Kate Ross: Stay positive and change the focus

As "sales people", working in recruitment, the majority of us have naturally high energy levels. However, it can be hard to remain upbeat within this employment market as we find ourselves becoming more like counsellors than professional consultants.

Candidates who are out of work are becoming incredibly frustrated and worried about their bills, mortgages, families and future. The number of calls coming into the business to consultants from candidates out of work has sky rocketed and the message is consistent – "Please find me work – I'll do anything".

We wish we could find work for everyone and we are trying. Believe it or not, it is just as stressful for us as it is for candidates. In many instances, we have had long standing relationships with these people and over the years we have placed them in jobs and worked with them as clients. To see candidates of a very high calibre unable to find work and to see their frustration is unsettling.

Employers also have questions and need information. They want to know how others are finding the market and what changes we are seeing as the year progresses. Many are struggling with discontent in the workplace post-redundancy, or in anticipation of changes within the business.

The recruitment cycle continues as client contacts come to us to help them seek work when their own roles are unstable. People are feeling vulnerable now. There is no point in us asking for work when we know what the answer will be. It is a vicious circle and we are all affected.

What is the solution?

There is no doubt about the fact that we have to keep positive and we have to keep going. As a business facing into 2009, we have had to change our focus, diversify and look at other ways of supporting our clients, candidates and ourselves through these turbulent times.

We are running a series of workshops for candidates. These are in house training courses for anyone looking for work and struggling – whether you have been made redundant, need to re-skill or just wish to give yourself the best chance of gaining employment, getting a plan together and covering all the bases will help to get you on the right path.

For employers, we cover restructure planning, reviving team morale as well as and maybe most importantly, opportunities to discuss what is going on outside the walls of your business. Often the best ideas come from people who are going through similar changes with a different approach.

Month by month we are noticing continuous changes in the market. It has picked up and we are hopeful and expectant that it will continue to do so, one day at a time.

We have noticed the number of part-time roles have increased as companies look at this option with the flexibility of increasing hours later.

Looking outside the square in business and for individuals is crucial to give you an edge when "survival of the fittest" comes into play.

When times are tough and the chips are down, do everything you can to make yourself or your business shine the brightest. If you can be the light at the end of the tunnel, you're already ahead of the game.

* Kate Ross is director of Kinetic Recruitment as well as upcoming part time job website The Outfit and the Return2work programme, in partnership with Sarah Paykel.