Then and now - Exeter Bites Back – May 2009, Express & Echo

Exeter Bites Back – May 2009, Express & Echo

In May 2009, Joanne Caine, MD of Cathedral Appointments became involved with the Express & Echo’s “Exeter Bites Back” campaign which highlighted reasons to be positive about the local economy. 

It was a period of despair for a number of businesses and an article written by Joanne advised businesses to “Be prepared to ride out the storm”. 

Here we are again – a different situation of course but the advice in the article would in the main be the same now.  Once again Exeter and the region are fighting back and the business community is rallying together with a number of great initiatives to ensure we come out of this.  These include the highly successful “Friday Lockdown Show” from Exeter’s Chamber of Commerce and the new campaign “Stronger Together” which is a task force of organisations and business leaders across the Greater Exeter (East Devon & Teignbridge) that has been formed to support the local economy and encourage everyone to BUY LOCAL! 

Here is the full article by Joanne Caine

“For more than a decade, recruitment has been a competitive and sought-after career.  How quickly things change.

When the downturn in the economy hit, many businesses started to think seriously about their staffing needs before recruiting and many stopped recruiting altogether.  In turn, one of the worst-hit sectors was recruitment.

So how do recruiters survive when businesses aren’t recruiting?

As a director of Cathedral Appointments, I feel confident in our ability, experience and flexibility to respond.  I believe that recruitment agencies who have built firm relationships with businesses are well placed to help them through the recession by providing advice on staffing issues, salary and package guidance, supplying key personnel for ad hoc projects and even providing outplacement assistance. 

It is perhaps fair to say that the recession has not affected every business; there are still companies prospering and nationally, the South West is one of the least affected areas. 

Cathedral still regularly has at least 40 live vacancies for skilled and experienced candidates but employers are now thinking more seriously about the staff they need.  Similarly, employees are only changing jobs if a new employer offers real future progression, not just for a salary increase.

Cathedral has been established for 21 years and is no stranger to surviving a recession.  My advice is to exceed your client’s expectations, manage your finances effectively, provide additional assistance as you can and above all, be prepared to ride this storm.

I am passionate about the success of local businesses and I am proud to become an ambassador for the Exeter Bites Back campaign.  Cathedral’s own “Keep it Local” campaign encourages businesses to source locally rather than looking outside the region.  We have an important part to play in the success of South West businesses.  By finding key people for key jobs, we help our clients to succeed and proposer.

Like many, we have had to become much more flexible and competitive.  If this is the difference between surviving and not, we will survive.”