Boyce Recruitment Blog

The number of counter offers we have witnessed has risen dramatically over the last three months, with many firms looking to fight to retain their talented people.

Many candidates are feeling that now is the time to move because  their frustrations with their current employer has come to a head, either because of  poor management style,  lack of promotion or career prospects or low pay. After securing an offer of a new job they are then faced with the stressful dilemma of whether to consider seriously staying where they are or whether to  move to a new company and make a fresh start.

We have seen many candidates feel frustrated at the lack of previous  recognition from their employer and then reject the counter offer for that very reason. They are asking themselves  why do I have to resign to get promotion and what does this mean about any new  people that have joined our firm recently. Are they being paid more than us?  

Some people are still scared of moving and so decide that they would like to sit tight and accept their current employers offer of promotion or pay rise…. Whilst this can be a good thing, if the reasons for looking for a new job opportunity were based on the culture of the organisation and management style as well as proects they were working on, then these things may be unlikely to change.

Our advice to job seekers is to really think twice about the reasons for changing jobs and decide carefully if you feel that you can get what you want by asking your manager in reviews and updates. It might save a great deal of stress and time.  

As for employers, our advice to you, is if you want to attract new staff, work hard to really show them the real opportunity you are offering and the main attractions of working in your organisation.

The London job market is sending out some very interesting but sometimes confusing messages with reference to the economy. Whilst most of our clients have started hiring again, some in unprecedented volumes), other firms are worried about the impact that public sector cuts will have on their business.

As a talented candidate it is a pretty good time to start looking for a new role as the opportunities in London are much more diverse and interesting than they were 12 or even 18 months ago. Although the job market is on the up, it is still a very competitive business as  job seekers are faced with employers who want the perfect match for their needs and would rather wait until they see the ideal candidate, and are less inclined to make compromises , as this could be a costly experience.

As a job seeker it is essential that you work really hard to attain the job you apply for by doing lots of preparation before sending out cvs and also attending interviews . Lots and lots of research is critical, not just on the website, but by finding out as much as you can about the team, the department and importantly any press coverage which will affect the strategy of the business as a whole.  

Being invited for interview is a great opportunity but the hard work starts there.  The candidates who ultimately do well are often very clear, focused and have a real understanding of the role and market they are applying to. The London job market is still fiercely competitive and employers are expecting 150% out of their people.