A Warning For Job Seekers

Compared with the job losses experienced by many groups in the current recession, the contracts and commercial community appears to be faring quite well. Research by IACCM suggests less than 0.8% of its members have lost their jobs, though of course many others have seen salary impacts, loss of career growth opportunities and reduction in pensions and benefit entitlements.

The market for new jobs has shrunk, but not disappeared. Contract Management is viewed as an increasingly important discipline and there is clear evidence of up-skilling. New contracts groups are being formed and many employers appear willing to fund training and development. Again, IACCM data suggests that organizations are strongly focused on value for money, rather than simple cuts – and for an organization like IACCM, this has resulted in increased demand of more than 40% for its training and skills development services.

But there is no denying that jobs are relatively hard to find – and employers are becoming far more selective. This includes a clear trend to check candidate credentials. They value people who are members of IACCM; they value those with IACCM professional accreditation even more; but they are now assiduous in checking candidate claims.

Candidates evidently understand that professional credentials matter (that is why IACCM is seeing continued membership growth throughout the recession). But beware of making false claims. Twice this week when contacted by employers seeking to validate IACCM membership, we have found their potential employees were not (and never had been) IACCM members. And on another occasion, a member claiming Certified status had never sought to become accredited.

I suspect none of them got the job!