The annual Marketing Society Awards (held this year on June 7th), are closing their voting for 2010's "Best Of" one week today.
In an interesting twist, and in addition to previous years, this year the awards are ushering in some new, more inspiring categories. In a move to keep people positive even though we are still in recession (although some pundits would have us convinced we are out of it... house prices rising, Amazon reporting a 70% Christmas profit etc), new categories have been introduced to show how companies have coped in these difficult times. Categories such as marketing communications on a shoestring and e-commerce show a move towards rewarding "cheaper" methods of marketing. Other categories have also been announced, keeping in line with the top trends of 2009 and 2010 - new brand, digitally-led communications and employee engagement.
Interesting stuff, and showing an industry recognised move away from traditional marketing in favour of newer, technology driven methods. It seems that marketing agencies are changing the way they work - or at least adding to it - and opening up opportunities for digital and brand marketeers who can effectively take existing marketing channels and expand on them to reach a new market. All good news for recruiters who work within this arena - like us! - and who are already recruiting digital and online marketing professionals for their clients.
Especially encouraging is the marketing communications on a shoestring category, which will hopefully go a long way towards assuring small and medium sized business - or larger ones suffering budget cuts - that they can still carry out a successful campaign without spending a lot.
It will be very interesting to see who comes out top at the Awards for Excellence ceremony. Last year's winners included Thomson Reuters, McCann Erikson and WCRS, so the competition is high. With these new categories announced though, will it be new companies blagging the awards, or will previous winners have changed strategies to come out on top again, just in a new area?
See www.www.marketing-society.org.uk for more information.
Friday 29 January 2010
Thursday 21 January 2010
David Cameron wants "brazenly elitist" approach to teacher recruitment...
As much as I like David Cameron, I am somewhat ambivalent to read reports that he intends (if and when, of course, the Tories make it back into power this year) to make entry into teacher training more difficult. Promising funding to the brightest graduates, Dave wants to make teaching a "noble profession" (his words, not mine), and only allow those with a 2:2 honours degree or higher access onto the PGCE (teacher training) course. I say funding, but that is probably too much to hope for. I believe financial incentive is the phrase used. Trainee teachers already receive a small tax free bursary worth between £4,000 and £9,000 depending on the subject, so how much more financial incentive is Cameron intending - or able - to offer to get the "best" graduates on board? Why don't those undertaking a B.Ed degree receive financial support, such as those on NHS degrees do (currently funded places plus bursaries for some courses)? Surely by making teaching specific degrees free, we won't be left with hundreds of newly qualified teachers struggling under huge amounts of student debt possibly choosing to work in the private sector as a way of affording to live. We already have a long list of shortage subjects that attract the highest bursaries for trainee teachers, so surely by restricting the number of eligible wannabe teachers all that will happen is that the list will grow... and grow... and grow...
As a parent with two school age sons - one at primary and one at secondary level - I am all for ways to improve the quality of teaching. I have generally been happy with the teaching my boys have received over the years, although I have had some minor complaints. My worst bugbear is teachers who spell words wrongly, or - even worse - have poor grammar. These people are teaching my children to read and write, so should have to undertake at least a National Literacy test at level 2 (used for adult learners) to make sure they know how to spell and to use apostrophes correctly, even when teaching Key Stage 1 learners! It is a sad fact, and one I see every day when reading through CVs and wincing at the numerous spelling and grammar mistakes, that having a degree no longer means you have a high level of literacy. I have seen CVs from degree-educated professionals who can barely string a coherent sentence together! I am a teaching assistant for an adult literacy class one night a week - and incidentally HAD to take my own level 2 Literacy test before I was allowed to practise (I passed, thanks for asking) - and spend time tutoring them in the use of commas, full stops, apostrophes etc. I certainly don't expect a paid, fully qualified teacher to have the same problems with the English language as my students.
That aside, the quality of experienced and child-oriented teachers is generally high. And therein lies the crux of the matter - experience. Yes, we shouldn't allow the educationally challenged to train and teach our precious children, but surely experience and aptitude should mean more than merely a number on the bottom of your degree certificate? If Cameron really wants to recruit only the creme de la creme into the profession, why not target those holding a 2:1 or above? Or even only a First? Back in the old days, teachers didn't even need formal qualifications. Nobody would dream of suggesting a return back to this practice, but surely Cameron has to consider bringing those with at least some experience of working with children in an educational setting (e.g. teaching assistants) into the profession without the need for a 2:2 degree, or even a degree at all. We were discussing this at my Tuesday morning college class, where we are all studying to work with adults in the Skills 4 Life programme (teaching literacy, numeracy and ESOL courses). As a group of mainly middle-class, intelligent women who give our time for free to help tutor adults, it seems unfair that only a couple of us would be eligible to enter teacher training courses, even though it is something that a high percentage of the class want to do in the future. So any of us considering teaching under-16s have to consider applying to undertake a degree course. But none of us can afford to pay the fees, or the childcare, or to give up our jobs to study full-time.
It seems there are a whole raft of people who would love to teach, yet are excluded under current guidelines, and this is set to be even worse under possible Tory rule. Now, I dispute the idea that I am less intelligent, less able and less "noble" than a 21-year-old graduate whose only teaching experience is theoretic or under a controlled placement as part of a course plus the year's PGCE/ training. Experience, age and having my own children doesn't make me MORE qualified or suited to teaching than everyone else, but surely this must count for something? At secondary level, of course those who excel in their specialist subject are best placed to teach - personally, nothing in this world would make me able to teach science or maths (unless Stephen Hawking offers to be my brain donor).
Yes, Dave - there must be a process put in place to ensure that the best teachers are picked out and trained to give the next generation the education they deserve, but is this the only way? If the Tories really want to improve the education system, they could give it a damned good overhaul. If teachers didn't have to spend hours filling in paperwork to prove that they are following the ever-changing National Curriculum, or to pander to the whims of the Ofsted inspectors, or dealing with troublesome pupils, they could get down to the real job at hand - actual teaching! If the pointless bureaucracy was removed, if headteachers got the support they needed to deal with problem children and received funding for more specialist teachers then surely this would go a long way towards solving the issues.
If Cameron really wants to make teaching a prestige profession, then the way teachers are treated and supported by government needs to change. Fast-tracking professionals who are looking for a career change is one way that he has mentioned (although, correct me if I am wrong, but isn't this already in place?), which is useful, especially for those who have business or industry based people and communication skills. But he shouldn't forget the people who DON'T have the requisite degree to prove their intelligence and diligence - the dedicated and experienced teaching or learning support assistants, or the unpaid mums and dads who volunteer their time in the classroom to help educate our children - the people who are sometimes the backbone of the education system that won't fund enough paid teachers or classroom assistants, or even enough educational materials. Surely these people have a great deal to offer, but without having "proven" ability - although personally I disprove that a degree proves the ability to do anything rather than study a subject at a high level - they will never be given the opportunity to teach as a career.
Although I'm sure Dave will be quite happy for them to carry on teaching our children for free.
As a parent with two school age sons - one at primary and one at secondary level - I am all for ways to improve the quality of teaching. I have generally been happy with the teaching my boys have received over the years, although I have had some minor complaints. My worst bugbear is teachers who spell words wrongly, or - even worse - have poor grammar. These people are teaching my children to read and write, so should have to undertake at least a National Literacy test at level 2 (used for adult learners) to make sure they know how to spell and to use apostrophes correctly, even when teaching Key Stage 1 learners! It is a sad fact, and one I see every day when reading through CVs and wincing at the numerous spelling and grammar mistakes, that having a degree no longer means you have a high level of literacy. I have seen CVs from degree-educated professionals who can barely string a coherent sentence together! I am a teaching assistant for an adult literacy class one night a week - and incidentally HAD to take my own level 2 Literacy test before I was allowed to practise (I passed, thanks for asking) - and spend time tutoring them in the use of commas, full stops, apostrophes etc. I certainly don't expect a paid, fully qualified teacher to have the same problems with the English language as my students.
That aside, the quality of experienced and child-oriented teachers is generally high. And therein lies the crux of the matter - experience. Yes, we shouldn't allow the educationally challenged to train and teach our precious children, but surely experience and aptitude should mean more than merely a number on the bottom of your degree certificate? If Cameron really wants to recruit only the creme de la creme into the profession, why not target those holding a 2:1 or above? Or even only a First? Back in the old days, teachers didn't even need formal qualifications. Nobody would dream of suggesting a return back to this practice, but surely Cameron has to consider bringing those with at least some experience of working with children in an educational setting (e.g. teaching assistants) into the profession without the need for a 2:2 degree, or even a degree at all. We were discussing this at my Tuesday morning college class, where we are all studying to work with adults in the Skills 4 Life programme (teaching literacy, numeracy and ESOL courses). As a group of mainly middle-class, intelligent women who give our time for free to help tutor adults, it seems unfair that only a couple of us would be eligible to enter teacher training courses, even though it is something that a high percentage of the class want to do in the future. So any of us considering teaching under-16s have to consider applying to undertake a degree course. But none of us can afford to pay the fees, or the childcare, or to give up our jobs to study full-time.
It seems there are a whole raft of people who would love to teach, yet are excluded under current guidelines, and this is set to be even worse under possible Tory rule. Now, I dispute the idea that I am less intelligent, less able and less "noble" than a 21-year-old graduate whose only teaching experience is theoretic or under a controlled placement as part of a course plus the year's PGCE/ training. Experience, age and having my own children doesn't make me MORE qualified or suited to teaching than everyone else, but surely this must count for something? At secondary level, of course those who excel in their specialist subject are best placed to teach - personally, nothing in this world would make me able to teach science or maths (unless Stephen Hawking offers to be my brain donor).
Yes, Dave - there must be a process put in place to ensure that the best teachers are picked out and trained to give the next generation the education they deserve, but is this the only way? If the Tories really want to improve the education system, they could give it a damned good overhaul. If teachers didn't have to spend hours filling in paperwork to prove that they are following the ever-changing National Curriculum, or to pander to the whims of the Ofsted inspectors, or dealing with troublesome pupils, they could get down to the real job at hand - actual teaching! If the pointless bureaucracy was removed, if headteachers got the support they needed to deal with problem children and received funding for more specialist teachers then surely this would go a long way towards solving the issues.
If Cameron really wants to make teaching a prestige profession, then the way teachers are treated and supported by government needs to change. Fast-tracking professionals who are looking for a career change is one way that he has mentioned (although, correct me if I am wrong, but isn't this already in place?), which is useful, especially for those who have business or industry based people and communication skills. But he shouldn't forget the people who DON'T have the requisite degree to prove their intelligence and diligence - the dedicated and experienced teaching or learning support assistants, or the unpaid mums and dads who volunteer their time in the classroom to help educate our children - the people who are sometimes the backbone of the education system that won't fund enough paid teachers or classroom assistants, or even enough educational materials. Surely these people have a great deal to offer, but without having "proven" ability - although personally I disprove that a degree proves the ability to do anything rather than study a subject at a high level - they will never be given the opportunity to teach as a career.
Although I'm sure Dave will be quite happy for them to carry on teaching our children for free.
Friday 15 January 2010
Social media in recruitment - a Twitter virgin's guide...
With the second Social Media in Recruitment Conference booked for April and boasting speakers from both Google and LinkedIn, it is only a matter of time before recruiters who don't become involved with this newfangled idea will start to miss out. Who would have thought that networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook would provide such great opportunities for recruitmenting, whether it is collecting candidates or getting in touch with past and potential clients? LinkedIn has always been the professional face of social networking, as has Ecademy, but now recruiters - both agency-side and internal - are starting to reap the real benefits of getting their backsides in gear and jumping on the more social side of the social media bandwagon.
I bravely volunteered to become the Mobilus social media guru, ignoring the fact that I have only ever used Facebook before to spy on people I went to school with, and make myself feel
a) superior because I have a better life/ job/ pair of children than them, or b) envious because they have a better life/car/ looking partner than me. That's what it's for. But it is also for the serious business of developing candidate pools, and promoting your consultancy to clients. In order to get MY backside into gear, firstly I had to start my blog. What to write about, how to write it, would anyone want to read it? - these kept me awake at night. Then I decided just to jump straight in, see what was going on in the high falutin' world of recruitment. But that would be a bit one-dimensional, so I decided to try and write about the markets that we recruit IN, namely marketing and I.T. Ignoring the fact that I am no expert in either, I realised to my surprise - though not to anyone
else's - that I could manage to find an opinion on anything. So the blog you read now was born.
My next step was to discover Twitter, then work out how to use it. Luckily, I have a 12-year-old, so he showed me. Then I had to figure out how to follow people, and who to follow. I didn't want to follow friends, or bands, or anything that would Tweet unsuitable content to me (marriage problems, binge drinking, swear words etc). Keeping in touch with the industry we work in as well as for is an obvious, as is following publications and professional groups. Amazingly, I have collected some followers, and fingers crossed, will continue to do so. It might be my fascinating Tweets, or my lovely picture, or even this blog, or just that people will follow anyone. I haven't quite got the hang of working it all out yet. Where's my son?
(For more information on social media and recruitment from actual, proper, qualified people, check out Peter Gold at Hire Strategies http://www.hirestrategies.co.uk/ or the training course from Recruitment Matters http://www.recruitmentmatters.com/)
I bravely volunteered to become the Mobilus social media guru, ignoring the fact that I have only ever used Facebook before to spy on people I went to school with, and make myself feel
a) superior because I have a better life/ job/ pair of children than them, or b) envious because they have a better life/car/ looking partner than me. That's what it's for. But it is also for the serious business of developing candidate pools, and promoting your consultancy to clients. In order to get MY backside into gear, firstly I had to start my blog. What to write about, how to write it, would anyone want to read it? - these kept me awake at night. Then I decided just to jump straight in, see what was going on in the high falutin' world of recruitment. But that would be a bit one-dimensional, so I decided to try and write about the markets that we recruit IN, namely marketing and I.T. Ignoring the fact that I am no expert in either, I realised to my surprise - though not to anyone
else's - that I could manage to find an opinion on anything. So the blog you read now was born.
My next step was to discover Twitter, then work out how to use it. Luckily, I have a 12-year-old, so he showed me. Then I had to figure out how to follow people, and who to follow. I didn't want to follow friends, or bands, or anything that would Tweet unsuitable content to me (marriage problems, binge drinking, swear words etc). Keeping in touch with the industry we work in as well as for is an obvious, as is following publications and professional groups. Amazingly, I have collected some followers, and fingers crossed, will continue to do so. It might be my fascinating Tweets, or my lovely picture, or even this blog, or just that people will follow anyone. I haven't quite got the hang of working it all out yet. Where's my son?
(For more information on social media and recruitment from actual, proper, qualified people, check out Peter Gold at Hire Strategies http://www.hirestrategies.co.uk/ or the training course from Recruitment Matters http://www.recruitmentmatters.com/)
Monday 11 January 2010
Call centres with conscience...
Call centres have gained a bit of a bad reputation over the past few years. From cheesy music when on hold for what seems an age, untrained or rude call handlers, silent marketing calls and automated call handling that you never manage to get the hang of, to the biggest gripe amongst UK users - offshore call centres, and the associated problems (which I won't go into now!)
All things considered, altruism isn't the first thing that pops into your head when you think "call centre". So it is heartwarming to read about ways in which this industry does give something back to the community. Sports Relief, for example, is asking call centres to volunteer their time and resources to handle their telephone campaign during this year's TV show (Friday 19th March). In 2008, over 70 call centres across the country helped raise £28m for UK and International Projects. This year, Sports Relief are looking for call centres who are willing to commit to offering at least seventy staffed lines for the night (from 7pm-2am). It seems likely that the call centres will step up again this year, after the phenomenal success of last year.
I have also read in Call Centre Focus that social enterprise has hit the industry, with the launch of a new £1m call centre business, Call Brittania. Founded by Karen Derby, it aims to open ten UK call centres in the next 7 years, creating 10,000 jobs for the unemployed in some of the country's worst economic areas - as well as offering them training, skills and work experience. Karen says, "We're passionately committed to providing sustainable work opportunities for those who need it most," and I'm sure I am not alone in wishing the venture huge success for 2010 and beyond.
And so, whilst the UK has been hit by the crippling recession, and ensuing redundancies, perhaps there has been at least some small rays of sunshine to come out of it. Social enterprise - businesses with a conscience - have been growing steadily, with new ones being formed all the time. The New Year Honours list this year included several awards for social entrepreneurs, including an OBE for Nigel Kershaw, CEO of Big Issue Invest, finally recognising the contribution social enterprises make to the wider community as well as the economy. Let's hope this trend continues, and with call centres well placed to offer support to social enterprise, and showing willing to, perhaps they will gain a new reputation. We can only hope.
All things considered, altruism isn't the first thing that pops into your head when you think "call centre". So it is heartwarming to read about ways in which this industry does give something back to the community. Sports Relief, for example, is asking call centres to volunteer their time and resources to handle their telephone campaign during this year's TV show (Friday 19th March). In 2008, over 70 call centres across the country helped raise £28m for UK and International Projects. This year, Sports Relief are looking for call centres who are willing to commit to offering at least seventy staffed lines for the night (from 7pm-2am). It seems likely that the call centres will step up again this year, after the phenomenal success of last year.
I have also read in Call Centre Focus that social enterprise has hit the industry, with the launch of a new £1m call centre business, Call Brittania. Founded by Karen Derby, it aims to open ten UK call centres in the next 7 years, creating 10,000 jobs for the unemployed in some of the country's worst economic areas - as well as offering them training, skills and work experience. Karen says, "We're passionately committed to providing sustainable work opportunities for those who need it most," and I'm sure I am not alone in wishing the venture huge success for 2010 and beyond.
And so, whilst the UK has been hit by the crippling recession, and ensuing redundancies, perhaps there has been at least some small rays of sunshine to come out of it. Social enterprise - businesses with a conscience - have been growing steadily, with new ones being formed all the time. The New Year Honours list this year included several awards for social entrepreneurs, including an OBE for Nigel Kershaw, CEO of Big Issue Invest, finally recognising the contribution social enterprises make to the wider community as well as the economy. Let's hope this trend continues, and with call centres well placed to offer support to social enterprise, and showing willing to, perhaps they will gain a new reputation. We can only hope.
Wednesday 6 January 2010
Demand for business oriented IT professionals high for 2010...
Happy New Year to you all! Assuming the snow hasn't dampened your fervour for work, I hope 2010 will be a good year for you career-wise, whether you are happy to stay where you are or preferring to move off to pastures green(er). If you are thinking of (or have already started) looking for a change of scenery in the IT sector, then you may find things have changed - it seems there is a shift in the types of skills employers are now seeking from their technical experts going foward into 2010 and beyond.
According to an article in Computer World, technical skills are no longer the be all and end all of a techie's experience and abilities. Whilst security, virtualization and cloud computing are in the most highly sought after skillset, there is now the real requirement for industry specific knowledge. Following last year's recession and the impact on IT jobs, businesses are again taking on staff and rebuilding their departments. What's changed is that they are now seeking business-facing people - IT and business are no longer separate entities of the same organisation, and IT professionals are expected to use their market expertise to boost the all important bottom line. Vertical industry knowledge, especially in healthcare, finance and insurance, will be especially useful, as will experience in business processing and re-engineering. The most important skill, it seems, is to have a combination of deep technical skills combined with project management and business knowledge. Sounds like companies are looking to combine three roles into one, and as competition is high, they will probably be able to attract candidates with the desired depth and breadth of experience. The question is, will they be prepared to pay a premium for it? Only time will tell.
According to an article in Computer World, technical skills are no longer the be all and end all of a techie's experience and abilities. Whilst security, virtualization and cloud computing are in the most highly sought after skillset, there is now the real requirement for industry specific knowledge. Following last year's recession and the impact on IT jobs, businesses are again taking on staff and rebuilding their departments. What's changed is that they are now seeking business-facing people - IT and business are no longer separate entities of the same organisation, and IT professionals are expected to use their market expertise to boost the all important bottom line. Vertical industry knowledge, especially in healthcare, finance and insurance, will be especially useful, as will experience in business processing and re-engineering. The most important skill, it seems, is to have a combination of deep technical skills combined with project management and business knowledge. Sounds like companies are looking to combine three roles into one, and as competition is high, they will probably be able to attract candidates with the desired depth and breadth of experience. The question is, will they be prepared to pay a premium for it? Only time will tell.
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