Author Archives: Intersect

It has certainly been a very busy start to the year for us at Intersect the first quarter of 2013 has flown by.

The infrastructure sector continues to gain momentum and with the budget out the way it is good to see that the investment will continue in our sector creating many more jobs and opportunities.

We have noticed an increased demand for permanent employees amongst our clients, which is hopefully a sign of confidence creeping back.

On the subject of jobs I thought it would be a good opportunity to share some useful interview tips. You can avoid almost all interview mishaps if you put in the right preparation before hand. Here are my top tips.

1) The Role

Make sure that you understand what the actual role /vacancy is and that you are armed with a mental list of your top selling points. These should be well thought out (not just text book) and realistic and you should be able to talk about them with ease. This will ensure the interviewer is aware of your advantages over others.

2) The Company

There is nothing worse than going to an interview with little of no knowledge about the hiring company. Make sure you know their history, size, profitability and can talk about the markets in which they operate.

Do your homework ahead of time so you are ready to say why you want to work at that job and for that company.

3) Company Culture

The work environment will most certainly have a huge impact on whether you love your job or hate it. It is good practice to address the work culture with your interviewer to make sure your values align.

4) Industry Knowledge

This is a hugely important aspect that can make you stand out from other applicants

Show off your knowledge of the industry. Talk about recent newsworthy events or the company’s newest projects. Thoroughly understanding your industry proves your passion for the field. In addition, having this knowledge suggests you have a deeper level of expertise than the average candidate.

5) Past experiences

Your past experiences demonstrate how you would perform if you were offered the job. So, you want to be prepared to describe past experiences where you had a big impact.  Make sure that you have tangible examples that are relevant to the demands of the job on offer.

When talking about previous jobs always be positive and do not over explain your reasons for leaving, make sure that you are can demonstrate a forward step in your career at any moves you may have made.

6) Examples of Your Work

If possible and appropriate take a portfolio or  a visual representation of your past work. It not only shows off your accomplishments, it also gives you added value. While a portfolio may not be essential for many positions, having physical representations off your work that you can share upon request will make you look good because you went that extra mile.

7) Well Thought-out Questions

You must have questions at the end of the interview! Generally speaking hiring managers are disappointed if you don’t.

Well thought out appropriate questions help show your desire for the job. They can also give you more insight into the role, which may not have been addressed during the more formal portion of the interview.

A good example could be to determine what future prospects are available or what the hiring managers expectations of your achievements would be within the first 6 – 12 months.

8). Next steps

It is good practice to ask what the next stage of the interview process is.

In most cases a second interview will be required, it could also be that you will know the outcome for a few weeks. By asking about these next steps, you’ll know what to expect and gain some peace of mind. You’ll also show your enthusiasm for this position.

Hopefully these tips will help you to make sure that the interview process runs as smoothly as possible, go though this check list before your next interview.

Finally remember first impressions count!

Wear your smartest suit and greet your interviewer with a firm handshake.

Always maintain good eye contact throughout and leave on a positive note.

If you are interested in making a career move Intersect can help you  achieve your goals. We recruit on behalf of leading employers in the construction an infrastructure sector. Visit our site www.intersectglobal.co.uk give us a call on 020 76820668 or email your CV to info@intersectglobal.co.uk

As a new year gets underway there are some positive signs to be seen in the construction industry and from speaking to clients and candidates it seems many share a degree of optimism for what 2013 has install.

Whilst our sector is still experiencing many tough challenges many of our clients in the infrastructure sector are recruiting both permanent and freelance commercial and operational staff. During January Intersect filled a number of vacancies on rail, highways and water related projects. The demand is very much at the senior end of the market where our clients are seeking experienced professionals.

Infrastructure Leads demand for Quantity Surveyors

A report published this month by the largest recruitment agency Hays says it has seen a rise of around 30 per cent in vacancies for Quantity Surveyors compared with two years ago, especially in infrastructure and for affordable housing projects.

Recruitment activity in infrastructure and private housing is not especially surprising given they are two of the few sectors expected to grow this year.
The rise in demand for QSs working on affordable housing is more surprising given the savage cuts in public spending but it seems work is coming through as the is a pipeline of investment that will be going live in the next 12 months. A number of local authorities and councils have major investment plans while that investment is not as great as it was perhaps a few years ago its still healthy and is driving recruitment.

Intersect currently have vacancies for Senior Quantity Surveyors, Project Managers and Planners for a range of leading infrastructure main contractors and consultancies.

If you would like to enquire about any of these roles or would like to speak to one of our consultants about helping you make a career move please get in touch.

As the year draws to an end and we all look forward to the Christmas break it seems like an opportune time to report on some employment trends over the past year and look forward to what the industry may have install for us during 2013.

Looking at our activity during 2012 Intersect have seen a considerable rise in the amount of vacancies for both permanent and freelance jobs compared to 2011.  A large number of these vacancies have been as part of company growth particularly from consultancies and contractors involved in infrastructure and rail projects in the Capital.

Our observations are backed up by a report published last week by

The Recruitment Employment Confederation and KPMG which provides the most comprehensive guide to UK Labour market drawing on original survey data provided by recruitment consultancies.

Some of the key findings are:

Upturn in staff placements continues: November being the second successive monthly rise in perm staff placements with the rate of growth picking up the fastest  in  19 months.

Overall vacancies increased at a faster pace in November with growth at a 19 month high. Data showed that a robust demand from private sector employers offset weak demand from the public sector.

Strongest increase in revenues generated from temp / freelance worker since March 2011.

Pay pressures remain weak: Although salaries are seeking a moderate rise the rate of inflation was sharpest for 14 months.

The availability of Temporary Staff increased in November where as availability of permanent staff remained static.

Public Sector demand for temporary staff rose last month but a further contraction in demand was indicated for permanent workers.

Demand rose for seven categories during November with the exception of the hotel and catering industry  – the good news for our sector is that the sharpest rise was indicated for the Engineering and Construction market.

Kevin Green the REC Chief Executive commented “recruiters are reporting another monthly increase in the number of people placed in both permanent and temporary jobs, and its beginning to look like an accelerating trend. Employer confidence is bouncing back with business feeling more encouraged to hire, which bodes well for the New Year.  The reductions in corporation tax and investment in big infrastructure projects announced in the Autumn Statement should help boost confidence even higher and encourage more job creation in 2013″.

Bernard Brown, Partner Head of Business Services at KPMG comments “Twelve Months ago employment prospects were bleak. Today however the negative outlook has been replaced with cautious  optimism as employers gradually gain confidence to make decisions about the vacancies they want to fill”.

Summary

The last quarter of 2012 has seen the jobs market in the UK improve and whilst the construction and engineering sector still has a long way to go to fully recover there are some positive signs that we feel should be focussed on rather than talking ourselves into another recession.  Many of the vacancies we have on the books are still proving very tough to fill particularly for Quantity Surveying, Planners, Cost Managers and Commercial Managers which indicates employer demand is outstripping supply of workers in these specialist disciplines.

With government pledges to increase investment in our sector and employer confidence improving we look forward to continuing the upward trend next year that we have seen through out 2012.

As well as the vacancies listed on our website wwww.intersectglobal.co.uk Intersect are also recruiting for a number of other commercial  & operational vacancies  on aviation, heavy civil engineering, rail. utility, highways and energy projects.

If you would like to enquire about any of these roles or would like us to assist you with your next career move please give us a call on 020 76820668.

With the great sporting summer of 2012 gone and construction restrictions lifted across Central London and the London Underground network the construction industry is beginning to gather momentum again. We have noticed an increase in recruitment activity across in the infrastructure sector in the South East on rail, energy, highways, aviation and water related projects.  The last quarter of year is historically our busiest and 2012 looks like it will follow the trend of previous successful years.

More good news for the industry in the way of government funding through the UK Guarantees initiative has just been announced. Crossrail’s £1 billion rolling stock has been confirmed by Danny Alexander as the first scheme to receive government support through the UK Guarantees initiative.

Speaking at the Liberal Democrat conference yesterday, the chief secretary to the Treasury, said the government needs to secure the rolling stock for the ‘biggest infrastructure project in Europe’.

Rolling  stock being delivered largely through the private finance initiative is  being considered as the first scheme to be underwritten by the government balance sheet.“We need to make sure the rolling stock is delivered on time.  Right now there’s difficulty raising the necessary private funding.“Crossrail will be the first project to qualify for a new government guarantee – and it will be the first of many across Britain I’m sure.”Mr Alexander said it has come after the government has ‘rebuilt the confidence in the nation’s ability to pay its way in the world’.

More good news for the industry is that the Thames Tideway Tunnel is also being tipped for a UK Guarantee. John Cridland, Confederation of British Industry Director-General, said today: “I welcome the first announcement of the use of UK Guarantees to underpin the funding of new Crossrail trains.

“This is an important step forward, and I hope to see more announcements as quickly as possible.”

The stock and depot contract is the largest single contract Crossrail will let. It is due to be awarded in spring 2014 in time to provide stock in May 2017 on the Great Eastern Main Line into Liverpool Street.

The £1bn cost of rolling stock and depot is not included as part of the overall £14.8bn of Crossrail funding. In February, Crossrail’s Sponsors (Department for Transport and TFL) said private finance will meet a substantial part of the £1bn cost.Government announced that they would provide a grant contribution of up to £350m, aimed at easing financing costs for bidders and the public purse. The rest is coming through the PFI.

Crossrail will pass through 37 stations from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west, central London to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.

We have excellent working relationships with many of the contractors responsible for delivering Crossrail projects. If you are interested in current or future jobs on this prestigious project  or other infrastructure / civil engineering projects please get in touch.

With the great sporting summer of 2012 gone and construction restrictions lifted across Central London and the London Underground network the construction industry is beginning to gather momentum again. We have noticed an increase in recruitment activity across in the infrastructure sector in the South East on rail, energy, highways, aviation and water related projects.  The last quarter of year is historically our busiest and 2012 looks like it will follow the trend of previous successful years.

More good news for the industry in the way of government funding through the UK Guarantees initiative has just been announced. Crossrail’s £1 billion rolling stock has been confirmed by Danny Alexander as the first scheme to receive government support through the UK Guarantees initiative.

Speaking at the Liberal Democrat conference yesterday, the chief secretary to the Treasury, said the government needs to secure the rolling stock for the ‘biggest infrastructure project in Europe’.

Rolling  stock being delivered largely through the private finance initiative is  being considered as the first scheme to be underwritten by the government balance sheet.“We need to make sure the rolling stock is delivered on time.  Right now there’s difficulty raising the necessary private funding.“Crossrail will be the first project to qualify for a new government guarantee – and it will be the first of many across Britain I’m sure.”Mr Alexander said it has come after the government has ‘rebuilt the confidence in the nation’s ability to pay its way in the world’.

More good news for the industry is that the Thames Tideway Tunnel is also being tipped for a UK Guarantee. John Cridland, Confederation of British Industry Director-General, said today: “I welcome the first announcement of the use of UK Guarantees to underpin the funding of new Crossrail trains.

“This is an important step forward, and I hope to see more announcements as quickly as possible.”

The stock and depot contract is the largest single contract Crossrail will let. It is due to be awarded in spring 2014 in time to provide stock in May 2017 on the Great Eastern Main Line into Liverpool Street.

The £1bn cost of rolling stock and depot is not included as part of the overall £14.8bn of Crossrail funding. In February, Crossrail’s Sponsors (Department for Transport and TFL) said private finance will meet a substantial part of the £1bn cost.Government announced that they would provide a grant contribution of up to £350m, aimed at easing financing costs for bidders and the public purse. The rest is coming through the PFI.

Crossrail will pass through 37 stations from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west, central London to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.

We have excellent working relationships with many of the contractors responsible for delivering Crossrail projects. If you are interested in current or future jobs on this prestigious project  or other infrastructure / civil engineering projects please get in touch with Intersect Global on 020 76820668 or email info@intersectglobal.co.uk

With first stage of the London 2012 Olympic Games finished and all the athletes and spectators gone our City returns to relative normality.  There has been such a buzz in the air and it seems the fantastic achievements by Team GB have really lifted the spirits of the nation.

In this blog we are focusing on the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and KPMG Report on Jobs published this month as it provides the most comprehensive guide to the UK labour market, drawing on original survey data provided by recruitment consultancies.
These findings are based on the Engineering and Technical Sectors

Market Conditions
Staff appointments fall at slower pace:
Although there were further reductions in both permanent and short-term staff appointments during July, in both cases the rates of decline eased slightly since June.

Growth of vacancies eases:
The number of vacancies available to jobseekers continued to increase during July, but the latest improvement was the least marked for six months.

Further improvement in candidate availability:
Recruitment consultants indicated that the availability of staff continued to rise in July. Solid improvements in both permanent and temporary/contract staff availability were recorded.

Vacancy data showed that higher demand from private sector employers offset a further decrease in public sector demand. By category, one of the strongest rise for permanent staff was signalled in the Engineering sector.

Institution responds to 22 per cent rise in UK car manufacturing:

Philippa Oldham, Head of Manufacturing at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers said in response to the 22% rise in UK car manufacturing:

“The rise in UK car manufacturing figures is very welcome and shows that the UK can still be a manufacturing powerhouse. But while some industries like car and aerospace manufacturing are bucking the trend and seeing strong growth, recent figures show that UK manufacturing as a whole is still shrinking.

“The success of UK car manufacturing should motivate Government to take urgent action to support manufacturing so that we can see other industries become UK success stories.

“Government needs to work with industry and other political parties to develop a detailed manufacturing and industrial strategy with cross-party support. Industry needs this certainty and also needs greater access to capital investment in order to invest in new production plants, machinery and training.”

More students must study STEM courses at A-level:

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) says that an extra 200,000 engineering professionals will be needed by 2020. Currently, the UK is only producing 25 to 50 per cent of the engineering graduates that the economy needs.

Stephanie Fernandes, IET Principal Policy Advisor for Education and Skills said: “Whilst entries for STEM subjects have risen, it is important that young people continue their studies into higher education; the country needs more people studying science and engineering subjects at university and taking up jobs in this sector.

“We are at risk of stifling economic growth if we do not encourage more students to study STEM subjects which are crucial to increase the output of UK plc.”

There is huge demand for engineers. The IET’s skills survey for 2012 shows that over the next year, 58 per cent of companies are planning to recruit compared to just 36 per cent in 2011.

The London 2012 Olympics are into their second week and there is a genuine buzz in the Capital especially with the British success so far being third in the medal table. Intersect were lucky enough to have enjoyed a team day out at the Excel Centre watching the light and welterweight men’s boxing, the atmosphere was fantastic and the venue was very well organised and welcoming.   The games seem to be very well run and rather than the heavily congested streets and trains we all expected much of Central London has never seemed so quiet.

Olympic Buildings

Here is great link showing the impressive Olympic buildings, which one is your favourite?

Market Conditions

The summer is traditionally when recruitment slows down somewhat partly due to people going away for their holidays. We are pleased to see that whilst this is the case with some of our clients many are continuing to prioritise recruitment and taking on both freelance and permanent staff on a range of civil engineering, energy and infrastructure projects.

There is more good news for the energy / renewable sector on the horizon as Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has outlined plans for a £100m fund for green investment and welcomed new jobs from the renewables sector. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ UK Green Investments team is awarding £100m of initial funding to two Non-Domestic Energy Efficiency fund managers, Equitix and Sustainable Development Capital.

The companies will actively encourage foreign and domestic investment in NDEE projects, alongside UK government funds with money co-invested pari passu with private investors on each deal, BIS said.

The government investments pave the way for the UK Green Investment Bank, which is expected to open later this year following state aid approval.

Clegg said: “There is a global energy revolution underway. And the UK is not going to be left behind. We’re leading from the front. Together we find ourselves at the vanguard of one of the most dynamic, most innovative, most important industries of our time; an industry whose breakthroughs and endeavours will shape our societies for years to come; an industry that will help us build a more stable, more sustainable, more prosperous world.”

REA chief executive Gaynor Hartnell welcomed the Deputy Prime Minister’s “unequivocal commitment to renewable energy”, but warned “clear leadership” from the top of Government on renewable energy was required.

She said: “He is quite right that a global energy revolution is underway and we look forward to working with him to ensure the UK fulfils its extraordinary potential.

“However, the Coalition Government needs to do much better on providing a clear and stable policy framework to make sure the UK isn’t left further behind. Recent decisions on support levels for renewable power technologies, which have failed to provide the expected certainty out to 2017, together with the uncertain status of the Electricity Market Reform package, do not provide the stable framework that industry needs,” she addeed

Energy and climate change secretary Edward Davey said: “The UK Government is taking the necessary steps to develop a secure, clean energy mix, and this is opening up massive, long-term investment opportunities.    “Britain is one of the easiest places to do business in the world and I am determined to maintain our reputation as a stable destination for energy. investment.”

With two weeks until the London 2012 Olympics everyone is hoping this very British summer weather will make a change for the better.  The officials are moving in to the athlete’s village this week and construction contractors across London are charging ahead at full speed to make sure all road works are cleared in time.

There will be 30 miles of Games Lanes in London forming part of the Olympic Route Network linking venues. This is a requirement of the Host City contract and will end around two days after the Olympics finishes on 12 August and will not be in operation between the Olympics and Paralympics.

The construction of the Olympic Park has been a very welcome project to the industry at a time when the economy most needed it figures suggest around 40,000 people worked on the construction of the park and the village. It is one of Europe’s largest new urban parks for 150 years.

The park and new stadia looks magnificent and has been delivered on time and to budget. Lets hope that it can be a blueprint for delivering large scale construction projects and that sharing its lessons will help British businesses win more lucrative contracts around the world.

Come rain or shine it is an exciting time for the UK we very much look forward to enjoying the games. Our economy will benefit greatly from the extra visitors and we very much hope that a long lasting legacy will be enjoyed for many years to come.