Sue is the proprietor of a bar in Sutton Coldfield…

She realizes that virtually all of her customers are unemployed alcoholics and, as such, can no longer afford to patronize her bar.

To solve this problem, she comes up with a new marketing plan that allows her customers to drink now, but pay later.

Sue keeps track of the drinks consumed on a ledger (thereby granting the customers loans).

Word gets around about Sues “drink now, pay later” marketing strategy and, as a result, increasing numbers of customers flood into Sue’s bar. Soon she has the largest sales volume for any bar in Sutton.

By providing her customers freedom from immediate payment demands, Sue gets no resistance when, at regular intervals, she substantially increases her prices for wine and beer, the most consumed beverages.

Consequently, Sue’s gross sales volume increases massively.

A young and dynamic vice-president at the local bank recognises that these customer debts constitute valuable future assets and increases Sue’s borrowing limit.

He sees no reason for any undue concern because he has the debts of the unemployed alcoholics as collateral!

At the bank’s corporate headquarters, expert traders figure a way to make huge commissions, and transform these customer loans into DRINKBONDS.

These “securities” then are bundled and traded on international securities markets.

Naive investors don’t really understand that the securities being sold to them as “AAA Secured Bonds” really are debts of unemployed alcoholics. Nevertheless, the bond prices continuously climb – and the securities soon become the hottest-selling items for some of the nation’s leading brokerage houses.

One day, even though the bond prices still are climbing, a risk manager at the original local bank decides that the time has come to demand payment on the debts incurred by the drinkers at Sue’s bar. He so informs Sue.

Sue then demands payment from her alcoholic patrons. But, being unemployed alcoholics — they cannot pay back their drinking debts.

Since Sue cannot fulfill her loan obligations she is forced into bankruptcy. The bar closes and Sue’s 11 employees lose their jobs.

Overnight, DRINKBOND prices drop by 90%.

The collapsed bond asset value destroys the bank’s liquidity and prevents it from issuing new loans, thus freezing credit and economic activity in the community.

The suppliers of Sue’s bar had granted her generous payment extensions and had invested their firms’ pension funds in the BOND securities.

They find they are now faced with having to write off her bad debt and with losing over 90% of the presumed value of the bonds.

Her wine supplier also claims bankruptcy, closing the doors on a family business that had endured for three generations, her beer supplier is taken over by a competitor, who immediately closes the local plant and lays off 150 workers.

Fortunately though, the bank, the brokerage houses and their respective executives are saved and bailed out by a multibillion dollar no-strings attached cash infusion from the government.

The funds required for this bailout are obtained by new taxes levied on employed, middle-class, non-drinkers who have never been in Sue’s bar.

Now do you understand the EuroZone troubles?

• Revisit all that in-depth research you did before you went for your interview – it wasnt just for show as you’re going to be using it now… the blog and news sections will ensure you are up to date with all the latest goings on.
• If you’re keen then you can send your future  boss a quick email and ask if there’s anything that you should be up to speed on before you start. There’s no better way to start a job and getting rid of those pre-starting nerves than by hitting the ground running.
• Update your LinkedIn profile and social media requesting referrals  from your last employer and ex-colleagues: they are more likely to give you one now than in 6 months time.
• Once you’re at the office make a real effort to learn everyone’s name and what they do. If you are going to become invaluable at your new job then its only going to be possible by getting on well with your new team!
• In the first month concentrate on learning your new job inside-out and become dependable right away rather than trying to change things. If you think something could be done more efficiently after you have got the bigger picture then you’ll have a really clear idea of how and why.  Pushing people’s noses out in the first week is never advisable although its definitely good to ask questions.
• Enjoy it! Your career is about personal growth for you too so be like a sponge, soak it all up and enjoy yourself!

Salary survey for Yorkshire 2011

Gloss Creative Recruitment’s Salary Survey 2011

Representing Yorkshire’s finest talent

Introduction

Once a year, we down tools in anticipation of spending a good week analysing a year’s worth of numbers and data.  A refreshing change (or should that be challenge) for us, to produce our eagerly awaited salary survey, but no mean feat with over 150 new job vacancies since September 2010!  We would like to share our findings, thoughts and reflections with you, our valued clients as we focus on the salaries across the digital / creative / Marketing and PR industry from September 2010 to September 2011.  We are always heartened to receive your positive feedback on our efforts and hope this latest survey is of some use to you.

We have experienced a surge in demand for candidates (across the board) in this period, producing a record year for placements – a real positive considering the previous year’s events. There has been a significant demand for digital talent – the biggest trend being the need for front end web designers / developers who can hand code. This demand showed no signs of faltering but the only raise with regards to salaries came from the more technical UI / UX type roles.

Nearly half of the vacancies registered with Gloss Creative Recruitment over the last 12 months were in the digital design field with a large part of these being associated with the retail sector.

We have also seen a much higher rise in the level of digital project management roles this year. Reasons will vary from agency to agency, but a common theme is the fact that digital creative is becoming an absolutely crucial part of an agencies overall marketing strategy.

In our previous survey, our search division had rocketed with many integrated and digital agencies adding a SEO / PPC offering as a bolt on to business. Unfortunately, this division has had a tough year due to the lack of qualified expertise available. The biggest trend we witnessed here was a large transition of senior SEO and PPC experts taking up the freelance mantle or setting up smaller / low overhead businesses.

Many agency opportunities for search specialist candidates have been available this year but the majority of permanent candidates in this sector gave preference to inhouse roles rather than agency for the following reasons – more pay, less hours and more time to develop a smaller amount of specific accounts / products.

Finally, we have witnessed the high commitment of our digital candidates to the use of social media and corresponding networking events. A much greater percentage of candidates/applications now come to us directly or via referrals from places such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Digital 

Key trends:

1. Rise in demand for the more technically strong developers rather than front end creatives.

2. Digital account handlers still in very high demand with low availability.

3. SEO and PPC vacancies level out as the sector suffers from a skills shortage.

Salaries

Key Contact:

Ian Rigby

Ian@glossrecruitment.com

Graphic Design, Marketing and PR.

Graphic design within the print sector made a much healthier return from the dismal period in 2009 / 2010 – although, it is still an incredibly tough market at the graduate and junior level. We have seen a rise in demand for candidates in both the graphic design and artworking divisions. Salaries have not risen, as expected, but the amount of freelancers looking to return to permanent employment has.

Our results show that the average salary across the creative agency sector is still below previous levels.  Most new roles have arisen as replacements rather than as a result of economic growth (apart from within roles that require high end creativity or illustrative skills e.g. greetings cards).

We have had a steady flow of PR roles on both client side and agency from executive to director level – the most significant aspect of this being a large demand for digital PR and social media skills. New roles have emerged within this market as a greater awareness of the use / need for content comes under the umbrella of PR (from search engine friendly product definitions through to online journalism).

With all our roles, the emphasis on local talent has been hot on the agenda with the age of medium to long haul commutes (1 hour+) fast becoming a thing of the past.  With salaries remaining static and with little chance of growth, it has been hard to entice candidates away from the stability of their current roles with little or no monitory compensation for travel.

Lastly, we have noted a huge increase in the number of long term contract roles for reasons such as flexibility ( in terms of costs and resources) as well as a larger than normal rise in maternity cover –  it seems like the credit crunch was good for something!!!

Key trends:          

1. Bounce back in demand for traditional skills including graphic designers and artworkers

2. Clients still want very specific skills sets with matching experience to hit the ground running

3. Salaries mainly frozen from the year before with more emphasis on location

5. Rise in client side roles whereas agencies still prefer direct and freelance applications

Salaries

Key Contact:

Nicola Burbridge

Nicola.burbridge@glossrecruitment.com

Sources

The data summarised in this survey has been collated from Candidates and Clients that have registered with our agency and are based on actual paid salaries and client job specs. Please note that Gloss Creative Recruitment operates on Permanent positions both Inhouse and agency only within Yorkshire.

For more information please visit www.glossrecruitment.com or call us on 0870 321 9788

Clients in this sector are demanding more and more from their candidates, which is leading to a dearth of skills in the industry (from Recruiter magazine).

Britain’s media & creative sector doesn’t appear to have learned the lessons of the dotcom revolution at the turn of the century. While web designers with no experience in graphic design were widely sought after in 1999, these days it is candidates who understand social media and mobile technology that are in short supply.

In increasingly tougher economic times, clients want it all digital skills and candidates who understand business a combination that’s thin on the ground. The result is that opportunities abound for individuals that can align their digital skills with the needs of business.

“Everyone in 2000 said they wanted a website and then a couple of years later, they were saying we want viral,” says Mark Begley, head of creative & digital at Major Players.

He told Recruiter: “Digital is still a buzzword at the moment. Whereas before it was a sideline, over the last 18 months, it has become part of the whole mix.

“Now everyone is saying we must have social, we must have a social element or we must have an app sometimes it is not relevant and doesn’t enhance the business. At times it can actually weaken the business.”

But client demand for digital media talent shows no signs of abating, says Caroline Foote, managing director of media recruitment agency Career Moves Group. “Throughout the last year we have seen growth in the demand for candidates in digital media, driven by a sharp rise in the number of publications expanding or moving online.

“The movement of good candidates into the digital sector has created vacancies in traditional media, creating demand from that sector.”

Employers now seek more than just good digital skills from candidates, according to Frances Illingworth, global recruitment director WPP, who says the global marcoms [marketing communications] agency is currently recruiting people with an in-depth digital knowledge and understanding of brands.

“The issues are general to the economy. We are not in recession but it is a difficult time. One of the issues of people who have been brought up in the digital world is candidates are not very familiar with how we look at big ideas within the brand space.”

And with a downturn in the economy and consequently recruitment, the sector has left a lot of organisations playing catch up in hiring sales talent, according to a spokesperson for publisher Emap. “Candidates are rare, due to the lack of investment in entry level roles two years ago. Therefore, there seems to be a lack of a talent pipeline for these senior sales executive roles. True digital skills have always been rare. Due to this we are focusing more on developing from within and progressing people internally.”

To ensure the sector has the necessary skills to equip itself in the future, experience shouldn’t be discarded, according to Dr John Oliver, director, Institute of Media & Communications Research programme, Professional Doctorate-Creative Industries at The Media School at Bournemouth University.

“There are people coming to us, aged 45-50 saying I have 30 years in the creative industries and I have not got that much to show for it.

“We have launched a professional doctorate specifically for the creative industries which allows experienced people to shape their experience and develop new skills and new knowledge based around their day job, making them relevant or setting up consultancy.”

http://reetsweet.blogspot.com/

Salt’s Pecan tart:

Rich caramelised pecans offered a substantially crunchy contrast to the delicious gooey centre. I found that there was distinct difference between the English and American version of this Southern treat. There was something very warm, and familiar about the taste of Salt’s filling. After googling some recipes, I found that where corn syrup is used in the US, golden syrup such as Lyle’s is used in the UK, giving the filling a depth that corn syrup could never achieve.

Salt’s butternut squash, chickpea & spinach filo parcels:

Sprinkled with sesame seeds, these parcels resemble samosas. However, as you tuck in, you’ll find layers upon layers of delicately fried filo pastry surrounding a lovely amalgamation of sweet butternut squash, tender chickpeas and spinach.

Salt’s almond croissant:

Generously topped with slivered almonds, this was a delicious treat with a cup of tea. The croissant had a rather cakey bottom which contrasted nicely with the rich buttery layers.

Salt’s arancini:

Because of their roundness and colour, arancini translates to “little oranges”. On the inside you’ll find rich risotto, creamy goat’s cheese and sweet spicy chili which all work together beautifully.

http://www.saltsdeli.co.uk/

Lincolnshire Poacher Cheese butter:

This hand patted whey cream butter has a rustic texture, a slight saltiness and gorgeous buttery creaminess. This butter would be fantastic on toast or in an omelette and is only available at farmers markets.

http://www.lincolnshirepoachercheese.com/

Hebdens Seafoods Oak Smoked Garlic & Rosemary Mackerel

Hebdens mackerel has an irresistible smokey flavour combined with garlic and rosemary. Decently priced at £1.63, this fillet along with a jacket potato and garlic bread made for an indulgent meal.

Hebdens Seafoods
07941 419967

Churchview Farm duck eggs:

If you have never had duck eggs you are missing out. Priced at £1.60 for 6, these duck eggs are an affordable treat for breakfast. I found that the force necessary to break chicken eggs is too little for their harder, almost rubbery shell. I used two to make a french style omelette and found their taste delightful and more fluffier than chicken eggs.

Church View Farm
31 Church View
Wakefield
West Yorkshire
WF1 5AL

01924 250689 or 07785 232782

The Headingley Development Trust is always looking for volunteers to help set up the stalls. If this sounds like a great way to give something back you can email kim@headingleydevelopmenttrust.org.uk for more information.

Christina is a freelance copywriter with experience in social media who received a B.A. in English at the University of Louisville in 2009 and settled in the United Kingdom in 2010.

Though they masquerade under the same name, English-style burgers can be classified as under-seasoned clumps of meat, devoid of texture, many times lacking that charred goodness on the outside. This leaves something to be desired as if done well, a burger can be a flavoursome marriage of savoury beef, grilled veggies, and whatever else you fancy.

When it comes to burgers, you don’t want to opt for super lean meat as this can lead to a dry burger. The health conscious needn’t fret, grilling is a healthy option as it allows the fat to drip down without sacrificing that lovely flavour! I’d recommend purchasing mince with 20% fat. Try not to go lower than that, but don’t go too far in the opposite direction either. Mince with more fat will shrink drastically, leaving you with a bite-sized rather than full-sized burger.

As the coals are reaching the optimum white hot temperature you should prepare your patties, prepping your lettuce, tomato, buns, and put your mince in a large mixing bowl to be seasoned.

Steak seasonings in your spice rack are a great option if want to experiment. Of course, don’t forget the classic freshly ground black pepper and salt combo. If you like a savoury burger like I do, a few drops of worcestershire sauce or a tiny dollop of Marmite works wonders.

If you mix chopped onion, mushroom or garlic in your patty it’s best to go small. Large pieces of veg or mushrooms can change the consistency of your patty, making it too crumbly. Crumbly patties will not hold their shape and will most likely end up amongst the coals.

The beauty of burgers is that you can experiment and see what works for you. If you’re unsure of how much is enough one trick I like to use it to actually smell the mince. If you can smell the seasonings, then you’ve put enough in.

For each patty, I’d recommend 1/4lb of mince for a thinner burger or a half pound if you think you can handle it.

Once you have sufficiently mixed your seasonings with the mince, form a ball in your palm, then slowly press it between your flat palms, until it is at least an inch thick. Remember, you want a patty not a meatball that won’t cook evenly. Also, take into consideration that the burger will shrink so make the patty just a bit bigger than the diameter of the bun if possible. Once your patties are formed a little extra seasoning like cracked pepper and salt on the outside ensures a nice little crust.

My favourite topping suggestions:

• Grilled onion, mushrooms, red, orange, and yellow peppers
• Cheddar, goats, or gouda cheese
• Sliced tomato, romaine lettuce, and sliced avocado

When your grill is sufficiently hot, you’re ready to start! If you have other things on the menu, it’s wise to start cooking something fatty such as sausages or burgers as the fat that drips out of them will ensure that the grill keeps on sizzling. If you wish to grill onions or peppers you should put them on the grill when the burgers go on so they’ll be ready when you serve.

The next step is crucial: once your burgers are cooking resist the urge to smash them down. Correction, resist the urge to smash anything down on the grill, be they pork chops, chicken breasts or anything else. You will only succeed in losing those precious juices, ultimately ending up with a dry, chewy disaster. That won’t be fun for anyone.

Timing is everything with burgers. If you try to flip the burger too early it means that your burger will stick to the grill. Two or three minutes on each side should be sufficient. Allow just a couple of minutes extra if you want your burger well-done. Once you’ve flipped, don’t flip the burger over again. This would be a great time to put your cheese on.

Don’t think you’re limited to the outdoors, you can use these tips in the kitchen when the weather isn’t right for grilling out!

Go on, fire up the grill and burger off!

Christina is a freelance copywriter with experience in social media who received a B.A. in English at the University of Louisville in 2009 and settled in the United Kingdom in 2010.

If you already use Facebook, chances are you have a long list of family and friends. Whether a seasoned Facebook user or beginner, it’s wise to create separate lists based on contact type. These may be “Friends”, “Family”, or “Professional”. With such lists, you can then take privacy settings further by specifying what you want your professional contacts versus friends and family to see.

You have the power to control every aspect of your profile including who can search for you, send you friend requests and messages, see your friend list, see your education, work, hometown, current city, likes and more.

Do you dream of working for a particular agency or company? Why not “Like” or “friend” them just as you would your friends? Showing a potential employer that you admire and are interested in them can get you noticed. If you already use LinkedIn to market yourself why not search for some of your professional contacts and friend them on Facebook?

Like Groups on LinkedIn, Facebook Groups also has communities you can join that span a myriad of interests. Joining opens up wonderful opportunities for you to meet and potentially network with people in your chosen field.

Once you build your network you can start broadcasting your latest tweets and blog posts. While there are many Facebook’s apps that focus on games and leisure, there are some helpful apps to help the job seeker. Here are a few:

1. Twitter
2. HootSuite
3. WordPress

Social media is changing the way job seekers find jobs as employers are advertising job openings via tweets and other mediums. Using Facebook to build your online presence and network can give you a much needed edge amongst your competitors.

Christina is a freelance copywriter with experience in social media who received a B.A. in English at the University of Louisville in 2009 and settled in the United Kingdom in 2010.

For those new to Twitter, it’s a social media platform that takes blogging a step further. Twitter enables you to tell the world what you’re thinking, join conversations, post links or whatever else you can dream of in a maximum of 140 characters.

As a job seeker or new grad it can be hard trying to convince yourself that you’re not just another number in a sea of others looking for work. However, you have more control over your destiny as you have the power to build your own online persona using social media.

Forget the saying, “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover,” in the world of social media first impressions are everything! This starts with your professional username or Twitter handle. Just like a work related email address it’s best to use your full name or a variation of it. However, if you have a long name you may be hindered by the 15 character limit!

Also keep in mind that unless you have an uncommon name it’s likely that there are loads of other Joe Publics around. Don’t think you’re being innovative by using joepublic123 either, there’s a reason joepublic122, joepublic121 and so on are taken up. Instead, use this opportunity to be original and create a username that reflects the image you wish to portray.

Do you know what your best side is? In addition to a good username, a professional looking headshot as your avatar will resonate with those you follow, people following you, or potential employers looking for candidates. Of course, don’t forget to smile. Not only will your photo make you seem like a real person, a smile tells others you are friendly and approachable!

Another vital aspect of your Twitter profile is your bio. Like your summary paragraph for LinkedIn, your profile succinctly tells others exactly what kind of person you are. If you are struggling for ideas you can always look at other user’s bios for inspiration. Linking to your professional blog or LinkedIn profile can also make you more human to a potential employer.

When you think of your dream job, do you envision it at a particular company or agency? Why not follow them on Twitter? By telling them that they are important enough to follow, you may be getting some attention as well.

Instead of searching job sites, why not let the latest job opening tweets come to you? Here are some useful accounts to follow for up to date job postings:

1. JobstodayUK – the latest jobs from www.jobstoday.co.uk
2. GuardianCareers – expert advice for job seekers and grads
3. Monsterjobs_uk – the latest jobs from www.monster.co.uk
4. GradYorksJobs –  the latest jobs from www.graduatesyorkshire.co.uk
5. GJobsGraduate – The Guardian’s graduate job feed

Employers want to know that their employees and potential candidates aren’t just robots. Have fun expressing yourself through your tweets. However, don’t get too comfortable and tweet about overtly personal matters. Remember, your friends aren’t the only ones reading what you put out there!

Christina is a freelance copywriter with experience in social media who received a B.A. in English at the University of Louisville in 2009 and settled in the United Kingdom in 2010.

LinkedIn is a virtual network of over 100 million professionals spanning the globe. A professional profile speaks volumes today as it helps you gain an edge over your competition. By creating an account with LinkedIn, you are more likely to gain a web presence as LinkedIn accounts rank high in search results.

Unlike Facebook and Twitter, LinkedIn primarily allows users to engage in business and professional networking. Forget insipid apps and games like FarmVille, LinkedIn is a no-nonsense place in which to build a network of like-minded professionals.

LinkedIn makes it simple to import contacts from your email accounts, by companies or schools, and even suggests people you may know. This can include people you worked with in the past, colleagues of your colleagues, classmates and so on. By gaining just a handful of contacts you will have access to thousands of people!

When building your professional profile, details matter. Remember, your profile may be the first impression a recruiter or potential employer may have of you, so make a lasting one! You an achieve this by creating a snappy summary paragraph describing yourself. Perhaps you are a “Talented recent graduate with a passion for graphic design”? Uploading a photo of yourself, filling out your education, awards, specialties, and job history will also make you more marketable to future employers. Take your profile even further and link to your website or Twitter account.

Just like how traditional letters of recommendation can be a feather in your cap, LinkedIn allows you to request recommendations from colleagues. Recommendations can tell others that you have that special something. According to LinkedIn, “users with recommendations on their profiles are three times more likely to be found in searches.” Of course, with any relationship, you should give as well as receive, so recommend people you’ve worked with too!

Find and follow “Groups” that match your interests. You can then start or join conversations within these groups. Whatever your interests, there are groups full of experts and professionals willing to give you advice and tips on how to hone your skills or get a job in your field. Of course, these groups are also perfect places for companies and recruiters to post job openings.

With LinkedIn you don’t have to spend all of your time behind a computer. You can search for events in your area and announce to your contacts whether or not you will be attending. These are perfect opportunities to network with others in your industry, participate in fascinating discussions related to your industry, and maybe meet your future boss!

Finally, LinkedIn isn’t just about setting up profiles, you can also search for jobs by location, company, keywords, and more. LinkedIn even suggests “Jobs you may interested in”. You can help tailor these results by indicating whether results are applicable or not. That’s not all! You can even subscribe to daily or weekly emails so you are always up to date with job postings in your area.

Yes, LinkedIn may be a lot to take in at first, but it may be the best investment in yourself you can make as a job seeker. Good luck!

Christina is a freelance copywriter with experience in social media who received a B.A. in English at the University of Louisville in 2009 and settled in the United Kingdom in 2010.