s1jobs: S . . . is for success

Originally published in Evening Times, 13/3/2009


As the recession bites and jobless figures rise, thousands of Scots are worrying about their jobs - and their future.

But for half a million jobseekers every month there is real hope.

The award-winning s1 website, based in Glasgow, is proving to be a genuine powerhouse when it comes to recruitment.

s1jobs, part of the Newsquest Herald and Times Group, has been reporting astounding successes when it comes to getting people into work - and helping bosses find the workers they are after.

Each month, 500,000 jobseekers log on to the site to see what is happening in the jobs field - a remarkable figure given that Scotland has a population of just five million.

The facts speak for themselves:

  • Around 40,000 jobs have been advertised on the site since January 1 - a combination of direct jobs' offered by specific employers, and vacancies notified by recruitment agencies
  • An estimated 1158 employers have used s1jobs to find candidates since January 1.

  • A live snapshot taken yesterday afternoon showed no fewer than 317 employers and 142 recruitment consultancies were advertising 3860 jobs.

    s1jobs harnesses the power of the internet to put employees and employers in touch with each other. Jobseekers who register with s1jobs are given a personalised homepage.

    Job Alerts flash them urgent news of vacancies in their chosen field. They can even create a Career Profile, enhancing their chances of being headhunted.

    There are easy-to-understand guides to such issues as making the right career move, and writing a sparkling CV.

    On the other side of the jobs fence, recruiters can star in their own, two-minute-long video in which they talk about their company and say just why job-seekers should consider a career with them.

    Corporate feedback has been tremendous.

    Elaine Codona, HR manager for Coca-cola, says: "Our video profile is a fantastic piece of work and has helped us immensely with our recruitment campaign.

    "Since using the profile, our response has increased five-fold and we now attract more than 500 applications per post."

    s1jobs can put you in touch with a new career and direction in life with a few mouse clicks.

    "Put simply," said Mark Smith, managing director of s1, "we are the heart of making sure that anyone who wants to work in Glasgow and the west of Scotland, can work."

    s1 jobs, which was set up in January 2001, covers the whole of Scotland.

    Mark added: "Currently there are some employment sectors suffering more than others.

    "But there are lots of firms looking for, to take just one example, accountants, or for people with basic financial skills, or people who want to work in customer services.

    "Believe it or not, there are even construction jobs out there. There is still a fair bit going on."

    Despite the economic slowdown, the news in Glasgow is not all bleak. A new study says 5000 jobs will be created in the city over the next two years, as top financial institutions and property developers aim to invest in the International Financial Services District.

    Mark said: "Our philosophy has always been to ensure that employers get quality candidates. Quality is a key word here.

    "It's not actually the volume of candidates that employers are looking for right now. It's the right candidate and, because we have been around for eight years, pretty much the whole employment scene in Glasgow and across Scotland knows that s1jobs is the main route to find a new job, or even just to browse the site to see what's out there."

    David Craik, head of marketing at s1, says: "Our core strength is the fact that we are known across Scotland as the primary place to find candidates or a job.

    "It is a very strong brand. A couple of years ago we were short-listed in the Scottish Marketing Awards for the best-ever Scottish Brand - an exceptional achievement given that we were up against such names as Irn-Bru, Tennents and Glenmorangie. It just works, for candidates and employers alike.

    "The services we provide in the background for employers are complex and honed."

    Employers can set questions online to filter out candidates who don't have the skills they are searching for, so that they come up with a shortlist of people with precisely the required skills.

    "From the point of view of the candidate, because we are a media company, not a technology company, we believe that candidates' experience with the site is paramount.

    "We believe the candidate has to be treated the same way as an employer - he or she has to be given the quality service that ensures they come back.

    "We like to think that people trust us."

    So far, the s1 recipe is working. If you want to see how it can work for you, log on now to www.s1jobs.com


    Don't just take our word for it...

    We've advertised more than 250 vacancies on s1jobs over the past year, throughout Scotland. And we've been really pleased with the service, the quality of applicants, and of course the price. It's become one of our key recruitment tools.
    Margaret O'Raw, Recruitment Manager, Greggs of Scotland

    s1jobs has been instrumental in facilitating our recruitment plans during what has been a considerable period of expansion for BiP Solutions over the last five years. s1jobs has played a key role in this success.
    Alan Mathie, Recruitment & Training Manager, BiP Solutions

    s1jobs is always my first port of call for job hunting in Glasgow. I've recommended it to several friends who have also found jobs through the site.
    Alison Hunter, Press Officer, Glasgow

    • Custom job search