Why Choose Facade & Fenestration

Passport to the Future

Writing for Business Insider recently, Richard Branson listed his ten favorite quotes relating to business and life. While all of these quotes are inspirational in their own way, when it comes to opportunities in the façade and fenestration sector, one particular quote stands out, “A year from now you will wish you had started today.”-Karen Lamb.

Here at Elk Recruitment, we see opportunities in façade and fenestration sector as potential passports to the future in their own right. For an ambitious candidate, the façade and fenestration industry offers exciting job openings worldwide to rival any other in the construction and building sector.

No Slowdown     

Earlier this year, Bruce Shaw’s Derek Scully warned that the shortage of skilled glazers had the potential to hurt the construction industry and since then the job opportunities have only increased. Internationally, the façade and fenestration sector continues to grow exponentially, and Elk Recruitment is one of the best places to stay up to date with career opportunities.

In the Middle East, façade work at the new Dubai wharf is still ongoing, and the new Mall of Oman development is scheduled to begin in early 2017. This will be part of a massive $1.3 billion investment which will also include the construction of City Centre, Sohar.

The coated flat glass market is expected to rise to $34.4 billion by 2021 according to Research and Markets. This will be driven by new smart glass regulations and advancements in façade and fenestration worldwide.

In Australia, the government recently listed façade and fenestration as one of the most future-proof occupations. The demand for glazing experts shows no sign of slowing down, and as glass itself becomes more technical, this will only increase the need for a more skilled workforce.

Stateside, the city of San Francisco, listed the upgrading of façade and fenestration as one potential enhancement to kerb greenhouse gases. Jobs will be created through installation, operation and maintenance of new and upgraded building systems.

Elk Opportunities Worldwide

For further information relating to the façade and fenestration sector, and the jobs available worldwide, why not contact Elk Recruitment today.

Facade & Fenestration

Exciting New Projects

Elk Recruitment, as winners of the Best Niche Recruitment Firm 2016-Global, can offer job seekers the chance of placement within the Fenestration, Façade & Window and Door industry throughout Europe and Asia, as well as North & South America.  Currently, both the Façade and Fenestration industries are enjoying strong growth, and business managers are speaking confidentially of exciting new projects and targets in the years ahead. Here at Elk Recruitment, we pride ourselves on keeping up to date with the latest developments and openings in this fast-moving sector.

Market Size Growing

A recent press release from Global Market Insights has predicted that window and door market size is expected to exceed USD 250 billion by 2023 growing at a compound annual growth rate of over 6% from 2016 to 2023. As well as new construction projects, repair and upgrade activities will further support this growth. In North America, a recent government tax credit for energy efficient doors and windows has been a huge success. In the Middle East, 2017 will be the busiest year for hotel openings, and a new industry report has revealed. Also of interest to those in the Façade and Fenestration sector is the forecast that the UAE and Saudi Arabia will, between them, open more than 320 new hotels before 2020.

Green Building

One of the most exciting pre-announcements from the upcoming Intersolar Middle East event, (September 19 to 21), was that in 2017, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) would complete Dubai’s first 100% solar-powered hotel. Complementing the news of this venture was the Green Building Conference which took place last week in Singapore.  One of the main topics up for discussion was whether all buildings could be made net-zero regarding their carbon footprint and if not, the short-term target should be reduced energy consumption. All of these developments will result in a growing job market and further opportunities for suitable candidates. At Elk Recruitment, our in-depth knowledge of the Façade and Fenestration sector means we are at the forefront of this industry and are strategically positioned to offer exciting new placements within this sector.

Solving Work Related Problems Methodically!

There will always be times in work when despite best efforts things are just going completely wrong and not according to plan.  If you take the time out to study exactly what has happened, you will usually see a pattern to it and in that pattern is always a recipe for improvement or a signal to change direction and quick.

Root Cause Fault Analysis

9 times out of 10 what went wrong could have been avoided no matter how you dress it up.  In the manufacturing industry they use what’s caused Root Cause Analysis or Root Cause Fault Analysis (RCA or RCFA) which arose in the 1950’s out of a study by NASA to seek reasons as to why things went wrong at a fundamental level, at the root.  It’s a super tool and one that will benefit the whole organisation if used effectively.  You don’t just presume why things went wrong at face value, well you can but this is a sure way of ensuring they will keep happening. There is a technique to be followed that involves 12 steps from defining the problem, interviewing or data gathering, data mining, identification of a solution, implementation, effectiveness to standardising the solution. This is a powerful tool to master to close out issues permanently or at least to reduce the possibility of reoccurrence to a very minimum.

Helping you grow

Problems are put before us to enable us to grow.  No matter how difficult the lesson, there is always something to be learned from it.  Even if we don’t identify the root cause of a problem, just deciding to investigate the problem is a mammoth step in the right direction to mind-set improvement. Taking this step means that you are no longer saying it just happened, you are no longer saying what can I do about it, you are now saying that yes it happened but it bloody won’t happen again on my watch.  Conducting yourself with this mind-set is a key ingredient to success at work and certainly an important trait you must possess to lead.

Elk Recruitment 'Connecting Success'

Why Choose a Job in the Fenestration Industry?

The Façade or fenestration industry is an excellent and exciting fast moving industry to be involved in and there are always opportunities for individuals that have excelled in a specific area of that Industry worldwide. Elk Recruitment are among the few Façade recruitment firms that have a sound global insight into the industry having spent over 16 years working directly for Glass, Aluminium and Steel Suppliers domestically and internationally giving it an excellent understanding from grass roots to Senior Management.

The internal workings of façade firms are quite similar and this applies to small, medium & large organisations the world over. The only difference in most cases between all three sizes is usually software and ICT integration, scale of projects executed, capital available, NUMBER OF SIT DOWN MEETINGS and although dependent on the market the company operates in, salary levels, but these may also be extremely close between all three sizes of organisation. On the execution side (Installation) remains similar throughout.

Most organisations will consist of departments such as Sales, Estimation, Commercial, Pre-construction, Procurement, Logistics, Manufacturing, Design, Engineering, Project Management, Document Control, Planning, Finance, Quality, Health & Safety or in the smaller organisations some departments may be combined. At all points in the supply chain there are entry level positions but due to the fast pace of the industry most organisations do require previous experience.

The façade industry operates throughout the world and I have been in many Curtain Walling Plants and the only differences between companies worldwide is the different titles they give certain positions and management controls in place, the work is the same. Right now, there is an urgent demand in many geographical locations for façade professionals across all departments, but unfortunately there is also a lack of candidates with a well-rounded skill set consisting of both practical and academic, a combination that is required to meet the demands of today’s changing construction industry.

The Construction industry has moved on and the old mind set of just get it done by any means necessary! is a thing of the past. As the construction industry progresses the Main Contractors, Governing Bodies and End Users have placed a lot of guidelines, restrictions, standards, rules, regulations, best practice expectations & demands on every aspect of the sub-contractor’s internal supply chain and as such are expected to perform duties in a controlled & measurable fashion and execute all works, safely, on time and within budget. This is by no means negative, in fact it’s a hugely positive development, although for many it may seem frustrating as they adjust internal processes and procedures to meet these expectations.

So in summary, the façade industry is an excellent modern career choice, fast moving & continually changing. It incorporates very interesting disciplines and the demand for these disciplines are high sought after across the globe. If you are interested in a job move no matter where you are, contact Elk Recruitment today, the Façade & Curtain Walling recruitment specialist.

Elk Recruitment ‘Connecting Success’ Europe – Asia – North & South America.

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Unitized Curtain Walling & Supply Chain Management!

Unitized Curtain Walling & Supply Chain Management

Along with an excellent design team with a design for manufacture mind set, one of the other main key ingredients to executing a successful unitised curtain walling project is making sure you have in place and BEFORE you start an excellently controlled well-oiled supply chain. A unitised curtain walling project needs to be visualised and mapped as an assembly line starting at estimation and running right through design, procurement, manufacturing, installation to hand over on site. In order for the project to be successful this assembly line must be managed meticulously with as much precision and planning as an automotive line. With unitised curtain walling you really are “only as good as its weakest link”

Its only Unitised, a statement you perish on!

A unitised curtain walling panel is a completed assembled section of the external envelope which may contain some or all of the following curtain walling parts, Aluminium Profiles, Steel Profiles, Steel inserts, Aluminium Panels, Galvanised Panels, Insulation, EPDM, Glass, Gaskets, Steel brackets, Aluminium Brackets, Fixings and Sealants. To complicate matters even more, all of these parts can come from different suppliers from different countries with different lead times and some components may have multiple steps to go through in order for it to be fit for purpose such as fabrication then powder coating, not to mention that you have a curing time when structurally bonding glass to the unitised frames and they must remain horizontal. The fun part is ensuring that despite all this, all of the required components must end up on the production line at the same time with the drawings, otherwise the unitised panel even without only one screw cannot be completed.

What happens when your supply chain is uncontrolled?

“Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail” it really is that simple. Unlike stick curtain walling, a poorly managed unitised curtain walling supply chain usually shows up first in the factory which can result in some or all of the following issues,

• Production line is running only in some cells, its running slowly or fully stopped
• Incomplete unitised Panels scattered throughout the factory with missing components taking up space
• Double handling unitised panels in the factory, stacking them until correct materials finally arrive
• Overtime goes through the roof trying to pull the project back in
• Panels arriving to site in the wrong sequence that cannot be installed in the right sequence
• Complete confusion, site ends up telling the factory which panels they need first, Quality suffers
• Cash flow on project goes out the window (excuse the pun) due to delays
• Client not happy, staff not happy
• You lose future business

Then why unitised curtain walling

The benefit of unitised to traditional Stick Curtain Wall when you get it right is twofold, the installation costs associated with Unitised are far less than traditional Stick as there is far less installation involved and it gets installed in a far shorter period of time 15 panels – 30 panels per day, the Quality of installation is also far better as most of the installation work is actually carried out in a controlled factory environment before it goes to site.

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Elk Recruitment are connecting success and on the Move!

Elk Recruitment are so excited to announce that we have opened up our UK address in City Road, London. The reason for this, as stated by Clive Dunne of Elk Recruitment is

“To be close to the action currently experienced in the growing fenestration industry there, it is also what our growing Curtain Walling client base require from us as a specialist in our field so that at the drop of a hat an Elk Recruitment representative can be onsite to discuss/resolve staffing issues”

Growth has been consistent in the fenestration industry to date and this has been seen in many geographical locations such as the United Kingdom , the Americas and also a welcomed recent upsurge in the Irish market both in the commercial and residential Façade sectors. This increase in activity across the board does not come without its Ying & Yang which currently present in the form of skilled staff shortages which is now an issue for most organisations especially in the curtain walling arena.

Of these skilled staff shortages Senior Façade Designers, Façade Designers, Draughtsmen and Façade Project Management disciplines seem to be most hit. The other point to note and as a direct result of demand is there has been a noticeable increase in salary scales for these disciplines in the façade industry and there doesn’t seem to be any signs of slowing as demand continues, counter offers also now seem to be unfortunately the norm.

Elk Recruitment are looking forward to growing our presence in Ireland, the UK and the Americas going forward, the response and welcoming of our business to the Façade market has been amazing thus far and long may it continue, However in order for our partnerships to develop effectively we are quickly seeing that it is extremely important that our clients take a serious look at their upcoming projects based on current demand and plan their staffing requirements way in advance to ensure the right resources are available at Kick off.

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Elk Recruitment - The Facade Specialist

Elk Recruitment is a privately owned niche recruitment firm founded in 2015 with offices currently in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Our core competency is the placement of permanent and contract mid to senior level professionals within the Fenestration, Façade, Curtain Walling & Medical Device industry throughout Europe – Asia – North & South America.

“At our core we are fully focused on the delivery of a value adding service, a service that we know is relevant to the façade and manufacturing industry”

Our in-depth knowledge particularly of the façade industry comes from having worked for aluminium/glass & steel façade, manufacturing companies for over 16 years domestically and internationally.  During this time gaining invaluable experience and insight into elements of the business such as Estimation, Design, Engineering, Procurement, Manufacturing and Project Management.  This practical in industry senior experience coupled with a very strong academic background, is what differentiates Elk Recruitment from its competitors in our chosen field.

We are an honest, reputable and knowledgeable company who prides itself on Quality and Service and will endeavour at all times to exceed the needs of our clients whilst also ensuring our candidates aspirations are met with the goal of forging lasting relationships.  We are also a proud member of the National Recruitment Federation and as such execute our recruitment process to the highest of standards and in conjunction with the N.R.F. code of conduct.

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Job Hunting

Job hunting can be a very stressful and difficult time for most of us especially when it’s the result of losing your job rather than choosing to leave.  As hard as it may be, try not to look at your current situation as world ending because it isn’t, instead look on this situation as the universes way of telling you loudly that what you were doing in the past needed changing, so take this time given to you to reflect and plan your next move strategically.

Most people at this point make a critical mistake, they don’t reflect or plan, they simply dust of the old CV and blitz the market place with it by loading it up on to every job site and issue it to every recruitment company known to man, this is a DISASTER and a fatal mistake.  Take the time to review your CV first and ask your self is this a document that represents me effectively? Am I proud of myself when I read this document? If not redo your CV and ensure it’s an excellent document, if you can’t achieve this on your own get help as it’s vitally important .  In addition get yourself an excellent LinkedIn profile and make sure it complements your CV and is up to date.

Identify the job that suits your skill set, if you don’t have the skill then upskill.  Seek out the companies you would like to work for and research them, check out their website, check out the latest vacancies on job boards and seek out recruitment companies that specialise in your industry or companies you would like to work for.

When the above is complete, connect & network in person, don’t expect the internet to do the work for you, you are one of thousands looking for a job so be different.  If you would like to send your CV directly to an employer or recruitment company, find out the contact name in that organisation and ring them in person, let them know you are on the lookout or interested in the job advertised and ask them if it is ok for you to send your CV to them directly, in doing this you are building a rapport and putting a voice and living person behind your CV.

Look at your job search as a project and remember don’t panic, reflect and plan.

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A Guide to CV Excellence Part 2

So welcome back and thank you again for joining me.

Saturday morning, the sun is shining and I have the fortunate task this morning of writing for you wonderful people.

Curriculum Vitaes like them or loth them, but never underestimate the importance of getting it right. During our last blog I gave you an introduction as to who am I, why I chose this blog and problems I see that people have with creating a Curriculum Vitae.  I also hopefully gave you an idea as to why I am qualified to write about this topic and I also asked you to review your existing CV, which I hope you did?

There are a number of key ingredients in creating an excellent CV, but most of them fall under two very important distinctive headings which are Layout & Content, layout we will cover today.  Layout is the visual impact & aesthetics of the CV, in simple terms when the soft copy of your CV is opened or a hard copy of you CV passes onto a reviewers desk it must automatically please the reader’s eye and subconsciously lure him/her to engage & read this fine specimen of a document, it can NOT be a chore or you will end up in the bin!

The Layout/Sequence I find most effective & logical, based on experience and feedback from both candidates and employers is as follows,

Soft Copy attached to an email

• I always advise job seekers to submit their CV as a pdf, as it comes across as a more professional document submittal when the email is opened.
• The CV should be saved as Name & Occupation CV (example: Clive Dunne Operations Manager CV)

Actual CV

• Sequence:
  • CV Title
  • Personal Details

• Summary Section paragraph (5-6 lines max written in the third person) followed by skillset bullet points
• Qualifications/Education

• Career History (in sequence starting with most recent)
• Prior Career History

• Additional Details

As you can see from the previous sections of CV shown, there are clean lines and indentations in the document as you scan through it and a logical sequence to the layout and most importantly it’s pleasing to the reader’s eye.

You might ask why I use yellow, well yellow is the one colour that gets noticed most.

http://www.moosepeterson.com/techtips/color.html

“Yellow – is the most visible color and is the first color the human eye notices! Yellow, the color nearest to “light” leaves a warm and satisfying impression, lively and stimulating and in many cultures symbolizes deity. Dark yellow can be oppressive while light yellow is breezy. Yellow’s stimulating nature and high visibility to the eye is the reason why many road signs are bold yellow (contrasted by black text). Yellow birds, flowers and skies are sure to be eye-catchers just because of the way the mind and eye works”

I hope you have enjoyed this session and found it informative and helpful, next session we will cover content

Have a great weekend.

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