Cast UK prompts graduates to find out what makes them tick

Specialist recruitment company, Cast UK, will be encouraging graduates to find out their natural strengths by completing a specially developed personality quiz, the Cast UK Profiler, at this year’s Graduate Recruitment Fair hosted by The University of Manchester on 11th and 12th June.

As one of the 190 exhibitors attending the 2014 Graduate Recruitment Fair at The Armitage Centre in Fallowfield, Manchester, Cast UK, which specialises in recruitment for procurement, buying, supply chain and logistics, will be encouraging graduates entering the job market  to consider how understanding their personality types might guide them in career decisions.

The Cast UK Profiler is a simple, easy-to-use online tool that can be accessed via mobile and desktop devices to ascertain personality strengths and give a steer on what kind of person you are using headers like ‘motivator’, ‘composer’ and ‘architect’.

Commenting on the innovation, managing director of Cast UK, Wayne Brophy, said: “We’re really looking forward to launching the Cast UK Profiler at the Graduate Recruitment Fair in Manchester. It’s helpful for graduates to give thought to careers roles that naturally suit their personality types. While these aren’t rigid and the format is deliberately simple and accessible, it may be helpful guidance when taking the first step on the career ladder.

“We run a Graduate Training Academy within our company and recognise that securing bright, ambitious talent is about being innovative, having an attractive proposition and being able to communicate in ways that inspire graduates, while supporting them through what can be quite an overwhelming time in their lives.”

Those wishing to find out a bit more about what makes them tick can talk to the Cast UK team on stand 32 or visit: http://profiler.castuk.com and can use the hashtag #castukprofiler on twitter to share their findings.

The Graduate Recruitment Fair at The University of Manchester is open to students and graduates from any institution, though pre-event registration is advised. For more information and to register visit www.manchester.ac.uk/graduatefair

*Cast UK will only be exhibiting on Wednesday 11th June.

Omnichannel retail surges with 83% of brands planning to implement strategy within 18 months

According to a recent survey by SLI Connect UK, 83% of retail brands are paving the way for a customer-focused future using an omnichannel strategy. The survey also revealed that 53% of respondents have an omnichannel strategy in place today and that significant differences exist in the attitudes exhibited by pure online versus online and offline retailers regarding the multi-channel experience.

The survey also highlights:

• 100% of brands see mobile as a key channel
• 85% of brands are implementing new technologies to go omnichannel
• 64% of brands are going omnichannel through repurposed budgets
• Online-only and offline e-commerce retailers have different understandings of omnichannel, with few online-only brands exploring offline opportunities

With an estimated three million people working in the retail sector and the rapid take-up of omnichannel strategies, brands will need to ensure that retail staff understand and embrace the value in using technology and social media when engaging with customers.

Specialist recruitment agency, Cast UK, says that while the use of omnichannel strategies is a step forward in modernising the retail sector; the challenge will be in finding candidates and employees who possess the right skills, as well as the personality and fit, to deal with the integration of agent-assisted channels such as mobile and tablet devices. 

Commenting on these challenges, managing director at Cast UK, Wayne Brophy said: “Omnichannel retailing gives brands the opportunity to truly engage with customers on a very deep and personal level via tablets, mobiles and even personal social networking sites.

“These channels establish trust in a brand, which needs to be carefully managed and that starts with employing the right people. Anyone hoping to secure a position with retail brands should be aware of the omnichannel shift, embrace these new methods of communicating and understand the value in creating seamless buying experience from hyperspace to the high street.”

Logistics experts work ‘All in one rhythm™’ for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™

As we come together to celebrate the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ [12 June – 13 July], superstar logisticians and planners will ensure the games go off without a hitch and, much like this year’s World Cup slogan, ‘All in one rhythm™’.

With 3,170,856 cheering fans, over three quarters of a million litres of beer sold, 390,600 hot dogs consumed, and six million people attending public viewing sites across the globe for the South Africa games in 2010* – it’s clear to see that the FIFA World Cup is one of the biggest, and most logistically complex,  sporting events in the world.

The challenges involved in organising these events can be significant. The venue changes every four years, the crowd numbers top millions, weather can be volatile, and the host country may not be as prepared as other countries to cope with demands.

Renowned for working with high-profile event suppliers like AB InBev and LOCOG, logistics recruiter Cast UK says people with specialist planning and logistics skills are the key to these events, as each event location has its own set of requirements.

Managing director of Cast UK, Wayne Brophy, explains: “We find that with high-profile events, like the World Cup, a large percentage of the roles available will be short-term opportunities, lasting the duration of the tournament. Therefore, it’s key to recruit the right people from the outset as they have to be able to hit the ground running and commit to short-term contracts.”

At Cast UK, all senior recruiters have either worked directly in supply chain and procurement or have extensive experience in specialist sector areas. This business model ensures that recruiters are informed about the industry challenges faced by their clients and they can assist them with finding the right people to tackle these demands.

Wayne adds: “The World Cup in Brazil is a unique opportunity for skilled logistics professionals to play their part in the delivery of one of the world’s biggest global sporting events. While all eyes will be on the players come June, for logisticians, precision and planning will extend well beyond the pitch.”

*Source via http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/worldcup/

Recruitment accelerates in the automotive sector

The recovery in UK car production, highlighted by a 12 per cent increase in March against the same month in 2013, is indicative of a growing demand from Europe, according to the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

This is having a ripple effect in recruitment, with experts at Cast UK witnessing an uplift in the automotive sector in Q1 of 2014.

This, coupled with the government’s injection of £500m to boost the ultra-low emission vehicle industry, is a positive sign for the industry. The investment, which includes £100m for R&D funding, will further bolster job opportunities in a sector that has experienced major fluctuation.

Commenting on the movement in the market, Mark Nesbit, managing consultant at specialist recruitment company, Cast UK, said: “The recovery of the European automotive market is encouraging. The continued success story of Jaguar Land Rover’s expansion into international markets, along with other OEMs, has certainly seen positive growth for their first and second tier suppliers across the country.

“The expertise here in the UK within automotive research and development has long been evident, particularly at the cutting edge of Formula 1, with many of the leading teams based in ‘Motorsport Valley’. The government’s commitment to electric technology will see an exciting new phase of growth in the industry and will open up more opportunities for the best engineering talent the UK has to offer.”

Lack of language skills predicted to worsen UK youth unemployment

According to recent figures published by Ucas, there has been a 5% drop in modern language applications.

International Business Times reported that according to All Languages, language and interpretation specialist, the latest set of Ucas figures, which show a 5% drop in modern language applications despite the overall number of students applying for university places rising, will only worsen UK unemployment and exacerbate tougher competition for graduate positions due to the lack of language skills.

Commenting on the challenges of recruiting multilingual professionals, Mark Nesbit, managing consultant at specialist procurement, buying, supply chain and logistics recruitment company Cast UK, said: “Our procurement team has direct experience in recruiting multilingual candidates for international companies with operations across the globe. Having successfully completed recruitment campaigns on behalf of many leading multinationals, we have also delivered recruitment solutions to those organisations consolidating procurement functions into centralised hubs here in the UK.

“Recruiting professionals with business-level linguistics to effectively manage a European supplier base is challenging as this is a rare profile for UK candidates. To tackle this, our team of consultants possess both operational procurement experience as well as fluency in a variety of languages including Spanish, French, Italian and German.

“This means that we are capable of conducting language skills test on behalf of our clients, which is invaluable when accelerating recruitment processes. Given Ucas and All Languages’ concerns around the future of multilingual UK graduates, I think that as long as recruiters, like ourselves, have the systems and teams in place to effectively manage language-based recruitment, international candidates will continue to fill the growing language skills gap.”

Procurement professionals urged to move out of comfort zone to develop skills

In a recent interview with Supply Management, Nick Jenkinson, head of indirect procurement at Aryzta, said switching sectors helps to push people out of their comfort zone and develop more skills.

“You can get quite comfortable and that’s not necessarily how you develop,” said Jenkinson. “You develop yourself by constantly trying to push out of your comfort zone, and evolve your own range of skills.

“Think about what development you need and how can you actually gain the experience you need to develop that skillset. It could be in your current industry, but a move into another industry may be exactly what you need.”

Adding to Jenkinson’s comments, Mark Nesbit, managing consultant at specialist procurement, buying, supply chain and logistics recruitment company Cast UK, said: “Given the opportunity, procurement leaders should welcome the chance to make the leap into other industries.

“Changes in culture, environment and procurement processes and methodologies really broaden the skillsets of professionals, consequently enhancing their marketability. This is particularly true for indirect procurement specialists, like Jenkinson at Aryzta, whose category expertise ensures candidates remain attractive for positions across the professional services sectors and the full spectrum of industry through FMCG, Engineering and beyond.

“Furthermore, this diversification is often the platform for movement into consultancy and interim work, which gives individuals the confidence to excel in new environments. Many of the industry leaders we represent and recruit for can identify a particular career move that served as the springboard for their success, and the best ‘next step’ is not always the most obvious one.”

Charlotte excels in Cast UK Graduate Training Academy

Charlotte Mitchell has been promoted to the role of supply chain consultant covering the East Midlands, having successfully completed Cast UK’s Graduate Training Academy.

Having joined the company in November 2013, Charlotte previously worked in a purchasing role at a US software company after graduating with a business studies degree from Manchester University.

Commenting on her promotion, Charlotte said: “I was keen to work in a results-oriented environment and was really attracted by Cast UK’s Graduate Training Academy. It allowed me to really get a handle on all aspects of the business, with dedicated one-to-one support from a mentor.”

Charlotte, who grew up in Singapore and moved to Manchester to study, feels that the graduate market is still tough though there are opportunities out there for those with ambition, initiative and drive.

Wayne Brophy, managing director of Cast UK, added: “We’re thrilled to announce Charlotte’s promotion. As someone with a strong work ethic and a positive approach to career development, she is a valuable asset to our team and will support our company’s expansion within the East Midlands.”