Job Advertising Just Got Easier – and cheaper!

Search.co.uk/Jobs has just launched a new discounted offer for February 2010, with 3 easy ways to pay – from only £49 for 30 days advertising.

Employers can now register with Search.co.uk/Jobs and post their job adverts by choosing any one of 3 easy ways to pay, including a new £49 for 30 day ‘job credit’ offer.

You can also choose our industry-first ‘pay per application’ option or discuss a single monthly fee for unlimited vacancies.

Either go to our Employer Section now to register and post your vacancies for only £49 via this limited time offer, or call us on 0845-026-2026 for more information on ‘pay per application’ or ‘unlimited job advertising’.

Young job seekers need 2020 vision says Search.co.uk

As we come into a new decade and out of the worst recession in living memory, young job seekers need to consider how their current career decisions will look in another ten years says Search.co.uk.

This means doing more than simply finding the right employer. Never has it been clearer that the “jobs for life” culture doesn’t exist any more, explains Peter Gillespie, Managing Director of Search.co.uk, the leading jobs website.

“Many jobs which seemed rock solid ten years ago have disappeared. Who would have thought, for instance, that working for a Scottish bank could turn out to be a risky business?

“But rapid change in employment is now a fact of life. What job seekers have to consider is how they can develop the skills to help them to adapt and even benefit from regular career moves,” says Gillespie.

It is impossible to predict precisely which skills will be in demand at the end of the decade. But there are patterns which have continued for many years.

There have not, for instance, been enough school leavers going into technical education and training which has created a skills shortage in the oil industry in Aberdeen and Dundee. Okay, it is possible that environmental concerns will reduce employment prospects in the oil business, but higher-level technical skills can be transferred to other industries, for instance developing renewable energy sources.

“It is these adaptable skills that young job seekers need to develop,” says Gillespie. “For example at Search.co.uk we’re hearing from a growing number of employers who are seeking recruits with language skills. This demand can only grow as the economy becomes increasingly global.”

Employers also say it can be difficult to find applicants with so-called “soft skills” such as customer handling, planning and organising and problem-solving. Employees with these abilities are the ones who can benefit from on-going training so they can develop their skills to match the requirements of the organisation.

For many people higher education will be the best way to “learn to learn” new skills. Some strictly vocational training creates inflexible workers who get left behind the pace of change.

But Gillespie stresses that a degree isn’t the only path for job seekers. “It is impossible to predict exactly what skills and qualifications will be required by employers offering jobs in Scotland in 2020. But I bet there’ll still be shortages of plumbers, electricians and other qualified trades people. Those with the right qualifications will be making a very comfortable living.”

Useful links: Jobs in Glasgow, Jobs in Edinburgh, Jobs in Aberdeen, Engineering Jobs.

Search.co.uk predicts good news for jobs in Scotland

After a year of analysts prophesying gloom, prospects for Scottish jobs are surprisingly bright for 2010 according to leading jobs website Search.co.uk

“For several months employers I’ve been talking to in cities like Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee have been increasingly optimistic about jobs,” says Peter Gillespie, Managing Director of Search.co.uk.

“Their feelings were confirmed in the middle of December by figures from the Office of National Statistics showing that unemployment fell in Scotland by 2,000 in the three months from August to October – despite the jobless figures continuing to rise for the rest of the UK.”

Gillespie says that while this does not represent a boom in Scottish jobs, it does seem to suggest that a recovery in demand for staff – although fragile – is on its way. Also that there are some areas of the Scottish economy where there are definite grounds for optimism.

The financial services sector, which a year ago appeared to be in meltdown, is quietly recovering. The large banks did shed staff and, while there may be more redundancies to come, there was also considerable growth in the form of Tesco Bank, Virgin Money, BN Paribas and Esure insurance.

“Although some major institutions suffered catastrophic problems with the credit crunch, the need for financial services in general hasn’t disappeared. Individuals and companies still need insurance, banking, loans, pensions, savings and investment services. The institutions may have changed but the accountancy & finance jobs are still there,” says Gillespie.

The strength of the Scottish manufacturing sector has also surprised many commentators. As early as July firms in CBI Scotland’s quarterly survey were bullish about their prospects, while by October they were talking about their order books filling up.

This resurgence in manufacturing appears to be largely driven by overseas sales. The latest Lloyds TSB Scotland Business Monitor, which surveys over 400 companies, found expectations for export activity rising to their highest level for four and a half years. Manufacturers are benefiting from the weakness of the pound which helps make Scottish products very competitive in overseas markets, and it’s helping other parts of the economy too.

Tourists from overseas are discovering their Euros, dollars and yen go much further, while visitors from south of the Border find their spending isn’t quite as squeezed as it is when they take their holidays in Continental Europe and the USA.

It’s impossible to exaggerate the importance of tourism to the Scottish economy. It brings in around £4 billion a year and creates around 200,000 jobs in Scotland .

Much of the growth in the Scottish hospitality industry has been at the upper end of the market. Five-star visitors expect professional service and the pay, training and standard of staff reflects this.

Finally, if proof were needed of the resilience of the Scottish economy, the whisky industry was reporting growth at the end of 2009 with over 800 million bottles being shipped abroad between January and September. Bringing in well over £2 billion this represents about 20% of Scotland’s manufactured exports. There’s a success everybody can drink to.