CML Offshore Recruitment

Update on Passport2Success Programme

Admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Recently Catherine blogged about the Passport2Success programme launched by the Ministry of Education and the Wellness Centre and sponsored by CML. The initiative is an 11 week training programme based at ICCI and is scheduled to run four times a year. The programme aims to improve skills and provide practical training for those wishing to improve on their literacy, communication, problem solving and team work skills and help them find work and succeed in their positions. Participants will learn in classrooms, workshops, through work experience, community service and extra-curricular activities.

The first Passport2Success programme was held on the 12^th of April and we now have an update on the success of the programme.

22 students enrolled on the first course and to date 10 of those have now found work in firms such as Butterfield and Lime. Offers have been made by the Water Authority, Fabrizone Cleaning Systems, Kirk Freeport, Phoenix Construction and Cayman Business Machines. Hon. Rolston Anglin, JP, Minister of Education, Training and Employment said that the participants ‘did terrific work, demonstrated the value of hard work and team effort, and have pointed the way to the future success of the Passport programme.’ Other candidates have been interviewed and are awaiting news.

Michelle Johnson, winner of the programme’s Most Improved Overall award reflected on the course by saying ‘I learned that to change myself I first had to know what I wanted to accomplish in life.growing up, I had few struggles, no bills to pay and no stress. My attitude was that I didn’t care because I already knew it all. When I was accepted for the programme, I had a chance to make a change for myself -- and for other young Caymanians. Now I have realised that everything is up to me, and that if I don’t put in 100 percent, I have no one to blame but myself. My past does not define my future. I have to work for what I want.’

Each participant on the course receives a ‘passport’ with stamps being earned for successful completion of different sections of the programme. Potential employers can then see which areas the candidate is particularly skilled in. The programme was born from research done by the Ministry of Education, Training and Employment which revealed that many high school graduates were not meeting the standards required in areas such as literacy, communication and team work.

If you are interested in taking part in the next Passport2Success programme please email the Wellness Centre for an application form info@wellnesscentre.ky or call 949-9355. Forms are also available on the website www.passport2success.ky

Success for young Caymanian placed by CML

Admin — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Michael O'Conghaile, Fund Account Manager, UBS; Gustavo Farrell, Junior Fund Accountant, UBS; Isy Obi, VP Finance & Accounting; Phil Jackson, Associate Director, Human Resources at UBS Fund Services

This is one of those placements that characterizes the ‘feel-good’ factor of this job. Gustavo Farrell, a bright young Caymanian, came to one of our Coffee, Cake & Careers evenings last year and spoke with consultant Isy Obi. Gustavo had been looking for an accounting position to supplement his studies at UCCI for his CPA, and was willing to try any avenue to secure his dream of becoming an Accountant.

On this particular night, UBS Associate Director, Human Resources, Phil Jackson was our special guest, so Isy was able to use this opportunity to introduce Gustavo to Mr. Jackson. From this event, a dominoe-effect began for Gustavo’s career as he had a formal interview with UBS shortly after, which resulted in the offer of an internship in their Fund of Funds department.

Taking on an internship isn’t easy. The pay isn’t great, and you are in a training position, so you can be moved around to different areas. Being an intern also doesn’t require the company to keep you on afterwards– you have to work hard to prove that you will be a valuable team member. During the past 6 months, Gustavo and Isy have been in constant contact, with Isy providing career advice and encouragement.

And all of it has paid off! The entire CML team congratulates Gustavo on landing his new job as Junior Fund Accountant at UBS. We wish you all the best.

How has the Global Economy affected Employment Offshore? How much are you worth?

Admin — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Chris Turrell, IT, Accounting and Financial Services Recruitment Consultant at CML Offshore Recruitment recently wrote about the upcoming CML Offshore Recruitment Offshore Salary Survey on the Cayman Islands&Offshore Business Forum on Linked In. For the benefit of those who are not a member of this group (and you should be!), here is the article.

At CML Offshore Recruitment, we’re currently compiling the most comprehensive Offshore Salary Survey and Market Update to date.

We’re hoping this adds value and is of interest and relevance to you; Employers, Job Seekers and Business Stakeholders.

Firstly, we aim to demonstrate how salaries over the past 12 – 24 months have been affected as the economic downturn continued to bite.

Secondly, we hope to show you, in line with our observations, how the green shoots of recovery are slowly but surely beginning to sprout. Are you feeling more or less confident about your job search / security at present as opposed to 6 and 12 months ago?

Thirdly, Employers; we intend to get a better understanding of business needs for the next 6 months and into 2011. We hope to be able to advise when it comes to relevant candidates actively and passively looking for new opportunities – Where should you be looking? Who should you be looking for? How much should you be paying? CML will be able to use information gathered and collate it into easy to understand results. Furthermore we will be able to assist from start to finish for the entire recruitment process; from candidate vetting to contract exchange.

Fourthly, Candidates; we intend to get a better understanding of how the market has been affected for job seekers over the past 6 months, but more importantly how you feel about your career prospects and aspirations in the short, mid and long term futures. How have the jobs that you’re doing at the moment and looking to do moving forwards changed? How have your salaries been affected currently and how have expectations been altered as a result? Where are you now looking to work? CML will be able to use information collected to help manage expectations and find the most suitable, attractive opportunity for you.

In order to gain as comprehensive set of results as possible, we would appreciate assistance from you. If you could communicate;

Employers; how your resourcing needs have been affected over the past 12 months. How you feel they are going to change over the next 6 – 12 months. If you have hired similar positions over the past year how have you found the process? Is the market saturated with candidates or have you found that the ‘A’ candidate is harder to find and subsequently attract? Have the salaries offered to new hires been affected at all? How have bonuses been affected within your organization?

Candidates; how have your salary expectations been affected? Have you had to amend the types of positions sought after? How has your job security changed?

I understand that this information can be sensitive, feel free to communicate privately.

We hope to be able to provide a comprehensive report that will assist with your Recruiting Needs, your Job Search and show that the confidence really is returning to Offshore jurisdictions.

By Chris Turrell, IT, Accounting and Financial Services Recruitment Consultant at CML Offshore Recruitment

Temporary office staff - a smarter way to control your personnel costs

Admin — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

With so many businesses grappling with the increased costs due to the recession and especially at Immigration, CML’s Temping and Outsourced Services Divisions are busy assisting small to medium size businesses with their staffing needs.

Qualified temporary office staff (or “temps”) are an ideal solution for many businesses who require an unconventional approach to meet their needs. Part-time hours, short-term projects, maternity cover are just some of the situations a suitably qualified, experienced and dependable temp can assist your business with.

One of the advantages of using a temp agency is the speed at which you can have an extra set of hands. We have a slew of on-island candidates, with different levels and areas of experience, who have already been interviewed, tested and referenced and who are ready to begin work with you at short notice.

A cost-effective benefit of hiring a temp for a small business is the time it saves on administration for a permit (if required), payroll, pension and health benefits. Your temp essentially works for us, so we take care of the HR requirements, leaving you with more time to run your business.

Hiring a temp can also allow you to have a non-committal probationary period if you are looking for a permanent hire and also provides peace of mind that every candidate we send you has already been through a vigorous screening process.

The temporary market has changed over the past 18 months, with many of our best temps hailing from right here in Cayman. The advantage to local businesses to hire a Caymanian temp, is that there is always the possibility of that employee becoming a permanent hire at little cost to you.

For a list of our available temps, please contact me at CML Offshore Recruitment on +1 345 949 1345 ext 124 or email l.reed@cmlor.com to discuss your specific needs.

A CV to be proud of.

Admin — Thu, 27 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Writing a good Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Resume doesn’t have to mean following a standard template or copying one off the internet, it should be specific to you and the job you are applying for. This document is usually the only kind of communication you will have with an employer in order to gain an interview and so should be a document you are proud of. You should think of your CV as an advertisement of you nothing more and nothing less. Many people will apply for a role with a generic CV just hoping someone sees something they like, not realizing that quite often over 100 candidates have done exactly the same thing. You need to make sure that your CV stands out for all the RIGHT reasons. Here are a few tips on a checklist to help you put together a highly effective resume.

Presentation and Detail

Your CV does not have to be fancy or pretty or colourful. It should be easy to read, in a clear, good sized font. One to two pages will be sufficient. At the top, include your Name and contact details. Personal details such as Date of Birth, Marital Status and Passport numbers are not necessary at this stage. You should pay most attention to the details under the following headings: Education, Professional Experience and Skills on your CV. Make sure you include the dates (month and year), titles and company/university or school with locations. It is vital that you include details of your duties and responsibilities in previous positions. This doesn’t have to be a long paragraph, just well detailed bullet pointed list. It might help to look at the job description for your previous positions. Include a list of skills on your CV - often a client is looking for experience of specific computer software or skills.

Proofread

You must proof read your CV and ideally, ask someone else to as well. Just spell checking isn’t enough. We constantly see CV’s with incorrect words used that spell check will not pick up.

Tailoring

This is one of the most important elements of a job search and the most frequently ignored. Every time you send your CV it should be tailored for that position. You must revise your CV for each position. Highlight the most important requirements on the job description or advert and check if you can find then on your CV.

· Do you have a covering letter explaining the reasons for your application?

· If you have an objective or goal on your CV, is it relevant to the position for which you are applying?

· If the job description requires certain skills or systems experience, where are they on your CV? - highlight them and see what is missing.

· Are the most relevant parts of your duties for each position at the top?

· If the position asks for specific qualifications make sure they are clearly visible and if you received a good grade go ahead and include it.

Interests and Achievements

Don’t go overboard including these, but it is good to include some of your outside-work activities. Employers like to see if you are involved on any committees (shows initiative and responsibility), in sports (shows team work, ability to follow rules and enjoying a challenge) or any of the arts such as music, painting or dance (shows creativity). By including these, you may find that you share a common interest with your prospective employer, which will always be a bonus!

Before sealing the envelope or hitting “Send” on the email, just read through your CV one more time for errors (e.g. is it addressed to the right person?) and make sure you’ve highlighted all the skills, qualifications and experience you have to do the job. Hopefully, you’ll be in the interview room in no time!

How to write a good CV

Admin — Fri, 07 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Presentation and Detail

Your CV does not have to be fancy or pretty or colourful. It should be easy to read, in a clear, decent sized font. One to two pages will be sufficient. At the top, include your Name and contact details. Personal details such as Date of Birth, Marital Status and Passport numbers are not necessary at this stage. You should pay most attention to the details under the following headings: Education, Professional Experience and Skills on your CV. Make sure you include the dates (month and year), titles and company/university or school with locations. It is vital that you include details of your duties and responsibilities in previous positions. This doesn’t have to be a long paragraph, just well detailed bullet pointed list. It might help to look at the job description for your previous positions. Include a list of skills on your CV - often a client is looking for experience of specific computer software or skills.

Proofread

You must proof read your CV and ideally, ask someone else to as well. Just spell checking isn’t enough. We constantly see CV’s with incorrect words used that spell check will not pick up.

Tailoring

· Do you have a covering letter explaining the reasons for your application?

· If you have an objective or goal on your CV, is it relevant to the position for which you are applying?

· If the job description requires certain skills or systems experience, where are they on your CV? - highlight them and see what is missing.

· Are the most relevant parts of your duties for each position at the top?

· If the position asks for specific qualifications make sure they are clearly visible and if you received a good grade go ahead and include it.

Interests and Achievements

CML teams with Rotary in Adventures in Citizenship

Admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

CML Offshore Recruitment annually sponsors the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman Aventures in Citizenship Essay Contest.

Click here for more:

http://rotaryclubofgrandcayman.blogspot.com/2010/04/rotary-club-adventures-in-citizenship.html

CML supports Passport2Success

Admin — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

CML has recently become a main sponsor of a new training programme aimed at school leavers and young Caymanians to improve their professional and personal skills and prepare them for the workplace.

The Ministry of Education, Training & Employment and The Wellness Centre have designed the “Passport2Success” for recent school leavers and young Caymanians who are struggling to find and/or maintain employment.

Last night, the Passport2Success programme was introduced to key stakeholders in the business community at a Chamber of Commerce event. Several HR directors and CEOs were in attendance to learn about the opportunities available to their companies in this initiative.

Lynne Banker, who will lead the delivery of the programme, discussed the different areas to be covered by the participants and was followed by Mary Rodrigues, Chief Officer of the Ministry of Education, Training and Employment who explained how businesses can get involved in the programme.

CML Chief Executive Officer Steve McIntosh encourages other businesses to participate. “This programme relies on local employers for work placement opportunities and on the job training opportunities and we are appealing to local businesses to become involved." He continues, "It is a very manageable commitment for employers. As well as direct benefits to the company such as, easy access to young talent and good community relations, Passport2Success will benefit employers generally by improving general skill levels of the workforce and increasing employee retention."

For more information contact The Wellness Centre on 1 345 949 9355 or email info@wellnesscentre.ky

Interesting Training & Development program from UPS

Admin — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

This article shows the use of alternative resources in Training and Development....

finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/109258/usps-thinks-out-of-the-box

April Fool’s Day jokes in the office – funny or faux pas?

Admin — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Industry colleagues at The Creative Group, whose focus is on recruitment for Marketing and Advertising, found that amongst their candidates and clients, 68% would consider an April Fool’s Day joke in the office a faux-pas. http://creativegroup.mediaroom.com/officepranks

However, we at CML wonder would this number would be the same, if not a bit higher, if we were to poll our candidates and clients? Accountants ARE rumoured to lack a sense of humour…?

Comment here if you think we’re totally off the mark, what you think about workplace jokes, or tell us about a time when you or any of your colleagues played an office prank…

Permitted to Work

Admin — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

If you are reading this blog, moving to the Caribbean must be right at the top of your agenda. Here at CML Offshore Recruitment we speak with people everyday about employment opportunities overseas, the most frequently asked questions are about the immigration process. I hope this blog will answer most of your questions, especially if this is part of your initial research into moving to the Caribbean. Each jurisdiction has slightly different application requirements and methods but I have noted below the main points you would need to consider before making a move. As some of the requirements for gaining a work permit can be costly and only valid for a certain period of time. Although it is important to do the research look into what you will need and where you can get it, we would advise you wait until you have a job offer before actually beginning the process. An agency/employer can only submit an application, once you have a written job offer or temporary contract.

A work permit will usually be issued for periods of up to six months (Temporary Work Permit usual 3 or 6 months), or longer (Annual Work Permit). As an agency we will check and submit all the relevant documents for you but the ultimate decision and issuing is done by the Government Chief Immigration Officer. Your new employer or agency will usually pay for the work permit fees which can be quite expensive so it is important you are really serious about your move. Fee costs can vary depending on the position and level from $1,000 - $24,000 per permit.

Things you will need

A fully completed application form
A police clearance certificate, a certified and signed police clearance certificate from your home district or last place of residence. (Note: If you are a national of the United Kingdom and resident there immediately prior to coming to the Cayman Islands you may submit a sworn affidavit attesting to good character in lieu of a police clearance certificate if you wish.
A fully completed medical questionnaire AND a lab report showing HIV/VDRL test results. Part 1 must be completed by you; Part 2 must be completed by your physician and should bear his/her signature and seal or stamp. The original lab report showing the HIV/VDRL test results must also be provided. In the UK most private hospitals will carry out these checks. It can be done with the National Health Service this way can be cheaper but a longer process.
Two passport sized photographs, one full-face and one profile.
Notarized copies of the prospective employee's professional qualifications must be provided.
Birth/Marriage Certificates: Where a spouse or a child has been included on the work permit application form, the relationship to the employee must be proved by submitting notarized copies of marriage/ birth certificates as appropriate
All ORIGINAL/notarized documents must be sent by courier (not regular postal mail)

If you are married or have children they can be listed as a dependant on your work permit but this is at the discretion of the Chief Immigration Officer, and is normally based on your salary and the cost of living. We would generally advise that you would need a monthly income of over $4,000 to support 2 people on a permit. If you are thinking of traveling with a partner but are not married it is important to realize that you will both be required to find a position and submit your own work permits. You should discuss the possibilities that you may have to travel at different times or what your plans would be if only one of you secured work.

If you currently live in a non English speaking country you will be required to take an English test upon arrival at the airport. If you are found not to possess a sufficient knowledge of the English language, you will be refused entry.

What happens next?

If the application is approved, a letter will usually be sent to the CML Immigration team notifying us of the decision and setting out the terms and conditions upon which you may work.

This process can seem complicated, although it is important to consider all the requirements and make some initial plans the CML Offshore Recruitment team will be on hand to help you through. We will have been speaking to you on a regular basis through your job search, recruitment process and relocation plans so you will always have your consultant and our immigration team available to help once you have secured an offer and are ready to submit your work permit.

Should you have any other questions relating to immigration you can contact our dedicated immigration specialist Fiona Meagher (f.meagher@cmlor.com)

2010 It's all about teamwork

Admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

As we approach the end of the first quarter in 2010, the economic picture is starting to show signs of much needed improvement however, at Cml Offshore Recruitment we understand that for those still out of work it is difficult to believe recovery is in sight. As a company we are expecting recruitment levels in the Cayman Islands and the rest of the Caribbean to improve but we still need to be realistic about the pace with which it will happen. Working in the Administration and Support Services department for the biggest global offshore recruitment company gives me a keen insight into the office and support market, and as a department we have been busy since the New Year celebrations ended.

As always there are jobs, and companies are hiring, but the competition for those jobs is much tougher. Although past recessions have seen a huge increase in activity in the recovery period, we can already assume that we will see no ‘boomy’ characteristics in 2010, instead seeing slow but consistent growth.

What is important for those looking for work is not to dwell on the doom and gloom of 2009 but to question how you are going approach your job search in 2010.

For those on island already, there is no secret in the fact that local businesses and local recruiters are eager to make sure you are placed in work quickly. If you have been out of work for a long time, it may be time to consider a job you wouldn’t have looked at previously or maybe consider doing some shorter term temporary work in order to keep your cv up to date and acquire new skills. We are seeing an increase in temporary assignments as employers regain confidence in the market.

Recently on US television the Governor of Massachusetts David Gregory was asked for predictions for the job market in 2010, he said

“Expanding cooperation and teamwork is how to compete in a global economy”.

This rings so true with the current administration and support services job market, which although still relies heavily on qualification and experience, is looking for candidates who can prove they go the extra mile with abilities that are linked to attitude, drive and enthusiasm for working.

What do people say about you? Is it all about your qualifications or do they talk about your passion for the job, the one who stays to the end to help out on a project, a respectful, honest and reliable team player. In today’s market this is more important than ever. Employers may have reduced staffing levels over the last two years and are now seeking those with the right attitude not those running late every morning and showing no passion for their job or team.

What you can do to help show a potential employer this? Plan ahead, get references from your previous employers that show them what a fantastic person you are to employ. Try where possible to ask for detail in those references, rather than just dates and confirmation of employment. It is also important to include in your cv a description of what you did in each of your previous roles, just a list of dates and job titles does not sell you to the employer especially if the cv on top of yours talks about all the skills, successful projects and teamwork all backed up with fantastic references and personal statements.

For those looking to move into the Caribbean administration and support service market from overseas the message is still the same we are seeing a slow but consistent increase in demand for candidates. For a client to consider bringing a candidate in from overseas they will have already unsuccessfully completed their local search and will want to move quickly. It is important that you are qualified and experienced in your area of application, have thoroughly researched your move, immigration information (I will cover this in more detail in my next blog) and the place you could potentially be living. Conditions here are still tough for those out of work or looking to make an overseas move but in 2010 the sun is still shining in the Caribbean and we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Getting Started with CML Offshore Recruitment - Administration and Support Services

Admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

This week saw the February 2010 Coffee Cake and Careers evening held at the Cml Offshore Recruitment Cayman Islands office. I had the pleasure of speaking with some fantastic candidates. Discussing future career plans and higher education plans with the help of the guys from UCCI. Oh and of course we all ate lots of cake.

Quite a number of people asked me what they needed to prepare in order to get started with an agency and more specifically the administration and support services team at Cml Offshore Recruitment. I thought I would cover as much as I can here for all you internet surfers so you can be fully equiped for your search.

So at this point you have decided that you want a professional to guide you through your job hunt, and will need to get in contact with the Cml team. You can give us a call directly 1 (345) 949 1345, register your cv on our website or apply for a specific role. Admin jobs

Following this you will be contacted and Cml will ask you to attend a meeting with one of our consultants. We will confidentially discuss your cv, work history and work together on an action plan of how and who we will contact in order to secure the perfect position for you. If you are already living in Cayman the best way to be prepared for this interview and for the interviews with companies later on is to already have the following information:

· An up to date CV/Resume containing;

o All your work history, including the dates, brief description of your duties.

o Your education to date including those courses you are currently studying

o Your skills, computer systems and packages you have used, typing speeds or any skills that may make you stand out in the crowd.

· Employment references from your past employers

· Police Clearance Certificate – this can be obtained from the local police station and usually takes around 24 hours before it’s ready for pick up.

· It is also helpful to have information ready to discuss with your Cml consultant. Examples can be information on your past salary, reasons for leaving your last position and notes about what you really enjoyed or didn’t like in previous roles.

I hope this gives you a little insight of what to expect and ultimately help you along the way to your next career move. I look forward to meeting you in the near future.

Friends and Family

Admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Friends and Family

I have mixed emotions about the arrival of my family in the Cayman Islands this week to visit me. On one hand it’ll be great to spend time with them enjoying all of what Cayman has to offer, but on the other I feel unsure of how things will pan out, living on top of each other for 2 weeks solid. Having left home some 12yrs ago I am now more than able to control the going’s on in my own home. If I want a cup of Tea I’ll make myself one, if I want a Sandwich I’m more than able to butter two slices of bread, if I want a shirt ironed….. well, OK you can do that for me if you want to.

Living on the other side of the pond presents lots of wonderful opportunities both from a work and life perspective. There are draw backs however that need to be accounted for and one of those, in my opinion are Family visits!!

Check back next week to see if I have managed to retain my sanity.

Dow and that Disney Feeling...

Admin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Cayman’s first ever Winter Olympian, Dow Travers, is the son of Cayman Islands Stock Exchange Chairman, Anthony Travers. Whilst his father navigates our financial services industry through the recession, white lists and attacks on our reputation, Dow will navigate the white powdery slopes in Vancouver for all of Cayman.

Dow was born in Grand Cayman, but went to boarding school in the UK as a teenager. His love for skiing began on his annual family vacations to Colorado and he’s not the only one, his two younger brothers Dillion and Dean are also avid skiers.

Being from a tiny, tropical, and very flat island, he certainly didn’t practice his skills here! Dow, who is studying at Brown University in the US, took a year off from to train at the Aspen Ski Club in Colorado, but returned to school in September 09 after qualifying for the Olympics in Chile last Summer.

The international media love this “tropical island boy turned Olympic skier” story and we all here are reminded of our close neighbour Jamaica and their bobsled team and the subsequent Disney movie – “Cool Runnings”. Dow himself clearly understands the similarities in this amazing feat saying after his race in Chile “I’m feeling very Olympic today” quoting Sanka Coffie, ‘the best pushcart driver in all of Jamaica’. We will all be cheering on Dow in his race in the Giant Slalom which takes place on Tuesday February 23^rd.

Peace be the Journey, Dow.

2010..... The Begining of Something Good

Admin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I saw the New Year in with a BBQ by the sea, feeling very settled in my new home. 2010 was going to be the best year I could just feel it. The countdown to midnight, watching the amazing fireworks at the Ritz Carlton and champagne in hand, I couldn’t be happier. To celebrate my husband and his friends decided to take a dip in the sea, it was around 20 minutes into 2010 when we realized our house and car keys were floating somewhere on their way to Cuba.

We spent the first few hours of the New Year meeting the neighbours, attempting a break in to our own house, and waking the property manager at 8am New Years day. We laughed eventually and after 24 hours in an evening dress I was pleased to get my bikini back on.

After nearly a month of working at Cml I have met with numerous clients and candidates and started to really get a feel for how the market is looking moving into 2010. The outset, though picking up, the economic climate has still reduced the speed of some of our clients’ recruitment processes but it is my policy is to be open and honest with all my candidates throughout the entire recruitment process, putting in place a plan of action to make sure that I am looking for the right jobs for each person. I am working on the specialist Administration and Support Services side of the CML team which handles assignments across a full spectrum of offshore and legal services, including

Fund Administrators Legal Secretaries and Paralegal

Investor Relations Administrators Trust Officers and Administrators

Captive Insurance Administrators Compliance Officers and Administrators

General Administration Corporate Officers and Administrators

Accounts Assistants and Bookkeepers Personal and Executive Assistants.

p.s. January 3^rd 2010 in true Cayman style, somebody found my keys washed up on the beach and handed them in.

Cayman Indoor Football World Cup 2010

Admin — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Cayman Indoor Football World Cup 2010

This coming weekend marks the Annual Cayman Indoor Football World Cup at Kings Sports centre. Consisting of 16 Teams across 4 Groups, the Tournament is fantastic weekend of hotly contested indoor football and showcases some of the Islands brightest talent and in some cases, one’s inability to keep up with some of those 10yrs younger than them. Countries represented in the Tournament include England, Scotland, Ireland, Cayman, Jamaica, India, USA, Canada and a mixed Brazil / Portugal team. This is just another example of what Cayman has to offer in terms of competitive sporting activities throughout the year. The Tournament is screened live over the internet which gives family and friends the chance to sample the action for themselves wherever in the World they may be.

As per usual, my England team (England White) have been knocked on Penalties in the semi finals for the past 2yrs running. Let’s hope lighting doesn’t strike for a 3^rd time this year.

See below clip from last year’s Tournament;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blubbaSueNI

A Caribbean Christmas

Admin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

So there I was sat around the pool of our apartment staring out to sea looking considerably healthier than when I stepped off that 747 two weeks before. Surely it doesn’t get better then this? Then I discover the Cayman Islands Sunday Brunch.

Brunch is a combination of breakfast and lunch; the term was introduced in Britain around 1896 but is now clearly something the British Sundays are sadly lacking.

My first brunch in Cayman was Christmas day and is something I will never forget. It looked a little something like this......

Course 1

Full breakfast – bagels, eggs, bacon, pancakes, eggs Benedict.

Course 2

Seafood – shrimps, mussels, oysters and crab claws

Course 3

Pasta – fresh cream and garlic sauce, shrimp, clams and mussels with penne cooked at the table.

Course 4

Turkey and all the trimmings

Course 5

Beef and Yorkshire pudding

Course 6

A little bit of everything, tiramisu, crème brulee, chocolate foam and shortbread biscuits.

The food was out of this world, oh and the bottomless champagne adds all the magic to Christmas you could need! The waiter told me I would never see the bottom of my glass. Not one to shy away from a challenge, I managed to get an empty glass on my head for refill just the once.

We finished our day sipping wine on the beach watching the sun go down with bikinis, full bellies and Santa hats. A Caribbean Christmas, a dream come true.

How two little words can make our day...

Admin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The New Year is always a time for reflection, planning and getting in touch with old friends. We sent out an email to some of the candidates we have placed in the past, to see how things are going and were pleasantly surprised with the response.

Most of you are doing very well, still in the positions we placed you! Others are keen to work with us again and are happy to hear from us. But a response that we didn’t expect, but should have anticipated from such a lovely bunch, was the amount of thanks we received from you!

Our livelihood is based on your career change, a huge step in anyone’s book. And it is only natural for us to be pleased when our actions lead to a better life for you. So when we hear you are doing well, and love your new job and home, we can’t help but give ourselves a pat on the back for making a difference in your life.

Here’s some of the comments we received:

Trust Officer:

“XX really did a phenomenal job in helping me land this job and want to thank her once again and also CML for the great service that you all provide.”

Financial Services Administrator:

“Very nice to hear from you and CMLOR! Happy New year to you and your staff! Further to and thank you for your email - I'm doing great :). I'm a still here at XXX and enjoying my time here! We have just moved into our new offices at XXX (today is the 1st day-offical) and that's exciting!”

Chartered Accountant:

“G'day ! Thank you for staying in touch and giving me the latest updates from CML. Life has been treating me well since my arrival to the lush BVI 9 months ago, and I hope it will stay that way for some time to come.”

We’re always keen to hear from you, so please feel free to drop us a line, any time.

Coming of Age in Cayman

Admin — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Starting school is a crucial step in every child’s life. It can be stressful for both the child and the parent but it is also an exciting time, a new chapter for parent and child alike.

Working and juggling family life in Cayman is a far more pleasant experience than what you can expect back home, where you have a limited choice of pre-schools and primary schools, long commutes and the possibility of only seeing your child at breakfast and bed-time. A high price tag, never mind the high fees!

We are entering our own new chapter here in Cayman, with our two and a half year old preparing to start pre-school this week. We are very fortunate to live just five minutes away from Little Trotters Farm and Nursery School, one of the most interesting and stimulating environments you can find for your child in Cayman. The school’s philosophy focuses on the study and appreciation of nature, beautiful manners and creative and imaginative play. Set within a farmyard they have a miniature pony, ducks, a pig, a turtle, fish rabbits and chickens. There is a pond with a bridge and hickatees, a large shaded porch, a playground and a butterfly garden with wooden walkways for nature trails. There are fruit trees and a vegetable patch, and a thatched wooden gazebo for snack and story time - an idyllic setting for your child.

We have no fear for our youngest who is just about to make this brave and crucial step into the real world and what better place to do it. No matter where we are, whether at work or at home we are only 5 or 10 minutes from school, her teachers are our friends and it is a little community in itself where every child and parent knows each other, nationalities from all over the globe enjoying this wonderful setting. At the end of your working day you can still pick up your child and enjoy an evening of activities whether it’s swimming, biking, gymnastics, music or a late evening stroll along the beach before bed-time.

A new chapter opens for Clara, the world is waiting for her and even though it is sometimes hard to see your little ones grow up so fast – how lucky we are that she can experience her first school setting in a place like Cayman!

Things you learn quickly in Grand Cayman.

Admin — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Within minutes of driving from the arrivals car park any worries that being on a Caribbean island over Christmas wouldn’t be quite the same as back home are washed away. The thousands of fairy lights and Christmas garden displays make the Selfridges window look half hearted.

People assure me that we are in The Cayman Islands winter season but the first few hours in Grand Cayman we certainly felt everyone of those wonderful 80 degrees.

We decided to spend our first hour at the supermarket, well I decided, as this is generally an activity that my husband would avoid at any cost however, unlike the UK, the supermarkets here do actually have a closing time and are not open at all on Sundays. Our journey there is short and sweet, literally. Everyone is so friendly, giving way at roundabouts to the left, right and every other direction. We later learn the concept of a roundabout is as alien to some visitors as my first experience of a four- way junction. Whilst I am on the subject, when people in Cayman honk the car horn no need to sit in shear panic wondering how you offended your fellow road user they are simply being nice and thanking you for giving way, again...generally at a roundabout.

Like the Cayman Islands drivers the supermarkets are more than accommodating and I soon learn I can phone home and honestly tell my Mum we are eating well. We found all the fresh food you can imagine along with the comforts of traditional ‘British’ foods...chicken tikka masarla, branston pickle amongst others, to top it off they have an isle where the food is already cooked and sat piping hot waiting for you, jet-lag looming this was incredibly appealing. You quickly learn all the local quirks - a red pepper costs twice as much as a green pepper, seedless grapes cost twice as much as your rent and if you want beer you have to visit the liquor stores.

So far we have quickly learnt that when living in paradise, you can have your cake and eat it - any flavour you like!

Work starts Monday and all we have left to do is find a house, buy a car, open bank accounts........

It’s not CAYmen, it’s CayMAN!

Admin — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Sticklers for grammar, punctuation and spelling will understand the annoyance that is caused by incorrect pronunciation and usage of words. Some may argue that the English language is evolving with the human race and therefore change is inevitable, and I can agree with that, as we no longer use “thee”, “thy” etc but can’t we keep some words the way they were? Especially when it’s a name?

You can always tell a tourist or newbie to the island when they refer to our home as “The Caymens” which is as irritating as the millions of acronyms that are creeping into everyday speech – especially the ones which take longer to say than the phrase itself e.g. “BTW” for “by the way”.

Some of the most valuable advice I think I can give, to anyone who cares to listen, is they’re not called “The Caymens”, it’s “The Cayman Islands” or “CayMAN”, emphasis on the end of the word, when referring to the islands (plural). Then for the three separate islands it’s “Grand Cayman”, “Cayman Brac”, and “Little Cayman”. You’ll note there’s no emphasis when “Cayman” is followed by “Islands” or “Brac”. It’s still not “Caymen”, but just an even toned “Cayman”. Getting the pronunciations of these correct is a good idea if you don’t want to irritate any locals and more importantly, so you don’t give yourself away as being “fresh off the boat.”

Brr! It's cold here!

Admin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The recent cold snap that the entire world seems to be experiencing has left the residents of Cayman, including myself, shivering and wondering has it ever been this cold here before? I can remember when we were kids living here taking full advantage of any cool breeze or Nor’wester to wear our heavy sweaters and jackets to school! This past week I’ve been looking for closed toe shoes and long sleeved tops to wear to work as well as ensuring I have my wind jacket in the car, which is totally different from what we normally experience.

Cayman, and most of the Caribbean, can only really boast two seasons, Wet and Dry, so generally speaking, it’s hot – all the time. And although we’re whining that it’s cold here at the moment, we know that 66 °F isn’t that cold, we’re just enjoying the change. The coldest temperature ever recorded in the Cayman Islands was on February 11th 1968 at 52 °F! That converts to about 11.11 °C.

On behalf of all of the shivering complainers in the Cayman Islands to the populations of Europe and North America experiencing one of the coldest winters ever, I apologise for our thoughtlessness, but you can’t blame us for avoiding a real winter – it’s one of the reasons we live here!

Putting a Face to Our Name

Admin — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Just before Christmas we had a regular staff meeting. Well I say regular but I suppose a meeting by the pool just outside the office, shaded by swaying palms trees, with chings chings and occasional iguanas as spectators is far from normal. Anyway, I digress. The subject of the meeting was blogging and why we wanted to re-start it at CML. We were asked what the point of it would be and a resounding answer was to put human faces to our company. I wondered how new this phenomena was. Had companies been faceless all this time?

Of course not. Companies have been creating a human face for themselves for years using different methods from celebrity endorsements, to subtle advertising, to blogs and other social networking sites.

Due to celebrities constantly being in our living rooms, newspapers and the subject of office gossip, we feel an affinity with them, and if they are endorsing a company it must be good. From the product testimonials of Queen Victoria and Popes Leo XIII and Pius X to the never-ending celebrity endorsements of the modern era, companies are constantly using well loved celebrities to become a face for their brand, and subsequently dropping them if they do not live up to the image they have of best friend to the public. Elliot Feldman addresses this subject in his blog and also points out the Davie-Brown index used to measure the marketability of celebrities. One of the factors is ‘trust’. It is amazing how we subconsciously trust a celebrity we have never met, but apparently we do.

It is not just well known faces that are used to humanize corporate bodies and products. The Everyman, or in the Dove ‘Campaign for Real Beauty’, the Everywoman, is used to create an image of usability. Images of other women just like the viewer also panders to the conformist behavior many of us subconsciously hold, and this showed in the results of the campaign. While Dove's purported aim through the campaign is to ‘help free ourselves and the next generation from beauty stereotypes’, quite a magnanimous feat to be taken on by one company, the drive also put many human faces to their brand, from all different cultures and races. It truly is a great advertising scheme and shows that they care about things that real women care about. This helped increase sales of the products featured by 600% in the first two months of the campaign.

In this generation of accelerated technology it is no surprise that the trend du jour when it comes to creating a face for your company has moved from advertising to social networking. It has created another forum for companies to prove that they are not just imposing tower blocks with burly security guards to keep the masses out, they have feelings too and care about their clients and customers. Actually they are quite mushy inside. Gone are the days where their websites were purely narcissistic ‘who’s who’s’ and bland information portals, now in each corner there is an opportunity to follow their every muse, to interact and contribute to their discussions, to read their blogs and to learn from their podcasts. Many of the high scorers in the The Big Money’s Facebook 50 were graded because of the opportunity for their fans to interact on their facebook page. From Mcdonalds encouraging fans to upload videos of themselves with their new products to Pizza Hut using Facebook as a pizza delivery order tool. One of the best stories of product followers interacting is the Coca-Cola Facebook page. Originally set up by two fans, Coke discovered the page and then worked alongside them to improve it.

From Twitter to Facebook to online blogs, corporate powerhouses are attempting to bond with their clients and customers. The Center for Marketing Research at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth conducted a study that showed that 91% companies on the Inc. 500 made use of at least one social media device, up from 77% last year. 44 percent of companies without a company blog say they plan to start one, and 36 percent intend to use some form of online video. These figures are not just evidence of these companies having a higher opinion of themselves, it is something the public have been yearning. At the end of 2008 a study revealed that 93% of Americans believe that a company should have a presence on social media sites.

So here we are, joining the masses on t’interweb, but also aiming to not just be one of the minions. We hope to offer you something different in our blogs – we don’t want to bombard you with frivolous drawl (if we do, feel free not to read it!) but with relevant market updates, an insight into life offshore and the recruitment cycles, and most importantly human voices and faces to our CML family, and hopefully you won’t think we’re a bad looking bunch.

The Channel Islands: A Safe Port in the Legal Recruitment Storm?

Admin — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008 and the resulting global economic fallout continues to impart a strong braking force on the legal recruitment market both in London and the UK regions.

Scores of newly qualified solicitors have not been retained upon completion of their training contracts and large numbers of senior associates laid off in the widespread culls of spring 2009 still remain out of work (although for many this has at least given them the unexpected windfall of both time and opportunity for a mid-career gap year traveling the world with the aid of previous years’ healthy bonuses).

The market in the Channel Islands remains stubbornly buoyant and resilient in comparison however and a cursory inspection of the structural differences between City law firms and their Island cousins quickly reveals why.

Firstly, the sheer size of the big London firms means that their much higher staff headcount is always going to suffer more by way of cost-cutting than at the smaller and leaner firms in Jersey and Guernsey.

Secondly, junior lawyers at the NQ – 3 PQE level make up a smaller percentage of the workforce in Channel Islands firms than at the London firms (approximately 20% as against 40% in London), and by extension island firms thus tend to have a proportionately higher percentage of senior assistants, whose greater experience means they are more able to turn their hand to different types of legal work in a downturn and continue to be able to generate fees for their employers.

Thirdly, lawyers at City firms tend to be far more specialized and operate in much narrower areas of work, unlike their Channel Island counterparts who handle a broader range of work and so again are better placed to take on different types of work in a downturn.

In addition, a number of Channel Island firms also have fiduciary and fund administration businesses as part of their revenue stream which helps to offset any drop in their legal business revenue.

Interestingly, Channel Island firms also appear to have weathered the recession better than their Caribbean competitors. Here, slightly different forces appear to have come into play –

(i)                 the majority of the main Channel Island players have not pursued a strategy of global expansion and so have not found themselves hampered by the attendant costs of such a strategy in these hardened times;

(ii)               the Channel Islands secured inclusion on the OECD’s White List (of countries using internationally recognized tax standards) sooner than their West Indies competitors and their law firms were therefore better able to reassure nervous clients that their offshore status was not threatened by zealous regulators, and in addition the Caribbean jurisdictions unfortunately seem to have been singled out for a larger number of hostile comments from national governments, in what could be seen by many as largely being a game of political point-scoring.

As a lawyer seeking employment in the extremely tough and highly competitive London market, the Channel Islands seem therefore to have increasingly become a relatively safe port in the legal recruitment storm.

Cayman Weather Temps UK Lawyers & Accountants

Admin — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Increasing numbers of key professionals are deserting the UK – to escape the dismal climate.

Traditionally most financial-sector job seekers have looked offshore for employment opportunities in order to benefit from low taxes and high salaries.

But recent summers have been poor in the UK and many workers are realising the benefits of moving offshore where you can usually guarantee the sun will shine.

The Cayman Islands has become a popular destination in recent times. The three-island archipelago, situated south of Cuba in the Caribbean Sea, benefits from a sub-tropical climate, blazing sunshine and high temperatures.

The UK’s sunniest areas average less than five hours sunshine per day and this does not compare favorably to the nine hours per day you can expect on Grand Cayman where average temperate fluctuate minimally from month to month from 31.1 degrees in August to 27.8 in December.

Accountant Fiona Jones recently moved to the Cayman Islands and said: “The British weather was so depressing and I just had to get away. I was fed up with waiting for summer to arrive each year only to be disappointed again and again.”

When Fiona decided to leave the UK she enlisted the help of CMLOR, the world’s largest specialist offshore recruitment agency for the legal and accounting sectors, and they helped her over all the difficult hurdles from securing a job and obtaining a work permits to finding somewhere to live.

“Moving to Grand Cayman has been a revelation. It is sunny and hot almost every day and I think I would find it incredibly difficult to go back.

“And it’s not just the sunshine. There is a really friendly ex-pat community and the salary is tax free which is another reason to be cheerful!”

Steve McIntosh, CEO of CMLOR added: “Our British candidates love the weather in Cayman and it’s no surprise that many quote it as one of the main reasons for relocating.”

It’s not just the Cayman Islands seeing the benefits of the relocation of British talent. Offshore countries such as Bermuda and Dubai are popular destinations for UK expats.