New Year, New Hope.... Dare to Dream!
Wow, wow, wow, what a start to the year! 2021 was the year that gave us that much used term, pivot! The implication being that people and organisations have to think fast and turn on a sixpence (for those of us over 30!). Well, January 2022 has already brought us the pivot of the year as we went from brutal lockdown to almost limitless freedom in the blink of a press release! Let’s hope these changes are here to stay and that travel globally returns to pre-pandemic ease and volume soon.
Great to see people rubbing shoulders (literally) in the pubs and clubs this weekend and everybody readjusting to the old norms of social interaction. If we needed reminding of the global nature of Covid though, news that the day we emerged from lockdown New Zealand entered their toughest lockdown yet really hammered it home. Proof that there are no easy answers to a virus.
A quick shout out to our readers who came home for Christmas and have now made their way back to all four corners of the world. We were delighted to see you and we miss you. Come back soon! x
In the news…….
Boris is hanging on grimly to power in the UK and it remains to be seen if his large commons majority is enough to get him through yet another controversy regarding Downing Street parties during lockdown. With Brexit, Covid, investigations, enquiries, votes (and a new baby!) we’re not sure where he finds the energy to keep plugging away.
In Irish news there’s an interesting attempt by Councillors in Dublin to limit the numbers and locations of build-to-rent apartment blocks in favour of bigger apartments and a greater % for sale to the general public. I wonder what trends will emerge in hybrid working and the resulting impact on housing stock and prices will be, both in the capital and beyond.
Our thoughts are with Ashling Murphy's family and the people of Tullamore. It is almost incomprehensible what happened but it did. Please stay safe all.
6 Nations, 50,000 punters……..
Full houses return just in time for the 6 Nations so hopefully we’ll have a few exciting weekends ahead of us to get us through the cold winter months. Ireland is strongly fancied following exciting wins in the Autumn series but France also looked very good and, as ever, England and Wales can never be taken lightly, even Scotland are taking on a menacing look. It could be very exciting and while someone has to win the Championship it will take something special to deliver a Grand Slam this year.
The Dublin racing festival is upon us very soon and it will be nice to see a packed Leopardstown again after the heartbreak of having to close the doors to the public for the famous Christmas meeting. I wonder how many people are planning their trip to Cheltenham right now…..?
Don’t look up……….
As with sports nuts, our theatre and movie buffs will be delighted with the return of late nights and full houses for shows, cinema and gigs. Fingers crossed for a great season of outdoor events, concerts, festivals and even ploughing! Loved ‘Don’t look up’ on Netflix, probably a true reflection of how we will trivialise catastrophic events when we are faced with them in the future.
One great thing about the cold days and dark nights is that this is when we get the best of TV and cinema. I’ve been loving The Tourist, Smother and After Life and am looking forward to getting stuck into the latest (and last?) series of Ozark.
Watching Dancing with the Stars the other day I was struck by the fact that all the celebs could actually get about a bit, there’s usually a couple of total no-hopers in there, but not this year, could get cut-throat as the series progresses.
They’re stereotypes for a reason………
Every stereotype or cliché is invariably based on some degree of truth and the stereotype of the worker using the Christmas holidays to consider their career is no exception. We at PeopleSource saw a significant spike in web visits over the holidays and the phone has not stopped since the 4th of January from both Clients and Candidates. We have had a goodly number of 1-2-1’s with people considering their next move and taking the temperature of the market, which is HOT! We post most of our roles, but not all, so if you are considering a move and can’t see what you are looking for, call us, we can help, I’m sure. As the saying goes, it's good to talk!
I’m sure I’ve said it before but will say it again just in case; the number one question candidates are asking when considering a career move is, what is the WFH policy? Most companies are looking at three days in the office while many candidates are only looking for one or two days. The more flexible you are as a client or candidate the more options you have. Money is important, but money cannot buy time! For those of you not looking for a move but still have to have the conversation about how I work going forward, this week the Tánaiste announced 13 reasons a company could reject your request to work from home. Take a look and go into the meeting prepared!
Top tip…
If you are looking for work, take a look at your LinkedIn profile. Every recruiter and talent acquisition person uses LinkedIn to find potential talent. If you have ticked ‘open to opportunities’ you are more likely to be approached about a role. Don’t worry, this doesn’t show on your main profile, it’s very discreet. Also up date your contact details, have you the right email address? Mobile number? Again, only people connected with you can see this information.
The ask…
We rarely have an ‘ask’, a couple of time a year max. Our ask this month (and always) would be, if you see our posts on LinkedIn please like and share. You may not be looking for a new role but someone in your network might be. You could change a person’s life for the better with a click! We do run a Refer a Friend programme where if you recommend someone to PeopleSource and they secure a role through us in which they remain for at least three months, you receive €250! Also, feel free to follow our page on Linkedin.
Competition time…
Each month we ask our readers to answer a question for a chance to win €100 One4all voucher.
Our question for December was;
Will 2022 see an end to Covid – Yes/No
The results - 58% Yes and 42% No
And the winner of our voucher is – Mark MacSweeney – we’ll be in touch!
We love the engagement with our monthly question, so are upping the ante this year. We will have a draw for one person to win €600 in One4All vouchers in our December newsletter. There is only one requirement - enter the quiz question each month! Easy Peasy.
Our question for January is:
How many days a week would you like to commute to/work in the office?
A - 2 Days or Less
B - 3 Days or More
The winner will be chosen at random and will receive €100 One4All voucher. Enter here to be in with a chance to win.
Finally people, our list of open vacancies, but remember, the market is changing hourly, so if you are considering a move, give us a call - 086 662 9674.
PeopleSource is a specialist finance & accounting recruitment firm.
