News

Jobs Market is Picking Up, says Headstart Recruitment

Details: Published on Wednesday, 13 March 2013 14:59

The Managing Director of Headstart Recruitment in Henley believes the job market is about to pick up again.

Claudine Bush, 42, who joined Headstart in Newtown Road when it was launched 15 years ago and bought the company five years later, believes employers are starting to recruit again for marketing and sales roles.

She admitted technology had an impact on recruitment but believed there was still cause for optimism.

Mrs Bush, of New Street, Henley, said: “When I first started, 90 per cent of the jobs were for personal assistants but now it’s five per cent.

“Technology has changed how recruitment is focused. People have become more self-sufficient because of IT — you don’t need a hardback diary any more because it’s all on your iPad.

“Instead, companies are looking for people who can do the jobs behind the scenes, such as web-based roles. Other than that, jobs are pretty much the same and now the double-dip recession seems to be over, hopefully people will start recruiting again.”

Mrs Bush said marketing and sales jobs were the first to be axed during troubling economic times but these roles were now returning.

She said: “It’s always a good sign when marketing jobs are available because everyone cuts the marketing staff at the beginning of a recession as there is no budget but now everyone is recruiting again.”

Mrs Bush, who is married to TV chef Mike Robinson and has a son, Harrison, seven, joined the agency when it was based in Caversham after using it to try to find a job.

She rejected offers when Headstar’s then owners asked her to join as a recruitment consultant.

Mrs Bush then bought the company and has retained clients including Invesco Perpetual. Last year, Headstart filled 24 of the financial firm’s 50 vacancies at its Henley office.

Mrs Bush said the agency specialises in support roles, such as in customer services, sales, marketing co-ordination and executive assistants to chief executive officers.

She said: “We’re not a bums-on-seats agency — we’re not just trying to fill a job. We’ve had the same clients for more than 10 years and they come back again and again.

“We’ve been on a number of preferred supplier lists for a long time and that’s not to be sniffed at.” Mrs Bush, who works with two other staff, said she can often receive up to 500 CVs after advertising a vacancy.

She then selects the best candidates and interviews them on the phone and in person before submitting a shortlist to the employer.

Mrs Bush said: “By the time they get to the clients they should be at the second interview stage. It can take a long time to look at CVs and shortlisting so supplying candidates is a big job. Using an agency saves a client all that.”

Mrs Bush said her own business was hit during the recession as companies stopped recruiting.

She made four redundancies and worked on her own with a reduced salary for a short while but is now in recovery.

“Everyone had to cut their overheads and pray that their reputation would take them through it and for us it did,” she said.

Absolute Mobility Does Comic Relief!

Details: Published on Wednesday, 13 March 2013 14:44

Henley-on-Thames based Absolute Mobility, the accessible baths and walk in shower specialist, is supporting Red Nose Day by offering you the chance to win a £499 bath lift – and they’ll be doing it in fancy dress!

A representative from the company will be in Market Place on Red Nose Day (Friday, March 15) from 9am onwards selling raffle tickets for a minimum of £1, with all proceeds going to Comic Relief.

The bath lift in question will be the practical and stylish Bellavita, which is currently the lightest bath lift on the market, weighing just 9.3kg. It is operated by a convenient, lightweight and fully waterproof floating hand control to adjust the height of the seat as needed.

Ross Edwards, Director, said: “We are delighted to be supporting Comic Relief this year. Fundraising is never easy in the current climate so we are happy to do what we can to contribute to this very worthy cause. If you are in the Market Place on Red Nose Day, do pop in and say hello, and enter our raffle to win this extremely practical bath lift for you or a loved one.”

For information about the company or its products, please visit www.absolutemobility.co.uk or call freephone 0800 29 22 110.

C.A.S WELCOMES NEW TEAM MEMBER

Details: Published on Wednesday, 20 February 2013 11:05

C.A.S Marketing has recently welcomed a new member to its team! Shruti Sheth has joined the company as PR Account Executive. A Journalism graduate, she has worked in the Marketing, Communications and PR industry for four years.

Shruti said: “I am delighted to have joined C.A.S Marketing. I was looking for a PR-specific role, and I am really looking forward to working with all C.A.S clients. We successfully combine our marketing experience to achieve the best possible results, and there is a real sense of team spirit here. It is the input from each individual and great teamwork, which allows us to produce creative PR and Marketing solutions.”

Andrew Gubbins, PR Director at C.A.S, said: “Shruti has previously worked on the Journalism side, as well as PR, and can combine these skills to produce effective PR campaigns. She has also worked closely with Social Media and Marketing, which means we can continue to offer this service to our clients.”

C.A.S Marketing offers solutions to all marketing requirements from creative design and PR through to social media campaigns and marketing strategies. It has worked, and continue to work, with regional, national and international clients, and tailors its services to suit budgets and objectives in order to achieve measurable results.

To find out more, please call 01491 578888.

CAS mucks in at the Kirton team building afternoon

Details: Published on Wednesday, 07 November 2012 14:58

Kirton Healthcare took C.A.S’ commitment to its clients quite literally the other day when it enlisted the help of its PR department at the recent Kirton team building event. Never one to resist a challenge, Vanessa literally mucked in and got involved with the archery and buggy racing which took place on a muddy Oxfordshire farm! It was a great afternoon and it seems that the philosophy of work hard, play hard makes for a very happy team at Kirton…and C.A.S.

Naidex South Opens

Details: Published on Wednesday, 17 October 2012 12:05

Naidex South provides inspiration for independent living for people in London and the South East.