My Weblog

Sarah Parker, Office Manager, BWF

Can you believe that 2 weeks today it will be Christmas Day? This has been a busy week at BranWell Ford, we have put up our Christmas tree and started putting our Secret Santa presents around it, and the office is now looking nice and festive. 

Our consultants are still busy with new candidates and vacancies and getting ready for what will hopefully be a busy 2010.  December is also a great month to submit your CV’s, in order for you to beat the January rush.  So whilst in between your present wrapping and card writing, why don’t you update your CV and keep checking our website for a new role for the new year.

 

Nikki Haupt, Recruitment Consultant, BWF

It has been a busy week for me, registering a lot of new candidates and taking new vacancies at junior level. As you will know Branwell Ford exhibited at the PP show this year which was great for me as I met with a number of clients and candidates. Also another great experience was that we all got to meet with Darren Gough!!! (Not that I have ever been into Cricket).

Things are already looking better for next year, clients are now looking at their budgets and due to this year’s economic down turn and the redundancies as a result, there are some very good candidates still looking which will hopefully be placed very soon.  

Jane Crawley, Managing Consultant, BWF

This week has been spent following up on the many contacts, both candidates and clients, we made at the Professional Pensions Show last week. This has kept us all very busy here at BranWell Ford and although the market is still pretty quiet at the moment our clients recruitment budgets are being set for 2010.

 

The feeling is more bullish for the Spring as far as recruitment goes which is good to hear for all those candidates seeking a new position, managers needing more staff but unable to recruit at present and of course us recruitment consultants. 

 

Helen Caldwell, Director, BWF

BranWell Ford was very pleased to have a stand at the 10^th Professional Pensions Show at Docklands this week.  Thank you to all of you who visited our stand and enjoyed the warmth of our hospitality!  We had a marble based tombola that ensured that everyone was a winner – chocolates, wine and Next vouchers were all up for grabs, with the occasional BranWell Ford pen thrown in too.

The questions asked most were ‘what is the market like at the moment?’ and ‘is anyone recruiting?’  The answers are ‘slow, but with tentative signs of growth’ and ‘yes, but not as many as we would like.’  However, we were very buoyed by the amount of potential new business that we picked up at the Show. 

As a small business we invest vast sums of money and time into attending these events, in order to keep our profile high to generate the vacancies and candidates that will lead to successful placements for our clients and candidates.  We certainly hope that all that was invested into the Professional Pensions Show 2009 will contribute to a successful 2010 for all of us working in the industry.

Christine Brannigan, Director, BWF

This is my second week back from maternity leave and although I was off for 8 months, it feels like I've never been away!! I've spent the last couple of weeks catching up with Clients and Candidates and it's good to be speaking to familiar voices again. We're getting ready for the Pensions Show which takes place next week (18th & 19th November at the ExCel Centre, Docklands) which is always a good opportunity to network.  We're exhibiting again this year, so if you are attending, please come over to say hello.

Pip Sanford, Director, BWF

I’ve had a very enjoyable week as I have been out and about in Leicester, catching up with some key clients.  This was helped by the new purchase of a Garvin Sat Nav.  Now many of you will prefer the TomTom, however my new little device was a star, as I must admit my map reading skills have always been suspect.  The hub of executive pensions is based in Leicester and I am pleased to confirm that the market here is still quite busy, as I was dashing across the city centre.

Nikki Haupt, Recruitment Consultant, BWF

I can’t believe where the time has gone this year! I have had a very busy past few weeks which has included meeting both my clients and candidates. I have generally had a great month and received a number of offers for my candidates with a majority starting their new roles in November. Things definitely seem to be picking up and let’s hope that continues into next year.

Jane Crawley, Managing Consultant, BWF

Another week has flown by in the wonderful world of pensions recruitment.

This week I have been extremely busy with new roles, particularly on the Client Management front.  Our clients are clearly doing something right in winning new business to create these roles.

Things are definitely looking up week by week and let’s hope this continues.

Pip Sanford, Director, BWF

It is so exciting when a client calls in to offer a candidate a new position, and even better when the candidate accepts.  In my world as recruitment consultant this has really slowed up for 2009, however it has given me the opportunity to use the time wisely and meet many more of BranWell Ford’s Consulting and Communication candidates and clients.  There is more positivity about next year, so if you would like to have a chat about restructuring your CV or to discuss the opportunities for the future, do please call me on 01279 859000.

Helen Caldwell, Director, BWF

Some encouraging signs this week that the jobs market is picking up.  We have had a major client lift their recruitment freeze and begin interviewing candidates which is excellent and we hope this bodes well for the rest of the industry. 

Other good news this week is that our Senior Consultant, Hayley Brockwell had a baby boy, Kaleb born yesterday afternoon, weighing in at 7lb 6oz.  Many congratulations to Hayley and Toby.