The Boutique and The B.Hive

entrepreneurial goals. B.Hive is also successfullyattracting some true ‘honeys!’ Recent visitors haveincluded Rachel Johnson; controversial Editor ofthe Lady Magazine, and Author and Journalist EvePollard. The list of members is growing fast andmakes for inspirational reading.

“B.Hive is the ideal location and space for TheCareer Boutique – London,” says Katherine, ‘andwill feature heavily in our programme of eventsand collaborations throughout next year. We havealready met new clients and spoken with Lynneabout our initiative to actively support fledglingentrepreneurs and business owners.”

If you often wish you had somewhere idyllic toplant yourself and your laptop in between London

meetings, check out B.Hive’s site at www.bhive.co

Boutique bolsters business aspirationsMany business pundits are claiming that SME’s willplay a leading role in driving the economicrecovery, an opinion which is echoed by BarclaysBank’s recent report, ‘The year ahead: a view fromBritain's small businesses’.

Katherine’s second initiative, The InnovationBoutique, has been specifically designed tosupport and engage with small and medium,entrepreneurial businesses. The focus is quitesimply to enable businesses to achieve theiraspirations by securing key skills and talent.

The proposition is a consultative recruitmentservice which will not only include guidance withHR-related issues and practical recruitmentstrategies, but also extend affordable paymentschemes to allow the operational flexibility toincrease headcount on a permanent or interimbasis. Oxford Innovation has immediately agreedto partner this initiative, recognising the benefits itwill bring to the tenants throughout their Businessand Innovation Centres.

As a growing, small business, Katherine haslearned how important it is to find the right advice

and support. Whilst her primary motivation for theInnovation Boutique is to become an instrumentalpart of her clients’ successes, she also believes thatworking to support a diverse blend of new andfresh businesses will, in turn, create grass-rootsopportunities for local candidates.

To share your aspirations for 2011 and learn howthis programme could benefit your business,contact Katherine@thecareerboutique.com

Enhancing the ExperienceAsk any job seeker for feedback on theirexperience as a candidate registered with arecruitment agency and you will undoubtedly hearthe most common complaint from one and all –

poor communication or lack of contact. Mostrecruiters lament the lack of time to maintainprofessional levels of communication with theircandidates, but with one hundred plus CV’s formost job postings and pressing sales targets toachieve, a ten or twelve hour day still leaves littletime to stay connected to everyone.

As an independent business, Katherine has theflexibility to respond to this widespread industrychallenge and has committed resources in 2011to further nurturing a service-focused culture whichdelivers a ‘boutique experience’ to clients andcandidates alike.

Dedicated Candidate Managers will proactivelyliaise with registered job seekers and supply regularjob alerts and advice, plus resources designed toencourage and guide individuals’ ownself-promotion.

The Quest for OpportunitiesThe team at The Career Boutique are proud toannounce that a high percentage of job remitsreceived are via recommendation. The finalinitiative aims to use this insight to cast a wider netto capture more opportunities for their candidates.Katherine has started speaking to a diversecross-section of interesting professional partners togain their commitment to recommending TheCareer Boutique services to their own client bases.“We are currently a small team,’ states Katherine,

‘and there are only so many people we can reach,so I thought why not build our own team ofprofessional evangelists who can fly the flag for usand generate more opportunities.”

If recommending a recruitment service could provebeneficial to your own clients or connections,contact Katherine to arrange a meeting and hearhow your recommendations could generatereferral fees for your business or for a registeredcharity of your choice.

Positive Attitudes PrevailIf you find yourself in need of inspiration to launchyourself or your business into 2011, why not speakto one of the team at The Career Boutique? Theirenthusiasm and desire to be creative is trulyinfectious and each is preparing to make their ownmark during the months ahead. “When life isshrouded in doom and gloom reporting”comments Katherine “we all have a choice. Believeand bow to the negative hype or forge your ownway forward with a clear and challenging vision anda huge spoonful of determination - 2011 will be alandmark year for us all at The Career Boutique.”

www.thecareerboutique.com

“I am keen to position ourselves not only forgrowth but for innovative evolution.”Commented Katherine. ‘I want to ensure thatwe continue to practically demonstrate howcommitted we are to supporting candidate jobsearches and how we will continue to pull outall of the stops to surprise and delight ourclients. I am consciously placing Service and notSales at the centre of all that we do.”

The first major commitment has been the creationof a London presence to launch a provocativeExecutive Talent service headed by industryrenegade, Kerry Lackey.

Kerry Lackey - Director of Executive Talent -EuropeKerry is no ordinary recruiter. Despite fifteen yearsof operating within a sector which daily matchesthousand’s of people to opportunities, Kerrycontinually looks at ways to push boundaries,challenge norms and deliver creative approachesand solutions to recruitment requests. She ispassionate about people and their ability to shapeand transform organisations. “I most enjoy workingwith businesses which see human talent as aninvestment and who actively championindividuality.” States Kerry. “Clone-style recruitingand poaching from competitor gene pools is

merely a lazy and short-sighted approach to talentacquisition and will do little to distinguish abusiness in its marketplace.”

Kerry actively courts outstanding individuals andsays that most employers would be shocked tolearn that 75% of senior level candidatesapproached expressed an interest in moving for theright opportunity. “It is rarely about the package”,admits Kerry, “but more often about an opportunityto create a commercial legacy. In my experience,this feeling also pervades through the ranks. Peoplewant to feel engaged and be given the opportunityto make their own mark. My heart always sinkswhen I receive a ‘dry’ job description. This toolshould be approached as an opportunity to inspirethe best of talent to want to pick up the gauntletand beat a path to a potential employer’s door,rather than be a perfunctory box-ticking exercise.”

Kerry is continually cultivating a talent database of'passive' candidates to call upon for clients. Sheenjoys identifying, intriguing and engaging seniortalent or ‘commercial rock stars’ as she likes to callthem, and introducing them to like-mindedorganisations. “I am genuinely passionate aboutrepresenting multi-talented, (often multi-lingual)quirky and engaging individuals,” enthuses Kerry,“these guys know how to create a legacy and it is

always an education to be exposed to theirmindsets.” Her current candidate base includes aGlobal Brand Director for one of Switzerland’s mosticonic watchmakers, and a provocative CEO who’sManagement Today has labeled ‘one of theconsultancy world’s thinkers’.

Kerry's diverse personal network, combined with atrusted team of European networkers through keycities, means that The Career Boutique ExecutiveTalent division’s reach is broad and long and is wellplaced to unearth hidden gems. If you are lookingfor your own ‘rock star’ to make a mark in 2011,contact Kerry@thecareerboutique.com. Kerry isalso launching a provocative blog in the New Yeardesigned to spark creative evolution amongst HRProfessionals. Access will be via the ‘About’ pageon the Career Boutique website.

Buzzing in the B.HiveThe Executive Talent division has chosen thechicest of homes in central Covent Garden - B.Hiveon Southampton Street. It is the latest project ofLynne Franks, a Business Club designed by womenfor women. Lynne has long been a champion offemale entrepreneurial talent and was keen tocreate a feminine space where women could notonly work but felt comfortable to network andsupport and encourage each other’s

The Career Boutique is fast becoming one of Oxfordshire’s home grown successes. Despite the economic backdrop,this owner-managed business is bursting with optimism for 2011 with Managing Director, Katherine Dales, launchinga series of initiatives and collaborations to underpin the business’ continued development.

THE BOUTIQUE& THE B.HIVE

www.b4-business.comwww.b4-business.com 3534

B4 HR

“The first major commitment has beenthe creation of a

London presence tolaunch a provocativeExecutive Talent

service”