Barker Black Ltd

Being connected to thousands of recruiters I see daily the video of a new recruiter ringing the bell in the office to celebrate their first deal. A great thing to celebrate of course but at what point of the process do you celebrate this win? When do you ring the bell/put a deal in your figures? For me it`s always when the candidate has resigned from their current employer , the contract is signed and the start date at my client has been confirmed. I feel verbal acceptance is to soon as things can still go wrong. What do you think?

10 ways to ensure top billing recruiters resign. Constantly move your best consultants to a different desk so they have to start all over again every 2 years. Never give existing staff a pay rise so that those with 3 years experience are paid more than those with 10 years experience. Cut the commission and give the reason that the company isn’t doing very well, even though your top biller is still billing well. Decide that everyone needs to be back in the office 5 days per week. Insist that if people have to fly for business they can only fly economy (the fact the board fly business or private is irrelevant) Bring in a new CEO who fires all of the senior management , not realising all of your recruiters worked for these people not you or your brand. Say there is no budget to attend industry events. Make expenses so hard to claim back that recruiters stop taking candidates or clients out for a coffee, sandwich or lunch. Create  a toxic work environment such as handing out doughnuts to people who haven’t billed the previous month. Offshore all of your resourcing to a country where English is not the first language making finding people for the jobs you are trying to fill near impossible. What have I missed and how many of these have you experienced in your recruitment career? #Recruitment #Workingconditions #Worklifebalance

So I placed my first Chief Technology Officer into a Recruitment Firm in Melbourne, Australia 👨💻 One of my best clients asked me if I knew anyone who could find him a CTO 👨💼 I asked him the salary and said I can do that  I know you and the business well and if you share a JD I`ll do a search. 🎆 We found a CTO working at a competitor recruitment agency in Melbourne and after 3 meetings and working his notice he has started and is getting on very well. 💲 Also the fee is twice the size of my normal fee as it`s a base salary only role unlike placing a recruiter. 💱 I guess what I`m saying is that in this tough market there is nothing wrong with diversifying slightly from what you usually do. #Recruitment #CTO #BusinessDiversification

R2R Weekly Update 📊 Are basic salaries going backwards ⬇ In conversations this week, there seems to be a disparity between candidate expectations and client offers regarding basic salaries. Particularly noticeable for candidates with over a decade of experience. For mid-level 360 recruiters, salaries appear stable. However, opportunities diminish once base salaries exceed £60K, with clients showing less inclination to invest. Are we approaching the bottom of this wage downturn, or will the trend persist ❓ What trends are you observing in your sector ❓ #Recruitment #Salaries #JobMarket #IndustryTrends

💡 STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD I see hundreds of CV`s every month and here is what you should be doing to make sure you can help secure an interview and stand out from the crowd. ✅ Make sure the dates on your Linkedin profile and CV match. ✅ Don`t leave gaps on your CV or send a CV that ends a few years ago . Always explain what you are doing up until the present day. If this was part time work, caring  for a family member or travelling say it . This is fine. ✅ Include success on your CV.  For example if you are recruiter let me know your billing figures, average deal size , sector you are working in. Don`t simply use a load of generic terms. ✅ Read through the job description you are applying to  and amend your CV accordingly to match buzz words. ✅ Keep it short . 2 pages maximum. ✅ Chronological order. Most recent job at the top. ✅ Link the mission statement on your CV to the job requirements stated in the advertisement. ✅ Take  your time . Reread it for mistakes before sending. What have a I missed ? #Interviewtips #CVwriting #Securingajobinterview #Standoutfromthecrowd

19 Year Anniversary Thanks to all who messaged last week congratulating me on my 19 years at Barker Black.  Back in 2005 when I set the business up home working didn’t exist and the idea that I`d be placing candidates in the US, Canada, Australia and Middle East did not cross my mind. The first few years of the business were great as I helped the profits of the many restaurants and bars near our offices in Central London, however then the Financial Crisis hit in 08/09 we were pretty much wiped out. Our income stopped overnight and I had to shut the company down. It was a tough time. The business and myself had a lot of debt. I went off to South America travelling, came back to the UK and started working from home in 2010 and haven’t worked in an office since. I now live on the South Coast in the New Forest National Park in the UK. Many of you will have had a tough time with work this year be it as a business owner , talent acquisition manager or recruiter. As the last 19 years show , having been through both the financial crash and the pandemic these things end and the good times come back. When, we don`t know , but the resilient amongst you will be there to see them. Have a good week.  #Businessjourney #Anniversary

I had insightful conversations with clients today regarding the current market sentiment around maximizing existing resources. One client mentioned, "I've never known things so bad." How are you experiencing the recruitment/staffing market? Do you anticipate a positive shift post the US election? #MarketSentiment #Recruitment #Staffing #US2024Election

Business Development Manager Opportunities in Riyadh! (You must be working in the recruitment/staffing sector and have sales experience) Are you based in the UK, Europe, or Australia with experience in contract energy, renewables, or power and utilities recruitment? Interested in relocating to Saudi Arabia? DM me! Position requires relocation by October/November 24, 5+ years of relevant experience, and a sales-focused mindset. Package negotiable and tax free. Anyone know which building this picture was taken from? #BusinessDevelopment #EnergyRecruitment #Renewables #JobOpportunity

A very interesting article on City am this week regarding the state of the UK recruitment industry. The large firms are struggling in my opinion as it is a challenge for them to hang on to their top consultants. What do you think? #MarketIntelligence #UKRecruitmentindustry

Business Development Manager Opportunities in Riyadh! (You must be working in the recruitment/staffing sector and have sales experience) Are you based in the UK, Europe, or Australia with experience in contract energy, renewables, or power and utilities recruitment? Interested in relocating to Saudi Arabia? DM me! Position requires relocation by October/November 24, 5+ years of relevant experience, and a sales-focused mindset. Package negotiable and tax free. Anyone know which building this picture was taken from? #BusinessDevelopment #EnergyRecruitment #Renewables #JobOpportunity