March 2024 | business confidence is returning

Even with an additional day, February has breezed on by. It is, therefore, time to welcome March’s Candidate Care Newsletter!

Despite ongoing uncertainty and the economic downturn in the UK, we’ve had an influx of new roles this year - so far - across all of our Venquis specialisms! In particular, we’re seeing a healthy appetite for Project Management and Business Analyst roles - especially within the insurance industry.?

According to governing body APSCo, both permanent and contract vacancies have seen an uptick at the start of the year, as you can see in the graph below. Permanent vacancies saw a 4% increase in the second half of January, and contract vacancies also enjoyed a rise of 2%:

Topic of the Month: IR35

Concerns regarding the off-payroll working rules are rippling across the industry. Candidates we’ve spoken to recently have expressed concern for what is widely being dubbed a “burdensome problem”. In light of this, Head of Contracts & Compliance, Lucia Grech, spoke to Jason Crisp, PayStream, on the matter.

“For candidates now found to be operating inside IR35, where before they operated through a PAYE/Umbrella payment into their Limited Company, it is more cost effective to make their company dormant while working inside IR35.

“In the financial sector, for example, there has been a trend of blanket determinations where all roles were classified as inside IR35, without individual assessments using CEST. Although this hasn’t significantly impacted contractor numbers, it has become slightly more challenging to find the right talent for these roles.”

Naturally, we understand that this may be both challenging and frustrating to candidates. But remember, this is why we’re here! The Venquis Candidate Care team are on hand to support you with any issues or challenges you may be facing in relation to IR35 shifts - or anything else, for that matter!

VQ Tip: You can use this tool if you ever want to check the accuracy of a determination you’ve been given: click here

Did you know Venquis have a referral scheme - for both candidates and new clients? If you see a role that would be perfect for someone you know, get in touch. Equally, if you’re working within a company that is hiring - or know of a one that would benefit from our service - reach out today: [email protected]

For all successful placements or clients onboarded, we offer ￡200! ?

Venquis Spotlight:

I have joined the ‘new year, new me’ crew and kick-started my fitness journey again! From 4am gym sessions, to making sure I’m eating enough protein - and obsessing over closing my rings on my Apple Watch, I’m committed to the challenge! Chat to Ama: [email protected]

Client Solutions, Jack Lord, may only be at the beginning of his Venquis career, but he brings with him almost a decade of recruitment expertise and industry knowledge. Since his appointment, Jack has onboarded five perm deals across various companies across the insurance market - but not insurance as you may know it. From Product Managers to Heads of Engineering, Jack specialises in specialist insurance in the non-life market and has a host of opportunities in the pipeline. Watch this space!?Chat to Jack: [email protected]