Online Business Blog

Bingo halls across Britain are struggling to make the numbers work after falling income and a tax increase could spell the end of many halls. Even the biggest player in the bingo industry Gala Coral are looking to close up to 6 clubs with the loss of 180 jobs. This could be joined by another 100 clubs right across the country.

Some insiders believe that this is not the end of the closures but only the beginning. Over the next two years some believe that 40 to 50 more clubs may be closed or sold off, many of which are former cinemas, allowing Gala to concentrate on the more popular flat floor halls. Since the smoking ban, which many blame a down turn in business on, and the scrapping of section 21, Gala have closed 13 bingo hall and 4 casinos.

The recent rise in duty on bingo from 15 per cent to 22 per cent has forced many bingo operators to reassess their futures. The Rank Group, owners of the Mecca Bingo chain, has had to issue a profits warning estimating that they will now lose £9 million a year in lost profits.

Its not all bad bingo news at the moment though, online bingo is continuing to grow bigger and bigger and has become the fastest growing form of gambling on the internet. In 2008 the world wide online bingo market is worth $1.4billion, this year it is expected to hot $1.7billion with it rising to £2billion in 2010.

The online market is good news for Gala too. Gala Bingo is currently sitting pretty as the number one online bingo site in the UK; thought is position could be under threat with the impending sale of internet rival Cashcade.

Waking up to another cold grey showery morning in a municipal town in Britain, and struggling through the rush-hour traffic to a nondescript office block for another day at your crumb strewn desk can be quite a depressing prospect. Perhaps you are already thinking it’s time for a change. Now it’s your chance to consider something you may not have thought of doing before- working abroad!

The international job market is in a healthy state at the moment and someone with the skills from a UK education and career path are greatly sought after. With readily transferable skills UK applicants are seeing high levels of success in securing International Jobs.

The benefits are obvious, a better climate, reduced living costs and gaining invaluable international experience are all great reasons to consider going international. Obviously such a move would involve a big change in your life with relocation an important process to manage. Many companies offer assistance, both logistical and financial, to help a new recruit to transition seamlessly into their organisation.

But where do you start looking for that job of a lifetime? The best approach is to find an international recruitment expert who understands the needs of prospective employers. They can help you find a role that you will feel challenged but comfortable in, and where you will not suffer cultural dislocation in the way that so many people who go it alone do .

The skills and experience an international job gives you will also put you ahead of many other candidates should you wish to return home later on. Such a role on your C.V. is amble demonstration of your pro-active nature, flexibility and willingness to embrace change. All of which are key assets in the modern workplace.

In addition the opportunity to learn a second language, is not only an exciting challenge but also another string to add to your bow for future use. With the decline of foreign language within the UK curriculum, the demand for language skills has risen sharply.

Often international recruitment is an overlooked option by UK applicants. But now is the ideal time to take that step. If you do you will be rewarded with improvements to your career prospects and your quality of life.

With more and more jobs in the private sector at risk as the economic downturn continues to hurt small and medium businesses, more people are looking at public sector jobs as a career alternative. But what are the benefits and how easy is it to stand out considering the competitive nature of the current job market?

Perhaps the primary benefit of working in the public sector is the sense that you are contributing something back to society through your work rather than generating profit for your faceless corporate masters. But it’s not all altruistic, in general public sector wages are higher than the national average. This is also coupled with an attractive benefits package and stable pension scheme. Flexi-time and other flexible work arrangements are also prevalent, allowing busy people a better chance to maintain a work life balance.

There are a wide range of careers available in the public sector, so being able to find a job that utilises your skills should not be a problem. The public sector is increasingly aware of the benefits of employing someone with private sector skills. In fact the main drawback sited of working in the public sector is that you can often feel like you have stepped into an arcane world of bureaucracy and red tape. But fear not, with increased pressure to not waste tax payers money, the ability to recognise waste and streamline working practice will lend you a distinct advantage over other candidates.

So how can you stand out in the job market? Employers are not short of applicants for available posts in the current climate. In fact a recent store opening in Nottingham attracted 1800 applicants for just 20 positions. This means it’s important to make yourself unique and present a clear case to a prospective employer to justify why you are the best person for the role.

Perhaps the smartest way to do this is to let someone else do the donkey work for you. Identify a specialist in public sector recruitment and meet with them to ensure they understand your skills and what sort of role you are after. You are looking to give them the detail that helps bring your C.V. to life and allows them to go out and present you as the well-rounded employee that you are.

Rather than wasting time applying for dozens of ill-suited roles, working with a recruitment professional will help you to land that dream public sector job.