Umbrella company, recruitment and contractor news.

Contractors' applications need to be honed

Sending out hundreds of poorly thought out CVs is useless, according to an expert, who said contractors using umbrella companies need to tailor their applications in order to succeed.Keith Potts, c...

GDP leap buoyed by construction sector

After a shock leap in the UK's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), many commentators were left shocked and accredited the construction sector as being a driving force behind the surprising statistics, ac...

Pension reforms need careful consideration, says expert

The proposals by the government to increase the retirement age to 68 have been criticised by one pensions expert, who said the move might not be the best one for mature workers in the UK and could ...

Body language can be a winner for contractors

Contractors using umbrella companies looking to secure all-important deals need to ensure that they use the right body language when meeting clients or attending interviews, according to one expert.

TUC: Gender pay gap needs to be addressed

Women using umbrella companies should be able to earn the same amount of money as their male counterparts, according to one organisation which said that the gender pay gap still exists, and steps n...

Educational reforms could be ideal for contractors

Labour's reforms of the UK's education system in the late 90s were great news for contractors using umbrella companies, according to one news provider which stated that it gave schools and companie...

Contractors are unprepared for interviews

Too many contractors using umbrella companies are not prepared for an interview, according to an expert, who said that many do not even spend time researching a company before attending an interview.

Umbrella company users 'should boost their team's morale'

Umbrella company users heading up a team should get involved in boosting morale and engagement, an expert has advised.Shaf Rasul, a dragon on Dragon's Den online and 2010 Orange Leader of the Year ...

Umbrella company users 'could be impacted by new IT maintenance code'

IT contractors with umbrella companies could benefit from a new code of conduct which has been launched for IT maintenance.Gartner is behind the guidelines, which aim to change the way that the IT ...

Opportunities for contractors 'have increased'

The number of opportunities for contractors increased during the last three months, with the majority of jobs created being filled by part time, temporary or self-employed jobseekers.Dr John Philpo...

Contractors 'could benefit from local business advice day'

A special Local Business Advice Open Day is being run in the Sefton area on July 22nd and could offer valuable help for contractors in the area.HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will be running the ses...

Medicine and engine exports 'key contractor area'

A strong performance in terms of medicine and engine exports suggests that these are the most profitable areas for contractors to get involved in, an expert has claimed.Martin Bamford, chartered fi...

Retail sales increase 'could create new contractor opportunities'

New figures have been released showing that retail sales are increasing, which could be great news for contractors looking for work in this sector.A report published by the British Retail Consortiu...

Signs of further growth 'good for umbrella companies'

A new report has shown that the UK economic recovery is currently 'consolidating', which could be good news for contractors using umbrella companies.The latest British Chambers of Commerce Economic...

Construction contractors 'could be hurt by capital expenditure cuts'

Contractors in the construction industry could experience a number of difficulties caused by a fall-off in the government's capital expenditure.Dave Lowery, reporter at Construction News, has claim...

Public sector job cuts need close attention

The new coalition government needs to approach the pending job cuts in the public sector with care, according to an expert, who said messing it up could spell trouble for contractors using umbrella...

Job market positivity is great news for contractors

Contractors using umbrella companies have been given a boost by the current wave of positivity in the jobs market, according to an expert, who predicted this could be a temporary lift after the aus...

Contractors have edge in competitive job market

The current caution being used by some companies when it comes to recruitment, which means a lot are not prepared to commit to permanent staff placements, is benefiting contractors, according to an...

Graduate contractors: Flexibility 'key to getting work'

Graduates who are looking to enter the contracting profession should ensure they are flexible when looking for work, an expert has claimed.Charlie Ball, deputy research director at the Higher Educa...

Signs are positive for contractors

Contractors using umbrella companies and looking for work in the housing industry should be bolstered by the increased activity which is being seen at the moment, according to an expert.Matthew McE...