Category Archives: Latest Updates

Latest updates from ARV Solutions

Poll – Where are all the Timber Frame Designers?

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Experienced Timber Frame Designers have become a rare breed. Over recent weeks we have had substantially increasing demand for Timber Frame Designers, and as a result, I have been making great efforts to get in contact with more potential candidates.

Understanding peoples’ motivations to move is increasingly important so that we can check if they can be satisfied with our clients’ demands – the days of taking any old job are gone.

We felt it would be a good idea to take do some research and find out a little more about where these Designers were, and what would make a difference to them when deciding to move – or stay!

The solution – A poll conducted on our LinkedIn Groups asking what the key motivations were for them to consider a move.

Potentially they were a reflection of the recent economic climate. The main incentive according to the poll; was Job Stability (receiving 32% of the votes). The least enticing choice, causing people to re-think their current position, was ‘Working on innovative projects’ (receiving 11% of the votes). The decision making process behind switching roles, we feel boils down to 5 different aspects -

Security (Job Stability)
Money (Pay / Benefits)
Lifestyle (Pay / Benefits & Location)
Status (Career Progression)
Responsibility (Working on innovative products)

According to the results, filling jobs these days requires you to offer something that helps your prospective employee overcome any reluctance in switching roles, based on their apprehension over job security. In the past it might have been heavily to do with paying the right salary, or promoting your USP’s to the candidate that makes you stand out from the crowd. Although these things are still important, we are seeing more and more people becoming less concerned over doing something unique and creative in their day to day job, as opposed to knowing that they have a long term position within a firm.

Where do we go from here? Well, for starters we are happy to provide some useful information to our clients and candidates. Working within recruitment has become an interesting battleground, focussing heavily on the speed of delivery. Sometimes it’s important to take a step back and work with what you’ve got, gaining a better understanding of who exactly it is you’re dealing with, and the type of challenges you’re up against. Having useful discussions like this, helps toward providing the high quality service that we aim to give. And we plan on having many, more discussions.

Feel free to share your own thoughts on the results in our Timber Frame, LinkedIn group at – http://linkd.in/JtXv2h

Also please take a look at some of the timber frame roles we have available - http://bit.ly/S2kCY

We are of course always open to any applications.

Please contact Jim Roach, Managing Director, ARV Solutions
0117 9592008
jim.roach@arvsolutions.co.uk
All applications are treated in strictest confidence
Iain McFarnon

 

Was Easter a good time to take some time off?

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The construction industry normally gets quieter at Easter so it seemed like a good time to take a holiday (fantastic break with the family in Florida: Delayed Flights, Rollercoasters, Alligators, Dolphins, Burgers, Butterbeer, Big Trucks etc).

I was fortunate to be leaving things in the most capable hands of our newly expanded team who have coped admirably with the further increasing volume of new recruitment assignments that have been coming through. We had been very busy for the previous three months, though I was still expecting an Easter lull – Wrong!

  • Demand for Timber Frame and Roof Truss Designers is increasing – and availability reducing!
  • Several brand new clients have approached us (including modular, pods, eco products, timber, timber frame) and we are well on the way to getting their jobs filled with numerous interviews already arranged
  • Numerous new jobs from returning clients – particularly in Production/Operations Management.

Time for me to catch up rapidly, go and meet some of these great new clients. It is great to have such a range of companies and increasing career opportunities to offer our candidate base. We will keep striving to ensure we have the very best candidate selections available to ensure onging success.

Well done to the ARV Solutions team in my absence!

Jim

ARV Solutions recruitment team grows at both ends of the experience scale

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Following on from Jim’s post in February where he wrote about our search for an Apprentice and more experienced Recruiters, we are very pleased to announce we have fulfilled both these requirements with two new members of staff:

Graham Brown is a seasoned Sales Recruiter bringing over twenty five years of placing sales personnel primarily into technical and construction sales roles. 

Iain McFarnon joins us as an Apprentice Resourcer, and is currently doing an NVQ Level 3 in Marketing, and will be continuing his training with us.

Graham and Ian join us at a very exciting time and we’re looking forward to building upon the record quarter we’ve just enjoyed. Despite a tough time in the industry, we are working on some great opportunities with some key players within offsite construction.

Response to Linkedin Question: how offsite sector can learn to survive from Automotive ideas

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I had a little rant this morning on Linkedin - giving my uninformed opinion on how to solve the woes of the offsite construction sector, in a week when we’ve seen another major manufacturer decide to close – and I suspect we’ll see a couple more go shortly. Paul Bonaccorsi, a consultant to the sector asked:

In the 1970,s the Car industry in the UK was on its knees and the worst in the world. Today we hear that Nissan will further invest in the UK. So what does Offsite UK have to do to turn itself around? Being Innovative, Creative, Flexible,supporting customers needs etc is a marketing/Sales tool and I used it as much as anybody. But put that in your business plan and the bank will laugh you out the door. So what Model did the Automotive industry use to change this and how do we adopt it going forward before we as an industry Die

My reply:

@Paul I trully believe the industry isn’t dieing – but i appreciate that some companies within it are – and it’s very painful. However others are growing and adapting. We recruited more people throughout the industry in February than in any other month in our 8 year history – and March is lined up to beat it. Honestly! We are placing people in Modular, Timber Frame, Timber Engineering, SIPS, and more – and see many more opportunities we need to follow up on. (We need a new trainee Recruiter if anyone is interested!)
It shows that there are companies out there pro-actively investing in their staff to improve their business – amongst other aspects.
The sector is in an evolutionary stage – when things get tough it is survival of the fittest – and those that adapt to the changing environment might survive.
Mine is a naive view from the sidelines of the industry as a recruiter – though we talk to a lot more people than many I guess.
Things that strike me as needing to change from what i hear include:
More introduction of LEAN and other modern efficiency principles – in manufacturing and throughout business generally – as the automotive industry did.
Selling on QUALITY, value and AFFORDABILITY not price – your car salesman will tell you how efficient your car is, what great quality it is, and what it will cost per month on FINANCE – not the headline price – couldn’t housing developers do this for example?
The ability to efficiently build in MASS CUSTOMISATION into the manufacturing model to offer bespoke but at standard cost – like car manufacturers do.
Additionally, we probably need a complete evolution in how buildings are procured through to completion too – not convinced adversarial contracts and pushing risk around is the best way. This needs to be lead by the industry and sold to clients.
That’s such a rant – it’s going on my blog too now! – and here it is!

Jim

MMC Magazine article for Ecobuild edition

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I’ve been asked to write an article on the employment market in the offsite construction sector for MMC magazine. As the leading staffing providers to the offsite construction sector we get a unique view of this job market. We are really interested to get input from employers and jobseekers on how they see things in the employment market too.

From our point of view, we are seeing record levels of permanent placements – but not from industry growth. Possibly more from employers recognising that attracting specialist expertise is essential to succeed, and that it isn’t freely available even in today’s market?

What are the employment market drivers for you?
Are you seeing skills shortages – or expecting them?
What are the key skills you need to attract?
Are the jobs changing? – i.e. towards lean manufacturing skills, Quantity Surveyors to defend contracts, or Sales people to maximise opportunities?
Is there pressure on salaries? (up or down?!)

Their next issue of MMC Magazine coincides with the Ecobuild Exhibition, and will have a far wider circulation as a result. I’d like to be able to quote real examples, and happy to give you a mention, though will do so anonymously if preferred.

Have something to say? please email me at jim.roach@arvsolutions.co.uk

Thanks – and look forward to meeting many of our clients at Ecobuild. We don’t have a stand (i’m still not sure it’s appropriate as a recruitment business) – though all our staff will attend at some point across the 3 days of the exhibition.

Jim Roach

Record first quarter to 2012

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The first quarter of 2012 is already bringing record figures for ARV Solutions – this is fantastic news particularly as we’re only in February – with potential to keep growing from here, and building for quarter two.

A huge thank you must go to the efforts of our Senior Account Manager Sue Eustace for seeing so many of our recent placements through to successful completion.

THANK YOU SUE!

In what is still a challenging market, we are pleased to be working with so many companies focussed on ensuring they have the best staff to gain the the best chance of success. It’s no coincidence that the roles filled recently particularly include a range of sales, and lean manufacturing roles.

We will continue to seek out the best opportunities, and to present the best available candidates to our wide ranging clients and are planning to offer an even wider range of vacancies as we continue to grow and develop relationships with new clients

Recruitment Industry Leader joins the team at ARV Solutions

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Recruitment Industry Leader joins the team at ARV Solutions

We are very pleased to have the recruitment industry Paul Jacobs, Advisor to ARV Solutionsleader, Paul Jacobs working with us. He is an expert in helping recruitment businesses grow and develop and brings unrivalled advice, coaching and mentoring – which is already proving invaluable. Paul’s 35 years in the recruitment industry, include time as MD of Office Angels, as a main Board Director of Adecco UK & Ireland and COO of Hudson.

Paul is working closely with us to help us grow and develop through attracting and retaining clients, candidates and most importantly colleagues.
See Paul’s biography here

A Few Facts and Figures for Feb

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In this uncertain world, it is understanding that we look for positive indicators to try and convince ourselves that things are getting better – but are they?

After a hectic December and January with nose to the grindstone working at filling jobs, I’ve taken an hour or two out to just pause for thought and take a few readings. Here are a few of our indicators that seem to be pointing the right way.

Having said that, i’m convinced that the best thing to do is not to spend too much time on checking indicators, and get back to the job of filling jobs – so it’s brief and not prettied up!

ARV Solutions Website – last three months compared to prior three months

Visitors up
Unique visitors up
Page views in each visit up – people are looking at more content
Time on site up – people are reading the content!
More return visits – people find it interesting enough to keep coming back
8% of visits are now from mobile devises.
- We are planning a major rebuild of the website in the near future, recognising it’s importance as our “Shop Window” and as a platform for advice and vacancies. I’d welcome any suggestinos for areas you’d like to see – email me at jim.roach@arvsolutions.co.uk

KPMG / REC Report on Jobs – January 2012
Permanaent placements rise – we concurr
Contract placements fall – partly due to new Agency Worker Regulations and should settle out – we’ve seen an increase
Six of the Eight sector categories grew – with Engineering/Construction growing the strongest – and it seems consistently – we’ve seen this increase though can’t be certain of future consistency yet.

We are now busy trying to grow our own team to cope with current workloads, and to be able to assist a wider client base. We’ve been looking for an Apprentice – and are also interested in hearing from further professional recruiters or talented non recruiters looking at making a career at the professional and ethical end of the market.

 

This December: the most important month of next year

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I am quoting an old boss on this one (who I didn’t always see eye to eye with), as on this I believe he is absolutely right. Things are certainly shaping up that way this year.

We are getting so many new vacancies in currently, that January could be off to a flying start if we can cover everything to the fullest extent now. Things are as busy as ever for new job enquiries from putting in the leg work to develop clients – and continuing to work hard into December. I can’t see the overall market growing significantly, though within it are some businesses taking more than their share – and we need to be one of them!

The point of the story is that if you relax in December assuming nothing much will happen – then it won’t. That will mean you have nothing happening in January too – and therefore missing your new year goals before you got started. Jobseekers thinking of making a move in the new year need to get onto it now – or you’ll miss out on a sackful of jobs coming out now.

The harder we work now the better it will be to relax at Christmas – looming into sight rapidly!

Jim Roach

Practicing what I preach about visiting clients

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Our October Newsletter’s theme was about the effectiveness of meeting clients face to face, to achieve successful outcomes for our recruitment campaigns, despite the age of digital media supposedly offering us a great range of communication options.

This week, we’re delighted to have a new client coming in to see us – having initially only dealt with them via a recruitment agency introduction website.

Then on Thursday, I’m off to the North East to meet more growing clients in the offsite construction industry to get a better idea of their business and current and ongoing needs. Eleven hours driving in total, but I’m pretty sure it will be worth it!

PS: I’m free week commencing the 5th December to meet more new clients – and will feel obliged to bring gifts as it’s near Christmas!

Jim Roach, Managing Director, ARV Solutions

0117 9592008 jim.roach@arvsolutions.co.uk