‘Guard against unethical players’

Both training and recruitment play vital roles in industry sectors plagued with a shortage of talent, according to Dr Lynn Ribton-Turner of Ribton- Turner Recruitment. “They are corporate initiatives to improve, enhance and upgrade the organisation’s performance for competitive leverage,” she told FTW. “Human capital or ‘talent’ – given the much spoken about skills shortage – is difficult to find across all industries like finance, engineering, and information technology.” The freight and shipping sectors are suffering to an equal degree, she added. “Training becomes an important activity to up-skill existing staff to cope with the eroded headcount – and still offer exemplary service to customers.” Ribton-Turner also offered a useful pointer for those companies involved in a recruitment drive. If a company is working through a recruitment agency it should make sure that it offers a professional service. “There are unethical and inexperienced operators out there in the market,” Ribton-Turner said. A way to guard against them, she added, is to only employ a member of the industry body – the Association of Personnel Services Organisation. “This guarantees that the consultants are qualified and have been registered as Affiliates of the Institute of Personnel Services Consultants.” “Terms and conditions of trading should be read carefully,” Ribton-Turner added . “Also consider their ‘ethical’ behaviour. Are they ‘head-hunters’ and likely to undetermine your existing staff infrastructure whilst at the same time offering to recruit for you? “Do they understand the freight industry and the technical requirements to be able to recruit the right skills, and do they check on the candidates (depending on the level of seniority) thoroughly by reference taking?”