This weeks star of the week is Brian Johnston, a healthcare interim with
experience across the NHS including the private sector. His previous post was the
Health Intelligence Unit at East London and City Alliance where he acted as Interim Senior Health Intelligence Analyst.
How is the interim market from your perspective?
The interim market is very quiet at present and has been for the past few months. Tightening budgets and the threat of large-scale downsizing in the public sector may have caused employers to question the benefits of taking on interims. There are green shoots out there but they are often hard to find in such a wintery landscape.
What effect has the CSR had on both your job security and future prospects?
The CSR has had a negative impact on the ability of interims to secure renewal of their contracts. In terms of future prospects, the CSR will continue to exert an influence on the employability of interims so long as there is a high degree of uncertainty over the job security of permanent staff within organizations.
How do you see the interim market in the short and long term?
As far as I can see, the interim market will continue to be relatively quiet in the short term until the economic and human implications of the CSR have become clearer. In the long term, when the work situation in organisations has regained equilibrium, employers will probably become more confident about taking on interims, especially when knowledge gaps have had time to emerge. It is unlikely that with a diminished workforce, organisations will retain a critical mass of in-house talent to meet every contingency. In this context, interims especially those with specialized knowledge and skills will be well placed to address specific needs.
Have you seen an increase in job opportunities from the private sector as public sector positions have declined?
No, I think it is a misconception to think that there will be a blossoming of opportunities in the private sector as a direct (or indirect) result of the downsizing of large numbers of jobs within the public sector. Economic uncertainty does not discern between the public and private sectors, and many organizations seem to be hunkering down until the storm has passed.
Have you been forced to reduce your rates since the general election?
The general election and the CSR have both created uncertainty, which has had a knock on effect on the employment of interims. I would say that the CSR has had a more negative effect on interim rates than the general election. I am finding that rates are a third or more less (for comparable work) than they were before the CSR. I hope that this is a temporary state of affairs, but only time will tell.
