Online Business Blog

Fishermen and Merchant Seafarers

Fishermen and Merchant Seafarer’s find themselves in the dubious position of working in the most dangerous profession in the country. The main reason for this is of course the unpredictable and very treacherous seas. Since records of work related deaths have been kept, fishermen and merchant seafarers have always topped the tables and are 50 times more like to die at work than anyone else. Currently 103 per 100,000 fishermen die each year, though incredibly high it is thankfully lower than the 1885 rate of 1 in 63 (10,000 a year) who perished while at sea.

Bomb and Mine Disposal

An unsurprising entry on our list Bomb disposal experts face danger and even death on a daily basis, thankfully though most survive which is why many have been nicknamed ‘Felix’ because they have nine lives like cats. Despite doing such a dangerous and important job the average disposal expert can look to bring home only £32,000 a year.

Oil and Gas Rigger

Oil and Gas workers have traditionally found themselves at risk due to the highly flammable and dangerous materials they find themselves working with day after day. The biggest cause of accidents is when rigs and pipes catch fire, though these are relatively rare when they do occur the loss of life can be high. In modern times rigs and are much safer but workers face a new threat. Terrorists have chosen oil and gas rigs as targets since the first Golf War. Some areas have become so dangerous for employees that oil and gas companies have been forced to withdraw there multi million pound operations from the area completely.

Construction Workers

Over the past five years 30% of all work related fatalities in the UK have come from the construction industry. Within the construction industry Scaffolders and Steeplejacks find themselves most at risk with 23% of all construction fatalities being caused by falls. As well as fatal injuries the industry also receives a high number of non fatal injuries. These can range from someone hitting their thumb with a hammer to more serious injuries such as white finger and Raynauds Disease.

Commercial Drivers

Commercial drivers are involved in 150 crashes up and down the country each day and are annually involved in 54,000 per year. Often the main cause of the crashes is the longer hours drivers often have to work caused by tight deadlines that many companies run by. 1-in-4 of road fatalities involves a driver at work.

War Zone Security Guard

The most recent entry on to the most dangerous job list, War Zone security guards are finding themselves working in the most dangerous places on Earth. Security Guards are often called in to work in highly dangerous areas, usually Iraq and Afghanistan to protect organizations and people. As part of their job them find themselves daily on the front line and often come under fire.

A franchise opportunity can be a highly effective business model, especially with considering the current challenging economic conditions. Buying into a franchise limits your exposure to risk whilst also providing you with the framework to achieve real business growth.

Such a business opportunity should allow you to replicate the success a franchisor has already had, the same success that has enabled them to offer a franchise for sale. It should be running with a robust business model and the potential for growth in it’s own market should have been recognised before a franchise opportunity is offered. There should also be a clear structure for the new franchise and appropriate resources and support should be available to ensure the business start’s with strong foundations.

An important part of this is the relationship between the franchisor and the franchisee. This should be a close relationship. The franchisor should be approachable and willing to spend some time working with the franchisee, especially at the start of the new franchisee. Also the franchisee should have a clear understanding of the franchisor’s expectations and understand how the franchise brand & resources should be used. An example of this is the amount of freedom a franchisee has to make use of intellectual property, something which varies between companies.

Of course all of these things should be established from the outset. As a formal business opportunity a rigorous franchise agreement should be prepared. This should protect the integrity of the business and be fair to both parties. These are the foundation stones of trust that a successful franchise is built on. There should also be a strong procedure and documentation system in place. This ensures that the franchise set up runs smoothly and that all the necessary information is captured and recorded. It also means that the franchisee should be running the business in the way in which the franchisor intended.

It’s been said that franchising is like a marriage and this analogy rings true in many ways. It should be a long term commitment founded on trust, transparency and integrity. As with marriage it takes time for to build upon these qualities and both parties must adapt and learn from each other. And like a marriage the rewards continue to grow as the relationship matures.

However just like a marriage if the relationship becomes stale you can expect the franchisor’s head to be turned by a younger model who flashes a few firmer bits and promises to perform all sorts of exotic acts to make their relationship more exciting and dynamic.

According to the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the profession of an accountant is changing.  The claims of the ACCA are based on substantial research.  The polled over 2,500 qualified accountants in over 50 countries around the world.  The results of the polls definitely lead them to believe the accountant job role is changing.   And, they also explain why many companies are having difficulties recruiting, developing and retaining employees in the accounting profession.

One of the key findings from the study revealed that new roles and skills are needed for accountants.  Also, many accountants are becoming more motivated and ambitious with their careers.  This is particularly true in rising economies.

In today’s world, there is apparently more regulation and a changing business environment that accountants must deal with.  These changes give accountants a new role and require different skills.  Bottom line, their work becomes technically more demanding.  Additionally, they have to start thinking strategically instead of just computing numbers.

One thing that really stood out in the study was that there was a noticeable difference between the skill level of the majority of accounting and financial professionals and the level of skill that is needed by most corporations today.  Fewer people are measuring up to the necessary level, and it is becoming more difficult to find individuals that measure up to fill the accountancy jobs.

During the last few years, more and more accountants seem to be less loyal with their employers.  They seem to switch employers and switch segments.  A lot of people are even looking for international opportunities instead of moving up the corporate ladder.  They think that this will help build their resume.

Additionally, there is a common misconception around the world about accountants.  Many people think accountants are dry, boring, soft, or dull.  Often they assume that they lack the necessarily skills, specifically people skills.  For this reason, they often stick them behind a desk and underutilize them.  The negative connation regarding accountants sometimes leads to a supply shortage.  It can make recruiting difficult and retention even further problematic.

According to sources at the ACCA, now is a good time to be a qualified accountant (the key word being qualified!).  If you are qualified, organizations are most likely out there who need your services.  Also, if you are new to the industry, there will be less you have to adapt to with the changing business environment and new regulations.   For those who are currently accountants, it is important to keep up on your skills and stay ahead of the competition.  It will definitely benefit you.

Today, business is conducted worldwide.  This means that employees are needed all over the world.  It is not uncommon for someone in another country to need your services.  However, it is not always easy for them to find you.  Because of the increased number of global workers, international recruitment has changed.

When you work internationally with a recruiting agency, you most likely work with a special agency known as a professional employee organization.  This type of organization works with companies in various industries throughout the world.  To save time and money, they use email to contact people.  And, they source international jobs that are needed.  A lot of the time the work is contract work, sometimes temporary.

Although a PEO works to recruit employees around the world, they spend a large amount of their time developing strategic alliances.  They make these alliances with businesses around the world.  They help these businesses become more profitable by allowing them to outsource anything possible that is costly to PEO workers.  Almost anything can be outsourced.  Companies outsource unskilled positions and even the position of CEO.  Thus, the business becomes more profitable and work is created for people around the world.

This new about to recruiting changes the game when it comes to temp work.  Many people can benefit short term from this situation or even long term.  Also, a lot of times, the positions available are better because the market is so much larger.

In the future, these recruitment agencies are hoping to have job boards online.  They want individuals to have access to job information in real time.  This way they can find candidates faster and more effectively.  Also, it helps those interested know where to look.

One of the major focuses of the PEOs is professionalism.  These PEOs work with great companies and professionalism ensures continual work.  From studies done throughout the world, there is an obvious lack of professionalism in temp agencies.  The PEOs want to avoid this.  They hope to find people around the world that need work and find the right job for them.  In their eyes, it is a win-win situation for everyone.

If you are in between jobs or are looking for more experience, look into working with a PEO.  It is a great option for developing your professional qualifications.  Many jobs, even if they are temporary, are ones you could include on a resume.  Also, it may help you determine what you really want to do in the future!