Jobs, Jobs, Jobs - is it all improving?

YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU! Get out there and let’s get the economy going. (A quick piece on the job market from recent observations; and a couple of jobs!)

I was stimulated (if that is the right word on a Tuesday morning around 8am) to write a blog piece due to a couple of bits of news.

First noteworthy bit of news is the soon to happen “Cluster f**k” of Dominic Cummings giving evidence later on to the Commons Select Committee examining the Covid reaction from government. Should be interesting.

Second noteworthy bit of news relates to good old Marks and Spencer that has sadly reported big loses due to the pandemic. It made a pre-tax loss of £201.2m in the 52 weeks to 27 March, down from a £67.2m profit in the previous year. But M&S said food sales were up, contributing to "a resilient financial performance in a year of disruption".

Why did both catch my attention?

Well on the one hand we have a bunch of politicians muck slinging, flinging blame about. Are they taking ownership? On the other hand we have an established business, that admittedly most people like, announcing results and fighting back. A business that employs people.

So it got me thinking in a sort of socialist, capitalist way, that we can all try and keep the bitching, back stabbing, blame, or just plain “oh, woe is me” behind us and focus on growth and renewal.

As we help grow the economy by working, employing people, spending money we give to those less fortunate than us in the advertising, marketing, and media businesses. Let’s face facts, most of us are overpaid for what we contribute to society.

We don’t have to be insular, concerned with number one, and “she said, he said” attitudes to life, akin to the Politicians that will clearly be bickering today. Do we really want to emulate this, or can we offer a different approach? Namely getting one’s head down and working for the common good? I am not saying M & S is perfect, but it is a damn sight better than Westminster presently….

Speaking of employment….

You may be able to help me… I have two roles that I am recruiting for. Rather nice jobs if I may say so, and all the more charming as I am working with old established contacts.

One is a Digital Marketing Manager for a rather large B2B Group based in the North West but with UK operations.

The other is again B2B but this time a Marketing Director role for a digitally led transformation, mobile, and web agency that has some very well known brands on its roster.

Interestingly enough both roles, whilst North West based, can be worked remotely and this is encouraged. More on this below…

Is it getting better in the job market?

Well yes I think it is, but with a caveat…

I specialise in head hunting, search and selection, or whatever you wish to call it, in the media, advertising, and marketing fields. Why? Spent my career in it and love it.

I think at the moment that after a cull of senior people across various businesses as they sought to cut costs, and to an extent a knee jerk reaction, we are seeing both a lack of supply of people for roles and demand by employers. People don’t want to move until it all settles, and employers have shed staff and are waiting with trepidation.

But I have seen improvement as some senior briefs hit the desk.

But I am concerned that businesses wait too long to either backfill staff, or for that matter expand, and so this has a knock on effect on the market. Added to this is the “million Dollar question” as to how many businesses in this sector have exhausted cash flow, need to pay back “bounce back loans” or both? It could be the recipe for disaster.

My suggestion is that employers look to hire, and candidates don’t give up hope, especially the senior ones - there are a few in the marketplace. Via such an approach we can economically create demand and supply and stimulus, but I recognise it is not that straight forward. (Supply and Demand.)

Lastly, I have most definitely noticed a vast change in location based working. Firms are now clearly embracing remote working for two key reasons. One, they have seen it work in real time, and technology is at a point so as to be cheap, scalable, and supportive. For example the two North West jobs I mention previously can look to candidates based anywhere in the UK!