BPS World Research Highlights Challenges Facing Employers in 2017 Following Brexit

Global resourcing specialist BPS World has warned that one of the main challenges facing employers in the UK in 2017 will be the impact of Brexit on the ability to attract talent, particularly in the high-value digital, technical and engineering industries where recruiters are already struggling with severe skills shortages. This follows the publication by BPS World, of: “Brexit: What the World is Saying” which, for the first time, researched the global impact of Brexit and how other countries believe it will impact on skills.  

Simon Conington, Founder of BPS World, has urged the government to ensure that the UK continues to have access to skilled professional from Europe, particularly in the sectors where there are already skills shortages, or face a sharp decline in the UK’s ability to compete.

Although the UK will not be leaving the EU until 2019 we can expect an announcement this year on the shape of Brexit and what it will mean in practice.   Under so-called ‘hard-Brexit’ freedom of movement would be restricted and it would be as difficult for talent to be recruited from France as from the US. It is this that alarms those at the sharp end of skills shortages, such as BPS World. Recruits themselves are already showing signs of being aware of these new competitive forces: research revealed that almost half (48 per cent) of UK jobseekers were more concerned about finding a job than before the referendum.

Last year BPS World spoke to business leaders, representative bodies and professionals in the recruitment and retention sectors in Europe, India, Australia and the USA. The research focussed on the sectors most affected by skills shortages in the UK and overseas. It is in these sectors that the impact of Brexit and any restrictions or changes to work permits, is likely to be most keenly felt.

One of those they spoke to was Marco Dadomo, from the Verein Deutscher Ingenieure (VDI, Association of German Engineers) in Düsseldorf: “As we know, Britain has already problems finding enough specialists in this sector. Brexit will make it less attractive for international experts to work in Britain for a British company. We have also heard that quite a lot of UK experts of different sectors plan to leave Britain when Brexit will be implemented.”

Simon Conington, Founder of BPS World argued;

“2017 is going to be a pivotal year for the UK economy. The decisions the government makes now on the implementation of Brexit will affect our ability to attract the talent we need to grow. The impact will be felt immediately as talent will not come to the UK if they know they will have to leave within two years.   We urge the government to continue to ensure we have access to skilled people, particularly in sectors where we’re already struggling to find the talent we need.”

Kevin Green, Chief Executive of the REC welcomed the report:

“This review of the international community’s fears and needs following the EU referendum contains warnings about the challenges employers could face in the future. The prospect of skill and talent shortages intensifying in higher-end sectors is a huge concern. The government must ensure that any changes to immigration policy as a result of the EU negotiations reflect immediate labour market needs so that businesses can continue to grow.”

Brexit: What the World is Saying is available free to download from www.bps-world.com

Notes to Editors

BPS World are global resourcing experts who work across a number of sectors, specialising in technology, marketing and engineering.

For further information:

Julia Barton
Onyx
E: julia@onyxcomms.com
T: + 44 20 7048 2700

29 of the Best Ministry Interview Questions

 

Need help figuring out what to ask candidates during the interview?

You  can bet that  most candidates are well-versed in how to answer standard interview questions like, “What’s your greatest  strength? Weakness?” or “Why should I hire you?” or even “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

Because questions like these are so often used to gauge a candidates potential to perform well in a particular sector, answers are usually very scripted, insincere, and most cases tailored to what you’re looking for in a candidate. And, unfortunately, that doesn’t tell you a whole lot.

The best candidates are like axles: If you want to route out the good candidates from the mediocre ones, you’ll need to  spark a more authentic and revealing discussion.

How?  the answer is simple, ask better questions!

  1. “Why are you here?”
  2. “What’s your definition of hard work?”
  3. “Tell me a little bit about your career path, how did you move into this field?”
  4. “How do you take advantage of your strengths? How do you compensate for your weaknesses?”
  5. “What’s the one accomplishment you’re most proud of? Why?”
  6. “Describe one of your most challenging jobs? Why was it challenging and how did you pull the job through it?”
  7. “Tell me about the kinds of performance metrics you use to see if the job is on track?”
  8. “Tell me about a time when you encountered a serious conflict and how you dealt with it.”
  9. “How do you handle a situation where the client does not want to surface and address Risk?”
  10. “How do you make decisions?”
  11. “How do you deal with client employees with low motivation or low skills?”
  12. “What is motivating your job search?”
  13. “What qualities in your co-workers bother you most? Do you appreciate most?”
  14. “If I were to ask your current boss what your greatest strength is, what would he or she tell me?”
  15. “What types of  jobs don’t  you want to work on?”
  16. “Tell me about a work incident in which you were totally honest, despite a potential risk or downside?”
  17. “What will make you love coming to work here every day?
  18. “If you were limited to just one person to get advice and help from, which person would you choose? Why?”
  19. “What’s your greatest fear about this opportunity?”
  20. “Tell me about a time you screwed up?”
  21. “Was there a time you thought the program was going “too fast?” What happened?”
  22. “Describe a time when you were asked to do something you weren’t trained to do. How did you handle it?”
  23. “What would you do if management made a decision you didn’t agree with?”
  24. “What changes have you made in working with others to be more effective at work?”
  25. “If you had only one word to describe yourself, what would it be?”
  26. “What is there about this opportunity that most excites you?”
  27. “Describe the boss who would get the very best work from you?”
  28. “What can you tell me about this job that isn’t in the description?”
  29. “Is there any question I haven’t asked you that I should?”

What do you think are the most revealing interview questions to ask job candidates? Share in the comments!

 

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