Tag Archives: IT recruitment agency

Sunnier Outlook For IT Specialists In The Investment Banking Sector, Says Top Recruiter

Leading IT recruitment agency Nicoll Curtin has said things are looking up for IT professionals working in the investment banking sector. The London-based company, which specialises in recruiting for the banking and finance, commercial and public sectors, said demand for contractors to work in IT banking jobs has almost doubled in the past three months.

Major banks are preparing to spend more than $2bn (£1.3m) on IT and technology as they prepare to comply with new industry regulations, according to a report by Financial News. Nicoll Curtin said these companies are looking to find the most talented individuals to be involved with these projects, with some IT contractors earning up to £1,200 a day. Demand has also increased for permanent staff, the firm said.

According to Cian Loughnane, associate director, Nicoll Curtin Senior Appointments, there is a shortage of candidates for IT roles within the banking and investment sector who have the required level of project management experience and business analysis skills.

He said: “Banks hiring at the senior end of the spectrum continue to seek talent from direct competitors. Clients remain keenly interested in leveraging the intellectual capital candidates have generated in other organisations.

“Despite macroeconomic factors, the top 5 per cent of managerial talent continue to enjoy bull market packages with clients in some cases offering mid-year guarantees as part of a wider retention strategy.”

Mr Loughnane said banks were not just looking to top level consultancy firms such as Nicoll Curtin to fill vacancies, but to ensure their workforces remain flexible.

As a specialist IT recruitment consultancy, Nicoll Curtin has a vast amount of experience sourcing the best available talent and placing those professionals in a huge range of contract and permanent positions where they will have the maximum impact on the business’ performance. Nicoll Curtin focuses on the world’s top financial centres specialising in IT jobs in Zurich, Singapore and London.

Via EPR Network
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Nicoll Curtin research reveals current perceptions within the IT industry

IT recruitment agency Nicoll Curtin has conducted a study into the current perceptions, expectations and experiences of hiring managers and jobseekers, with some surprising results.

Around 70 per cent of those involved in the study had never worked with Nicoll Curtin, which allowed the results to represent the general industry.

One of the most shocking results was that only 17 per cent of jobseekers tailor their CV to a role they are applying for, despite the fact that 68 per cent of them admitted to knowing that not doing so could affect their chances of being offered employment.

From a hiring manager’s point of view, the study showed that 62 per cent thought that better communication skills would help jobseekers, as a poor understanding of communication was considered a common reason for not hiring candidates.

As well as this, hiring managers rated the importance of a candidate having the proper technical skills and knowledge at 36 per cent, whereas jobseekers put it at just 22 per cent. Similarly, jobseekers believed that having a history of similar job roles was worth 62 per cent, but managers only considered it at 55 per cent, meaning it is less important than many think.

Many jobseekers worry that having gaps on their CV will affect their employability, but the managers surveyed said they believed it did not factor into their decisions and so rated it at an astonishing 0 per cent.

Having industry knowledge is a must though, as hiring managers revealed when marking it at 85 per cent importance. However, only 18 per cent was given to the expectation that candidates have an understanding of the company’s financial performance.

When it came to recruitment consultants, jobseekers said they were good at providing information on the job at hand, giving 76 per cent, but that consultants did not give enough coaching for interviews, with just 2 per cent awarded.

The Managing Director of Nicoll Curtin, Lawrence Hargreaves, said: “The research demonstrates that candidates are falling short of getting a job on simple things such as poor communication or failing to recognise the importance of technical skills and qualifications.

“The best advice is to build a relationship with a good recruitment agency that can highlight the relevant aspects of your CV for the role, prepare you thoroughly and coach you for your interview to communicate effectively.”

Mr Hargreaves also pointed out that, when applying for a job, candidates need to be properly qualified, find a suitable recruitment agency, make their CV as succinct and attention-grabbing as possible and consult with the agency as much as possible to ensure their consultant keeps on top of things.

Via EPR Network
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Nicoll Curtin Leads Keynote Presentation For Business Analysts

Nicoll Curtin, a leading IT recruitment agency, was delighted to deliver a presentation to The Institute of International Business Analyst (IIBA) members on ‘Recruitment from a Consultant’s View’.

At the event, Lawrence Hargreaves, MD of Nicoll Curtin, was a keynote speaker and panel member. The presentation for IIBA members included much useful information that attendees were able to take away with them, such as tips, tricks and techniques from both hiring managers and recruitment professionals.

Much of the content discussed at the presentation documented the results of an independent study commissioned by Nicoll Curtin. Both the study and the presentation were aimed at hiring managers and prospective candidates. Those that took part all had an interest in learning about the experiences of recruitment from a Business Analyst perspective and also included information on the various expectations and perceptions of recruitment. The results of the survey are to be published and distributed in early 2012.

Lawrence Hargreaves, Managing Director of Nicoll Curtin, said: “The overall crux of the presentation was to dispel the myth that recruitment consultants are just a necessary evil. Good recruitment consultants offer candidates exceptional opportunities and can enhance careers and increase earning potential.

“What is fundamentally critical to the success of using an agency is building a two-way dialogue and challenging your agency – advice that applies to both candidates and employers.”

Hargreaves also explained that he believes Nicoll Curtin’s method of creating partnerships between itself and its clients and candidates is the way forward within the industry, and that hiring managers should look on recruitment consultancies as a helping hand in searching for the right employees for their companies.

Nicoll Curtin is a recruitment consultancy that specialises in IT Banking Jobs and other positions within the IT sector in the UK and abroad, specifically in Europe and Asia Pacific. Beginning in 1999, the company was originally founded by entrepreneur Derek Johnson and has gone on to win many recruiter awards.

Via EPR Network
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Nicoll Curtin Recruitment Grows Its European Division

Nicoll Curtin, the IT recruitment agency, has grown its European Division in response to strong demand for skilled professionals to fill a range of IT jobs for clients throughout the region, in particular its core market, Switzerland.

Since the company incorporated in Switzerland and received its Cantonal and Federal licences, Nicoll Curtin’s European Division has focused on growing both new and existing business channels. Traditionally strong in the IT contract jobs arena, the company is now expanding into recruiting for permanent roles in its core investment banking and financial services sectors, predominantly for IT jobs in Zurich and Geneva.

The company has also brought on board a number of new clients in the Commercial sector, with a focus on the pharmaceutical industry; new clients include Novartis, Tecan and Swisscom.

To ensure the team is able to fully service the requirements of these new clients, Nicoll Curtin has taken on two additional bilingual recruiters. Fahad Ansari, Head of the European Division, said:-

‘Despite the economic situation, our experience is that demand is still strong in Europe, and particularly in Switzerland, for skilled technologists across banking, financial services and other private sector industries. We are working on a wide range of roles across the IT spectrum, including development jobs, business analyst jobs, infrastructure jobs and project management roles at all levels. This is the first phase in our growth strategy, and we will be making further additions to the team as we continue to grow both our permanent and Commercial offerings.’

Established in 1999, Nicoll Curtin recruitment specialises in sourcing high calibre candidates for IT contract jobs and permanent IT roles in the banking, financial services and commercial sectors. The company’s clients include a range of market leading global organisations in the UK, Europe and Singapore.

The European Division operates in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium.

Via EPR Network
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