Arras People Press Releases

February 2008 Arras People Survey of the UK Project management Market 2008

Arras People, the project management recruitment specialists, used independent research company Benchpoint’s™ unique real time polling technology to question 1650 permanent and contract Programme and Project Professionals during January 2008.
The survey provided a detailed picture of project professionals’ careers, earnings and prospects building upon the data gathered in previous surveys.

Commented John Thorpe, managing director of Arras People, “This is our third annual survey of the project management profession in the UK, and we are gaining a valuable insight into what is driving this market, which now employs between 1.5 and 2 million people.

We have noticed some big changes, particularly in the climate and remuneration of contractors, and also the persistence of gender and age issues in the workplace.
“Although nearly three quarters of our respondents say they have an acceptable work/life balance, a worrying 23% claim that their lifestyle is “unacceptable”, which is worrying, and we try to analyse why.”

March 2007 Project Management Careers Clinic Raises £250 for Comic Relief

Thank you to all our candidates that took part we had a great day helping candidates as well as raising £250 to Comic Relief

On Friday 16th March, Arras People will be running their Red Nose Project Management Career Clinic throughout the day for new and existing project management candidates, in support of Red Nose Day 2007 – The Big One. Candidates can choose between advice on their own project management career or gain advice on making improvements to their CV in a 30 minute session

Slots are available throughout the day starting at 9am, and each sessions costs £10. All donations will be matched by Arras People and all the money raised from the event will go to Comic Relief. Candidates can book their session through our website – www.arraspeople.co.uk

”We’ve been running this service for a number of years totally free to candidates and the feedback on how we’ve made a difference to candidates’ CV’s and careers has been brilliant. We wanted to do something different for Red Nose Day where we could involve our candidates so the “donations for advice” through the clinic service seemed the best idea. We’ll also be having fun during the day too with in-company silly competitions and jokes galore”

For further information, contact: Lindsay Scott, 01706 366444 or Lindsay.scott@arraspeople.co.uk

Editor’s Notes

Arras People is the Project Management Recruitment Division of Arras Services Ltd.
Arras People provides programme and project management professionals and professional project office support personnel across all industry sectors, for either permanent or interim positions.
Arras Services began trading in February 2002, servicing the market associated with excellence in Programme and Project Management.
For further information: http://www.arraspeople.co.uk
47 York Street, Heywood, Lancashire, OL10 4NN

Heywood, Lancashire, UK, 28 February 2007. Arras People, the project management recruitment specialists, have published their second survey on the UK project management market, with a detailed study on working conditions, rewards and contractor/employee sentiment.

John Thorpe, a director of Arras People commented “There are more and more people calling themselves project management professionals, as private and public sector organisations increasingly rely on their skills and attributes to provide a flexible and focused resource. This study provides a very detailed picture of the project personnel’s professional life and the key differences between contractors and employees, and between the differences in major sectors.

2. Survey details: Arras People used independent research company Benchpoint’s unique real time polling technology to question 1,225 permanent and contract Programme and Project Professionals during January 2007.

The survey provided a detailed picture of project professionals’ careers, qualifications, earnings and prospects, building upon the data gathered in previous surveys.

3. About Arras People: Arras People is the Project Management Recruitment Division of Arras Services Ltd. Arras People provides programme and project management professionals and professional project office support personnel across all industry sectors, for either permanent, contract or interim positions.

Arras Services began trading in February 2002, and now provides its services to many of UK’s leading blue chip organisations, including some of the Top 20 project management consultancies in the UK, as well as public sector (central and local government), IT, engineering, marketing and media organizations, not for profit and charities.

Issued on behalf of Arras People by;
Richard Gaunt
Gaunt Corporate Affairs and Business Communication
London
W4 3AP

Tel 077 11 69 19 28
gaunt@gaunt-cabc.com

Arras People Survey:
Confusion reigns on new ageism regulations
Is the traditional CV on the way out?

Heywood, Lancashire, UK, 27 September 2006. A survey on awareness of new Ageism legislation by Arras People, the project management recruitment specialists, highlights a surprising lack of awareness of new regulations to prevent age discrimination at work.

Nearly 40 per cent of respondents do not know of the new regulations. In the16-34 years age bracket (which are heavily affected by the regulations), 64 per cent of respondents are unaware of the regulations. Even in the 50-plus age group, 15 per cent are not aware.

Under the regulations, employers will no longer be allowed to use age as a consideration in employment, promotion or retirement decisions. Yet the overwhelming majority -81 per cent of respondents- does not intend to amend their CVs. (There are no significant differences between the age groups). At the other end of the spectrum the minority plans to remove their date of birth or even ‘experience’ dates that enable it to be calculated”.

Nearly 60 per cent of all respondents (and again there are no significant differences between the different age groups) expect agency recruitment staff to amend non-compliant CVs before presenting them to an employer.

Said John Thorpe, a director of Arras People, “The objectives are commendable, but it is difficult to predict how this legislation will work in practice. The Regulations use terms such as ‘legitimate aim’ and ‘proportionate’ which lack any clear definition. Removal of birth dates from CV’s is only part of the story, as work history and education details generally indicate age. In any case, our survey indicates the majority of people will probably not be making any change to these aspects of their CV’s.

“The question is, will the CV as we know it today have any relevance in the future, or will we need to find a new way of ‘neutrally’ presenting candidates to prospective clients?

Employers can no longer describe roles as “senior” or “junior”, even in long established hierarchies and career structures. Employers will have to define precisely what attributes their employees need in terms of skills, experience and qualifications without recourse to simple statements such as “5 years experience”.

It is a classic paradox; a candidate can still provide a CV in which they describe themselves as a ‘Senior Project Manager’ as this is describing how they see themselves against their peers (from an experience point of view) but a potential employer can no longer ask for a “Senior Project Manager” as this could be seen as Direct or Indirect discrimination!

According to John Thorpe, employees may need to start rethinking, how they classify their career levels. Phrases like “ten years’ experience” will have to be replaced by concrete examples against which candidates and employees alike can be measured. This could lead towards industry or sector recognised ‘professional’ career levels which are explicit and published for all to use.

Said John Thorpe, “The regulations are well meaning, but have the potential to impose another meaningless level of bureaucracy, without making any real difference to the majority of active employees and job seekers”.

This thought is echoed by the survey. 60 per cent of respondents do not believe the legislation will improve job opportunities. The percentage rises to 64 per cent for the over 50’s.

• Arras People surveyed 370 project management professionals between 19-27 September 2006.
• On 1 October 2006, new laws will come into force to protect workers from age discrimination.
• The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations will make it illegal for employers to discriminate against employees, trainees or job seekers because of their age and ensure that all workers, regardless of age, have the same rights in terms of training and promotion.
• The regulations will cover direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, harassment and victimisation; and will include all workers and those taking part in or applying for employment-related training including further and higher education courses.
• Employers will be required to revise their recruitment and retention policies, as they will no longer be allowed to use age as a consideration in employment, promotion or retirement decisions. They must also update their equality policy to include age, and all staff should be made aware of the implications of the regulations.
• Nearly a third of the labour force will be over 50 by 2020.

Arras People works with some of the Top 20 project management consultancies in the UK, public sector (central and local government), IT, engineering, marketing and media organizations, not for profit and charities.

Arras People, the project management recruitment specialists, conducted a survey of over 1000 current practitioners working in the field of project management, a growing sector in UK employment. The results show how the market has changed since 2000, and the key drivers in the sector today.

Once upon a time job security and status meant a senior position with a major company, underpinned by several years’ solid service. You could look forward to promotion, a decent pension, and lots of goodies, like cars, away days, courses and conferences. Not any more.

Click here to download the full press release (Word Doc 000kb)

Click here to download charts

Click here to download the full published version of the Arras People Report (Acrobat pdf file -444 kb )

Richard Gaunt MCIPR
Gaunt Corporate Affairs and Business communication
London
W4 3AP

Arras People contact:

John Thorpe ,
Arras People
Arras House
47 York Street
Heywood
Lancashire
OL10 4NN

There are ways to make good jobs come looking for you, rather than vice versa, says Steve McCormack

In the football world, it's known as being "tapped up" and, although it's reportedly going on all the time, it's against the rules of the professional game. In business, though, the practice of head-hunting is more respectable and becoming an ever more widespread means of recruitment.

For well over a decade, it has been well established in several core sectors, including financial services, IT, the engineering industry and consumer businesses such as retailing and the media.

Recently, though, senior jobs in the public sector have increasingly been filled using head-hunters, a reflection of growing salaries in these areas, and the blurring of the lines between private and public, caused when major projects, in health, education and infrastructure, are run by private finance initiative (PFI) organisations.

But there remains a whiff of intrigue about the practice, fuelled by the semi-conspiratorial way the prey of a head-hunting operation may refer to the method of their recruitment. The un-stated message from someone who's been head-hunted is that they were a highly sought-after commodity, for which the recruiter had to pay big money.

Even though many feel flattered to be contacted by a head-hunter, it's by no means the only emotion displayed when people pick up the phone, out of the blue, to be asked if they might be interested in changing jobs.

"The initial contact has to be done in a very discreet manner," explains Peter Blundell, of Arras Head Hunting, in Greater Manchester. "People can be abusive, feel threatened, flattered or just ask: 'Why? I'm quite happy where I am.' "

Arras, a small company with seven employees including directors, was set up in 2002 by three managers from the IT industry, frustrated at the difficulties they were experiencing hiring good project and programme-management executives. From a standing start, the firm has grown into a business with a turnover of more than £1m.

When a head-hunting assignment is taken, Blundell looks into 20 or 30 companies that might have someone on the books fitting the bill. From this list, he usually identifies eight or nine individuals worth contacting in person, from whom he'll try to present three or four suitable candidates to the hiring company.

But Arras also welcomes contacts from people keen to market themselves as potential head-hunting targets. "There's no harm in advertising yourself," says John Thorpe, one of Arras's senior directors. "But you need to be careful which companies you are giving your details to."

It is important to be convinced of the head-hunting firm's confidentiality and integrity, he says, and also to be satisfied that the people are knowledgeable, preferably with first-hand experience, of the employment sector you work in.

For those eager to be proactive in career advancement, but still a little nervous about entering what may seem a shady world, a book out this month attempts to demystify the head-hunting scene and offer practical steps to get noticed in the right places.

How To Be Headhunted, by John Purkiss and Barbara Edlmair, claims to tell you all you need to know if you are looking for a senior executive position or a seat on a board.

Purkiss's working life began in banking and consulting, after which he joined the head-hunting firm Heidrick & Struggles, where he became a partner, and worked alongside Edlmair. The pair set up Purkiss & Company three years ago.

The head-hunting process, says Purkiss, is becoming much more transparent and accepted as part of routine business life, which underlines the importance, for anyone in the £50,000-plus salary bracket, of making their mark with the right people in the right way.

The first objective is to identify the half-dozen or so individual head-hunters specialising in your area of expertise. This can be done by a mixture of internet research and talking to colleagues and contacts in the business sector.

Next you have to crystallise exactly what you think are your unique attributes and strengths. Here, Purkiss strongly advises against woolly generalities - "I'm very entrepreneurial and a good team-player." - and favours concrete facts and achievements ("I have led a team of 10 software developers", "I've worked in France and speak French" or "I've been CEO of a company sold for £100m.")

With this pitch prominent on a concise CV, you can then approach the head-hunters directly.

"If you sort out clearly what you have to offer and put it in front of the right people, you are oiling the wheels and making it easier for them, and you are much more likely to get in front of a client," Purkiss reasons.

Also helpful in this quest, according to Neil Gobal, at the leading firm Whitehead Mann, is being able to approach the head-hunter via a third party known to both of you.

"That makes it more difficult for them to ignore you," he says. "One then feels more obliged to try to do someone a favour."

Gobal, who specialises in filling main board positions in the UK's top 200 companies and government bodies, says CVs should be two pages at most. He also warns against neglecting the day job.

"Be visible within your job. Speak at conferences and, in all your dealings, be polite and civil, and take time with people. There is no substitute for basic human warmth."

Moira Benigson runs a small "executive search" company ("head-hunting sounds a bit like a secondhand car salesman") turning over £2.5m a year and specialising in the fashion and retail sectors.

She agrees that it is always good to know who the head-hunters are, particularly if you are planning a move in the next 12 months, and it is always wise to be nice to them.

But, like Gobal, she stresses the importance of honing your current performance. "The best way to advance your career is just to be fabulous at what you do," she says. "It starts from very early. There are brilliant stars we track from when they're young."

So it seems that it's never too soon to do something to advance your career prospects, and you never know when someone important might be looking.

'How To Be Headhunted', by John Purkiss and Barbara Edlmair, is published by How To Books

Arras® People , the UK’s leading programme and project management recruitment company, today announced the opening of their new Head Office in Greater Manchester. Previously Head Quartered for the past two years in Norden, Lancashire, Arras People has seen substantial and profitable business expansion during this period leading up to the new office acquisition.

John Thorpe, Director of Arras People, said: "The new office allows us to continue expanding our service offering whilst at the same time continuing to gain new business and maintain the high level of service our existing clients expect from us. We’re looking forward to recruiting further project management professionals to work as part of the Arras team and to expanding our service offerings especially in the exciting area of virtual project offices (Arras Virtual ™).

Consolidating on from the successful introduction of our knowledge based services, the establishment of our Bedford office and our newly established London operation, our move to new Head Quarters in Manchester sees another phase of our business plan coming alive.”

Editor’s Notes
Arras People is the Project Management Recruitment Division of Arras Services Ltd. Arras People provides programme and project management professionals and professional project office support personnel across all industry sectors, for either permanent or interim positions. Arras Services began trading in February 2002, servicing the market
associated with excellence in Programme and Project Management.
For further information: www.arraspeople.co.uk or www.arrasservices.co.uk

Arras® People , the UK's leading programme and project management recruitment company, announced the opening of the first PMC, Project Management Clinic, available to job-seekers. This is a new service, available to candidates who register or are registered at Arras People, where they can call and speak to one our senior consultant team regarding issues specific to their careers in project management related services.

Lindsay Scott, Director of Arras People, said:
" Through this service we offer our candidates an even higher quality service and promote two way communication, both often a bugbear for candidates dealing with generalist recruiters. The PMC service allows each person a 15 minute slot to talk about whatever related matter they want and gain advice from our team, themselves qualified and experienced project management practitioners. Topics covered in the calls include the more general careers advice - anything from CV critique to training course recommendation through to specific project issues from achieving deadlines or to difficult negotiations with third parties for example."

The clinic is open to all who currently work or would like to work as a project management professional, from programme directors, project managers to project support and graduates. The PMC is taking bookings now through the Arras People website - www.arraspeople.co.uk

Recruitment companies move from being a "necessary evil" to a value added service

A recent survey commissioned by Arras People set out to gain a snapshot of the recruitment market across the UK, revealed that 45% of recruitment companies believe their services to clients to be a "value added service", though a quarter responded suggesting that recruiters are seen as a necessary evil! Perhaps surprisingly 43% believe candidates see agencies as a professional industry where quality of service is improving, with 18% seeing agencies as necessary evil.

"The recruitment companies own perceived value is that of a provider of professional and high quality recruitment services to both its clients and candidates, but the reality can often be very different" said Lindsay Scott of Arras People. "Many candidates are still surprised to be offer a professional service where the recruiter treats them with respect and dignity so I often wonder what kind of service they've received in the past."

Over a 100 REC (Recruitment Employment Confederation) registered agencies responded to our questions which were designed to ascertain their agency view of the market place for jobs and to show trends for the past 3 months. This survey was not aimed at any particular market sector, it included a mix of large high street agencies and discrete niche agencies specialising in specific job roles.
The survey also indicated that the number of candidates applying for positions over the past 3 months has increased. Ian McKenzie from Arras People said " At the moment it looks like the fees for agency services have remained the same over the last three months (51%); however some agencies believe they are now firming up with some claiming that their fees are starting to edge upwards (26%)."

The general view of the agencies is that activity in both the contractor (50%) and permanent (51%) market places has increased; there are now more jobs available through recruitment agencies in most sectors. In terms of the anticipated market trends for agencies, there is a resounding agreement of yes to expected growth over the next 12 months particularly in the contractor arena (68%).

With regards to which job sites agencies use to advertise opportunities nearly 60% of the agencies said they use Reed, with over a quarter using TotalJobs (28%) or Jobserve (26%). Many agencies also responded saying that they use a combination of sites plus their own job boards. The preferred site for agencies is the Reed Freerecruitment because it's free!

Ian McKenzie went on to comment, "We are pleased to report the job market has picked up for many agencies (positive for candidates also) with sustained growth expected over the coming 12 months. The agencies view themselves as seeking to do a better quality job, improving their professionalism and value to both candidate and client."

About Arras People
Arras People is the Project Management Recruitment Division of Arras Services Ltd. Arras People provides programme and project management professionals and professional project office support personnel across all industry sectors, for either permanent or interim positions.
Arras Services began trading in February 2002, servicing the market associated with excellence in Programme and Project Management.

Lindsay Scott
Arras People
01706 366444
Lindsay.scott@arraspeople.co.uk
Survey results online @ Survey

Greater Manchester based Arras People (www.arraspeople.co.uk), knowledge based Project Management Recruitment Specialists, are delighted to announce the opening of their second office in Bedford.
The new location has been chosen specifically to recognise and service our growing activity in London and the South East whilst also recognising the growth potential in Bedfordshire and surrounding counties. Our aim is to maintain our ongoing commitment to provide a superior service to all existing and new clients.
Managing Director John Thorpe comments, "We are looking forward to the many opportunities our Bedford office will offer as an integral part of our ongoing expansion plan. Our aim is to become the leading UK Project Management Recruitment Specialists."

Arras People is the Project Management Recruitment Division of Arras Services Ltd.
Arras People provides programme and project management professionals and professional project office support personnel across all industry sectors, for either permanent or interim positions.
Arras Services began trading in February 2002, servicing the market associated with excellence in Programme and Project Management.
For further information: www.arraspeople.co.uk or www.arrasservices.co.uk