The Summer Employment Slowdown - Myth or Reality?

Depending on how you interpret the Employment slowdown, it can be both. The summer slowdown has been a genuine problem for the US economy over the last few years. However, the data revealed in the ADP's National Employment Report (July 2013) indicates that this year it may be avoided as job-growth figures remain strong, but some industry sectors might struggle to fill their new positions. Whether it's a healthy or a struggling jobs market, the myth or reality of the summer employment slowdown is not to do with whether the jobs are there or not. It is simply the experience of delays at that time of year. 

Recruitment - A Question of Logistics

Candidate Availability

Keep the Employment Process Moving

Candidates should keep searching during summer. Be available - isn't it more important to secure a job than go on holiday? Be patient - expect the process to take a little longer. Consider temporary roles. Many companies backfill their summer employment shortages with temporary staff  This is a great way to get known within the company and these can sometimes lead to full-time positions. Remember the process can just as easily speed up as it can slow down as companies take advantage of staff availability before their holidays. So it really can pay to keep searching for employment over the summer.

Recruiters - Plan the Employment Process in Advance

If you plan to hire over summer get your process rolling straightaway. Plan interview dates well in advance so you know which staff you have available to conduct them. It may be significant to see which candidates will forego or interrupt holidays to secure a job and which let holidays take precedence. Source your ideal candidates well in advance if you are looking for college or university graduates. They will be keen to know they have secured employment.

The Thomson Reuters Investment Banking Landscape as of July 12, 2013

Investment Banking - the number of Italian companies involved in mergers and acquisitions was up by 30% so far in 2013, with a total value of $30.6 billion. LVMH have acquired an 80% stake in Loro Piana SpA, the cashmere clothing producers at a cost of $2.6 billion. 

Increase in Italian Investment Banking

This means that Italian involvement in the consumer staples market is up to 9% of total activity compared to only 2% this time last year. The majority of merger and acquisition activity undertaken by Italian companies this year has been in the financial, industrial, energy and power sectors, accounting for 72% of overall Italian involvement compared to 74% last year.

Dominating the field in a financial advisory capacity for the Italian mergers and acquisitions was Goldman Sachs, overtaking last year's top contributor Mediobanca and keeping Deutsche Bank off the top spot as well.

US Mergers and Acquisition Rate Falls

Despite a $2.5 billion bid by Kroger for Harris Teeter Supermarkets, the US rate of retail mergers and acquisitions has only reached $12.7 billion for the year to date. This is a decline of 31% on last year's rate, although the total US target mergers and acquisitions has reached $457.3 billion this year, which is up 21% on last year. Around 88% of all US target mergers and acquisitions are by US buyers, which is an increase on last year's 75%. At 18% of all mergers and acquisitions, healthcare is at the forefront of activity so far this year, with energy and power accounting for 15% and real estate in third with 12%.

As Harris Teeter's advisors, JP Morgan remains in the top spot for US target mergers and acquisitions, with Goldman Sachs coming in second and Bank of America Merrill Lynch coming in third in their role as sole adviser to Kroger.

Reduction in Global Investment-Grade Debt

General Electric Capital Corp has this week made a $3.5 billion corporate bond offering, the largest issuing of global investment-grade corporate bonds since June, when $6 billion was raised by Chevron. This brings the strongest weekly total for global investment-grade debt since early June, standing as it does at $14.4 billion. There has been a 3% annual decline on overall global investment-grade debt in the corporate sector, with a total of $1.5 billion to date.There has been an 18% decline in global investment-grade debt from European issuers, whilst in the US it has increased by 19% in the year to date. Morgan Stanley has moved up from sixth place to top the rankings for financial advisors involved in mergers and acquisitions.

If you're not sure which career move would best suit your skills and experience take a look at our Job Profiles. The profiles provide advice on the qualifications, skills and experience required for each career option. The job profiles also outline salary expectation, job responsibilities and career progression.

M&A Analyst      M&A Associate      M&A Director      M&A Vice President

If you are looking for advice we have a dedicated career advice section. Our advice is not just generic recruitment advice we have tailored advice for each of the recruitment divisions we work in including: executive search, accountancy & finance, temporary & interim, Real Estate, private equity, capital markets & M&A. 

To view our M&A Jobs

To contact one of our specialist financial recruitment consultants call 0207 492 0700 or email: jobs@circlesquare.co.uk Connect with us on Google+  & Facebook

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What to Do When a Headhunters Calls

A Headhunters Call is Both Exciting & can Offer Many Benefits

Establish the Headhunters Relationship with the Employer

The Role of the Headhunter is not Career Coach or Advice Giver

They have contacted you because they want to make a sale. Of you and your skills. They are brokers. The negative associations some people have about them are because of these assumptions that they have magical powers and job seekers need them. This is not true it is a two-way street. 

If you decide to proceed with an executive search partner, they should never try to hustle or spook you into believing you would be lost without them. Should such tactics be used, back away. Getting a call from a headhunter is a sign to you that you have the power and if you choose to work with them to advance your career  you can harness that power to your advantage.

Relaxed Planning Laws... New Policy

The Relaxed Planning Laws also Apply to Agricultural Buildings

Local Authorities Exempt from the Relaxed Planning Laws

Following a thorough assessment, Mr Pickles announced in a written statement on the 9th of May that only 17 local authorities would be exempt from the relaxed planning laws, with six outside of London. These were: Manchester City Council; Ashford (Kent), Vale of the White Horse and Stevenage borough councils; Sevenoaks and East Hampshire district councils. The London authorities are the Boroughs of Westminster, Wandsworth, Tower Hamlets, Southwark, Newham, Lambeth, Kensington and Chelsea, Islington, Hackney and Camden, together with the City of London.

Could the New Legislation Affect Availability of Office Space

There is concern amongst critics that the new rules could adversely affect the availability of office space, particularly in residential areas of high value where office space would be profitably converted to housing. Comments have also been made that allowing offices to become homes could drive shoppers away from the high street and into retail complexes away from the town centres.

Moreover, in some cases planning permission would have to be obtained for the more extensive additional works needed to complete conversion from B1(a) to C3 status. In cases where planning permission is not required, there is the issue that local planning authorities will not be able to secure the additional finance required to invest in the appropriate social infrastructure needed to support the new residences. 

Talented Accountancy & Finance Recruiter

Manager - Contract Recruitment (Or Senior Consultant) invited to share in our wealth:

Established in 2004, our business has gone from strength to strength; from being a finalist in ‘Newcomer of the Year’ in 2006 we have grown to be nominated for Search firm of the year in 2011 and most recently accepted onto the National Growth Accelerator Program which is aimed at High Growth companies whom will add head count and value to the UK Economy.

Circle Square Talent is on a strong track to build and sell within three to seven years, netting everyone in the business a lump sum. Our financial performance and the strength of the team set us apart from the competition and everyone in the team is on a learning journey.  We are looking for Entrepreneurs not small thinkers.

Our proposition to you:

Take on more responsibility, learn and work amongst some of the best recruiters in the London market. We will offer you the freedom and opportunity to realise your full potential and in doing so become a fully fledged partner in this business.

Training & Development:

Your training will encompass two areas:

• Personal Development: We will help develop behaviours that will increase your confidence and make both your personal and working life a happier and a highly productive experience.
• Hard Skills: Training is on-going as we want you to advance to the next stage of your career. You will always be training for the next level.

Remuneration:

We offer a top-end package unrivalled in the market. Call us to find out more.

Why us?

Our best resource is our people.  With the right training and the freedom to develop, we can produce some of the highest fee earners in our industry.  This is a passionate business which thrives on your personal success, professional development and team culture.

Our requirements for this role:

• A demonstrable sales track record (in recruitment);
• An entrepreneurial, passionate and committed approach;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• ENERGY and DRIVE are musts
• A good work ethic and desire to lead by example
• Management experience or potential to manage essential

Your duties:

• Managing a team of 2 consultants
• Working on our Contracts desk your week will be varied
• To build a successful temps desk with part qualified and qualified temps working on a regular high volume of temps out and maintaining good margins.

  All aspects of BD and negotiation

• To excel in the provision of a high quality service with our clients and with the best candidates;
• Building long term relationships with clients.
• Negotiating pay and charge out rates and finalising arrangements between client and candidates;

Behaviours Required:

• Fast paced – ability to work at the fast pace of a temps controller
• Tenacious – the ability to see things through to the end
• Confident in all dealings with people
• Strong communication skills (written and verbal) – will be tested
• Ability to think laterally and solve problems
• Resourceful – can you look at other ways to provide a solution?
• Hungry – you must want to make money and to be 
• successful
• Commercial – we are a company of entrepreneurs
• Target orientated – you package will be targeted towards results
• Competitive – we all love a bit of competition
• Pride – are you able to take personal pride in what you do
• Desire to learn – there will be a steep learning curve ahead
• Team orientated – we are a team of strong minded individuals
  • Positive attitude – we are a happy team which really on everyone being positive
  • Personable with good rapport building qualities
  • Ability to network outside of your comfort zone
  • Reflective – can you look at yourself and find where you could be better
  • Organised – structure is important to what we do
  • Entrepreneurial / Innovative – can you think outside the box
  • Strategic and forward thinking – what happens next thinking – looking ahead
  • Non-confrontational in approach and voice
• Ethical – we highly rate doing things the right way

How to apply:

Please contact David Archer for an informal and confidential chat on 020 7492 0718 or 07780 616 050 or forward on your CV to david.archer@circlesquare.co.uk

I am happy to take calls outside of office hours.

Eurozone's Bailout Fund Bailing Out the Banks

Under the agreement, the European Stability Mechanism will be able to inject up to 60 billion euros into bailing out the banks that are struggling, rather than allow them to go under. The total rescue fund is worth 500 billion euros.

Allowing the ESM to shore up struggling banks is a move away from past policy. Previously, the ESM had only been allowed to bail out national governments rather than European banks. 

This new banking rescue plan to stabilise the eurozone agreed just four months after the Chancellor, George Osborne, announced the UK banking reform bill going to parliament.

Eurozone Banks Face Bigger Losses Than Their Governments Can Cope with

In some of the countries which have suffered financial collapse, it was the banks that needed help. For example, the governments of the Republic of Ireland, Cyprus and Spain received bailouts but they in turn had to use the money to rescue their own banks. That could have unsettled the markets, with fears that the banks in the eurozone might suffer losses bigger than their governments could cope with. The problem is made worse by the fact that many of the governments are dependent on their own banks to lend them funds.

National Governments Across the Eurozone Relied on for Bailing Out the Banks

The rescue package is designed to break a 'chicken and egg' situation, where the governments depend on their own banks for funds and the banks depend on their national governments to bail them out. It's intended to spread the risk of a bail-out across the whole eurozone, rather than allowing individual countries to fend for themselves.

Limits Set on Bailing Out the Banks 

However, the eurozone governments with stronger economies have raised concerns about their level of risk. Led by Germany, they have sought to limit to the amount of funds the ESM can supply. This means that the national governments of those banks which have been bailed out will still take the biggest risk.

Big Depositors May be Expected to Contribute

The terms of the new directive includes a so-called 'bail-in', where the banks' shareholders, lenders and even big depositors may be expected to make a contribution before any ESM funds are released.

Fears of a New Financial Crisis

Written by David Archer of Circle Square  -  Investment Banking division

If you are looking for advice we have a dedicated career advice section. Our advice is not just generic recruitment advice we have tailored advice for each of the recruitment divisions we work in including: 

executive search, accountancy & finance, temporary & interim, Real Estate, private equity, capital markets & M&A. To view our M&A Jobs

To contact one of our specialist financial recruitment consultants call 0207 492 0700 or email: jobs@circlesquare.co.uk Connect with us on Google+  & Facebook

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Your Professional Contacts can Improve your Career

Improve your career - knowing the why, when and where of career development can be a difficult thing. But whether you are at the start of a career, in the middle or nearing retirement, there is one thing that should be put in place and maintained in order to improve your career success: a network of professional contacts to provide structure and offer support throughout your working life. Regardless of industry and irrespective of position, developing and sustaining a trusted set of contacts can be the key to improve your career success.

Knowing the Right People Can Improve your Career

Knowing the right people in the right places can improve job prospects but the opportunities networking provides are far more encompassing. Indeed, every person you meet or come into contact with has knowledge you can learn from and experience you can gain from. In addition to this, the potential to be headhunted is a very real opportunity. A good impression here, a successful meeting there and you never know who might be watching.

A Chance to Shine

By actively seeking and maintaining purposeful professional relationships with like-minded peers and influential seniors, you will naturally be challenging yourself. Without personal growth, professional growth is an impossibility and there is no better incentive for growth than a support network. Whether it is encouragement on a day-to-day basis or top tips when preparing for interview, your contacts are invaluable. And the very nature of building relationships based on your personality and talents will force you to reflect on your skills, strive for progress and be the best you can be. This will improve your career prospects.

A Helping Hand to Improve your Career

It is a misconception that guidance is something only sought, valued and needed at the onset of a career. Guidance, whether it's an informal word in the break room or a formally structured performance review, should always be welcomed and acted on. A positive support network can offer much in this area and even those who have reached their career pinnacle need advice to keep them on top of their game and continue to improve your career.The workplace can be challenging enough without your feeling isolated. With no one to turn to, no one to look up to and no one to mentor you, the chances are that your career could stall and you might miss out. However, making the most of every opportunity and embracing the potential of a pool of contacts can lead the way to improve your career success now and in the futur

Written by Adam Tachauer of Circle Square - to review all our recruitment divisions:

M&A    Real Estate    Capital Markets    Private Equity & Venture Capital    Finance    Executive Search

Finance or Accountancy Job    Real Estate Jobs    M&A Jobs    Private Equity Jobs    Capital Markets Jobs 

This Year's Busiest Private Equity Buyout Dealmaker    Battles Faced by Today's Auditors    This Year's Busiest Private Equity Buyout Dealmaker    Is the Future for the UK Economy Looking Brighter?    Might We See the Next Lehman Scandal?    Building a High Performance Team    How Big Brands See Into The Future    MBA`s what`s the real cost?    Forget 4G Mobile Network    Can London Become the Tech Hub of the Uk?    Will This Year See SMS Become the Way to Pay?

 To contact one of our specialist financial recruitment consultants call 0207 492 0700 or email: jobs@circlesquare.co.uk  Connect with us on Google+ & Facebook

UK Services Sector - Cautious optimism is the message coming from economics experts this month as new data reveals that the UK services sector has achieved its greatest growth rate since March 2012.

The UK Services Sector Accounts for Three-quarters of Economic Output 

Figures from the manufacturing sector showed the greatest growth in a year 

PMI figures in construction showed some growth for the first time in six months and also indicated that home building was at its busiest in over two years. Despite impressive results, experts in the industry still expressed concern that the figures indicated a reliance on house building over commercial activity.

Growth from the three core industries in the UK, the services sector, construction & manufacturing

The growth figures seen from the three core industries in the UK, the services sector, construction and manufacturing represent the best increase in the three years since the current government took office. A general air of positivity has led to an increase in recruitment based on an optimistic view of future income and not necessarily on current status.

Financial hit for mothers returning to work after maternity leave

A recent report by the Association of Accounting Technicians has revealed that the average mum returning to work after maternity leave aged 18 to 44 will end up suffering both financially and in her career prospects.

In many cases they are having to accept more junior roles and less money than they were on before they started their maternity leave sometimes as much as  20,000 less, but on average around  9,500 less. This is because they need to find a position that fits around their requirements which can prove tricky.

The report doesn't Clarify why Women Returning to Work Face Cuts

However, the report does not go into detail as to the exact reasons behind these reductions in salaries for women returning to work after maternity leave. It could be because they are working fewer hours rather than because employers are being inflexible and forcing them to do more menial lower-paying jobs.

But if bosses are responsible for the situation, they are not capitalising on the investment which they made in these workers before they fell pregnant. This could amount to thousands of pounds worth of recruiting and training in some cases.

65% OF Women Surveyed Earned Less after Maternity Leave

The Government has not helped the situation 

Although they say they want to boost the economy by getting more women to return to work after maternity leave, they have cut the highest level of support available through the childcare element of Working Tax Credit from 80 per cent of costs to 70 per cent. This has affected over 40,000 families to the tune of hundreds of pounds a year.

Parents who are working and therefore do not get tax credits have also been affected by Government cuts to the childcare vouchers scheme, which allows them to pay the cost of nursery care through pre-tax income.

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Help us Choose our New Brand Colours 

To represent this as well as working hard to secure our candidate’s and clients with an even brighter future we are brightening our look!     

Please could you review our three options of brand colours and send your preferred option to Victoria.campbell@circlesquare.co.uk If you prefer our current brand colours we would like to know this too. 

When choosing, please bear in mind we want our new logo to represent our core values:  Drive, Enjoyment, Innovation, Positivity, Cooperation, Knowledge and Accountability.   

Fantastic Prize for your Support

To thank you for your help with our brand colours we will put your response into a prize draw and the winner will receive an all expenses paid dinner for two at a Michelin starred restaurant.  The winner will be contacted directly on Monday 10th June.  

Link below with the three options to choose from:

Brand Colours