move abroad to avoid the high cost of living in the UK and a severe downturn in opportunities within the UK itself.

More than one-fifth of expatriates are choosing Middle East as their new home, while Australia and the USA continue to appeal. For Europe, Spain and France remain the most popular destinations among British candidates considering a move abroad. At Antal, we can assist these candidates and guarantee a greater number of quality candidates to our international clients.

However, as priorly mentioned, especially for the larger multi-national companies, recruitment continues in the UK and combined with Antals international methadology, ensures a bright future for the recruitment market, in spite of this current recession.

Please contact Max Shire for further details on +44 (0)870 770 0020 or mshire@antal.com

With unemployment and redundancy figures increasing there is most certainly a larger choice of candidates available, however, as we have all experienced this does not necessarily mean the quality is available! In today’s market it is crucial to source high caliber professionals that will benefit your organisation, this of course is a timely and daunting task for anyone.

Finding that ‘Rising Star’ is like a breath of fresh air or a weight lifted, however, as the competition gets tougher the volume of ‘counter offers’ increase making the final stages of the recruiting process a nail biting experience!

As these are more common in today’s climate I would like to highlight some of the factors resulting in counter offers being made and felt it necessary to draw your attention to the causes and effects of counter offers. These are honest comments made by clients and candidates when discussing counter offers.

Why do counter offers arise?

Counter Offers will arise in difficult times and when an organisation does not want to lose a particular employee. This occurs more if the candidate has specific technical knowledge, there is a shortage of candidates in the market with similar experience or they are a top performing ‘rising star’.

This is a worrying and stressful experience for both employer and employee. As an employer you may have the following concerns:

1. How will I replace him/her, keep the team together?
2. How will I achieve my budget now!? This is a top performer!
3. What inconvenient timing!
4. How am I going to be perceived by the board/senior management if I lose this person?
5. Can I get him to stay until I find a replacement and have an effective hand over?

Naturally, an attractive offer may be looked at and offered to the employee to keep them on board. Other areas considered are stability, loyalty etc….

Effects and views on Counter Offers!

Of course the process is also very stressful for the candidate. Making a decision on a career change is a difficult one but also going through a negotiation phase with a possible new employer and finally dealing with the resignation phase with the current employer.

Feedback and thoughts of candidates…..

Thinking of how the current employer will react is a worrying time. Nine out of ten already know that the manager is not going to be too pleased. It is no wonder that the candidate is under pressure during this phase.

Receiving an attractive counter offer is of course good for the candidate’s ego. However, the candidate will be aware that any counter offer has only been made because he/she resigned. It is a reactive tactic from an employer and will make the employee wonder whether he/she needs to resign every time they want to improve their situation. Many candidates feel that if the employer thought he/she was so valuable, why didn’t they improve his situation anyway?

Many candidates may use this tool for further bargaining to improve the employee’s conditions with the current employer.

Although the candidate feel valued now there is the second concern of…. do the reasons for wanting to leave still exist? The candidate may have a number of reasons such as the salary being too low, no promotion possibilities in sight, and possible ongoing problems with line management. If he/she still has issues mentioned outstanding then there is a possibility that they end up leaving the company anyway in the very near future.

Feedback and thoughts of employers…..

Most employers will now consider this candidate a risk and may make other contingency plans behind the scenes. There may be an atmosphere and the candidate may not be seen as a true member of the team since he has demonstrated his disloyalty by attempting to resign.

Many employers have commented that when making the counter offer, the candidate in question will now be considered as a short-term member of the company as concerns will be there with regards to loyalty. In some cases however bridges are fixed and a long-term relationship is built again, however, this can take time to get the relationship back on track.

Outcome

In some cases the candidate will accept the counter offer. This is mainly due to the fear of change and comfort zones. This fear can encompass factors such as leaving a comfortable job, friends, a new job and the unknown. However, this fear will not improve or solve the issues that the candidate has with the current employer. Furthermore, the current employer deep down tends have a question mark regarding the candidate’s future with that company.

In addition the candidate has made a committed to a new company, which of course has made plans and preparations for them. They are counting on him/her to act responsibly and stick to the agreement. Should decisions change then this of course may have an effect on any candidates reputation. At times a negative reputation can extend into the sector in which the new company is operating and of course an effect the candidates future career. However, dealing with professional organisations this should not happen!

Despite some negative side effects, counter offers will continue to play a part in the recruitment process. However, it is important for both the employers and employees to interpret the dynamics and realities of the market place and act professional and considerate to each other.

Please contact Sharon Burkey on +44 (0) 870 770 0020 or at SBurkey@antal.com

These ‘A.P.C.’s’ have attributes that make them stand apart from the rest of the crowd. Once identified we place them in companies that are not necessarily looking for new employees, but recognise that the attributes we have found will be of value to them.

A.P.C. marketing is very specific, and so you will not be receiving candidates who are irrelevant to your company. See below for a definition of what an A.P.C. is, and what we, at Antal, will endeavour to give you.

Main Entry:

A.P.C. (Antal Placeable Candidate)

Definition:

“A candidate who fits the ‘Rising Star’ profile, who is marketed to clients not only to fill a vacancy, but to illustrate the calibre of Candidates that our unique 4 Way Methodology enables us to attract.”

These candidates may not be necessarily looking for a job, but may be perfect for your company! In this way Antal International provides you with professionals whom you may not have access to through traditional recruitment methods.

Essential Criteria of an A.P.C is:

• Between 3 and 10 years’ Post Graduate work experience
• Energetic and results oriented
• Nationally or Internationally mobile and willing to relocate
• Often a linguist with 2 or 3 language skills
• 3 or more years’ experience in multi-national Company
• Demonstrable track record of success / achievement
• Communicative and a good presenter

Synonym:

Unique marketable skills, Skills relevant to your sector, Obtainable references, Available for interview.

Please contact Faye Longhurst on +44 (0) 870 770 0020 or at FLonghurst@antal.com

Primarily, we as recruiters must know the needs of the employer inside out- and then judge the candidate on those specifications. When we can identify in the CV and ensuing conversation with the candidate that he/she is absolutely, viably right for the vacancy-only then should the CV be sent to the employer. If there is the slightest doubt, a gut feeling that the candidate is not a good enough fit for the role and if you are a competent recruiter- you are most probably right. Of course you cannot prepare for all the variables-the candidate may be completely different in a pressurised, face-to-face interview, but you can be 90% sure that they are at least worth interviewing. This is the Antal philosophy, quality shines through.

Before the interview itself, we can prepare the candidate best by relaying the detailed information we have received from the employer-this is why it is imperative as much information about the vacancy is taken down and understood. With the added ammunition of a good job spec, we can coach the interviewee on what, to a degree, to expect from the interview. It is possible to positively determine the outcome of an interview through this technique. A well-prepared candidate will know how to maximise his personal and professional strenghs and minimise his/her weaker points. While this will not guarantee a placement- it will go a long way to doing so and will definitely improve the relationship between recruiter and employer, which will guarantee new business.

Please contact Max Shire on +44 (0) 870 770 0020 or at MShire@antal.com

The benefits of recruiting on an international level are numerous. Often it involves immediate cost reductions as salaries in many parts of the world are clearly significantly less than in the United Kingdom. As well as this, there is the added benefit of growing a company’s international presence, which, as well as enhancing their revenue stream, also acts as a hedge against localised economic downturns.

However, many companies have suffered in their attempt to grow their overseas presence. An ignorance of the markets they are moving into means they are often overcharged by local recruiters, and the lack of an existing relationship between the companies and their recruiters also leads to a slower, often less successful process than they are accustomed to experiencing within the UK.

In a time when nationalities are meaning less and less in the workplace, and international experience is accepted as a real world advantage, companies are struggling to attract international candidates, often due to their lack of presence in those countries and not having coordinated recruitment partners globally.

During conversations with my clients it has become clear that what a lot of companies are in desperate need of is a recruitment partner that can represent their interests globally without losing the benefits that arise from working closely with specific individuals.

With over 160 offices in an excess of 27 countries covering 5 continents, we at Antal International have an unparalleled global reach. Through a system of daily discipline conference calls and seamless networking our consultants are constantly aware of clients’ needs across the globe.

Combine this with the utilisation of key account managers to be the focal point of contact between the client and ourselves, it means that Antal International can build up the personal relationships that are the basis of any successful recruitment partnership, and combine this relationship with a truly global presence, with the advantage of local expertise.

Please contact Rafael Harbinson on +44 (0) 870 770 0020 or at RHarbinson@antal.com

There are more demands for this talented group from exciting overseas opportunities making the market smaller at a time when many thought the market was opening up.

Companies need to concentrate on what they can offer new employees to attract and retain them in the immediate and longer term.

In the high demand short supply skill sets employers can no longer rely on the active job seekers and must consider using specialists to start tapping into and attracting the passive labour market which may be adding value at your competitor.

To gain competitive edge in an increasingly global market, organisations must not wait for a good time as other competitor organisations will still be hiring and getting the best talent in early 2009.

Don’t get left behind, in many cases the high demand short supply candidate are typically on 3 month notice, with the recruitment process and the notice period we are working on quarter 2 time frames and work with Antal International to source your business need solution providers now.

According to some recent statistical data, the labour market in the UK is made up of a proportion of approximately 40% active and 60% passive candidates. Or, in other words only 40% of the labour market will be actively seeking a new job at any one time.  When clients are presented with a selection of CV’s, more often than not these candidates will originate from the 40% labour market population.

Through our unique 4 way methodology we are able to present the best candidates for your business by creating an appropriate campaign based on your individual business requirements.  We are also able to mobilise our global network in order to seek out UK nationals who would consider returning to our shores for the right opportunity.

With them they bring valuable multinational experience and a passion for improving business

The 4 way methodology focuses on a unique “no stone unturned” approach to finding, attracting and securing talent for your business:

If you want access to the entire labour pool rather than just the best of who is looking, then companies should think about paying the fees for professionals to segment the market to seek out those high calibre individuals.  These individuals are unlikely to be actively looking for a new opportunity and need to be carefully enticed away by a third party who has the skills to do this.

If we compare this to a Football team, the teams that are constantly being successful are the ones who train their own players through the youth system and ongoing development and blend those skills with the best skills that they can afford.  To become European champions Manchester United blend the home grown skills such as Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes with bought in talent such as Rio Ferdinand and Cristiano Ronaldo.  This approach gives them an advantage over the other teams even at the highest levels of World Football.  This system is replicated in other well known European teams such as Barcelona, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Chelsea, AC Milan…. this list goes on.

Lionel Messi, Fernando Torres, Wesley Sneijder, Frank Lampard and Ronaldinho were all recruited in to their respective teams and have added countless value to the organisations they represent.

Why do the best teams covert each other’s best players?  Industry is no different; if you want to be the best then you must hire the best and groom your own teams to provide a blend of skills and experience to give you an edge in the market.

Industry leaders do follow this model, companies such as Shell, Koch Industries, DHL and other world leaders have strong development and active recruitment programmes to attract the best their sector has to offer.

These individuals who have been “headhunted” need then to be treated in a certain way by clients as they do not have the same prospective as an active job seeker.  It is essential that if you want to recruit such a person that you must sell the benefits of working for your company.  Where the succession planning and growth opportunities are and how they are expected to have an impact on the future of the business. Many candidates are looking to find companies that they can add value to and have value added to them in the process.

The cost of such a hire must be weighed against the cost of hiring an inappropriate individual who may not add the value you desire or put your organisation in a position to compete.

Now is the time to be more selective with your key hires than ever before and using a consultancy who works with rising star candidates on a daily basis reduces the business risk significantly.

Less competition: If you have lost talent to your equivalent of Tier 1, Magic Circle, your industry’s “Big Four” competitors or if your employer brand couldn’t compete with theirs, now is your chance. If you go hunting now you will face less head-to-head competition for talented individuals. Some companies reduce recruitment activity and hiring budgets, thereby dramatically reducing their recruiting effectiveness and by doing so giving you a competitive advantage.

Hit 2009 running: If you can defend your hiring budget, you can exploit a window of opportunity over the next few months to source, attract, induct and train talent giving you capability to hit the ground running with a top team in 2009. Others who cut back heavily will face a lengthy process of reassembling hiring teams, identifying talent and increased competition when they attract new hires as the rest of the pack also “smells the rain” at the same time. Acting today places you well ahead of firms who have to restart their engines.

Time to hire: It is not just the “cost of hires” that should be looked at. It is also the cost of not having that person fully up to speed when the rains do come or the cost of having the wrong person or a market-weary team attacking a market. It’s the time and cost of having to restart from cold that weighs heavily on a business. It’s the increased cost of attracting talent in a competitive market that needs to be considered. Being ahead of the game, ahead of the pack means you get to feast first.

Fewer Counteroffers: If in the last year you lost talent or had to increase packages due to counteroffers you weren’t alone, the good news is that they are now less of a factor. It will be easier to get candidates onboard because they will have fewer options and counter offers to choose from, though other factors which we explore further here will apply.

Hire Higher Quality: High quality candidates can be found. Is your business best served taking on those who are “generally available” or should you target those still producing top results, achieving success in tougher times? Naturally great talent is often cut during any downsizing process but to get hold of the best you should target individuals that “survived” the early cut backs and those caught up in mergers. Top performers, real innovators and proven individuals that were harder to attract before could be more available today. A wealth of talent is today interested in making a mark in less well-known companies but crucially those with drive, strong balance sheets and ambition. This counter-cyclical approach to recruiting makes for a great strategy for “upgrading” with great talent.

Networking: Drive up employee referrals and give their results to your recruitment partner so they can benchmark them against the whole market. Don’t just accept what is in front of you today, market test your talent against what is or could be available to you. Use a recruitment partner with reach; both national and global, as the best performing person, the best “fit” for your business, that vital hire could be performing anywhere in the world today.

Employer Brand Investment: Closing the door to talent weakens an employer brand. Many multinationals cut deeper abroad as it is often a “vote loser” to do so in their domestic markets. Smaller, more agile and well funded firms now have a seat at the Talent Table. As competitors make large-scale “public” redundancies, their employer brand and external image will be weakened and provides increased opportunities for companies who are taking advantage of the market. National players and medium sized companies now get their chance as the multinational withdraw.

Get involved: Get your top team involved in the hiring process. Your recruitment partner should be doing most of the screening. Of course the Interview forms a part of this but candidates still want to see and be enthused by those behind the business. It could take the form of lunch with the CEO, a quick drop into the first interview, candidates want to see “the man/woman at the top” more so encourage your senior executives and your high performers to get involved with candidates you meet at interview stage. You will be doing something others don’t; you’ll make an impression, improve your employer brand and your chances in the process.

Go for Growth: GDP growth may well be falling, it may even be negative. Currencies may be weakening and margins under intense pressure, all adding to the appeal of faster growing markets in the international arena. If your GDP is set to fall or at best reach 0.5% to 1%, consider tapping into markets that, even factoring in an adjustment, will still grow by between 5 to 9 times faster than your home market and where aspiring, growing middle classes have spending power, where companies have less debt and restrictions and where consumers have not become “credit-junkies”.

As domestic currency falls, in some markets foreign currency sales could be worth more than domestic sales. Great gains will be made by firms expanding internationally into faster growing markets and those less impacted by the turmoil if they secure the right talent.

Returnees: We know how valuable they can be, as a quarter of our senior management comprises returnees, a rare event in any industry. More often than not they bring back valuable external experience, knowledge and views and truly fit your culture and can get up to speed faster. We can proactively go into a market and help you identify and attract those individuals who are successful. Circumstances and company fortunes change, many of these people might regret their previous decisions. Using a professional approach from your recruitment partner helps keeps your powder dry and you don’t need to overcompensate to re-attract them.

Hunt High and Low: Maximise the way the message about your “search” for talent gets into the market. We typically recommend deploying a four-way sourcing methodology that leaves no stone unturned. Added to this using a firm with regional and global reach means you don’t have to compromise on talent. The best talent won’t be languishing on a database or publically chilling out on a job board for all to see. That person is invariably more passive about a change of employer, successful and productively employed in another firm, possibly even country – it’s often a combination of sourcing methods that finds that best-fit hire.

Finally look at what roles and functions could be outsourced, consider establishing shared service centres, as many firms have successfully achieved at home or in markets like Southern Europe, Asia, Central or Eastern Europe and think about how you can find a recruitment partner who can be your eyes and ears in the field.

Adam Kaye
UK Managing Director
Antal International
Tel: +44 (0)870 770 0020
Fax: +44 (0)870 770 0021
Email: AKaye@antal.com

Whilst non-food FMCG business may struggle, Industry leaders such as Tesco continue to make positive progress in the build up to a festive season many felt would suffer terribly from the onset of the credit crunch. Another good example is Waitrose, who have been doing particularly well in recent months, opening several new stores and have been reported as expanding steadily, despite fears in the market for growth within the current climate.

Looking ahead, the major retailers, the big four- Tesco, Asda, Morrison’s and Sainsbury’s- should perform strongly in the run-up to Christmas, Tesco should also be a prime example of an all inclusive retailer where shoppers can buy more Christmas gifts in one place, thus saving cost and getting greater value for money, contemporary internet FMCG studies have shown.

Clearly some shoppers have been changing their preferred retailers. Whilst some business may suffer, we must look at placing candidates within the organisations not adversely affected. The only supermarkets not to produce good six-month profit reports within the food industry are the most exclusive -Marks & Spencer for example,recent studies have stated. M&S has now launched a discount line, which is the first they have ever produced. The necessity of FMCG goods, particuarly at Christmas, will ensure placings remain possible.

As recruiters we can, contrary to expectation about the fallout from the credit crunch, still find a way to place candidates where there is a specific need for personnel that can contribute to ensuring Christmas is as financially healthy as previous years. This is despite perceived tightening of the purse strings that is predicted to occur and is occurring. There is always room for a positive outcome!

Please contact Max Shire on 0870 770 0020 or at MShire@antal.com for further information.

Leaders in the Poker industry have been extremely busy managing the increased number of traffic to their sites, but most certainly not complaining about this, as revenue increases of up to 43% has been reported. Figures have shown that the leader in the market had 21,340 poker players hitting the site in a single day at its best. This has most certainly shown great promise for the Poker world and even the smaller poker sites have seen their numbers increase in 2008. This clearly indicates confidence in the industry and looks set to increase over the latter part of 2008.

Another area of the business that seems to be generating much interest is generous signing up and re-loading bonuses on offer. Is this the reason why people are turning to on-line gaming? Tempting offers such as ‘Buy 30€, get 10€ free’ is most certainly appealing for those who like a flutter. On recent discussions with a number of clients and candidates it is apparent that customers will now ‘shop around’ for the best deals out there in the market, whatever area of gaming this may be! It adds to the fact that people are becoming more and more conscious to look for the better deals and make their money go further.

Do you have the winning hand?

In an ever demanding and competitive market place ensuring you have the correct team in place is crucial to the success of any business. If you knew there was someone out there that could dramatically improve and increase your business and revenue….. you would want to know about them….. wouldn’t you?

This is what I offer you.

I am currently speaking to a number of high calibre professionals in the industry who have exceptional experiences with outstanding results and successes. They are not currently looking for a new position but are most certainly looking to develop their careers over the next 6 months. I would be happy to discuss this further with anyone who is serious about growing their business in 2009.

Please do contact me for a discussion, Sharon Burkey, at SBurkey@antal.com or on 0870 770 0020

Experience of having sold a single type of product consistently to the same market place is often only considered an asset to companies actively involved in selling into said marketplace as companies have been increasingly looking to bring on sales proffessionals that will either assit them with potential future diversification into different markets or bring specialist skills with them.

At the moment the industry consensus is that there is a desparate need for sales executives experienced in selling software into specialised industries such as law firms or health services. In these uncertain economic times unique skilles are, as ever, invaluable.

On the Telecommunications front, the release of Google’s new Android mobile technology has seen new jobs becoming available as key players in the sector revamp their business structures around this new development, which is anticipated to become the key rival to the Apple i-phone. The demand has soared for specialists with technical backgrounds in order to sell the product effectively into the relevant mobile hardware firms as well into broader arenas.

Things may be looking increasingly glum, with Britain appearing to be on the verge of a recession; however, from the discussions I have been having with my clients in the last few weeks it is clear that in uncertain times the need for candidates with a proven ability to improve a company’s bottom line on a national (and increasingly, international) level has never been greater.

An international company such as Antal International with a physical presence of 120+ Offices in 26 countries across 5 continents, and a proven track record of servicing clients across an even wider area, can put you in a unique position as you move into new markets and new countries, in the search of new business opportunities on a global scale.

Please contact Rafael Harbinson, RHarbinson@antal.com 0870 770 0020

Or is it?

As a recruitment consultant at Antal International, I speak to a lot of clients, and they have identified one key deficit to me: there is a lack of good quality candidates, and, of course, chefs!

Now, more than ever, you need the best people in the industry to help give your business the chance to flourish over the coming months and well into next year. There are still high caliber candidates out there that we can find for you to make you more money whilst saving on costs. There are also still high quality chefs out there that we can find to work for you and to cook excellent food for your customers.

Antal International is an executive recruitment company, with specialist sector specific consultants that can gain access to those who are the best in the industry. If you feel that we could assist you with your search in finding those who can save you time and money whilst making you money, and chefs! then please contact me today at FLonghurst@antal.com or 0044 0870 770 0020.

People think we are in a down turn, well in a recent Data-Monitor survey of 5000 IT decision makers, over 50% of respondents stated they expect to keep their IT budget the same in 2009 as it was in 2008. 37% of the respondents expect to see their IT budget increase in 2009 and 13% are anticipating IT budget cuts. This appears to be a mixed message for technology vendors and service providers. It indicates that, on the whole, enterprises are not planning to decrease their IT expenditure despite the current economic climate.

Taking an observation from a client who provides IT solutions to the Banking world, they have commented on how strange the market is, but without doubt they are busy and seeing movement is both the UK and International markets.

On this basis although companies are being cautious over the future it is still the case that organisations need top talent to ensure they stay ahead of the game.

Auto-ID, what is happening?

With a continual need for organisations to automate processes, especially within the Manufacturing, T&L, Supply Chain and Post & Parcel sectors, the auto-ID sector must be in a position to help these organisations and win more business.

According to analysts the RFID market is Quintupling over the next ten years and the Active RFID business growing by 10 times and as a result we are helping more and more organisations find talent within this field.

To discuss further please call

David Crossley
Antal International Network
00 44(0) 1702 557626
DCrossley@antal.com

CLICK HERE to read our latest technology bulletin.

Whilst there are huge challenges for Barack Obama to overcome in his new presidency it is clear that the nation is behind him in his drive to bring new leadership to the country. The momentum built throughout his campaign, combined with his passion, drive, commitment to his beliefs and the understanding of the needs of his nation make it inevitable greatness is on the horizon.

This historical moment in American history demonstrates the enormous impact the right leader can have on a body of people, driving them to demonstrate their own strengths and passion for achieving desired goals. I think it is fair to say that is can be compared to all good leaders whether this is in Public Service, Education or in Business.

As professionals in the executive recruitment sector it’s essential for us to be able to recognise this greatness in individuals and help them in achieving the right career moves to deliver fantastic results to new organisations. The right person in the right place at the right time can make or break a company’s success thus making our role in delivery of talent of huge importance. As a network Antal’s Methodologies and processes allow such delivery of goals to our clients as well as personal growth for our candidates.

During this last quarter of 2008 and even in such uncertain economic times many of our clients are discussing the need to look forward into 2009, recognising the importance of getting the right skills into their businesses and finding the leaders of the future to help drive through troubled times.

Following the Americans inspirational example in electing their new leader focusing on ability, potential, innovative vision and personal fit to the nations needs, should you be looking into your business to see where your ‘leadership’ needs new direction ready for 2009 ?

To discuss further please call

Liz Dillon
Managing partner
Antal International Network – Hadleigh
00 44 (0) 1702 557626
LDillon@antal.com

This relationship will create a collaboration of more 120 offices with over 600 consultants, across 28 countries and 5 continents, which will provide a solid EMEA Partnership for SPI and a presence in the USA for Antal.

This partnership will mutually benefit Antal and SPI in allowing both parties to offer a truly global solution for their clients.

Tom Johnston, President and CEO of SearchPath International comments ”… Our clients are expanding globally and we need to have an International presence that will ensure or ability to solve all of our clients international talent needs regardless of location. Antal is one of the most innovative international search firms encompassing great leadership with a strong focus on quality. They share SPI’s philosophy in regard to execution, service and maintaining client focus….”

The importance of this relationship is equally shared, Tony Goodwin Antal’s Chairman and CEO stated “….Partnering with SearchPath gives us that next key piece in the global jigsaw in the USA…”

Antal is already very well establish in Europe, Middle East, India, Asia, Africa and most recently in Latin America and now are able to offer its clients service in the USA with the confidence and integrity as if they were under the same branding.

Antal has developed a unique methodology to offer its clients allowing us to source high quality individuals across a variety of sectors and disciplines. As key players in your own sector you will appreciate the need for such talent in any climate but recognise its strategic importance in times of economic down turn. With many organisations looking to expand outside of their domestic environments for growth and future stability going into 2009 Antal’s partnership in the US will give our clients greater opportunity to find the talent they are looking for in all global destinations.

For further details please contact

Hadleigh@antal.com
00 44 (0)1702 557626

Whilst there is still evidence of growth in this market place the major focus has turned towards ‘Value offers’, not surprisingly, and the cementation of customer loyalty. Evidence of this can been see with Ebay, value is at the heart of the ebay brand and as such have launched a value range which is to be sold at fixed prices in preference to auction. In a similar light Focus the DIY chain have also launch a value range ‘Pay-Less’ to tap into this trend. Single price point retailers have also increased their activity and will be where customer loyalty will develop.

The major food retailers, Tesco, Sainsbury, and Asda have been leading this trend for a while with their own value ranges and more recently seen in Sainsbury’s meal for £5 TV campaign however have demonstrated most recently that customer loyalty in this area is where the fight will be. The increase in Mystery shopper reports and Market analysis activity, along with increased loyalty offers demonstrate this trend.

This has of course had an impact on the recruitment in the general retail market place; we have seen many leading retailers reduce their temporary Christmas allocation, adding pressure to permanent staff and put a hold on further permanent recruitment. However in line with the market trends have seen an increase in need for business/market analysts and general sales assistance in the values stores and the continued sourcing of head office functions critical to the long term business strategy. Many of our clients are still actively searching for those right candidates to help them through the changing times.

Although there is evidence of a shift in the market place to value and the tightening of belts, the UK high street is still proving to be an attractive destination for overseas retailers in all areas, which in turn is still driving the need for new talent. Antal is working both domestically in the UK and overseas to help with these expansion plans.

The run up to Christmas and the results it brings may drive this market to a different position come the January sales.

To discuss further contact

Liz Dillon
Antal International Network
00 44(0) 1702 557626
LDillon@antal.com

“We’re already well-established in Europe, the Middle East, India, Asia and Africa and recently moved into the Latin American market with a new office in Brazil, “says Antal International’s Chairman and CEO, Tony Goodwin. “Partnering with SearchPath gives us that next key piece in the global jigsaw – the USA.”

“We hear a lot about partnerships between recruitment firms these days,” says Doug Bugie, our Network CEO, who brokered the deal, “but this is something different. I’ve personally known the people behind SearchPath for many years and this has allowed us to set up a genuine joint venture arrangement where we will be sharing candidates, clients and market information on a day-to-day basis.”

Founded in 2005, SearchPath International (SPI) is now one of the USA’s fastest growing talent acquisition companies with 60 offices opened in its first 30 months of operation. According to Tom Johnston, the company’s president and CEO, “Antal is one of the most exciting international search firms with great leadership and a strong focus on quality and what is more they share SPI’s focus on execution and service. I am very excited to leverage our presence in the US with Antal’s ever growing international network.”

Antal International is the leader in EMEA & Asia Rising Star™ Executive Search & Selection. Antal recruits Gen Y and Gen X talent on a daily basis giving them incredible overview of the market and challenges faced by Corporates. Antal’s office network comprises over 50 offices in 24 countries, recruiting talent in a range of industry sectors & skill functions. Since inception in 1993 Antal has placed people in over 75 countries. Antal International has many hundreds of professional staff within a fully integrated network of 50 offices in 25 countries across Europe, Middle East, Africa, (EMEA) Latin America, Russia, India and China. Over the years Antal International has been recognised for its innovation, integrity and understanding of clients’ needs, leading to exceptional delivery rates.

We have developed a unique search and recruitment methodology that allows us to source high quality middle and senior level talented professionals in our core sectors. Antal holds numerous awards for recruitment excellence, exceptional and consistent growth, international recruitment, brand building and business vision.

As an important player in your own marketplaces, you now have an even greater opportunity to take advantage of our unique global network to find the high calibre of Sales and Marketing, Finance and Accounting, HR, IT, Engineering, operations, logistics, legal and General management candidates that are at the top of their game.

Please feel free to contact me on 0870 770 0020 or at AKaye@antal.com to discuss where we can add value to your business.