The PlanetRecruit Blog

Make yourself stand out: Qualifications are not necessarily enough

By Madeleine Field, FDM Group Recruitment Manager 

Madeleine is responsible for the FDM  Group graduate recruitment teams. As well as overseeing recruitment operations for FDM Group’s graduate programme worldwide, Madeleine also organises all corporate career presentations, workshops, seminars and graduate fairs.  

According to a recent study, the average number of applicants for every job has increased from 15 to 20. When coupled with the current employment figures from the Office for National Statistics which show a mere 0.1 percent increase, it is no wonder that jobseekers have started applying for jobs in alternative career fields.

I was listening to BBC Radio 5 Live's debate on current unemployment the other day there were two young and currently unemployed jobseekers on the programme. They were advised to start widening their net and consider alternative career paths if they were not having much luck in getting interviews for their dream job.

However, there is then the risk that jobseekers who are desperate, will begin applying for any kind of work rather than in their chosen career, thus increasing the number of applicants for each job.

FDM Invites you to 'Women in IT'

For graduate girls who are ready, SET and going for IT.....

Want to ‘go for gold’ in the race for career success? As a female in the IT industry you will be entering a male-dominated and fast-paced profession and this event has been created to help you on your journey.

Designed to inspire, inform and build valuable professional relationships, FDM’s Women in IT events have been highly successful and are essential for any female thinking of entering the IT sector.

'Women in IT' will be held on Thursday 31^st May (6pm-8pm) will be held near London Bridge and will include talks from three inspiring women who have achieved a personal best in the IT industry and become strong advocators of women in SET. Following this will be a networking session where you will get the opportunity to meet other females in the sector and also FDM’s appointed Female Champions.

Please download our Women in IT Event Flyer to see the full list of speakers and information on their achievements and impact on the IT industry.

Click here to download

The FDM Recruitment Team will also be on hand to discuss with you the opportunities FDM has and offer some valuable advice about how to get into, and succeed, in the IT industry.

Refreshments will be provided and the event is entirely free to attend. However, booking is essential so please secure your place now by emailing events@fdmgroup.com with your full name, telephone number and preferred email address to confirm your place and receive further details. Also please see our Women in IT Event Flyer for more information.

If you're looking for graduate IT opportunities in the mobile sector, search and apply on PlanetRecruit

 

Join us at DDD South West - The .NET Event of the year

DDD South West is a free one day technical event for developers that PlanetRecruit is sponsoring this year. It's a day of learning, discussing, contributing and being part of the community in the South West and their goal is to provide free technical education, the opportunity to mix with peers and to make and develop relationships in the .NET industry. 

 On

26th May

At: 

University of the West of England (UWE)  Frenchay Campus, 

Coldharbour Lane, 

Bristol BS16 1QY

What to expect on the day

 

Chris King's video of DDD South West 1

 

Pre-Conference Dinner

The Pre-Conference Dinner is held the night before DDD South West 4 and everyone will be welcome to come along.

Last year's event was held at Zero Degrees and the night proved to be a success. This year's event is still in the planning so we have not confirmed yet where the dinner will be held but we will update the site when we have more information

Geek Dinner

After DDD South West 4 we will be having a Geek Dinner (loads of geeks having dinner together). Here are the details:-

Location: Water Sky (Chinese restaurant), 1 Eastgate Road, Bristol (just off M32 Junction 2)

Map & details: See http://tinyurl.com/watersky

Getting there: About 10 minutes by car, just under 3 miles away. We will arrange a meeting point for people who want to share taxis to get there. For people driving, we will hand out a map with directions & satnav reference on the day. It has its own large free car park.

Food and prices: The all-you-can-eat option is £16.95 + drinks and tip. They can also cater for special dietary requirements.

Seating and payment: We will have an area of the restaurant for our tables. Each table of 10 handles its own bill and payment.

Signing up: When you arrive and register at the conference, you'll be asked to sign up for your place at the meal. Once all the places are taken, we're full - it's first-come-first-serve for this

This year PlanetRecruit is on board. Are you?

 

If you're looking for new IT opportunities in the mobile sector, search and apply on PlanetRecruit

Why optimism is on the rise in IT

....and what salaries look like for IT professionals in the Wharf.

By Mark Baxter

Mark joined Greythorn UK and Ireland in January 2012, having previously been Regional Director of the FiveTen Group in Dubai. In Dubai Mark oversaw four of our five brands, operating primarily at senior level permanent recruitment. Mark has over 15 year’s recruitment experience across a broad range of industries, both in London and internationally. He has a strong background in leading and developing teams, with a passion for service delivery.

Technology services were among the hardest hit during the recession but at Greythorn we are finding optimism returning to the market in Canary Wharf. 

In the last year the IT market has seen a 7.5% rise in average pay, and bonuses soaring up to 19%, equivalent to an average increase of £8,740 across IT packages. The big pay increases reflect the trend of companies seeking competitive advantage through their IT, and paying a premium in order to secure the best talent for their business is part of that investment. Consequently, the market for talented people in the City is booming and 71% of professionals are feeling ‘very secure’ or ‘secure’ in this knowledge.

Is work experience key to getting a graduate job in IT?

By Madeleine Field, FDM Group Recruitment Manager 

Madeleine is responsible for the FDM Academy events and recruitment teams. As well as overseeing recruitment operations for FDM Academy’s graduate programme worldwide, Madeleine also organises all corporate Academy presentations, workshops, seminars and graduate fairs. 

The recent release of the High Fliers’ report into ‘The Graduate Market in 2012’ has once again highlighted the importance of work experience for graduates in getting a job. According to the report, over half of recruiters believe that graduates with no prior work experience are “unlikely to be successful during the selection process”. 

The report also indicates that many employers are filling their graduate positions with individuals who have previously had work experience with the company.