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Pop singer-songwriter Emily Vaughn is reaching new artistic heights with her latest new single titled “Say The Word,” featuring singer Lostboycrow. The track contains a thumping luscious soundscape courtesy of music producer Gazzo and a charismatic vocal delivery by Vaughn as she sings about the complex layers of love and longing. The track is a head bopping, upbeat pop journey with plenty of delicate harmonies between Vaughn and Lostboycrow. “Say The Word” is destined to cement Vaughn as a force to be reckoned with in the pop music world.

We had the pleasure to chat with Vaughn about her inspiration behind “Say The Word” and her experience of writing and collaborating with Gazzo and Lostboycrow among many other things.

SR: With “Say The Word”, the soundscape is immensely intricate and more savory than your previous releases, was it your intention or did it just happen that way?
EV: I wrote “Say The Word” over a year ago, and I remember hearing the demo back for the first time and having an “Oh, yes” moment. It’s intentionally a little bit brighter and upbeat because it’s actually one of my only love songs.

SR: Were there any particular artists you were listening to while making the new track? There is a memorable Frank Ocean mention in the song, are you a Frank Ocean fan?
EV: So I actually left the second verse unwritten because I thought it’d be fun to do a collaboration on it. I texted it to LBC asking if he wanted to write the second verse and was super excited about it. Obviously, he killed it. So, to answer your question, I AM a Frank Ocean fan but I didn’t influence that lyric!

SR: “Say The Word” features fellow alternative pop/ r&b singer Lostboycrow, Did you go in the studio with a pre conceived idea that the track would be a collaboration between the two of you?
EV: Oops I accidentally just answered that in the last Q, didn’t I? I went in the studio with the intention of writing for myself, but after hearing the demo I thought it’d be the perfect opportunity for a duet with an artist I love!

SR: What was the songwriting and recording sessions like for “Say The Word”? Was it a unique experience from a previous sessions? If so, how?
EV: I started from scratch with this one. I went to the studio that day with no concept or idea of what I wanted to write about. Gazzo, the producer of “Say The Word”, started playing chords that inspired me so much that all the lyrics and melodies happened so fast I could barely keep up with them. We left the studio with the demo sounding like a finished product in a few hours. Gazzo is incredible at that.

SR: Was there a particular moment where you felt “Say The Word” was a song you wanted to be officially released as a single?
EV: Funny story, I actually wanted to drop it last fall, but I decided to put out “Over That” instead because “Say The Word” felt like a summer song. I’ve been sitting on it forever and been dying to put it out. I’m so so happy that it’s finally out in the world!

SR: What would you like your listeners to take away from listening to the song?
EV: I think the song can be fun if you’re falling in love, already in it, crushing hard, or single and hopeful for romance. It gives me that “first love” feeling and I hope it makes everyone feel a little spark.

Singer Lostboycrow added some insight about his experience working on “Say The Word”,

“Gazzo and Emily are very talented and had a pretty clear vision of what the song was before I brought my water bottle and Frank Ocean references into the mix. It freed me up in a way to just write where the song was already flowing, lyrically and melodically.”

Catch all the latest news on Emily Vaughn on her Official SpotifyInstagram, Facebook, Twitter


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Why is the Foundation of Your Home so Important?

October 16, 2017 7:16 am

All properties are built upon a foundation, such as concrete or helical piles. The purpose of a foundation is to evenly spread the heavy load of the building across the ground so that it doesn’t collapse or sink. It might seem silly to put so much thought into something you can’t even see, but you should not underestimate the importance of your building foundation!

Spending hours choosing paint colours and decorating your beautiful home is great, but it will be all for nothing if you don’t first take the time to ensure that the foundation of your home is built to the very best standards. It is completely worth it because it will prevent any problems further down the line. Building on the wrong type of soil where movement is probable, for example, can lead to cracks and leaking in your home. Even the most lavish of properties can experience such flaws if they are not constructed upon a stable foundation.

Prior to deciding which type of structural foundation is most appropriate, you must do your research and have a strong understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of each.  You might want to consider factors such as the effects on the environment (if any) and what the overall costs will be.

Once the build is complete, there are ways you can protect your property to avoid causing damage to your foundation. For example, during the summer months when rain is less frequent, it’s a good idea to water the land surrounding your property. This will stop the soil from drying up and shrinking, consequently causing your foundation to move.

If you require any advice or assistance regarding your building foundations, please feel free to call us on 01727735550 or email info@screwfast.com and we will be happy to help.

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Club News

Swindon Town away clash rearranged for March 3rd

18 February 2020

The Iron's Sky Bet League Two clash away at Swindon Town, which was postponed at the weekend in the interest of supporter safety, has been rearranged for Tuesday, March 3rd, 2020 (kick-off 7.45pm).

The Swindon Town safety officer and their SAG/Club Officials made the decision to cancel the original fixture on safety grounds.

Iron supporters who purchased tickets for the match and are unable to attend the rearranged fixture are able to collect a refund via the payment method they were originally purchased. The deadline for this is Monday, March 2nd at 5pm.

Iron supporters who purchased tickets for the original match and are still able to attend will be able to use the existing admission ticket to gain entry at the County Ground.

Due to the coach making the full journey to the original tie, refunds are not available as per the terms and conditions of travel. However, on this occasion, the club are pleased to be able to offer subsidised travel at a reduced rate of £20 to the rearranged fixture for anyone who travelled on the official supporters coach on Saturday.

Anyone who was unable to use the official coach travel on Saturday but would like to travel to the rearranged game can purchase tickets at the usual price of £26 members and £28 for non-members. Click here for away coach details.

Tickets will go back on sale for the rearranged match once we receive an additional allocation from the Robins, which will be located in the Arkells Stand. We will confirm on social media once they arrive.

PAY ON THE DAY: Tickets will be available on the day at no extra charge from the away ticket office, which is situated 50 yards from the away turnstiles at the Arkells Stand end of the ground. They can take payment by cash or card.

You can purchase tickets in person at the Iron ticket office, by calling 01724 747670 or through visiting Buy in advance from the Iron and we receive 5% of the sales.

Match tickets will remain on sale from the Iron ticket office until 5pm on Monday, March 2nd. REMINDER: The deadline for refunds on the original match tickets is also 5pm on Monday, March 2nd.

Prices for the game are as follows:

Over 65/Student

We have been allocated three wheelchair tickets. Ambulant disabled supporters pay the age related price for their ticket. Disabled fans must be in receipt of DLA at the higher level, or middle rate for mobility. If this is the case, disabled fans will be entitled to one free carer.

Call 01724 747670

Our ticket office is open at the following times:

Tuesday, February 18th - 8.30am-5pm
Wednesday, February 19th - 8.30am-6pm
Thursday, February 20th - 8.30am-5pm
Friday, February 21st - 8.30am-5pm
Saturday, February 22nd - 9am-3pm (also open for a short period of time after the Forest Green game)
Sunday, February 23rd - Closed
Monday, February 24th - 8.30am-5pm
Tuesday, February 25th - 8.30am-5pm
Wednesday, February 26th - 8.30am-6pm
Thursday, February 27th - 8.30am-5pm
Friday, February 28th - 8.30am-5pm
Saturday, February 29th - Closed
Sunday, March 1st - Closed
Monday, March 2nd - 8.30am-5pm

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Spring is in full swing for the Shop Talk crew. Every month our team gathers a list of most-coveted wants and wears into the Met Set. To prep for spring cleaning, weekend adventures, and cautiously donning (gasp!) color again, check out our favorite locally sourced selects below.

Image via Prism

Alyssa Volpigno, Shop Talk Contributor
I'm working through my spring cleaning list, and every aspect of my life is getting an organizational overhaul. What better way to store makeup, office supplies, or anything you just don't want to look at, than in a salt-and-pepper cowhide pouch from Portland-based Primecut ($50–$160 via Prism). These bags are gorgeous and they feel amazing. Give me 20 of them.

Image via Zara

Lauren Gallow, Shop Talk Contributor
Spring uniform. Only. Ever. This outfit. Gingham linen high-waisted shorts with a matching crop top ($160)?! It's like Zara said, "Hey team, what's Lauren in a single look?" Get ready to see me wearing this every day on repeat. I won't even be sorry for it, because by then it will be warm enough to lounge in a park on a blanket with sunglasses and rosé. Make that my spring and summer uniform.

Image via Barneys New York

Olivia Tinsley, Style Intern
In celebration of springing ahead, I think it's time to spruce up my space with this minimalist wall clock, available at Barneys New York ($199).

Image via JJ Caprices

Amanda Zurita, Style Editor
I've been dropping not-so-subtle (I hope!) hints about how enamored I am with these Ottoman-inspired necklaces ($265–$565) ever since JJ Caprices owner Jen Jedda brought them to brunch a few weeks ago. She sourced the one-of-a-kind pieces from a designer in Turkey, and the worldly, antique pops of color are exactly what my spring wardrobe is searching for.

Image via Drygoods Design

Jeanny Rhee, Editorial Intern
One thing about the Seattle weather I can always count on is that it's never too cold, too wet, or too hot to wrap a scarf around my neck. My affinity for scarves is here to stay, but this spring (and most likely all summer) I'm going to try my hand at tying handkerchiefs around the nape of my neck with bold and playful patterns using organic textiles ($6–$30) from local fabric retailer Drygoods Design

Image via Black Anchor Workshop

Jeremy Buben, Editorial Intern
Spring means weekend trips and chances to get out of the city. It's important to pack smart, but just as important to have luggage that'll hold up long after the season has passed. My pick: This waxed canvas weekender from Tacoma's Black Anchor Workshop ($350). It's made from tough materials that only improve with use, and the classic style means your luggage will always look its best.

 Seattle Met’s style editor spots the trends and tells where and when to hit the hottest sales and bargains. See an example!

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Costco shareholders meet Thursday to review results of 2009.

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People flocked to Costco Wholesale’s annual shareholder meeting Thursday afternoon as they do its warehouse clubs on Saturdays.

There were piles of muffins, samples of cheese and bowls of shrimp and chicken salad for a couple thousand investors and employees at Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue.

But they came mostly to hear Costco founders Jeff Brotman and Jim Sinegal talk about the country’s third largest retailer. The two covered everything from store openings (16 last fiscal year) to tires (7.3 million sold last year) to Costco rotisserie chicken (which now has its own Facebook page).

It was not one of the somber or apologetic investor gatherings that some retailers have held since being whacked by the recession. Costco’s stock trades in the upper $50s, the high end of its 52-week range, although a couple years ago it was into the $70s.

“My only mistake was not buying enough [stock],” said John Takacs, of Bonney Lake, who has owned Costco shares since before it merged with Price Club in the early 1990s.

Costco and other warehouse clubs have done relatively well in an economy that has been particularly brutal to retailers. Overall retail sales were down about 8 percent for the first 11 months of 2009, but sales at warehouse and superstores were up 2 percent, according to the U.S. Census’ monthly retail trade report.

The three biggest club players are Sam’s Club (605 stores), Costco (566) and B.J.’s Wholesale Club (184, mostly on the East Coast).

The first sign of serious trouble came this week, when Wal-Mart announced that it would lay off 11,200 of its Sam’s Club workers as it outsources product demonstrations.

The decision will save money, but is not a sign of desperation from a chain whose net sales for the first nine months of 2009 — the latest available — were down just 1.8 percent to $34.4 billion. Sam’s Club’s operating income was down less than 1 percent to $1.2 billion; it does not report net income separate from Wal-Mart.

Costco has had no layoffs, aside from its usual reductions in seasonal workers and people hired for big store openings. This month, for example, it let go about 160 of 450 workers at its new store in Manhattan.

Shareholders at Thursday’s meeting said repeatedly that they appreciate Costco’s sparing people’s jobs. “Kudos for keeping people working,” one investor said during a question-and-answer session. “People who aren’t working can’t buy.”

The Issaquah-based company knows it well, and has struggled particularly in states like California, where unemployment has reached above 12 percent and the chain has 117 stores. It saw a 15 percent drop in net income (to $1.1 billion) during its fiscal year ended Aug. 30, 2009, but member renewals have not dropped, and the company has gained new members.

That phenomenon has been true for all three major warehouse clubs, and it surprised some investors.

“There were expectations that people would be willing to let their memberships expire, but the numbers have held up quite well,” said R.J. Hottovy, a retail analyst at Morningstar in Chicago.

Some new members are even on food stamps. Costco decided last fall to accept food stamps at stores nationwide, a major shift for a company that had said it doubted there would be enough demand.

“The rules are different today,” CEO Jim Sinegal said last fall. “People who were in good shape financially all of the sudden are needing some assistance.”

Rules have changed for corporations, too. Despite the 15 percent profit decline last year, Costco’s stock is trading at 23 times earnings, a rich valuation for a retailer of any sort. Wal-Mart is at 15, and B.J.’s is at 14.

Partly, that’s because Costco’s numbers continue to improve. In December, sales at stores open at least a year rose 9 percent, one of the best holiday showings for a retailer and better than Wall Street expected.

“Generally, people are looking for big things from these guys,” Hottovy said.

Costco’s founders discussed some plans for the future, including ramped-up expansion as the economy improves, including in international markets from Asia to Australia.

They want to expand their Costco Business stores, which sell office supplies and food for restaurants and caterers. Costco currently operates eight of these stores. And they might get bigger in the car wash business, if six operations — including one in downtown Seattle — do well. They charge $7.99 a wash.

Costco tries to be environmentally friendly, Sinegal said in answer to a question, “but we don’t like to beat our breasts about it. We just like to do it and move on.”

This week, Costco was named Sustainable Grocer of the Year by Its ecological efforts include less packaging than many stores and warehouses with solar panels, Sinegal said, “but they’re not in Seattle yet, because we’re waiting for the sun to come out.”

He also said that through its customers and employees, Costco has raised almost $6 million to help with relief efforts in Haiti.

One place where Costco will not expand any time soon is China, partly because the company doesn’t understand the demographics or the business environment. When the company scouted out one possible location in China, executives asked what would happen to the factory currently occupying that location.

“They’ll be moved,” Sinegal said the Costco contingent was told. They thought, “in 10 years, that’ll be us.”

So China plans are on hold, he said. “China’s been there a few years. It’ll be there in 10 years.”

— Melissa Allison

Fred Meyer customers have helped raise more than $27,000 for the American Red Cross Haiti Disaster Relief Fund through contributions to coin boxes at registers at 130 stores in Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Idaho. Before the earthquakes in Haiti, contributions to the boxes — which average $10,000 a week — went to local school districts, and will switch back to them beginning Sunday. — MA

The Enumclaw Chocolate and Wine Festival holds its second annual event this weekend at the Enumclaw Expo Center. It begins at noon Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and closes at 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children. — MA

Redhook Ale Brewery is owned by a Portland, Ore., company now, but it still makes beer in Woodinville and has decided that its Copperhook Copper Ale, previously available only in the spring, will now be available year-round in grocery stores and on draught in the western U.S. — MA

Menchie’s, a self-service frozen-yogurt concept that’s already big in California, arrived in Washington last weekend, at 1409 S. 348th St. in Federal Way. Local owner Cameron Garner hopes to bring more to Western Washington over the next few years. Customers serve themselves yogurt and toppings, then pay by the ounce (43 cents in Federal Way), plus $1 if you want a waffle cup. — MA

Retail Report appears Fridays. Amy Martinez covers goods, services and online retail. She can be reached at 206-464-2923 or Melissa Allison covers the food and beverage industry. She can be reached at 206-464-3312 or


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National Secular Society

Challenging Religious Privilege

Join us

Newsline 1 November 2019

Earlier this year we intervened at the European Court of Human Rights in an important case concerning religious education in Greece.

A group of parents and students brought the case. They understandably objected to the fact they could only opt their children out of an RE course which promoted Orthodox Christianity if they declared their religious affiliation.

This week we're pleased to report that the court has found in their favour. In the process it upheld the arguments we made in their defence, and said compulsory RE must not indoctrinate pupils into a religious worldview.

We're continuing to argue that education about religion in UK schools should enable children to make their own minds up about their beliefs. And where religion is pushed on children, parents must retain a credible right to withdraw them. If you think making that argument is worthwhile, please consider joining or donating to us. Thank you for your support.

News & Opinion

Compulsory RE mustn’t indoctrinate, says European Court of Human Rights

The European Court of Human Rights has said RE curricula must be conveyed in an "objective" manner after a successful NSS intervention.

The Catholic Church’s snub to the child abuse inquiry speaks volumes

The Holy See's refusal to fully assist the UK's sexual abuse inquiry reveals unchangeable deficiencies within the church and highlights the need for a new mandatory reporting law, says Stephen Evans.

Government expects “industry” to inform consumers on non-stun meat

The government has said it expects food producers and outlets to give consumers information on meat from non-stun slaughter.

Faith schools perform less well under fairer assessment, says study

Faith schools drop dramatically in league tables when fairer indicators of pupils' background are taken into account, a study has found.

Parent's perspective: My son shouldn't have to feel abnormal because he's not Christian

My son is struggling to reconcile his lack of religious belief with his school's Christian ethos.

Latest NSS podcast

Ep 17: Thought for the Day | RE in Wales

In this week's episode, Emma Park is joined by Chris Sloggett and Helen Nicholls to discuss whether BBC Radio 4's Thought for the Day should still be exclusively for "speakers from the world's major faiths".

Emma also speaks to Stephen Evans and Alastair Lichten about a consultation on the reform of sex and religious education launched by the Welsh government this month.

Calls for review of assisted dying law

This week more than 20 MPs and 18 police and crime commissioners issued separate calls for a review of the ban on assisted dying.

The NSS argues that religion should not undermine patients' autonomy over the way they are treated at the end of their lives. Dr Jacky Davis of Healthcare Professionals for Assisted Dying addressed the NSS's Healthcare and Secularism conference on the subject last year.

Other news

A three-year-old boy has had his penis cut off during a circumcision in Brazil. Meanwhile some Sri Lankan Muslim groups are calling for forms of female genital mutilation to be permitted on 'religious freedom' grounds, using language deployed to defend ritual male circumcision. The NSS argues that all children deserve equal and complete protection from unnecessary genital cutting.

A group of Italian doctors are on trial for manslaughter after refusing to perform a potentially life-saving abortion. The NSS argues that 'conscientious objection' to providing treatment, which is often justified on religious grounds, must not be allowed to endanger women's health.

A rabbinical court in Israel has taken two children from the care of their mother after claims she was not complying with observant Jewish practices. The court granted the children's father custody despite the fact he'd formerly been convicted of violent crimes. The NSS has described this as a shocking reminder of the harm that can be done when the state empowers religious 'courts'.

Two Italian footballers have been suspended after being seen "uttering a blasphemous expression" on the pitch.

The Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain, which supports those who leave Islam and has seen its casework double in recent years, is offering supporters the opportunity to become patrons.

Stay in touch with all the latest news and views on secularism – sign up to receive your daily media briefing from the NSS.

Read elsewhere

The politics of simultaneous resistance: lessons for contemporary feminism

Speech by Pragna Patel, at FiLiA 2019

In the opening address to the recent FiLiA conference, the director of Southall Black Sisters said feminists and progressives must find a way out of the cul-de-sac of identity politics.

The war on African women is supported by foreign activists, with no regard for our lives

By Olutimehin Adegbeye, for openDemocracy

Religious groups are limiting access to sexual and reproductive services, and this needs to end.

Upcoming events

Next Thursday our board member Richard Scorer will join a panel to discuss the way in which the law balances the right to freedom of religion with other human and individual rights.

In the coming weeks our staff and board members will also take part in events on religion's role in public life, our campaign to end state-funded faith schools and more.

Find out more on our events page.

Essays of the week

More ritual, less circumcision
By Carolina Landsmann, for Haaretz

It would be a relief for many Jews if circumcision became a metaphorical ritual rather than a literal one.

The terrifying reaction to a panel debate on Islamophobia
By Qanta Ahmed, for The Spectator

The reaction to an event at the recent Conservative party conference shows why so few moderate Muslims are heard in public debate.

NSS scholarship

The NSS is keen to support original research that supports the evidence base of our campaigns work and improves public understanding of secularism.

To this end we have established a scholarship of up to £5,000 per application. The latest round of applications for funding closes on 1 December. You can apply through our research & scholarships page.

In your own words: scrap the chancel tax

"I would not voluntarily give the C of E a penny. Why should anyone be forced to?"
Joyce, Northamptonshire

Sign the petition and tell us why chancel repair liability, which leaves some landowners in England & Wales liable for repairs to local Anglican churches, should be abolished.

In your own words: disestablish the Church of England

In the interest of fairness and equality the time has come for the separation of church and state."
Mark, Nottinghamshire

Sign the petition and tell us why the C of E should be disestablished.

In your own words: end compulsory worship in schools

"My second child is now at school. Local evangelists are giving assemblies and preaching to children from age four upwards. Withdrawing them isn't the answer, as it would single them out and they are too young to fully understand the situation."
Chris, Derbyshire

Sign our petition and explain why you think compulsory worship in schools should end.

Alternatively, sign one of our other petitions to let us know why you support another secularist cause.

Support our work

Please support our work so we can make the case for a fairer secular democracy for all.

Click here if you'd rather read Newsline as a PDF.


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The Stockholm Sustainable Finance Centre is proud to host the second conference of the Northern European Partnership for Sustainable Finance (NEPSF) on 14 May in Stockholm. From aligning investments with climate to active ownership and long-termism, this conference will address some of the most pressing questions in the debate on sustainable finance. The conference will explore the opportunities investors have to steer their portfolios towards sustainability and discuss how obstacles can be overcome.

“With this gathering of experts, we want to create an exciting and inspiring meeting place for actors working with sustainable finance. It is a great opportunity for me, as well as others, to learn more about how big investors like the Church of England influence portfolio managers to align with a more sustainable pathway. Of course, I am also excited about having discussions on how to integrate long-termism in the capital market conversation,” says Magnus Billing, CEO of Alecta and Chairman of SSFC’s Advisory Board.

Date: Tuesday 14 May 2019
Time: 08:30–17:00 CEST. Media interviews can be arranged 10:45-11:15 and 15:00-15:30.
Place: Nalen, Regeringsgatan 74 in Stockholm, Sweden

An expert panel will discuss the EU Action Plan on Sustainable Finance, the action taken in the first year since its adoption and prospects for the future. Sandrine Dixson-Declève of the Club of Rome will talk about the EU’s measures to define sustainable finance. She will be joined by Marie Baumgarts of SEB, Ben Caldecott of the Oxford Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, and Harald Lund of CICERO to give a northern European perspective on the Action Plan.

Among other highlights, Adam Matthews of the Church of England Pensions Board will speak about new and efficient ways of engaging with portfolio companies, considering the need for a global transition towards low-carbon economies. Dr Ulf Erlandsson, affiliated researcher at the Knut Wicksell Centre for Financial Studies, Lund University, will make the case from modern portfolio theory for substituting “brown” bonds with green bonds.

Session highlights

09:00   Welcome
09:20   Keynote address: Finance and the Earth system
10:00   Steering towards the goals – science-based targets for investors
11:15   Active ownership: how can impact be assessed?
13:30   Long-termism in capital markets
14:30   Fixed income in the Anthropocene
15:30   The EU Action Plan on Sustainable Finance, one year on
16:30   Financial centers and networks for sustainability

“The aim of the conference is to share thought-leaders’ insights and the latest academic knowledge on how we can advance investments towards sustainable finance. Right now, there is momentum around these issues, and this event offers a great opportunity to discuss the hottest topics,” says Emma Sjöström, Deputy Director of SSFC and Research Fellow at Misum, Stockholm School of Economics.

Join us for an exchange between practitioners in the finance sector, representatives of international organizations, and research experts on sustainable finance.

Stockholm Sustainable Finance Centre aims to accelerate and promote the shift in capital investments required to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate targets in the Paris Agreement. SSFC designs and delivers expertise on sustainable financing. SSFC performs independent research, and knowledge and capacity building on current and future issues on sustainable economy and finance.

SSFC is a unique collaboration between Stockholm Environment Institute and Stockholm School of Economics. It thus brings together a leading university in financial markets and economics, and a highly ranked institute working on environmental and broader sustainable development issues.


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Andy Cohen Looks Buff On The Beach With Baby Son Benjamin In Miami_1

After ringing in New Year’s Eve on CNN, Bravo star Andy Cohen enjoyed a Miami vacation with his 10-month-old son, Benjamin.

The Real Housewives wrangler, 51, was photographed enjoying some quality time with the baby boy as they hung out together by the water.

On February 4, 2019, Cohen welcomed Ben, who was declared “Cutest Baby Alive” by People magazine late last year.

Cohen announced he would be becoming a father via surrogate mother in December 2018 on his talk show Watch What Happens Live — and told fans he was expecting a boy when he co-hosted CNN’s Live New Year’s Eve bash leading into 2019.

The news came after had exclusively revealed that Cohen asked CNN host Anderson Cooper, 52, to be the child’s godfather.

On CNN with Cooper, Cohen said, “When I was growing up, and when we were growing up … I just never thought it would be possible as a gay man to grow up and have a family.

Drama! Entire ‘RHOC’ Cast On The Chopping Block

“And here we are in 2018, almost ‘19, and anything’s possible. And I’m so grateful to a wonderful surrogate that I’m working with.”

Cohen had a lavish baby shower featuring a slew of his housewife pals.

He wrote on social media, “Family means everything to me and having one of my own is something I’ve wanted in my heart for my entire life and though it has taken me longer than most to get there, I cannot wait for what I envision will be the most rewarding chapter yet.”

Cohen clearly loves being a dad—and also working out at the gym, as he flaunted his shirtless form in Florida.

Kathy Griffin slammed former pal Cohen after he replaced her as co-host of CNN’s New Year’s Eve celebration.

Kathy Griffin Weds On New Year’s After Being Fired As CNN Ball Drop Co-Host

This Jan. 1, in a bizarre bit of timing, Griffin, 59, married her longtime boyfriend Randy Bick, 41, as Cohen and Cooper were working on TV together.

The My Life on the D List star had said Cohen was her Bravo boss for years and treated her “like a dog.”

Andy Fires Back! Cohen Slams Kathy Griffin’s Claim He Treated Her ‘Like A Dog’

Andy Fires Back! Cohen Slams Kathy Griffin’s Claim He Treated Her ‘Like A Dog’

Cohen denied Griffin’s claims, responding in a USA Today interview, “She’s made up a lot of stuff about me in the past few years that has just been untrue and sad. I hope she finds some peace.”

It’s clear Cohen has in his own life with his adorable son!

Scroll through Radar’s gallery for more.


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Coaching the recruitment managers of the future

Coaching the recruitment managers of the future

I’m delighted this week to be partnering with a national training provider to launch a new, higher-level management qualification for the recruitment sector.

Solvo Vir, based near Manchester, has a successful track record of delivering employee training programmes within organisations, upskilling their new and existing staff. Working closely with the team of trainers at Solvo vir, I will be leading workshops in Manchester and London. The icing on the cake is that businesses will be able to access funding to pay for all or part of the training.

The new ILM-accredited management training will be looking at management theory, skills and processes through the lens of a manager in the recruitment industry, with industry-relevant examples, tasks and scenarios. We believe this is a first for the industry and in such a competitive sector, for this to be very well-subscribed.

Whilst any good management coach will have deep understanding of management theories and can bring to bear examples from their own management experience, few would understand, for example, the complexities of corporate resourcing and constructing a high return client! Working closely with Solvo Vir’s own management trainers and assessors, I will be bringing real life examples of management in the recruitment industry into the training sessions.

How can business get funding for this training?

The management training course for recruiters is being offered under the banner of apprenticeship training, effectively integrating study with ‘on the job’ learning. The government approved funding for recruitment industry qualifications in December 2017, meaning that organisations which are now subject to the Apprenticeship Levy can use those funds to pay for the training. Smaller businesses can access substantial government funding to cover the majority of the cost.

If you would like to know more or are interested feel free to contact myself Ian Knowlson on 07552 555858 or Dominic Abubakar at Solvo Vir on 0330 200539140

The ILM Level 5 Management Qualification for Recruiters will be running in London and Manchester starting April 2018.

Niche vs. Generalist Recruiter

Niche vs. Generalist Recruiter

The world of recruitment has changed in the last 10-15 years. Fifteen years ago most major towns and cities had local recruitment agencies that supported their community and local economy.

They were generally situated on the high street and were the main source locally for employers seeking staff and workers seeking employment. They have fulfilled a key role in the development of our regional economies.

Often they supplied:

  • Admin & Clerical
  • Accounting & Payroll
  • Customer Service and Contact Centre people
  • Distribution staff (FLT Drivers, drivers, pickers & packers)
  • Construction Workers
  • Legal
  • Sales & Marketing
  • IT
  • Education workers

The list is actually endless and certainly not exhaustive. Their key differentiator was they were local and knew all the local employers and attracted local workers.

The rise of the Internet has seen this world change and the squeeze on margins and the introduction of in-house recruiters by larger employers has seen the commercial viability of many of these businesses traditional core markets have become almost unsustainable.

The need for recruitment agencies to recycle the unemployed/displaced workers and support individuals make informed career moves has not diminished increasingly this role has been fulfilled by Niche/Specialist Recruiters.

So successful have they become that they dominate most industry lists of high growth recruiters and those with the highest profitability.

Niche or specialist recruiters know the gaps in the markets, know which skills carry the highest premiums and are now the ones that achieve the higher margins. In fact it is fair to say they dominate most sectors.

So successful has this niche business model been that, those achieving the highest growth and margin figures are now often working in Ultra-Niches. No longer focusing on IT, Accounting or Engineering but specific skills within a sector such as Cyber Security, Avionics Systems Engineering or Cost & Management Accounting.

This is a trend you cannot ignore and in our support of clients we don’t.

Choosing their ultra-niche or niches is critical. Knowing which are growing, which have the best margins and accessibility is key. Migrating from a ‘generalist’ regional recruiter model even one in a specific sector like construction or engineering to a ultra-niche model is not easy or without its pitfalls and challenges. Not everyone manages it successfully and without losing staff and clients.

One of our oldest clients however made the move to a niche recruitment desk model eighteen months to two years ago and are now achieving 300% growth rates in revenue and profitability. This performance is not unique and replicable with the right training and coaching support. Done in the right way it can have other benefits in increasing consultant productivity, speed of development of trainees and brand and market penetration.

A critical consideration is do you know where the ‘skill-gaps’ are in your markets. Niche Recruiters leverage the ‘supply/demand’ equation to maximum benefit. They justify their higher fees by finding the rare/premium skills that other suppliers struggle to attract. Your knowledge of where these ‘gaps’ in the market exist and for how long they are likely to remain is therefore crucial. A good experienced recruitment growth coach will have some of this knowledge and help you find what is best for your business.

Before embarking on this journey factors for consideration will include:

  • Which niches/ sectors are growing?
  • What knowledge/experience do you have in these niches?
  • What existing client relationships and commercial agreements do you have in or outside these sectors?
  • What 360 recruitment practices are consultants skilled in?
  • What capacity and appetite do they have for niche recruitment?
  • How flexible are they to changing their working practices?
  • How keen are they to learn and acquire new skills?
  • Are you permanent or temp/contract/interim focused business?
  • What are your core businesses ‘service values’?

In your quest for the lucrative sectors that are growing, you might be interested to know we publish a blog every year on the Top Recruitment Sectors for Growth you might find this a useful place to start. There are many other sources of information on skills gaps and market trends. The KPMG/REC monthly Jobs Report is another good place to keep tabs on.

Many of the premium skills-gaps exist in IT, Technology and Engineering sectors but these may not be areas you have any knowledge or expertise in.

Equally healthcare and education also have huge skill shortages but there are barriers to entry unless you have access to government framework contracts and a whole regime of compliance to understand and learn.

Again there is not ‘one-size that fits all’. The journey to niche recruiter is not easy or right for every business and the advice and support of a good recruitment growth coach with experience of doing this successfully with other recruiters is therefore essential.

Top 4 Recruitment Sectors to AVOID for the next 5-10 years

Since March 2013 when I wrote my immensely popular blog

Top 5 Recruitment Sectors to be in for the next 5-10 years,

I have been consistently asked what are the recruitment sectors agencies should be avoiding. The first thing to say is that in my opinion, and those of most employment sector commentators, over the next 5-10 years we are entering a period of massive skill-shortages. Only last month the CIPD’s chief economist Mark Beatson indicated that the War-on-Talent was set to intensify.

In addition in recent months several reports by the IMF, the EU and Accenture support this view, which I have commented on in numerous blogs on the topic:

The demographics in many developed and developing, countries mean they will be facing declining skilled workforces and populations over the next 10-20 years. As a consequence severe skill shortages are inevitable in these economies. Recently the Telegraph highlighted this issue further in an article:

Britain’s baby boom will affect our economy more than anything Mark Carney does by Allister Heath, June 7th 2013.

In the case of China the issue is so large that the IMF claim it will have a 140m-worker shortfall of skilled workers by 2030 which could have strategic implications for the security of the Pacific rim.

Therefore against this backdrop where demand for skilled labour will exceed supply there will always be an opportunity for enterprising recruitment agencies to plough their furrow. That said there are going to be some sectors where the opportunity for reward will be greater than others.

So having outlined my caveat here are my five sectors you should be avoiding if you wish to your agency to make the Sunday Times Fast-track 100.

1.         Admin and Clerical

11797609_sSince 2007 the US economy has lost 2m clerical workers and the UK 160,000 or 4.8% of the workforce. In the US clerical work accounts for 16% and in the UK 12% of all employment. (Sources: US department of labour projectionsUK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) Working Futures Report 2010-20 (revised August 2012))

In the UK this figure is projected to decline to 10% of the UK workforce by 2020 with the loss of 400,000 jobs.

The reasons are that as businesses grow they increasingly seek to automate processes particularly those involving data collection and data processing and also use call centre to handle customer eqnuires. So the consensus is that this number, as a percentage of overall workforces will decline in most developed or developing regions of the world.

In our blog Can you win the Talent War we considered the McKinsey Report  which discussed the New Employment Structures. We pointed out that McKinsey;

Highlight the trend over the past 30 years of where transaction-based jobs that could be standardized or scripted have been automated or shifted to low paid workers. Now they highlight the knowledge worker jobs such as managers, sales reps, engineers, lawyers, managers, teachers and doctors which they label interaction jobs as being the major growth area and vital for companies and countries a like.

Clearly some recruitment of admin and clerical staff is going to continue and there will be thousands of jobs to be filled. The question for me is however with all the tools of job-boards, social media and direct/in-house recruitment teams how much will be conducted via recruitment agencies? My guess is nowhere near as much as there has been in the past.

During my research I have spoken to several admin and clerical agencies and reluctantly agree. They do pioint out however that those ones with strong long-established client relationships will survive and in some areas prosper especially where their focus is the SME market who do not have effective internal recruitment solutions. For those wishing to remain in this sector perhaps this should be your key focus.

Gone however are the days when thousands of admin workers will be supplied via agencies to FTSE 250 companies. Clearly if you are operating in this sector you might need to undertake a SWOT analysis to review your future position.

You however may violently disagree. If so please let me know. I believe debate on this issue is healthy.

2.         Unskilled Industrial/Manufacturing

18124171_sAgain the data that exists on this comes from the US & UK employment figures. The US department of labour projections point to unskilled manufacturing jobs declining between 5-10% during the period 2010-20. In Britain the (UKCES) Working Futures Report 2010-20 (revised August 2012) provides good employment sector data and projections. For those in recruitment it represents a must read even if you don’t necessarily agree with its findings. This report itself points to a decline from 8% to 7% in the number of people employed in manufacturing.

These declines will be heaviest in old traditional industries where offshoring, productivity gains and industry decline will account for most of the reductions. In hi-tech sectors such as IT, Aerospace, Oil & Gas and electronics, much in line with our previous blog on the topic, the declines will be smaller. The overall decline in this sector is projected to be a fall of 400,000 jobs with particularly sharp declines expected for unskilled and semi skilled manual workers.

The reasons are obvious the cost of labour in the UK compared with China, Asia and the emerging African economies means that production of low value items will move abroad. Hence why UK Plc. needs to focus on hi-tech products or those where we can add-value.

In addition where these people are recruited I see an increasing role for In-house/Direct Sourcing teams who can leverage their clients brands to attract the numbers and volumes they seek.

The opportunities in this sector for recruitment agencies operating a traditional model are therefore limited. Again the SME market who do not have access to strong brands and in-house recruitment teams may offer some agencies hope.

3. Customer Contact and Call Centres

10112935_sWe have seen this area decline for many years now and the decline is set to continue further caused by three factors:

  • Off-shore of customer contact centres
  • In-house/Direct Sourcing Teams
  • Switch to Online and Mobile App purchasing

The combination of these three will see volumes of recruits via recruitment agencies continue to decline. There has been a reversal by some employers of the strategy of offshoring their customer contact centres due to customers complaints and service issues but this trend is being more than offset by the greater use of technology which are creating contactless purchasing systems.

In addition as with the other two areas Direct/In-house Sourcing teams are having great success in attracting staff and filling the needs of their business. They are in many cases more than managing to cope with the level of applicant attraction required to maintain and increase employee numbers.

4. Public & Third Sector

public-sector-pagesThe final sector I have highlighted to avoid will not surprise anyone in the UK. There has been much written in recent years about the decline of the UK public services from their peak in 2008, virtually all of it by interested parties on various sides of the political spectrum.

Once again the UKCES Report points to a total 2% reduction in the number of people employed across this sector falling from 27% to 25% by 2020. This reduction is actually masked in my opinion by the switch of roles from the public to the third sector as local authorities and NHS trusts reallocate the provision of some of their services into social enterprises.

For example the Office of Budget responsibility forecast in February this year that central and local government employment would fall by 900,000 between 201011 and 2017/18 as a result of government cuts.

This figure has been challenged by many commentators, who claim the reductions could be even greater, as much as 1.2 million. Clearly some of these jobs will switch to the third sector but it is unlikely that we will see more than 400,000 new third sector roles created and some claim it will be as little as 150,000.

Whatever your political views on this it is unlikely to be an area of growth for recruitment agencies in the way that it has been in recent years.

Common factors

imagesYou will by now have noticed that there are some common themes emerging. With the exception of the public services one or more of the following appear to contributing factors in all of the remaining cases.

  • Offshoring of roles and business functions
  • Supply of unskilled or semi-skilled workers
  • Technological advancements
  • Direct/In-house Resourcing of staff

Only one of these is new, namely the rise of Direct/In-house Recruiters. As a young adult of the 1980s I can bare witness that we have seen all this before. The only change here is the jobs being off-shored today are the ones we were saw replacing the old declining industries of the 1980s era such as coal mining, clothing manufacture and steel working. You only have to visit parts of Lancashire and South Yorkshire to see the plethora of call centres and customer service centres that populate the old mining and cotton mill towns. Some even operating on former sites.

Technology and alternative sources of cheap labour have always meant that job functions will shift round the globe where a predominance of unskilled or semi-skilled labour is required for the production, manufacture or delivery of a service or product.

No country is immune to this.  Germany saw the switch of its manufacturing eastwards after the collapse of the Berlin wall firstly into the former East German regions and then into Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. India which was the recipient of so many of the UK jobs  in the 1990s is now seeing many of these transferred further eastwards or even into Africa.

The only way a country can retain its employment is to become experts at leading edge technology industries. Where design and development is a key factor but this too may shift elsewhere with university education globally changing.

As recruitment consultancies we are, to all-intense and purposes, ‘traders of skills’. We must not lose sight of this. We only exist because of the inefficiencies of the supply side of the economy. That is where:

  • Nations fail to direct their investment in skills and training in workers to satisfy their future businesses needs.
  • Where employers fail to invest sufficient in their workers over a period of time to satisfy their future organisations needs and hence have to pay fees to appropriate staff from other employers.
  • Where employers do not have the skills, resources or mechanisms to identify, attract and retain their workforce needs

Is there a better solution?

sc ience UniAs a parent of four children with ages from 12 to 22 you can imagine we have plenty of barbecue discussions with friends around the whole issue of youth employment. As a former advisor to Liverpool John Moore’s University on employability I have debated this subject many times.

I do question whether the time has come for Government, the Further Education Sector and UK Employers, perhaps the CBI, to attempt to address this fundamental issue for the long-term sustainability of the UK economy. Shouldn’t there be a degree of connection between the number of degree spaces for subjects and the projected UK demand for a skill area. Why if industry, commerce and education are crying out for maths, science and engineering graduates are we using scare resources to educate large numbers of people in subjects for which the volumes of meaningful employment does not exist.

In addition it seems ludicrous for tens of thousands of students to be accumulating up to £50,000 worth of debt each to acquire a degree in a subject for which there is no likelihood of them all getting a job. Aren’t we are deluding these young people that they will ‘get a job’? It could be argued we are ‘mis-selling university degrees, now there’s a thought!

The rapidity with which the economy and employment shifts means that the laws of supply and demand which should ultimately rebalance this inequality may not ever have time to take effect.

In the meantime we could be destroying a whole generation of young people and ultimately ourselves as a society by failing to remedy this issue.

In the meantime it is clear that whilst supply side inefficiencies exist there will always be opportunities for entrepreneurial recruitment agencies that are experts in their niches but it does beg the question; Are the days of the generalist high-street recruitment agencies numbered?

That however is another blog.

As always these are my thoughts and I’d be delighted to hear your views too.

Six Revolutions that changed Recruitment. What is next?

“Those who are unaware of history are destined to repeat it.”

When I started in the IT recruitment industry back in the early 1980’s, for a company called Myriad Appointments, it was a very different world. Before you could get a ‘job-on’ you had to sell the concept of using an agency to clients rather than them doing it for themselves.

All communication was via the phone or post. Finding and sourcing good candidates was key and running client branded advertising was the best way to attract them. This was how I made my money, selling multiple campaigns to Clerical Medical, British Aerospace, GEC, Plessey, Imperial Tobacco and many more. Happy days!

Over a coffee the other week I was asked by some young delegates on the course I was running ‘What have been the biggest changes in recruitment’. After a 30-minute discussion it occurred that this perspective might be useful to others.

So in chronological order:

OldFaxMachineMid 1980s – The Facsimile Machine: Machines to transmit messages had been around in the form of ‘telex’ and ‘telegram’ machines for years but the ability to photocopy a candidates CV or resume and send it to a client rather than sending it ‘snail mail’, changed how we in the industry sold our candidates and contractors.

It created urgency, and the ability to close clients with more immediacy. It changed how we canvassed, arranged interviews and confirmed interviews. It also changed how IT contractors were placed too.

Naturally as sales people we saw the advantages of a fax machine immediately and tried to convince our MD it would change our business forever and we’d sell more candidates. We did initially but like all good process changes our competitors caught up quickly.

Old MobileEnd 1980s-91 Mobile Phones – Again these had been around for years and I received my first mobile back in 1989 when I began establishing a new office in the North of England. It was a second hand one with the phone the size of a brick and a battery pack the size of four tins of baked beans. For others the big revolution came in the early 1990s with (2G) technology.

It gave us as consultants better access to candidates and clients especially during the day so interviews could be arranged during office hours rather than in the evenings or via cryptic calls to their work numbers.

We also could be contacted away from the office rather than using telephone boxes. Once again it increased speed of communication and theoretically made us more efficient. Like the fax machine the competitive advantage disappeared.

220px-IBM_PC_51501990 Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) – These came in around the end of the 1980s but really in earnest in the early 90s. IBMs Talent was one I used. They didn’t really change how we canvassed clients but enabled us to find and source candidates much quicker. We could do ‘key word’ searches on CVs and find people faster. ‘Buzzword’ Matching entered our jargon. Candidates and recruitment consultants alike filled their CVs with ‘Buzzwords’.

Candidates sadly learnt the hard way that ‘Not Interested in jobs in Bristol’ on a CV or covering letter resulted in hundreds of calls about ‘jobs in Bristol’.

Clients discovered through their own experience that just because an interviewees had ‘COBOL, CICS and DB2’ on their CV 15 times didn’t make them good at the role.

Sadly recruitment consultants buzzword matching and just sending anyone, became a common place. Prior to this as agents we could do this but we had to read the CV in the first place and work harder to find people so they tended to submit only the best. Measuring KPIs started to come in aggressively to counter act this.

These tools enabled uneducated agencies to ‘blitz’ their clients like a second world war AK-AK Gun with any CV that looked remotely like the spec.

Once again over time as everyone acquired these systems the advantage you had sourcing candidates disappeared though interestingly enough I still see companies with better ATS systems than others retaining that advantage.

emai mark1993 Electronic Mail – Again like the Fax machine before it this was seen as a way of revolutionizing the industry. The appearance of the CVs the client received was better. We could log and trace what we’d sent. Theoretically they weren’t lost. We could also prove we sent our CV before the other agencies and therefore claim the fee in disputes. All great stuff and once again we promised our directors we’d generate more fees when we had one and as early adopters we did but only whilst the advantage lasted.

When email was connected to an agencies ATS system the indiscriminate emailing of CVs became a reality on a scale clients could not imagine. SPAM arrived in the client’s inbox in bucket loads. Quantity replaced quality as some clients desperate to find certain skills rewarded these indiscriminate agents with fees. So they continued to do it despite the protests of the majority of customers. Deregulation and Contracting Out Act – Prior to this date there were barriers to entry into the recruitment industry. You had to demonstrate you were a fit and proper person, apply and be granted a licence, which took some days if not weeks. You were inspected by HMI regularly and there were supposedly rigorous controls. The Conservative Government abolished licences and except for the occasional court cases recruitment agencies were relatively unregulated.

Some may say this was not a good thing but it massively improved our economies ability to recycle unemployed workers.

My three to fours working in mainland Europe at the turn of the millennium taught me that and to this day the relatively deregulated UK Recruitment Industry is one of the primary reasons why our percentage unemployment levels are much lower than our European neighbours. Naturally Social Security Benefit levels provide the ‘stick’ to encourage people to accept work that is offered but that’s another debate.

with no barriers to entry agencies could set themselves up quickly. With our ATS’s we could identify candidates and with email secure an up to date CV and send it to a client rapidly. Mobile phones meant candidates and clients were accessible quicker. These were the boom years and recruitment became a major industry. Agencies sprung up everywhere and for every niche imaginable.

UnknownLate 1990’s Websites and 1999 Job boards – Tim Berners-Lee’s Internet Revolution of the 90s created the need for businesses to have their own presence on the web, ‘websites’ were born. It was seen as the future and the ‘Dotcom Boom’ came along bringing with it all sorts of businesses.

The answer to every recruiter’s prayers was ‘the job board’, Monster, Stepstone and Jobserve, all arrived and quickly captured the imagination of candidates and agents alike and took hold. Recruitment in the off-line press started to decline.

In 2000 a VNU Computing sales director told me Job Boards were not here to stay and they had no intention of entering the market. (I think his Dad rejected the Beatles as an average bunch of boys from Liverpool!)

Now all lazy recruitment agents had to do was find a job, post it on Jobserve, go home, come back in the morning and with the minimal of CV sifts, email the resulting response to their clients! More SPAM.

Until the recession of 2008 the average recruitment consultant lost the ability to ‘sell’ a complaint most recruitment directors I meet lament.

Whilst none of us wish to return to the ‘old days’ it did demand certain basic intercommunication skills be learnt in order for consultants to succeed.

Each of these changes has affected the industry we are all apart of. All revolutionised what we do and how we do it and few would dispute their impact.

In all cases the early adopters gained a competitive advantage and in some cases have gone on to be hugely successful, whilst those that were slow to adapt in most cases no longer exist. There is a lesson in there.

So what next?

For me there is another revolution happening today which is changing the face of recruitment forever.

what is social recruiting12013 Social Recruiting: Social Media is transforming the way we interact in our society today and with job board traffic in the main declining, most major off-line titles struggling, ‘Social Sourcing’ (the sourcing of candidates via social media) is going to be the key as we enter the impending Talent War. (For more info read this blog: Can You win the Global Talent War)

This is not the crude broadcast of your jobs continuously as though it was a revolving job board but the sharing of useful and engaging content that encourages prospective candidates to contact and engage with your business. Whilst this should be easy for the niche suppliers, I currently see no niche agency doing it successfully but would be delighted to be corrected.

Costa Coffee does it successfully with their clients and even steals from the competition. One of my contacts recently visited Starbucks in Liverpool on his way to work to buy his team teas and coffees and on discovering they had run out of tea tweeted it. Within 30 seconds of his tweet Costa Coffee responded that if he visited their store in Liverpool One they’d give him a tea for free. He did and guess where he now goes every morning for his beverages! Interestingly last I heard Starbuck never even responded to his tweet!

Many other leading brands do this too; Virgin; Pepsi, Network Rail just to name a few.

Do you think tomorrow we could see Adecco, for example, responding to an irate candidate’s tweet after attending an interview organised by another agency, for which they were badly matched. May be but I think not?

In the five sectors I highlighted recently in my blog (Top five recruitment sectors to be in for next 5-10 years) where the candidate is soon to be king, it will happen soon. Think about it a Subsea Engineer in oil and gas or a frustrated Nurse in healthcare tweeting their frustration would be very impressed if a competitor agent responded with another job almost immediately.

Let me know if you do it, I promise to write a follow up blog but only if you are happy for me to.

As I mentioned in my other blog Recruitment Agency MDs – Will you Adapt or Fail? Millennials (Generation-Y) totally live and communicate it this social media world. So if you wish to attract them in the future you need to learn to ‘social-source’.

Screen Shot 2013-05-10 at 16.09.37The other dimension of ‘social-sourcing’, which again most business have not woken up to, is that most of this activity takes place on mobile platforms. At Recruitment Expo this year Mike Taylor of gave some interesting facts:

  • 75% of all mobile traffic is to Facebook
  • Amongst Millennials Twitter is overtaking Facebook as the preferred medium of communication
  • 8 out of 10 phones now sold in the UK are smartphones so it should be no surprise to Recruiters that so many job seekers are now expecting to be able to search and apply for a job using a mobile device.
  • According to Google, 1 in 5 of all job searches are carried out on a mobile device (source: 2012 Mobile Recruitment Conference)
  • Some of the leading UK job boards are now seeing 30% of their traffic come from a mobile device

The Mobile Recruiting Outlook Report issued by Simply Hired in January 2013 showed that:

  • 70% of job seekers had used mobile technology to look for a job.
  • 86% of job seekers would use mobile technology if there was an easy way to apply for a job.

However, the recent iMomentous Fortune 500 Mobile Readiness Report, showed that:

  • Only 33% of companies had a mobile careers section
  • Only 3% had a mobile apply function

Mikes own research showed that 94% of the FTSE 100 companies had a mobile enabled careers section on their website.

Mike has some more interesting facts which are worth checking out on his website.

So the recruitment industry has been through revolutions many times over the past thirty years. Each time it has changed and every time those that were too slow to adopt the new models disappeared.

By 2020 I predict that our industry will have transformed again and almost certainly several of the household industry names we know will either be no more or greatly reduced in size. ‘Social-Sourcing’ is going to be critical to businesses success yet so many don’t even have a Social media Strategy

It may seem incredible today but back in 1998 there were many agencies claiming they did not need a website. Only last year Morrison’s Supermarket saw its Christmas sales decline because they had no on-line shopping site.

As George Santayana says:

“Those who are unaware of history are destined to repeat it.”

My question is ‘Are you?’


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Should you outsource your web development or learn to DIY?

When it comes to web development, you either know how to do it or you don't. You either need to learn how to do it yourself, and do it, or you need to outsource your web development out to someone else.
Should you outsource your web development or learn to DIY?
To those that haven't done web dev before, that can be a bit of a minefield. Even for those that have as things change, prices change, services end and it can mean having to shop around again. And like most things you want to buy, web development is something that would pay to shop around as well right?

If you are looking to improve or upgrade your site. And you'd like to have some feature working on it that you have in mind, something it needs that you don't know how to do. You either have to seek help and learn how to do it yourself. Or find out if it's better to just hire a web dev to do it for you.

I guess it really depends on the complexity of what kind of web development you need. Some things are probably really easy to learn how to do yourself, and then do them. But some things are simply beyond your knowledge or know-how and skills to do.

But if you really need that feature or without it your site wont progress and have a chance to succeed, then you either (as the webmaster) have to learn how to do it or whether or not you'll need to hire a web developer to do it for you.

Which would be better to do based on these surrounding points;

Learn to do it yourself and then do it if you can?
That could take a lot of time depending on the task at hand. Time to learn and time to apply. That could also cost you in other ways in lost time alone and you might eventually find out that you will need to buy or hire a web developer anyway. On the other hand, you would learn how to do that thing yourself, which could come in handy later on and also go towards improving your web dev skills anyway.

Just hire a web developer to do it for you?
This of course pretty much guarantees the work will be done and probably a lot better and a lot faster than you could do it in which means no lost time but you will have to pay for it. That can vary from $10-100 for fairly small and trivial web dev tasks to $100-1000+ depending on complexity and time involved.

When it comes to web development and web design. It's usually do or die.

So in a scenario like that, what would you do and why?

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This is a very good discussion and I have actually been thinking about this for a long time. When I first become a webmaster, I was very bad with development. I can do the simple things like adding a link to the footer or changing the colours of your style but when it came to more complex web development tasks like creating a new theme, then it just becomes an impossible task for me so I had to hire web developers to help me complete the task. However, over time, I just thought that I needed to spend so much money because I had to constantly update my website and as a result, my website became less and less profitable. Therefore, I decided to learn how to code so I can make the changes myself which saves me a lot of money.

Even if you do all the web development yourself, it just takes a lot of time which you could be using elsewhere. This would make websites less profitable because you spend less time on new projects and constantly updating old projects which won't really change your revenue. Therefore, maybe hiring developers to help out still is a good idea for older projects even if you can do it yourself and focus on the newer/more profitable projects.

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Thanks MasterA! Yeah that is most peoples thinking in that you either knuckle down and learn to do it or just pay someone that does! And for the most part about web developments that's a good thing. Although it can pay to shop around as there's some sharks out there that would have you over and paying 10x the jobs actual worth. I don't know how you can put a price on something like that exactly but if they done a proper solid job of it for you then fair enough I guess. Where as there's some people that would charge a very small price for it but their job might not be really good or take a long time. It can be a bit of a minefield but SEOClerks does a great job of letting you find a highly rated web developer on here by just searching the marketplace and sorting by most ratings or even most knowledge as the FAQ is tied into the sorting options. There's not that many here atm saying that which is a strange thing but also means there is sooo much potential for a web dev to smash it on here OMG hello!! Should you outsource your web development or learn to DIY?

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Oh this is a simple answer for me. I use a website builder for my Wordpress blogs. I am a member of Wealthy Affiliate and setting up a website takes me about 5 minutes flat. Of course this is a simple website, so if I want to blog that is the route I will go. I know how to add plugins in and to do the basics for myself.

However if I will be needing anything more than a simple blog I will hire a freelancer here to assist me with building my website, in fact I am about to do that soon for my latest website.

The thing is that maybe I can learn how to do these things, but it is not where my talents or my interests lie. This means it will be a chore to learn and a chore to do. I believe my time can be better spent doing the things I have talent and interest in. I would rather tell someone what I want and pay them to do it for me

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Thanks Lynee! Should you outsource your web development or learn to DIY? Yeah so you're like me then and I guess, a lot of people (webmasters/bloggers) in that aspect, in that you'd rather learn and try to do it yourself if it was something fairly trivial. Otherwise, if it's something mammoth then get the suit and ties (freelancers) to do it for you. That's very interesting what you say about maybe you can learn to do these things. A lot of people would like to do that but don't know where to start. Some of them aren't as hard to learn as you might think. There is a lot of stuff online these days like web dev tutorials and that but I can do a post on that for some places I use in my free time to learn stuff like that as you never know when it might come in handy or you see things that makes you go "oh that would be handy to have on my site". Should you outsource your web development or learn to DIY?

Watch this space! Should you outsource your web development or learn to DIY?

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You mean "do or buy" - I think there is a middle ground there, I actually find myself somewhere in between. I have basic web development skills like knowing my way around WordPress, HTML CSS and some PHP as well as knowing a little Photoshop plus numerous other small skills I've picked up over the years that really come in handy when developing a website.

So yes, I would totally hire someone to implement the things I don't know, but what I do know and what I think I'm doing right, I'll do it myself only hiring people for small fixes or features.

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Two ywars ago, when I was ready to launch my first website, I did not know anything. I asked the local designer and his asking price was so high that I had to drop the idea of hiring a designer. Then I began looking for free resources online. I searched "how to make a website" on Google. I learned how to make a wordpress site in minutes by reading articles and watching videos. Currently, I not only design my websites but also sell my designing service.

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Survey Says: Investing in Customer Success is critical to Boosting Customer Loyalty

Customer Success Chart

Survey results for CJX survey

Customer Success ChartSurvey Says: Investing in Customer Success is critical to Boosting Customer Loyalty Study after study have proven that it is easier to keep a customer than it is to find and close a new one, so why aren’t companies succeeding in improving their revenue retention metrics?

The answer is simple:

They don’t know specifically ‘what’ to invest in, how much to invest, or how to allocate customer success resources appropriately.

The Facts:

Here at ServiceSource, we focus on improving the entire customer journey experience (CJX) from lead identification through landing, onboarding, expanding, and renewing customer relationships.

Many of our clients come to us with customer retention goals.  When we dig deeper to uncover insights around the factors that lead customers to build loyalty or churn, we often uncover what we and the industry have known for many years ─ there is a gap between the customer experience companies believe they are delivering, and the customer experience that their customers say they receive.

Salesforce states that 73 percent of B2B buyers are expecting more today than ever before, and nearly half of those same buyers say that most experiences fall short of those expectations.  McKinsey stated just a few years ago that B2B customer experience (CX) ratings (less than 50 percent) fall far behind that of B2C (65-85 percent).

To get a broad market view of this issue, we surveyed 500 B2B leaders to learn where they perceive gaps in their Customer Journey Experience (CJX) execution and where they plan to invest for the future. The results illuminated the gap between perceived importance and actual effort invested in customer success processes.

The Takeaways:

Our survey results revealed four key takeaways:

  1. Customer success seems to be a commonly misunderstood business function.
    • When asked what the most important ingredient to a great customer experience is, 45 percent chose either proactive and high-quality personal support or fast responses to needs and proactive communication.
    • Similarly, 40 percent chose either adoption, onboarding, upselling, or cross-selling when asked what the most important contributor to an exceptional experience over the next three-to-five years would be.
    • These areas fall under the domain of customer success, but only 21 percent of our survey takers said customer success is important to a great experience.
  2. Customers want more support and proactive engagement, but businesses continue to spend more on sales functions.
    • The majority of respondents identified sales development as the primary area of increased spending in the future.
    • 60% of respondents identified customer success as important, but only 15% expected an increase in spend to improve their delivery.
  3. Not only do investments in sales outpace that of customer success, but that trend will likely continue over the next 3-5 years.
    • Commonly outsourced functions such as lead generation, sales development, and customer acquisition (35 percent) currently receive 20 percent more investment than those related to customer success, such as health checks, onboarding, and adoption (15 percent).
  4. There is a clear opportunity for businesses that prioritize customer experiences to gain an edge on the competition.
    • When asked what kind of customer support they expect, our respondents have strong demands:
      • 38 percent expect a useful and effective onboarding process
      • 37 percent need a 1:1 relationship that provides a personal touch in a digital world
      • 36 percent want a dedicated CSM to respond to challenges/issues

For many companies, the prospect of improving their entire customer success delivery seems daunting in a period of declining budgets. So, where should you start? According to our research, onboarding has the biggest gap between what customers expected, 38%, and where the surveyed leaders planned to invest in improvements, 20%.

To find out how you are doing with your onboarding and other customer success motions, we recommend performing a voice of the customer survey. While NPS can give an overall impression of your products and services, it fails to capture the gap between company perception and customer perceived value.

If you don’t have the capacity to do your own performance analysis, ServiceSource can help. Our detailed CJX analysis uses qualitative and quantitative analysis to identity strengths and weaknesses and create a plan to improve the CJX across the entire continuum.  Let us help you understand 1) What areas of customer success to invest in to achieve your goals, 2) how much to invest, and 3) how to align customer success resources more effectively.

To learn more about our market survey and take a closer look at the results, read our whitepaper 20/20 Vision: Illuminating the Customer Journey Experience or contact us.

Steven Hastert


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Recent Cleaning Posts

When a Leak Goes Undetected

2/14/2020 (Permalink)

Blog | SERVPRO Franchise Website Administration

SERVPRO of Washington/Woolwich. responded to a call for mold remediation in Woolwich, New Jersey.  The ice maker line in the refrigerator was leaking for an unknown length of time.  As a result, the floor and cabinets were wet.  As soon as the homeowner discovered the floors were wet, he called SERVPRO of Washington/Woolwich.

Upon tearing out the kitchen floor, our technicians learned that the subfloor was also effected by mold and had to come out, along with the cabinets.  The wood in the subfloor and the cabinets is a food source for mold.  In order to grown, mold requires an organic material to feed on, sustained moisture, and time.  This Deptford kitchen met these requirements.

The kitchen was approximately 150 square feet.  SERVPRO of Washington/Woolwich. set up an air scrubber and dehumidifier within the containment in order to properly clean the space.  The family could not use their kitchen for the three days our company was working, but they were not displaced from their home.  After the tear out, we vacuumed the space with a HEPA vacuum to catch any errant mold spores from the remaining surfaces in the kitchen.

So as you can see, a small leak that goes undetected for a period of time can cause major damage!  Make sure you have someone to call as soon as you notice a problem.  SERVPRO of Washington/Woolwich. responds to all emergency cleanups 24/7.

The Difference When Your Ducts Are Clean..

2/8/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Washington/Woolwich will inspect your HVAC system and ductwork and make recommendations about the best way to address any indoor air quality concerns.  This inspection can provide peace of mind on the health of your HVAC system and ductwork.  Benefits of servicing your HVAC unit include:

  • Helps to restore peak energy efficiency.
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  • Helps reduce the potential for mold growth.

TIP:Do you want to get rid of unusual odors that linger in your kitchen sink? Freeze vinegar in ice cube trays before running them down the disposal. The ice will sharpen the disposal blades and the vinegar will kill odor-causing bacteria.

  • For more information on duct cleaning, or to set up a written inspection and estimate, call SERVPRO of Washington/Woolwich @ 856-241-9997


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Registered Mental Health Nurse

Location: London  |  Greater London  |  England
Sector: Nursing Care
Consultant: Mark Norman
Job Reference: 40717
Salary: £25 - £35
Job Status: Temporary / part time

Seven Nursing is looking for a Band 5 RMN (CAMHS) to work within an exceptional Private hospital in Bexley Heath.

The role:

You will be working closely with people who are suffering from various mental health conditions to help them recover from their illness and improve their general quality of life. This role includes assessing patients, providing care/support, developing risk assessments, administering medication, manging patient documents and all other general nursing duties.

Key Responsibilities:

  • The assessment of needs, planning and delivery of care for young people from assessment to discharge from services.
  • Implementing and evaluating care plans collaboratively with service users, carers and other professionals, providing individualised care.
  • Working closely with young people to empower and support their recovery journey.
  • Advocating for young people using the services.
  • Providing supervision for non qualified staff.
  • Supporting the development of a safe, therapeutic inpatient environment.
  • Working closely with external partners including CAMHS Community based services, social services and other healthcare agencies.

Applicant Requirements:

  • Qualifications: A BSc (Hons) degree in mental health nursing.
  • Experience: 2+ years working as an RMN within CAMHS in the UK.
  • Compliance: Up to date DBS, HCPC and NMC registration.
  • Travel: Clean UK driving license with the ability to commute to and from work independently.
  • Hours: 37.5 hours p/w.

  • Teaching and CPD programmes.
  • Financial support for further training and personal development.
  • Contributory pension scheme.
  • Free life insurance Subsidised meals on duty.
  • Health Cash Plan.

Working with Seven Nursing:

Established in 2011, Seven Nursing is a leading provider of nursing professionals to Hospitals, Private Healthcare Organisations and Care Homes. We provide both locum and permanent solutions, working with nurses in band 5, all the way up to band 8D.

Seven Nursing is the recruitment service that guarantees experienced, qualified and available staff exactly when you need them. Our expert talent acquisition team seamlessly connect professionals to all areas of nursing; including General Nursing, CAMHS, Case Management, Intensive Care, Staff Nursing and everything in between.

After being shortlisted for multiple awards in 2018, we are proud of our nationwide reputation for providing a world-class recruitment service that is underpinned by honesty, integrity and attention to detail.

Refer a friend, family member or colleague for £250

If you’re not the perfect match for this role, but you know a Nurse who is, help them find their dream job by referring them to Seven Nursing. As a little ‘thank you’ from us, you will receive £250 for every referral that is successfully placed into a new role.


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News Ticker

Man of Steel

MOVIE REVIEW: Man of Steel (2013)

REVIEW SYNOPSIS: Overly long, sloppily scripted, needlessly violent, with changes that need not—and in some instances, should not—have been made, Zack Snyder’s [...]

June 14, 2013 // 11 Comments

NEW TRAILER: Man of Steel

Here’s the latest trailer for Zack Snyder’s Siperman reboot, Man of Steel. As we know from the recent General Zod teaser, it looks like this reboot skips right to [...]

April 17, 2013 // 1 Comment

TRAILER: Man of Steel

Warner Brothers has given us a proper trailer for next summer’s Man of Steel from director Zack Snyder and producer Christopher Nolan.  Definitely looks to be a darker [...]

December 11, 2012 // 3 Comments


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Attractive, round wall luminaire that can be installed both indoors and outdoors. Made of die-cast powder-coated aluminium. Diffuser made of UV-stabilised opal polycarbonate. Two inputs/outputs for cables, option of both visible and concealed cabling, and loopable quick clips. Corrosion-proof with 10-year warranty, IP65 and vandal-resistant rating IK10. Variants integrated sensor or Twilight relay.

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Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, CA on Jan. 9, 2020. (Staff photo by Bradley Bermont/SCNG)

Pasadena will be shutting down parts of Colorado Boulevard and Union Street, two of the city’s restaurant and retail corridors, to allow outdoor dining in city streets.

“The first of several partial street closures will go into effect as early as this Saturday, July 11,” according to a news release from the city on Thursday, July 9.

Here’s where the partial street closures will be, according to the release:

  • North and south sides of Colorado Boulevard, between Madison and El Molino avenues.
  • South side of Colorado between Fair Oaks and Raymond avenues.
  • The north side of Union Street between Raymond and Pasadena avenues.

City crews will be setting up the closures on Friday, July 10.

“Streets will be reconfigured to allow for one lane of travel in each direction and will include a limited number of diagonal parking spaces with the intent of continuing to provide opportunities for curbside pick-up for retail merchants,” the news release says.

The city will continue to work on more street closures and expects to have the following done by July 25:

  • Colorado Boulevard between El Molino and Oak Knoll avenues.
  • South side of Colorado between Oak Knoll and Hudson avenues.
  • Greet Street between Pasadena and De Lacey avenues.
  • South side of Green between De Lacey and Raymond avenues.
  • North side of Colorado between Fair Oaks and Raymond avenues.
  • North side of Colorado between Raymond and Arroyo Parkway, but there will be no parking available.

Restaurants can apply for a permit to have on-street dining here.

Restaurateurs, like Jack Huang who owns two local establishments in Old Pasadena, say this program could be a much-needed lifeline.

Like many others, his business is down significantly since the coronavirus pandemic took hold. He’s seeing 20% of his normal business, he said in an interview with this newsgroup on Thursday.

He hopes the street closures, which will double his outdoor dining capacity, will improve the situation.

“We can’t pack all the tables,” he said. “They’re going to be pretty spread out.

“On the one hand, we want people to come, but not too many,” he said, laughing. “That’s what we’re trying to balance.”

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Get involved

                                                 Getting Involved

There are countless ways you can help the Sheffield Conservative Association, some of which are outlined below. If you wish to get more involved in supporting your local Conservative team, ring or e-mail our office for more information. In addition to visible campaigning activity we are always seeking support from those who are able to assist with a variety of administrative work and/or supporting our digital and social media marketing.

                                                   Social Events

As a member of the local Conservative Party, you will be notified of the many social functions held throughout the year. These include lunches, dinners, trips and tours, quizzes, BBQs and much more. A list of upcoming Social Events can be found.

                                         Leaflet Delivery and Canvassing

We have a programme of door-to-door canvassing and leaflet delivery across the city. You could simply volunteer to deliver leaflets to your road or further afield, either on a regular basis or during election campaigns. You can deliver as many or as few as you wish. We will not press you to do more than you are able to. Our aim is to have a large number of volunteers, each delivering a small number of leaflets. You don't have to be a member to help deliver leaflets, your local Conservatives are grateful for any help you can give. We would also welcome the support of those who are able to display boards and/or posters during election campaigns.

                                           Conservative Policy Forum

The Conservative Policy Forum (CPF) enables members of the Conservative Party to engage in political debate on the key issues of the day and help influence the policy of the Party. We have regular meetings to discuss the latest issues and feedback our views on current and proposed Conservative Party policy. Typically these meetings take place quarterly.  Our opinions are summarised in a report which is sent to Conservative Central Office for consideration. If you would like to come along or get involved, please contact

The minimum annual subscription is £25 (£5 if you are 25 years old or younger and £10.00 for members of the Armed Services).

For information about joining the Sheffield Conservative Federation, get in touch on or click the link on the left.

We are reliant on the support of individual donors like you to get our messages out. Any money you donate will be used to help run the Federation and campaign for Conservative candidates in Council, Mayoral and General elections.

All donations are greatly appreciated, and every penny donated is put to good use:

  • £2 pays for 150 lapel stickers
  • £5 pays for 15 letters to recruit new members
  • £10 provides 500 colour 'calling cards' for doorstep canvassing
  • £15 funds a leaflet campaign to 500 voters
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