Thursday, September 25, 2008
Insight Manager - Raisers Edge, Charity, Fundraising
Insights Manager/Database Analyst skilled with Raisers Edge, Access, Excel and preferably Cognos would be highly desirable. You will develop a strong strategic understanding of each business unit's goals and targets and use this to inform and direct database analysis activities that will provide strategic targeting advice. You will develop models to improve communication-targeting efficiency, and provide database selections, mailing lists, and advice about maximising the reporting potential to all Raisers Edge user teams in an accessible manner and an understandable format. This is an excellent opportunity to put analysis skills to good use in a marketing format. The role is moving fast, so please do send through a detailed CV ASAP.
Data / Reporting Analyst - SQL Server, T-SQL, Business Objects
Reporting Analyst skilled with SQL Server, Business Objects (or equivalent), T-SQL, MS Office and preferably SPSS is urgently required. You will be an experienced Data Analyst who has worked with large volume databases, with strong marketing, financial or fundraising data manipulation and analysis skills. To have a Business Intelligence administration background, maintaining data universes and supporting system users. You will excellent attention to detail, and appreciation of data quality/integrity issues relating to relational databases. This is an excellent and challenging position, so please do send through a technically detailed CV ASAP.
Agency Workers Directive - Pointless EU Directive?
With the Agency Workers Directive (AWD) hanging over our heads and the inevitable collapse of our government's opposition to it by agreeing to a "compromise" I thought it was a good time to have my say.
The AWD for the skilled sectors is pointless. It's that simple. Why would clients bring in Temporary workers with skills they need for projects which could take 6 months in the knowledge that they can only have them as temporary workers for 12 weeks. Projects often have agreed timescales that change, difficulties that can arise, budget changes, whatever it may be, a temporary worker is often needed for over 12 weeks. They don't want the same rights of a permanent employee, they like working as a temporary worker and they like the benefits that come with that. In the skilled sectors the usual draw is the higher hourly and daily rates that they can earn.
Why don't they just take a permanent employee on you ask? Well, the project is just that. A project. There is no permanent need for this skill set. In fact it would be a flagrant waste of money to bring this skill set in house on a permanent basis.
There are other examples. Covering long term sick leave. Why would you want two members of staff doing the same job on a permanent basis?
The temporary workers market is key to the UK's economy. The ability to bring in people on a short term basis is beneficial to both the worker and the business. To force companies to basically make them permanent after 12 weeks is wrong. Admittedly I am focussing on the skilled sector (IT, Finance, Professional Services) but surely even in other sectors the AWD will just lead to less temporary worker demand, more unemployment and then gloomier economic predicitions.
Why change something that isn't broken? From all the reports I have seen generally 80% of temporary workers are happy with their lot. So why change the whole system and rules?
Temporary work isn't just a good way to earn money but also to try and select a career. It gives you that opportunity to sample different working environments, industries, people and locations. The AWD would cut down on this.
The UK does not have the same economy as the rest of the EU, it simply does not need or want this directive. For that reason I hope someone sees sense and gets it thrown out.
The AWD for the skilled sectors is pointless. It's that simple. Why would clients bring in Temporary workers with skills they need for projects which could take 6 months in the knowledge that they can only have them as temporary workers for 12 weeks. Projects often have agreed timescales that change, difficulties that can arise, budget changes, whatever it may be, a temporary worker is often needed for over 12 weeks. They don't want the same rights of a permanent employee, they like working as a temporary worker and they like the benefits that come with that. In the skilled sectors the usual draw is the higher hourly and daily rates that they can earn.
Why don't they just take a permanent employee on you ask? Well, the project is just that. A project. There is no permanent need for this skill set. In fact it would be a flagrant waste of money to bring this skill set in house on a permanent basis.
There are other examples. Covering long term sick leave. Why would you want two members of staff doing the same job on a permanent basis?
The temporary workers market is key to the UK's economy. The ability to bring in people on a short term basis is beneficial to both the worker and the business. To force companies to basically make them permanent after 12 weeks is wrong. Admittedly I am focussing on the skilled sector (IT, Finance, Professional Services) but surely even in other sectors the AWD will just lead to less temporary worker demand, more unemployment and then gloomier economic predicitions.
Why change something that isn't broken? From all the reports I have seen generally 80% of temporary workers are happy with their lot. So why change the whole system and rules?
Temporary work isn't just a good way to earn money but also to try and select a career. It gives you that opportunity to sample different working environments, industries, people and locations. The AWD would cut down on this.
The UK does not have the same economy as the rest of the EU, it simply does not need or want this directive. For that reason I hope someone sees sense and gets it thrown out.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
City Jobs
Hiring in the financial services sector in the City has ‘slowed considerably’ during August because of the faltering global economy.
According to the Morgan McKinley London Employment Monitor, the number of new job vacancies in the City fell by 34% in August compared to the same time last year. The number of individuals registering for new jobs also decreased in August, down by 37% compared with August 2007 and the average City salary has dipped slightly by 2%.
Robert Thesiger, chief executive of Morgan McKinley’s parent company, Imprint, said: “Following the collapse of one of the financial services industry’s major institutions at the weekend, it is evident that the fallout from the credit crisis is not over. These momentous events of the past few days have changed the landscape of not only London’s but also the global financial services sector. It is probably fair to say, therefore, that the period of transition that will now follow will create an equally challenging and nervous environment within financial services and the recruitment market within this sector.”
* - Article from the recruiter
Adecco purchase
Multi-sector recruiter Adecco has announced that it will not be making an offer for financial recruiter Michael Page and will remain “financially disciplined”.
Adecco, who had a £1.3bn offer rejected last month, said that a deal could have benefited both recruiters and their respective shareholders but had now concluded that it could not agree a combination on terms acceptable to both Adecco and the board of Michael Page at this time.
Adecco has reserved the right to make a future offer for Michael Page within six months if an agreement can be made with the group’s board or if a third party comes in with an offer for Michael Page.
Michael Page’s board released a statement saying that it had unanimously concluded that Adecco had materially undervalued the financial recruiter and its prospects, and that the interests of shareholders and employees would be better served by Michael Page remaining an independent entity.
The statement added that the board believes that Michael Page’s clear strategy of organically diversifying its activities by geography and discipline and increasing its exposure to growth markets, together with the longer-term structural growth drivers of the specialist recruitment market, means that the recruiter has excellent prospects.
* - Article from recruiter
Adecco, who had a £1.3bn offer rejected last month, said that a deal could have benefited both recruiters and their respective shareholders but had now concluded that it could not agree a combination on terms acceptable to both Adecco and the board of Michael Page at this time.
Adecco has reserved the right to make a future offer for Michael Page within six months if an agreement can be made with the group’s board or if a third party comes in with an offer for Michael Page.
Michael Page’s board released a statement saying that it had unanimously concluded that Adecco had materially undervalued the financial recruiter and its prospects, and that the interests of shareholders and employees would be better served by Michael Page remaining an independent entity.
The statement added that the board believes that Michael Page’s clear strategy of organically diversifying its activities by geography and discipline and increasing its exposure to growth markets, together with the longer-term structural growth drivers of the specialist recruitment market, means that the recruiter has excellent prospects.
* - Article from recruiter
Housing association enables flexible, secure remote working for staff, anywhere, anytime
How a major housing association has enabled flexible, secure remote working for all of its staff, anywhere, anytime Flexibility is the keyword in the housing sector. Concerns over work-life balance, and the need to help field workers and partners to operate effectively when away from the office have made the ability to work flexibly an IT essential.
The potential benefits that can be achieved from providing remote network access are well-documented: improved productivity from employees away from the office; customers who can access services online when they want; and quicker responses from suppliers who can service systems without having to come on-site.
But the problem with such flexible working is control. Giving all these users external access to your network poses a real risk to an organisation’s data, and no-one needs reminding of the consequences of a data breach – especially after the recent high-profile Government data losses. So how do you deliver the services that your users and partners demand whilst also guaranteeing that critical, sensitive information such as customer data will remain as safe as houses?
This was the conundrum faced by a Bradford, Yorkshire-based housing association, Incommunities. Here’s how it was able to balance easy, flexible access with watertight network and data security.
Incommunities in control
Incommunities is a housing association managing over 22,000 homes for customers across the Bradford district. Andrew Bland, Senior Network Administrator for Incommunities, explains how installing a unified access control solution from AppGate Network Security has solved the problem of network security so he and his team can get on with the business of delivering online services.
“We were originally just looking for a replacement for our Citrix Secure Gateway, and a secure Instant Messaging product”, explains Bland. “But AppGate’s approach got us looking at things differently and thinking outside the arena of traditional VPNs. It was clear we could achieve far more. So we changed our plan and made the decision to buy the AppGate solution.”
Central point of control
“Having a single point of control for security is the most important feature for me,” said Bland. “With the new solution I have a single, central point where we can define security policies, and control and monitor access for all users – whether they are tenants, employees or external suppliers.”
Previously network security depended on the security of all point products on the network. “Putting services online used to be a minefield, having to manage the security of applications from multiple vendors. The AppGate server now manages security, providing our first line of defence, and centralised policy control means I no longer have to worry about the security of other vendor applications.”
Bland is also confident that data on the network is better protected. “For our remote workers, especially those who work on temporary sites, such as building projects, we provide virtual PCs which they can now access via Remote Desktop. It’s proved cheaper to operate, and much faster and as a result everyone wants to use it. Which makes me happy because even if the laptop is stolen, data remains onsite and fully secure.”
Bland adds that a further benefit of using Remote Desktop is that users see exactly what they see when working in the office. So no additional training and support is needed – which saves more time for the IT team.
ROI matters
Bland reports that in less than 12 months, the investment in security has resulted in overall cost reductions in a number of areas. Several point products on the network have been made virtually redundant, generating considerable savings on product support, software licenses and training.
And further cost savings have been identified as the team plans to provide wireless access. “Previously this would have required the purchase of an additional dedicated wireless solution, but our solution already supports wireless access so it’s saving us a lot of money. What’s more, we can give secure remote access to any employee or partner from anywhere, not just locations with dedicated VPN links, which is a further cost saving.”
The solution is also helping to improve the productivity of Bland’s team. As well as the time and resources saved from not having to check the security of other vendor applications, new applications developed in-house do not have to be fully secure and online services can be rolled out faster. In addition, the IT team can take advantage of secure remote access from any location so that system support is no longer restricted to a fixed time and location.
* - Article from www.publictechnology.net
The potential benefits that can be achieved from providing remote network access are well-documented: improved productivity from employees away from the office; customers who can access services online when they want; and quicker responses from suppliers who can service systems without having to come on-site.
But the problem with such flexible working is control. Giving all these users external access to your network poses a real risk to an organisation’s data, and no-one needs reminding of the consequences of a data breach – especially after the recent high-profile Government data losses. So how do you deliver the services that your users and partners demand whilst also guaranteeing that critical, sensitive information such as customer data will remain as safe as houses?
This was the conundrum faced by a Bradford, Yorkshire-based housing association, Incommunities. Here’s how it was able to balance easy, flexible access with watertight network and data security.
Incommunities in control
Incommunities is a housing association managing over 22,000 homes for customers across the Bradford district. Andrew Bland, Senior Network Administrator for Incommunities, explains how installing a unified access control solution from AppGate Network Security has solved the problem of network security so he and his team can get on with the business of delivering online services.
“We were originally just looking for a replacement for our Citrix Secure Gateway, and a secure Instant Messaging product”, explains Bland. “But AppGate’s approach got us looking at things differently and thinking outside the arena of traditional VPNs. It was clear we could achieve far more. So we changed our plan and made the decision to buy the AppGate solution.”
Central point of control
“Having a single point of control for security is the most important feature for me,” said Bland. “With the new solution I have a single, central point where we can define security policies, and control and monitor access for all users – whether they are tenants, employees or external suppliers.”
Previously network security depended on the security of all point products on the network. “Putting services online used to be a minefield, having to manage the security of applications from multiple vendors. The AppGate server now manages security, providing our first line of defence, and centralised policy control means I no longer have to worry about the security of other vendor applications.”
Bland is also confident that data on the network is better protected. “For our remote workers, especially those who work on temporary sites, such as building projects, we provide virtual PCs which they can now access via Remote Desktop. It’s proved cheaper to operate, and much faster and as a result everyone wants to use it. Which makes me happy because even if the laptop is stolen, data remains onsite and fully secure.”
Bland adds that a further benefit of using Remote Desktop is that users see exactly what they see when working in the office. So no additional training and support is needed – which saves more time for the IT team.
ROI matters
Bland reports that in less than 12 months, the investment in security has resulted in overall cost reductions in a number of areas. Several point products on the network have been made virtually redundant, generating considerable savings on product support, software licenses and training.
And further cost savings have been identified as the team plans to provide wireless access. “Previously this would have required the purchase of an additional dedicated wireless solution, but our solution already supports wireless access so it’s saving us a lot of money. What’s more, we can give secure remote access to any employee or partner from anywhere, not just locations with dedicated VPN links, which is a further cost saving.”
The solution is also helping to improve the productivity of Bland’s team. As well as the time and resources saved from not having to check the security of other vendor applications, new applications developed in-house do not have to be fully secure and online services can be rolled out faster. In addition, the IT team can take advantage of secure remote access from any location so that system support is no longer restricted to a fixed time and location.
* - Article from www.publictechnology.net
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Letting Lehman Collapse Was Right Move
It’s been an extraordinary weekend on Wall Street and the latest events in the financial crisis will probably affect us all.
Lehman Brothers’ move to Chapter 11 -- roughly equivalent to administration in the UK -- is extraordinary in itself. Lehman is (or was) the fourth largest investment bank in the world after all. But on top of that, you have an emergency takeover of Merrill Lynch and insurance giant AIG in deep trouble, too.
Today’s news makes it even clearer that the days of cheap credit and surging property prices are over. Stability will eventually return but I may not see ‘irrational exuberance’ again in my lifetime.
Today’s markets
Shares in London have fallen across the board this morning and we’ll probably see a similar picture this afternoon on Wall Street. As I write, the FTSE 100 is down 185 points at 5,232 while mortgage bank HBOS (LSE: HBOS) has slumped 52p to 229p.
Other financial fallers include Royal Bank of Scotland (LSE: RBS), down 21p at 212p, and Barclays (LSE: BARC), which has dropped 36p to 314p.
I can understand why investors are selling out. Lehman had big positions in derivatives markets and we don’t know which banks are exposed to those positions. Lehman’s positions will now have to be unwound in very difficult markets and other assets may be sold at ‘fire sale’ prices, too.
There’s a risk of a domino effect across the financial sector as asset values fall further.
Beyond shares
Sadly I fear Lehman’s collapse will even affect those of us without a share portfolio. For starters, the economy will be hit as bankers lose jobs and confidence suffers.
And the mortgage market could be hit as well. In recent weeks we had seen tentative signs of a revival with rate cuts on some mortgages. I reckon we’ll see that trend go into reverse as lenders once again find it harder to raise finance.
On the plus side, central banks such as the Bank of England may start to cut interest rates more quickly than had been expected. Central bankers will know that further bank failures could lead to deflation -- where retail prices fall. The obvious way to avert deflation is to cut interest rates.
What now?
The most important advice I can give is: ‘Don’t Panic!’ We’ll get through this crisis in the end. If you can focus on the long term, now is probably a good time to drip money into the stock market. The good old index-tracker fund will do nicely.
However, I would stress that any stock-market investments should really be for the long term. I mean ten years or longer. Drip feeding your cash in every month is a good approach, as it means you can 'average down' at lower prices if the market falls further.
The one area I’d avoid is bank shares. Sure, they look cheap at first glance -- if you believe analyst forecasts, HBOS is trading on a price/earnings ratio of just 4 for this year.
Trouble is, it’s very hard to ascertain the true health of the loan book and there’s a real risk of further fund raisings in this sector. Possibly even a Lehman-style collapse. I’m steering clear of the lot for now.
Hank got it right
But in spite of all the gloom, I am pleased about one thing. US Treasury Secretary, Hank Paulson, made the right call. We’ve seen government bail-outs of Fannie, Freddie, Bear Stearns, and Northern Rock, but it’s been different for Lehman. Paulson has let Lehman go to the wall.
That was the right decision because bankers had to learn that the government wouldn’t always rescue them when they took on too much risk. If bankers never learned that lesson we’d see another bubble all too soon.
The biggest risk for all of us now is deflation. Let’s hope that central bankers and governments can inject enough cash into the system to stop that happening.
* - Article from Motley Fool
Lehman Brothers’ move to Chapter 11 -- roughly equivalent to administration in the UK -- is extraordinary in itself. Lehman is (or was) the fourth largest investment bank in the world after all. But on top of that, you have an emergency takeover of Merrill Lynch and insurance giant AIG in deep trouble, too.
Today’s news makes it even clearer that the days of cheap credit and surging property prices are over. Stability will eventually return but I may not see ‘irrational exuberance’ again in my lifetime.
Today’s markets
Shares in London have fallen across the board this morning and we’ll probably see a similar picture this afternoon on Wall Street. As I write, the FTSE 100 is down 185 points at 5,232 while mortgage bank HBOS (LSE: HBOS) has slumped 52p to 229p.
Other financial fallers include Royal Bank of Scotland (LSE: RBS), down 21p at 212p, and Barclays (LSE: BARC), which has dropped 36p to 314p.
I can understand why investors are selling out. Lehman had big positions in derivatives markets and we don’t know which banks are exposed to those positions. Lehman’s positions will now have to be unwound in very difficult markets and other assets may be sold at ‘fire sale’ prices, too.
There’s a risk of a domino effect across the financial sector as asset values fall further.
Beyond shares
Sadly I fear Lehman’s collapse will even affect those of us without a share portfolio. For starters, the economy will be hit as bankers lose jobs and confidence suffers.
And the mortgage market could be hit as well. In recent weeks we had seen tentative signs of a revival with rate cuts on some mortgages. I reckon we’ll see that trend go into reverse as lenders once again find it harder to raise finance.
On the plus side, central banks such as the Bank of England may start to cut interest rates more quickly than had been expected. Central bankers will know that further bank failures could lead to deflation -- where retail prices fall. The obvious way to avert deflation is to cut interest rates.
What now?
The most important advice I can give is: ‘Don’t Panic!’ We’ll get through this crisis in the end. If you can focus on the long term, now is probably a good time to drip money into the stock market. The good old index-tracker fund will do nicely.
However, I would stress that any stock-market investments should really be for the long term. I mean ten years or longer. Drip feeding your cash in every month is a good approach, as it means you can 'average down' at lower prices if the market falls further.
The one area I’d avoid is bank shares. Sure, they look cheap at first glance -- if you believe analyst forecasts, HBOS is trading on a price/earnings ratio of just 4 for this year.
Trouble is, it’s very hard to ascertain the true health of the loan book and there’s a real risk of further fund raisings in this sector. Possibly even a Lehman-style collapse. I’m steering clear of the lot for now.
Hank got it right
But in spite of all the gloom, I am pleased about one thing. US Treasury Secretary, Hank Paulson, made the right call. We’ve seen government bail-outs of Fannie, Freddie, Bear Stearns, and Northern Rock, but it’s been different for Lehman. Paulson has let Lehman go to the wall.
That was the right decision because bankers had to learn that the government wouldn’t always rescue them when they took on too much risk. If bankers never learned that lesson we’d see another bubble all too soon.
The biggest risk for all of us now is deflation. Let’s hope that central bankers and governments can inject enough cash into the system to stop that happening.
* - Article from Motley Fool
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