Big Brands Opt for Trend Identifying Over Predicting the Future  

Bankers Integrity Tested by CISI

The Current Situation for Bankers

Testing for Bankers is Long Overdue

The Future for Bankers 

Without the CISI credentials, bankers may find that they struggle to find employment at the larger banks over time.

However, critics have warned that the new CISI initiative can only go so far in protecting savers as it simply shows bankers' theoretical knowledge of ethical practices rather than confirming that they applied integrity in their daily work. Of course, no current test can accurately predict and determine subsequent behaviour, but for most people this new development will be seen as a positive step forward.

Written by Ross Stokes of Circle Square - Financial Recruitment London

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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Recruiters are warning that the current slump in the number of jobs available could be a longer-term trend, with the latest figures showing that new job creation in the City plummeted in March.

New jobs within London's Square Mile - which is often used as an informal yardstick of wider economic success due to its position within the financial and commercial sector - dropped by fifteen per cent in March compared to the previous month, could this signal a prolonged dip.

A Significant Drop in Job Creation

The firm estimated that 2,190 new jobs were created in March, which represents a worrying 31pc of activity compared to the same period in 2012. Last March, around 3,180 new appointments were advertised. And the kinds of new roles available are changing too, with many of those advertised being limited to compliance teams and specialist firms as the burden of government-led regulations and reporting requirements grows across the financial sector.

New rules come into effect this autumn to safeguard the working rights of temporary workers. 

But are employers ready for the legislative changes and who will actually benefit from them? The new legislation will protect temporary staff from being exploited as cheap labour and it follows lengthy debates between unions and employers on whether temporary staff should be afforded the same benefits and rights as permanent employees.

In line with an EU directive, a high-profile compromise was agreed between the CBI, TUC and BIS which will work to offer greater protection to temporary workers

Which is believed to comprise around 1.5 million people in the UK. The objective of the changes will be to bring parity of rights between temporary workers employed by agencies and those permanent staff employed directly by businesses.

In practice, this means that after twelve weeks in one role with the same employer, the temporary worker will be fully entitled to parity of basic pay with staff who are directly employed by the business. 

This will include extra entitlements and the hourly rate, along with other working conditions. They will also benefit from 'day one rights', which will begin when their assignment does and include access to staff canteens, childcare, transport and the right to be kept up to date about permanent roles being advertised within the business.

However, some are concerned that the new rules will create extra bureaucracy and work, particularly within agencies. And others are keen to avoid an impact on the flexible nature of temporary staff and see this market shrink.

A report by REC shows that flexible staffing is predicted to remain an economic growth linchpin, however, so these concerns may be unfounded as businesses seek to take on extra temporary workers'rather than commit to further permanent roles in the ongoing challenging economic climate. 

Industry confidence does seem to be increasing slowly and the benefits of a flexible workforce are becoming more widely valued. Experience shows thattemporary workers' are often shed first during the difficult times, but taken back the most speedily when growth returns again.

The rules may also provide a welcome opportunity for all businesses to review their employee policies in general and ensure that they are up to date with requirements. Some businesses will have hundreds of agency workers on their staffing lists, some of which may have been there for many years. For such businesses, it will be time to take stock and decide how they wish to make changes to comply with the new rules.

Business Intelligence Systems Failing to Meet Reporting and Financial-Analysis Needs

Business intelligence systems are still - even after twenty years of operation - failing to meet reporting and financial-analysis needs. At the heart of every poor decision lies an absence of quality data and the repercussions usually translate into costs.

The Banking Crisis has Changed the Priorities of CFO's

Finance Departments Still Spend 70pc of their Time in the Production of Management Accounts

The fact remains that FDs are not data analysts and organisations are struggling to integrate their data from a variety of business sources.

Budget Announcements

We Would like to see Realistic Plans to Boost Business for SME's

As with many businesses, at Circle Square we would like to see definable and realistic plans to boost business for SMEs. Vague and insubstantial promises of future tax breaks simply aren't enough. One Saturday newspaper journalist has suggested that SMEs could be made exempt from the burden of Employer National Insurance Contributions, on the proviso that this was made effective from 6th April 2013, or soon after this date. We also feel that offering 'stealth allowances' via slowly increasing levels of personal allowance really achieves little of tangible value. The majority of people will barely perceive the difference and the change is hardly likely to provide significant motivation or to encourage further economic growth, or indeed full recovery. And yet the scheme costs the government an awful lot of money. We'd surmise that for the average person, a cut in the 20pc VAT rate would be welcomed far more happily and see an instant effect in retail.

How Not to Conduct an Interview

Interviewing isn't just a necessary skill for job seekers, but for those doing the hiring too. One slip-up, by either person, can instantly raise doubts in the other one's mind and leave them looking elsewhere.

So if you don't wish to leave your interviewees saying "No thank you" to your job offer, here are six interviewer pitfalls you want to avoid.

Negativity

Don't bad-mouth the organisation, other members of staff or the nature of the job. And don't talk yourself down either. Why? Because negativity is like a disease. It tells your prospective new worker that this is not a happy place to work and that you do not like your job.

Asking Pointless Questions

Ask questions that are relevant to the role. Don't waste your interviewee's time asking obscure questions, just to see if they can come up with something good under pressure. You're likely to just irritate them and make them less likely to want to take the job.

Talking Too Much

Remember to give your interviewee plenty of opportunity to communicate. If you don't let them speak enough, how can you know if they are going to be a decent fit for the position?

Not Saying Enough

On the other hand, if you don't give them enough information about the role they're interviewing for and the organisation, then they can't honestly agree to dedicate themselves to it. If they ask you questions about why the previous person left the role, what day-to-day life is like within the organisation and your aims, give them honest and carefully considered answers. It's these answers that will help them determine whether they are right for the role, which means not wasting their time or your time in the long run.

Being Unprepared

You're busy, they're busy - we're all busy. But when people have spent countless hours getting ready for an interview and have taken time out and travelled in order to meet you, they need you to be just as professional and respectful. So it's not a good idea to keep them waiting in reception for over half an hour or invent the interview questions on the spot.

Illegal Practices

Asking interviewees if they are thinking of getting married and having children or saying you usually hire people of a certain age could lead to legal action against you. Before you interview any person, learn about the important aspects of employment legislation.

Written by Mark Dewdney of Circle Square Talent - 

Finance & Accountancy Recruitment London

Putting a Price on an MBA

If you're spending a large sum of money on an MBA, the question of your future earnings is probably a preoccupying one. After all, a typical MBA business programme today can cost more than 40,000, along with additional expenses of around 13,000. This will coincide with a loss of wages for the two-year duration and an interruption to your career whilst you further your academic achievements. So exactly how much is your MBA likely to improve your earnings and just how likely are you to receive a promotion after you graduate? 

Well, most business schools produce metrics which include these types of calculations in direct response to such common questions. They can provide a useful insight into previous graduates and their resulting earnings, particularly when compared to pre-MBA salaries. Other indices to look out for include those which define the length of time to find quality employment and to progress rapidly after the achievement of anMBA.

But these measures will never be perfect. Many are subjective, such as asking whether graduates feel as though they achieved their career objectives as a result of taking an MBA. Some schools will boost their metrics by focusing on subjective rather than objective analysis.

London Business School's Successful MBA programmes

The most successful of MBA programmes in the UK continues to be the London Business School  It's certainly not cheap, costing around 57,000 for a course lasting between 15-21 months. However, from its 2011 intake, 93pc of its graduates had accepted a job offer less than three months after completion, at a salary averaging c.  75k. Three years after their graduation, students of London Business School's MBA programme can expect to be earning around 155k per year.

Many experts do believe, however, that students shouldn't risk becoming 'blinded' by money and should think more broadly instead about their options, asking why certain schools perform more strongly and considering which of these would be a good fit.

Recruiters are Willing to Pay a Premium for MBA Graduates

This sentiment is echoed by the Director of Career Services at the London Business School, Fiona Sandford, who credits the school's success to the student body and diversity of the faculty, combined with a balanced curriculum. Certainly, recruiters are willing to pay a premium for MBA graduates who are comfortable working in multicultural teams and who understand the latest developments and advances in business research and thinking.

MBAs are not just for high salary growth as they can also be used to move sector or achieve greater autonomy or a better work-life balance. You should choose your MBA according to your ultimate goal.

Written by Andrew Pringle of Circle Square 

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Is 4G Mobile Networking Already Obsolete?

Can You Make Your Job More Enjoyable?

Is your job getting you down? Don't worry, you're not alone. A massive sixty per cent of US citizens have said they would choose a different career if given the opportunity.

That speaks volumes about our happiness in the workplace. So if you've not just been experiencing the occasional bad day at work, but rather your job has been making you unhappy for a while, perhaps it's time for something new. But before you make any rash decisions, first stand back and look at the big picture.

Ask yourself:

• Is it this particular job that's making you unhappy or is it the industry that you're in as a whole?
• Do you like the company you're working for and what they stand for?

Also, before you rush to hand in your notice, consider another question. Can you make your job much more enjoyable by making just a few simple changes? You may not be able to change your boss, your colleagues or the tasks you're told to complete, but you can change some things.

Be More Organised Clutter causes chaos.

If you're disorganised it may be causing you huge anxiety without you even realizing it. Are you always spending your time trying to track down emails and find important documents? If you clear away the mess, you will clear away the stress.

Less Stress

Speaking of stress, try to find some time each day to relax. If you only loosen up at the end of the week then you will be spending a lot of your life feeling anxious, which is very damaging for your health. And it is a rotten way to spend your time. So try to find ways to remain calm at work.

Look After Your Body

It may seem an easy solution to grab a chocolate bar each day from the snack machine and a coffee from the canteen, but the more junk you put in your body, the worse you will feel in the long run. Try fuelling your body with healthy alternatives. You'll feel much more energetic and ready to take on the day.

Improve Work Relationships

You have to see your colleagues every day. So try your best to get along with the other members of the team. Be empathetic if someone is dealing with personal problems   we all have a private life outside of work. Also try to notice when people need you to give them space or, alternatively, lend an ear.

Written by Chima Kanu of Circle Square Talent -Finance & Accounting Recruitment