If you've been thinking about starting a new business but are not sure where to go next, perhaps you'd consider looking at the M50 Enterprise Start Programme run by the LINC (Learning and Innovation Centre) at Institute of Technology Blanchardstown.
The 6 week program promises to help you work through the steps required to start a business while also giving you the support and advice which will help you decide how to develop your business idea.

For more information please contact Claire Quigley on 01 8851502

Labels: Entrepreneurship, Recession

I was asked to fill out an exceptionally badly designed customer satisfaction survey yesterday. From what I could gather (from the loaded questions, leading response options and multiple bias), the purpose of the survey was to provide the company with an empirical justification to get rid of their print brochures and rely more heavily on their website so they could indirectly save the world/environment (and reduce their print budget). Their findings will recommend just that because the wording and inherent bias of the questions will only elicit these findings. Which begs the question why didn't they spend the resources on a print run of the brochure or make a donation to an enviro-org?
There is a moral to this story:
The danger of outsourcing or even in-sourcing activities to people that do not have the appropriate skill set to carry it off.
What I would recommend is getting a professional researcher to work out with them what they want to find out, what is the most appropriate research method and then the same professional can design, collate and present the findings for approximately the same time and money.
In previous roles and throughout my professional life, I've been a contract researcher doing both academic and commercial projects. It's not a black art, it's not particularly difficult but it is an acquired taste or skill. However, unfortunately most people across all disciplines think they can just knock up a survey in 20 minutes and they probably could but I will guarantee you that it won't deliver any information, what you'll be left with is a huge amount of data and nothing to base meaningful decisions.

I don't know whether the person behind this survey was a member of staff or a hired-in researcher, but what I can assume is that the company in question did not get the best person for the project because they limited themselves to their own network.

Every company, large and small, has been a victim to this mindset - better the devil you know and it's prevalent across all disciplines - horrid graphic design, sub-optimal web design, IT etc. etc.
Today we can't afford mediocrity and it's time to start exacting the best possible value for our time and money. So instead I would recommend casting the net a little wider, tendering out to a group of skilled professionals and allow yourself be impressed by their knowledge and experience rather than their address book. There are lots of online and offline networks out there, Flexitimers is one of them, use us but if not use our competitors because I just can't bare to see companies paying (time and money) for poor product in these recessionary times (pardon the cliche).

Labels: Flexible Recruitment, Flexitimers, FlexiTips, freelancing, Opportunties for contracting, Recession, Smart Work

The following interview with Joy Redmond Marketing & Operations Director of Flexitimers kindly syndicated from JobsBlog.ie

About Flexitimers
Flexitimers is a self-service project board enabling companies to connect with consultants, freelancers, small businesses, contractors and specialists/experts for professional project work in Ireland.

The site is completely free for both professionals and companies to use. Flexitimers is a closed network; employers or other professionals cannot search through profiles. Profiles are only viewable to employers whose project matches your profile.

Ivan: New Flexitimers site is launched, the media love it, and the response has been very positive. How happy are you with the media coverage?
Well obviously we're very pleased and I think the reason is because Flexitimers is a good news story during recession overload. Everyday we are hearing and reading about the recession, job losses, redundancy and market uncertainty. Flexitimers is good news for a few reasons. Firstly, we have hit on a previously untapped sector with the recruitment industry in Ireland being a mix of web2.0 and project work which is very new and hugely necessary. Secondly, project and indeed flexible work tended to be quite siloed for example IT and design sectors largely but our intention was to offer flexibility to a broader occupational base. Traditionally I suppose IT and design were easy outsource targets because the output was so tangible but there is no reason why any company cannot outsource less tangible operations/functions such as PR, sales and marketing, admin, legal and financial roles. It all goes back to people skills and effective management and just because someone is sitting in your office 40 hours per week doesn't always translate into an optimal solution. Thirdly, we practice what we preach: I live in Wexford and co-founder Dervla Cunningham is based in Dublin and we have managed to research, develop and launch a business by working remotely.

Ivan: The Recruitment industry in Ireland is changing. What role will Flexitimers play in the future?
Of course the recruitment industry is changing because it had to, it is a bit like the construction or property sector during the boom which was synonymous with over-charging and under-delivering. Today, no company can afford to pay for mediocrity whether that is in suppliers, staff or services.
To get back to recruitment, we believe the employment model is changing and the focus will be less on hiring full time permanent staff but will be more project driven. It is a win-win situation for employers because they get to pick and choose the best people for each task and manage their overheads more effectively.
Flexitimers' role is to provide companies with access to a pool of skilled and experienced professionals who are actively seeking project work. Traditionally companies tend to find project workers through their own networks but this is random and unfortunately the best people aren't necessarily within your reach. On Flexitimers you can hire beyond your network and not compromise on quality or caliber. I suppose, Flexitimers confounds false economy and mediocrity.

Ivan: The way we live and the way we work is not the same. Flexitimers seems to be accommodating this and applying it to recruitment?
Absolutely, as the line goes 'nobody ever said on their deathbed, I should have spent more time in the office.' But there is one key point I want to make here: just because you want to work flexibly doesn't mean you have to compromise your career. Take part-time work for example, typically available only in retail, catering and administrative jobs. Like I said earlier, Flexitimers is broadening that occupational base. How? We provide professionals with access to flexible positions i.e. contract, temporary, freelance, consulting and telework across a variety of roles so we're there to help anyone who has just been made redundant to earn income while they're in between jobs. Furthermore, more and more of these interim project workers who join the site for interim or stopgap work find it works better for them so now not only have they flexibility but also they're expanding their profile, career and portfolio.

Ivan: Flexitimers - what is the next step? What is the plan for the future?
I could tell you but I'd have to shoot you afterwards! Only joking, big plans and plenty of exciting developments. I suppose the biggest news at the moment is that our service is FREE to use which again reflects the dramatic changes in the recruitment industry. We'll of course want to build our brand and awareness over the coming months. In the background we are working on expansion plans both in terms of functionality and geography. I speak French, Spanish and basic Dutch so who knows, maybe I will be teleworking from a sunnier climate!

About Joy Redmond, co-founder of Flexitimers
Joy Redmond started her career in 1996 as Marketing Director of Newmedia, one of Ireland's first web design companies. She remained agency side working with Zartis.com and Campaign HTDS before moving client side to become online marketing manager of IngredientsNet.com (a joint venture between Fyffes and Glanbia). Before setting up Flexitimers with Dervla Cunningham, Joy was a lecturer in E-business, research and marketing in the Dublin Institute of Technology and was Course Director of the Masters in Business & Entrepreneurship. Joy also is a busy project worker doing consultant marketing and research for many blue chip companies in Ireland such as Bank of Ireland, eircom, NTL, Poster Plan and JCDecaux. She is a mentor on the Wexford County Enterprise Board and a member of the Irish Internet Association Social Media Working Group.

Joy: Thanks Ivan, a pleasure doing this interview, keep up the good work.

Labels: Flexitimers, Media Coverage, online recruitment, Recession

In my opinion (and having been involved in two small businesses and sold to many more), owner/managers of small businesses are typically optimistic, hard working and smart. But they also neglect networking opportunities (but are very good and them when they go) and they neglect to celebrate the success they do have. I'd like to promote the first European SME Week which takes place from May 6th to 14th 2009.

Organised by the European Commission the aim of the week is to promote entrepreneurship across Europe and to inform entrepreneurs about support available for them at European, national and local level. Find out more about SME Week here. One Irish event is being organised online by smallbusinesscan.com.

You never know what you are missing unless you come along. Networking is now more important than ever.

Labels: Entrepreneurship, Recession, SME

Flexitimers featured in an article in the Sunday Times yesterday about the growing trend towards portfolio careers i.e. people working on several projects at the same time rather than a full time position with just one company. And the trend is growing hence the new term 'giganomics' where 'professionals rely on series of 'gigs' to make a living'. The concept is not brand new as management guru Charles Handy wrote about this almost 20 years ago. In fact, one of his books The Elephant and the Flea, was a huge inspiration to us when setting up Flexitimers. Anyway, with the rapidity of recent market changes and subsequent job losses, we're going to be hearing a lot more about portfolio workers. The

Labels: Flexitimers, Media Coverage, Recession, Smart Work

Times are changing and we must change too. Flexitimers is now FREE to use. We're passionate about helping companies to find flexible professionals and helping skilled professionals find work. The matching system on the site helps employers screen candidates and remember - if you want to hire 'under the radar' you can use words to describe your company as opposed to the company name. So how does it work? Well as soon as you register, we'll upload credits in your account and you can post a job or project. Feel FREE to use the service.

Labels: Flexitimers, jobs, online recruitment, Recession

We had a very interesting meeting recently with the CEO of Staff Balance, Ciaran McGowan when we spoke of the synergies between our companies to help businesses minimise staffing costs, maximise efficiencies and improve staffing flexibility. We've touched on this topic before, for example in our recent post about the recession being even more of a reason to hire smart. Staff Balance provides a scientific way for companies to deal with the downturn. The original idea for Staff Balance came about in more prosperous times when it was difficult and costly to recruit people but Ciaran is finding it applies equally in these current difficult economic conditions. Today, more than ever, companies are seeking to understand the staffing levels needed to service the business through its peaks and troughs. Their scientific approach saved their most recent client 12% of its total annual payroll and provided the means to predict staffing requirements based on changing business volumes and activity. Armed with that information management can work through Flexitimers to secure their staffing requirements. Makes sense to me.

Labels: Flexitimers, Out and About, Recession, Smart Work

If you're looking for some hugely negative reporting of Ireland's economic climate, then look no further than the article published in the Irish Times last Friday. It covers all the 'low hanging fruit' such as the construction industry, commuter towns, financial services and the retail sector. It was appalling planning and sheer lack of business acumen that saw phenomenal growth in most of these sub-economies in the first place - inflated house prices and its poorly conceived subsequent urban/rural sprawl along with the larger than life home decor sector were never sustainable. The financial services sector encouraged these practices. So yes, it's not that it's all doom and gloom, we're just back to basics - sound business. It reminds me of the post .com bubble bursting of 2000 when funnily enough smart business came to the fore and people stopped investing in spotty teenagers' 'ideas' rather than sound business plans and projections. So, of course there are lay offs and redundancies and the damage that goes with that, but on the other hand - there are still plenty of businesses (small and large) thriving today - unable to keep up with demand and these are Ireland's unsung heroes who weren't offering supernormal profit and an opportunuty to get extremely rich very quickly, no they're profitable enterprises adding value to our economy and society and long may they prosper. And really it's not all doom and gloom, Ireland is hugely entreprenurial and we're going to see lots of new businesses popping up offering services to 'cut costs' and 'work smart' because we have to. Start by using Flexitimers and cut costs and work smart by using a flexible workforce.

Labels: Flexible Recruitment, Flexitimers, Recession, Smart Work

Flexitimers attended the Big Debate in City Hall last Wednesday and were fortunate to put a question to the panel. The panel, which was chaired by by respected broadcaster John Bowman, consisted of Jay Bourke (Cafe Bar Deli), Martin Murray (Interactive Return), Brian Carey (Sunday Times), Marc Coleman (Newstalk), Mark Fielding from ISME, Damian Young Head of Small Business, Bank of Ireland, Paula Fitzsimons, Global Entrepreneurship Monitor author and Pat Lynch, Chairperson of Dublin City Enterprise Board.

Q: Did the panel think that companies (under pressure to cut headcount) were more likely to outsource activities or use part-time, freelance and contract staff in order to remain competitive during these challenging times?

Summary: there was unanimous agreement that companies must outsource and use flexible staff to stay in business.

Quotes:
Marc Coleman - 'there is no doubt, no option that companies will have to outsource / use agency staff'

Pat Lynch 'your largest overheads walk in to your company on two feet....businesses must control these costs', 'It (outsourcing and using flexible staff) is a good business strategy'

Jay Bourke - If you're not letting people go, you'll go out of business, outsource right away'

Brian Carey 'It's a growing trend in Irish businesses'

This is good news for Flexitimers and particularly good news for employers out there facing the challenge of headcount cuts yet who still have projects to complete. Flexitimers offers these employers access to a pool of highly skilled and experienced professionals who are available for part time, contract and freelance positions and projects.

You can see more pictures and coverage of the event by clicking this link.

Labels: Flexible Recruitment, Flexitimers, jobs, Out and About, Recession, Smart Work

Another interesting article featuring the National Productivity Centre and the Irish Management Institute on productivity in a recession says "in the midst of the financial upheaval enveloping the economy at present, the onus is on companies to react quickly and decisively. They must increase their productivity and become more innovative in order to stay competitive and, ultimately, increase their bottom line".
The knee jerk reaction has been to look at cutting employees left, right and centre but once this is over and there is still work to be done hiring full time/permanent staff is daunting to say the least. Enter Flexitimers - a way to hire excellent, experienced staff with no pretence - you are hiring them for a flexible job or project. You have hired them to get X job done in Y time. Simple as that. Using a site like Flexitimers - quick and low low cost is the only way of hiring skills in a market like today. For more on this article click here.

Labels: Flexible Recruitment, Flexitimers, jobs, Recession, Smart Work