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Sigmar IT and Graduate of the Year Julie Valentine win at NRF Awards 2018

Sigmar IT and Graduate of the Year Julie Valentine win at NRF Awards 2018

The 12th annual National Recruitment Federation Awards took place in the Shelbourne Hotel on Friday night, November 30th. Sigmar were delighted to attend and to come away with not one but two awards on the night. Best in Practice: Sigmar IT It’s been a big year for our IT Team, with the launch of their European IT Recruitment talent hub in Tralee, so picking up Best in Practice Technical, IT & Telecoms in one of the most closely contested categories of the night was the cherry on top. Speaking of the award, Associate Director, Eoin Langdon said that he was delighted their hard work had been recognised. NRF Cert RP Graduate of the Year: Julie Valentine The NRF Cert RP Graduate of the Year Award recognises those who have achieved the highest results in the NRF Certificate in Recruitment Practice exams in 2018. Sigmar was thrilled for our Sales Recruiter Julie Valentine to be recognised for achieving the highest grade of the 2018 graduates. Speaking on Julie’s win, Sigmar Director, Malwina King said; “I am truly delighted that Julie achieved Top Graduate of the Year at the 2018 NRF Awards. Julie, we are super proud of you and your success is very well deserved! Not only was Julie one of the most active participants in Sigmar’s Recruitment Excellence Programme but this award is a testament to her hard work, industry expertise and ‘can do attitude’ that is appreciated by both clients and candidates alike. Well done Julie!” We were also delighted to have Claire Kelly shortlisted for Permanent Recruitment Consultant of the Year and for our Office Support and Technical, Engineering & Science teams being shortlisted in their respective categories.
Almost half of workers resent colleagues who are consistently late

Almost half of workers resent colleagues who are consistently late

A new survey conducted by Jobs.ie has found 46% of workers feel resentful of a colleague who is consistently late for work and 50% of respondents in senior management positions said that colleagues arriving late for work creates workplace animosity. Half of employees said that they would like to see flexible working hours, and a further 27% would opt to work from home. The employee punctuality study by Jobs.ie also found that the most common excuses for being late include Traffic (59%) Oversleeping (33%) Weather (26%) The survey also found that 20% admit to being dishonest when explaining why they were late for work. Just over 40% of employers are said to have a 'zero tolerance' policy for lateness in the workplace, enforcing punishments if employees fail to show up on time with one in four employers surveyed admitting they have fired an employee for consistent lateness. Among those surveyed on their employer's attitude to punctuality, 41% described being punctual for work as absolutely essential. Some 37% said there are no real consequences for being late, while 8% said there is a casual approach to punctuality and employees arrive when they wish, and 10% said that provided an individual gets through their work, nobody really notices what time they start work. Overall, 96% of all employees said that they always arrive to work on time, with over half of employees (59%) aiming to be in work at least 15 minutes ahead of their scheduled start time. But those who work nine to five prove to be the least punctual - with less than half (47%) arriving to work on time every day within the past 12 months. 71% of respondents who work early morning shifts and 71% of those who work night shifts were always on time in the past year. Jobs.ie general manager, Chris Paye, said: "It may come as a surprise to many people that Irish workers are actually a very punctual bunch and take great pride in being on time or even early for work. Given this context, it's inevitable that tensions can arise in the workplace if one colleague is consistently late without a valid excuse. One potential solution is moving towards greater workplace flexibility, particularly in relation to start and finish times and remote working facilities. However, this is not a universal solution and may not be effective in all organisations.
Sigmar Invests in Kerry To Create 50 Jobs

Sigmar Invests in Kerry To Create 50 Jobs

Dublin, Tuesday August 14, 2018 – Sigmar today announces the creation of 50 jobs in Co. Kerry. The positions are for international recruiters to work in the company’s European Talent Hub, which has just opened in Tralee. Sigmar is currently seeking candidates to fill all of the vacant positions and calls for applicants from all backgrounds regardless of experience and education. Sigmar is investing in the development of a bespoke, world-class learning & development programme designed to equip individuals with all of the skills and knowledge necessary to become successful international recruitment specialists. The first of its kind in Ireland, the European Talent Hub will harness international talent for other international markets from its base in Tralee. The Sigmar employees in Kerry will be filling roles in IT for European markets with candidates from other countries. Earlier this year, Sigmar announced a strategic partnership with French staffing giant Groupe Adéquat. The partnership deal is structured through a staged equity investment over a five-year period that will see Groupe Adéquat take majority interest. Both companies are dominant players in their respective markets and are seeking to expand nationally within Ireland and internationally through organic growth and acquisition. The European Talent Hub in Tralee marks the partnership’s first significant investment in Ireland. On making the jobs announcement, Sigmar Recruitment CEO Adrian McGennis comments: “Ireland has the talent to capitalise on current international recruitment opportunities. This investment will kick-start the group’s international growth initially in Germany, then other parts of Europe and the US. Sigmar has been very supportive of regional development and this investment proves our belief in the business case for regionalisation. This European Talent Hub will be a key element of Sigmar’s stated international growth. It’s also an operation where we can develop and test new technologies including robotics and Artificial Intelligence. We have been working on the processes, technology and markets for some time to accelerate our international expansion. “Shaun O’Shea heads up the project. He is at the very top of European recruitment and he is from Tralee, so is eager to give opportunities to ambitious individuals in the region.” Shaun O’Shea, Sigmar Head of European Recruitment adds: “As a Tralee native, I am truly delighted to help bring such a positive jobs announcement to the region. One of our deciding factors was the research into the area which highlighted the huge talent pool of ambitious individuals who we believe we can nurture with our experience and skills to help build new exciting career paths. “We are offering exciting and highly rewarding careers for individuals coming from all backgrounds with a core focus on sales and consultancy. Due to our substantial investment into R&D we believe our consultants will be working on new processes and tools which will shape our industry on a global scale for years to come.” Speaking following the announcement, the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys TD, said: I warmly welcome Sigmar’s decision to open their European Talent Hub in Tralee. This new facility is a great vote of confidence in what Kerry and the South West have to offer, and a further example of the success of the Government’s commitment under the Regional Action Plan for Jobs to provide quality jobs in regional locations. Ireland has a skilled and talented workforce, and I have no doubt that Sigmar will find the right individuals here to enable them to grow their European activities in the coming years. CEO of IDA Ireland, Martin Shanahan said: “Attracting investment into regional locations is a key focus for IDA Ireland. Having a company of the calibre of Sigmar open a European Talent Hub is a huge vote of confidence in Kerry and the South West Region, showing confidence that the required skills pool is available there and demonstrating that international companies can successfully locate and scale their operations in regional locations such as this. The 50 jobs being created will provide a significant boost to the local economy. I wish Shaun and his team every success here, I will follow Sigmar’s progress with interest and assure the company of IDA Ireland’s continued support.”
The Talent Isle

The Talent Isle

There can be no denying that the Irish economy has benefited hugely from foreign direct investment, particularly from the US. The statistics speak for themselves; today there are 700 US companies with Irish operations directly employing 165,000 people. But, the historical economical and political US-Irish relationship works both ways. With Murphys, Kennedys and O’Neills making their presence known in boardrooms the length and breadth of the 50 States, Ireland is well represented in the highest echelons on US soil. Likewise, the statistics on that side of the Atlantic speak for themselves; there are also 700 Irish companies with operations in the US who employ 100,000 US citizens. Recent changes to the political environment in the form of US protectionism has undoubtedly threatened our status as the location of choice for US companies, making up 12.1% of US FDI investment into Europe despite accounting for just 1% of the entire European economy. At a time of green shoots growth in the aftermath of one of the worst recessions the State has known, this hard won reputation in now in jeopardy. Speaking at the Boston College Ireland Business Council symposium, John Harthorne, CEO MassChallenge described protectionism as grabbing the largest slice of the pie. The responsibility of leadership should be to increase the size, not of the slice, but of the pie itself. So, what can business leaders do? Well, of course we can leave it to the Government and State agencies to do their job, or else we can get out there ourselves and deliver the message that Ireland is still a great place to do business. That is exactly what Ireland Gateway to Europe did on Wednesday April 11, 2018, when a delegation of more than 40 Irish business leaders arrived in Washington to deliver the message that Ireland’s trade partnership with the US is stronger than ever, is truly bilateral and that Ireland remains the location of choice for FDI in Europe. Ireland Gateway to Europe met with their US counterparts and political representatives on Capitol Hill with the purpose of strengthening existing business relationships and create new ones. This initiative is a not-for-profit annual trade mission made up of professional advisory firms who travel the US annually to provide a secure resource network for business expansion to help US investment succeed in setting up operations in Ireland. Founded in 2012 as a response to the economic challenges at that time of global recession, Ireland Gateway to Europe is now in its seventh year of US, UK and global trade missions. Ireland has traditionally enjoyed a particularly strong business, cultural and political relationship with the US. However, in light of the recent announcements of trade tariffs, data privacy, immigration and other protectionist policies, our concern is that there may be a perception that Irish-US trade linkages may have subsequently diminished. The fact of the matter is that the transatlantic economy grew stronger, not weaker over the past year, as did Irish -US trade with US exports to Ireland up 9% and imports to Ireland up 6%. While the Washington mission was the focal point of the 2018 trade mission, the second leg of the trip saw the group travel to Boston to engage directly with the US business community at the stateside launch of the transatlantic Boston College Ireland Business Council (BCIBC). Having launched this side of the Atlantic in Dublin last October, the US BCIBC launch took the form of a Global Leadership Symposium where US CEOs met with their Irish counterparts. The event looked at Global Leadership, where a panel of global CEOs discussed how they, as a transatlantic leadership community, can create opportunities against the backdrop of economic challenges. The purpose of the BCIBC is to establish new, and strengthen existing, transatlantic business ties between the two countries, and it is designed to enhance transatlantic business between the US and Ireland through creating connections that allow for entrepreneurial ventures to grow and prosper. The Global Leadership Symposium is one of a series of planned BCIBC CEO Exchange events that will take place twice annually over the coming years, both in Ireland and in the US. The nest event is scheduled for Dublin this coming October. Founded by the Global Leadership Institute, Boston College, and Ireland, Gateway to Europe, and Chaired by Neil Naughton of GlenDimplex, the main aim of the BCIBC is to bring influential business leaders from both communities together once a year in Dublin and in Boston to create one deeply connected transatlantic trade artery. By establishing the BCICB, the tight commercial and social bonds we share with the US can be strengthened and build upon bilaterally, business to business, in spite of any potential external or internal protectionist political policies. It’s widely known that cultural ties between Massachusetts and Ireland are deep but possibly lesser known are the strength of economic ties with 11,000 people employed by Irish companies there and Ireland being the 6th largest exporter from MA. With threats from the uncertainty of the Brexit situation ringing in our ears from the East and murmurings of protectionism coming from the West, Ireland is again in a unique position to act as the economic transatlantic hub. What will the future hold? As it stands nobody knows for certain, but the community of transatlantic business leaders has a collective, critical role to play to ensure the future foundation of business relations is maintained for generations to come. Those business relationships benefit both Ireland and the US. Let’s both grow our slices of the pie by growing the pie itself. Article featured on The Business Post
Sir Ken Robinson's Keynote Speech at Talent Summit 2018

Sir Ken Robinson's Keynote Speech at Talent Summit 2018

Sir Ken Robinson, one of the world’s leading thinkers on creativity and innovation in the workplace spoke at Talent Summit 2018. As an advisor to Fortune 500 companies and governments in Europe, Asia and the United States, Sir Ken Robinson helps transform organisations’ corporate culture to focus more on fostering and developing creativity. His New York Times best-selling books also help people tap into their creative potential. His ideas and research have made him a popular speaker on TED Talks. In fact, his 2006 and 2010 presentations have been seen by more than 350 million people in 160 countries, making Robinson the most-viewed speaker in the history of Ted.com. Talent Summit was held in the Convention Centre, Dublin on the 22nd February 2018. Founded by Sigmar Recruitment, Talent Summit has grown to become one of the largest HR & Leadership conferences in Europe, showcasing the latest thinking on talent topics from around the world. Its mission is to share thought leadership on talent to build better workplaces and working lives in an increasingly complex world of work. Talent Summit 2018 Speakers included: Sir Ken Robinson - Worlds No. 1 TedTalk Speaker Dr Peter Lovatt - Dance Psychologist, University of Hertfordshire Johnny Campbell - CEO, Social Talent Dennis Layton - Global Deputy Leader, People Advisory Services, EY Karen Ní Bhróin - Conductor in Training, RTÉ Choirs, Orchestras and Quartets David Barrett - Chief Commercial Officer, cut-e Rob Williams - Director of Employer Insights, Indeed Find out more about upcoming events on www.talentsummit.ie
Recruitment Agency Myths

Recruitment Agency Myths

Recruitment agencies are often underestimated. A lot of people aren’t aware of the value a recruitment agency can have on a person’s job search or a company’s search for candidates. We have created a list of the most common myths associated with recruitment agencies, to set the record straight once and for all… “Recruitment Agencies are Expensive” One of the most common assumptions people have with recruitment agencies is, that you have to pay an agency to help find you a job. This is completely false. The way it works is that a recruitment consultant receives a fee from their client for placing relevant and qualified candidates in a job. You don’t pay the recruiter; the recruiter is paid by the agency they work for and the company who hires the jobseeker. “Companies can look after their own Recruitment. Agencies are Obsolete” Finding the right employee can be a long and complex process that even the most established human resources department in a large company can find difficult. Many companies utilize the expertise of recruitment agencies. With agencies having such a large bank of candidates on file and their own pool of specialist recruitment consultants dedicated to finding talent, recruitment agencies are invaluable to companies struggling to fill certain roles. “Recruiters don’t have Industry Knowledge” Often people think recruiters don’t understand the industry they are recruiting for. This is incorrect. Reputable recruitment consultants specialise in the areas they recruit for and have vast product knowledge of their market. Often a recruiter has a background in the area they recruit for or he/she is trained in that area so they understand what is required to work in that field. “Recruitment Agencies don’t care about Jobseekers” The perception of recruitment consultants is that they don’t care about their candidates and only want to place them in a job so they can make their commission. This may be true of some agencies, so you want to make sure you work with a reputable company. The success of recruitment agencies is dependent on the quality of the candidate’s they put forward to their clients i.e. your success is their success. Therefore, your agency should be working with you to find you a suitable position, provide you with detailed interview preparation and essentially hold your hand throughout the process.
Sigmar Win Award for Best Client Service at the Recruitment International Awards

Sigmar Win Award for Best Client Service at the Recruitment International Awards

The 2017 Recruitment International Awards took place in Guild Hall London last night. The awards were presented at a black-tie gala dinner with over 400 senior directors and CEOs attend the spectacular evening. The world’s largest recruitment industry awards program is in its 11th year and provides recruitment companies with an opportunity to win some of the most coveted accolades in the sector. The iconic RI trophy recognises innovation and best practice and is a wonderful celebration of the recruitment profession. Sigmar Recruitment are delighted to have picked up the Award for Best Client Service and were one of only two Irish Winners at the awards. Sigmar CEO, Adie McGennis said, ”we are honoured and delighted to win this prestigious award, particularly against strong international competition. To be awarded Top in Client Services against thousands of recruitment companies is testament to Sigmar’s training and commitment to clients, innovative national initiatives but mainly our consultants’ innate passion to exceed client expectations. We’d like to thank RI and our clients and we’ll certainly celebrate at our Xmas party in Malaga!!!”
Cara Magazine Feature: Ireland Gateway To Europe

Cara Magazine Feature: Ireland Gateway To Europe

6am My 10-month-old alarm clock, ie beautiful third daughter, wakes me every morning without fail. This is soon followed by two more little bedheaded beauties tiptoeing into my bedroom for a cuddle before I “swan off” to work, as my wife calls it (I have to admit that it does often feel like this as I love what I do). I catch the news on Morning Ireland as I drive to work and flick through The Irish Times business pages as I pick up my habitual morning coffee and porridge in Munchies on Baggot Street. 8am I like to arrive early and typically spend the first hour dealing with overnight developments and activating meetings for the days ahead. As chief commercial officer at Sigmar Recruitment, I work with an amazing team of 120 who have a shared commitment to succeed, which creates a truly unique culture built on autonomy, where we all act and behave like founders. 9am I immerse myself in the action, tendering for new business, designing talent solutions for clients and interviewing for staff – we recently announced the creation of 150 jobs. I’m also currently busy designing a compact MBA programme for our leadership team with Trinity Business School and University of Notre Dame. 10.30am This is my meeting time – clients, collaborators and stakeholders. I like to go to Residence as it’s close by and private. I’m also founder of the Talent Summit, Ireland’s largest HR and leadership conference, that promotes better workplaces and better working lives. This, for me, is the North Star in terms of purpose and puts us at the centre of the rapidly changing world of work. I’m also plotting a Talent Talks live event in the National Gallery for October. 1pm I hit the gym at least three days a week and use this time to listen to podcasts and research speakers for upcoming events. The afternoon is usually bustling as corporate America awakens so I often dine “al desko”. We are also co-founders of “Ireland, Gateway to Europe” (gatewaytoeurope.com) a trade mission we have been bringing to the US for the past six years and this year we are bringing a delegation of 50 business leaders on a three-day mission to Palo Alto and San Francisco on September 26-27. As a result, my afternoons are currently jam-packed with calls as the sun moves from East to West. 6pm If entertaining clients, I like to go to Suesey Street, Fitzwilliam Place, but most days I try to leave the office by 6.15pm. As much as I enjoy what I do, there is nothing like the excitement I feel when I reach Bushy Park, knowing that just around the corner I’m about to see my family. 8pm Grab a bite to eat and maybe jump on a couple of calls with clients on the West Coast. Read a couple of pages before bed – currently enjoying Shifting Gears by Ryan O’Reilly, a super take on resilience and motivation. Weekends With my girls – goblin hunting in the forest is the latest. Might do Foam in Terenure for breakfast and, if we’re lucky, the odd date night: TapHouse in Ranelagh if going casual, or Shanahan’s on the Green if going all out. I LOVE VISITING … SAN FRANCISCO There is no other city as vibrant or as innovative from a business perspective. The energy is infectious and I always leave San Fran a little drained but full of hope and aspiration for my ventures back in Ireland.Our trade mission this month is our third time bringing IGTE back to the Bay Area and we are very excited to return. BOSTON I’m on the advisory board of the Boston College, Ireland Business Council, which brings me to Boston frequently. I love staying at the Liberty Hotel – a former jail overlooking Charles River, with a great running track over to Cambridge and back. It’s also close to 75 Chestnut – one of the best neighbourhood restaurants in Boston – and a short train ride to the JFK Library and Museum. NICE We’ve been lucky enough to bring our Sigmar team away on our Christmas party each year and hit Nice twice in recent times. A great base to explore all the French Riviera has to offer, from lunch outside Café de Paris in Monaco, watching how the other half live, to visiting stunning, hilltop, Medieval towns such as St Paul de Vence or Éze. Sigmar Recruitment CCO Robert Mac Giolla Phádraig is the driving force behind the Ireland Gateway to Europe trade mission that travels to California this month to boost transatlantic trade.
Ireland Gateway To Europe – Trip to California 2017

Ireland Gateway To Europe – Trip to California 2017

Last week a team from Sigmar Recruitment lead a delegation of 25 companies to California to promote Ireland as an investment location for US companies that are considering internationalising. This was the 7th annual Ireland Gateway To Europe trip to the US. Palo Alto – 26th September On Tuesday morning the group headed to the Sheraton Hotel in Palo Alto to address a tech audience from Silicon Valley. Following a welcome by Sigmar CEO Adie McGennis, the first panel discussed the post-Brexit European economic landscape, GDPR, and how will US policy changes affect transatlantic trade? Panelists were Gareth Keane, Snr. Investment Manager, Qualcomm Ventures; Gerald Brady, Managing Director at Silicon Valley Bank; Deirdre Ceannt, VP Foreign Direct Investment at Bank of Ireland; David Carthy, Partner at William Fry. The panel was moderated by Ashlinn Marron, President of the Irish Network Bay Area. The 2nd panel was moderated by Sigmar CCO Robert Mac Giolla Phádraig, who discussed the challenges and opportunities of operating and scaling in Europe with Paraic Hayes, VP Emerging Technologies at IDA Ireland; Julie Kinsella, VP Enterprise Sales Development at Salesforce; Ananth Avva, COO & CFO at Wrike; and Ryan Pittington, Operations Manager at Asana. Following the event, the delegation went on to take part in a masterclass in design thinking at the D School at Stanford University. The group then headed to Google HQ in Mountainview for a tour and talk about culture at the company before heading back to San Francisco for dinner. San Francisco – 27th September On Thursday morning the group held another “Scaling In Europe” breakfast event in the newly refurbished Hibernia Bank in downtown San Franciso. The building was kindly offered the group by Dolmen Property Group. The first panel moderated by Ashlinn Marron, who discussed the european economy and upcoming data protection legislation with Sean Randolph, Senior Director at the Bay Area Council Economic Institute; Gerald Brady from Silicon Valley Bank; Conor Brogan from AIB and Andrew McIntyre who heads up William Fry’s San Francisco Office. The 2nd panel was again moderated by Sigmar CCO Robert who talked about how easy it is for US companies to set up Ireland with Deirdre Moran, VP Emerging Technologies at IDA Ireland; Julie DeBuhr, Director at New Relic; and Jim Kelliher, CFO at Actifio. The group then spent the evening at the offices of accountancy firm EisnerAmper on Market Street for drinks and discussion around building transatlantic culture. Consul General Robert O’Driscoll welcomed the group which was made up of alumni of Trinity College’s MBA programme, alumni of Boston College as well as the Ireland Gateway To Europe delegation. Robert from Sigmar had a fireside chat with Patty McCord, former Chief Talent Officer at Netflix, about her much famed culture deck which she co-authored and has been viewed over 16 million times. They were then joined by Geraldine Finn from Twitter and Shane Murphy from Adroll who had a lively and interesting discussion about the similarities and differences in workplace culture on both sides of the pond. A big thanks to our speakers, hosts and delegation for making it such a great week.

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