The IT Skills Gap in Post-COVID-19 UK

One of the most pressing issues in both the IT and recruitment sector is the need for more skilled professionals in jobs that have a large skills gap and just as much demand. The UK's IT skills gap is not even simply a sector-based problem but has grave and far-reaching economic impacts as well.

The Importance of Hiring with Soft Skills in Mind

There is a myriad of different roles and subsectors within the IT market. However, one constant thing is the importance of soft skills when hiring skilled professionals. Whether you’re a UI/UX designer or a cybersecurity engineer, conflict management, emotional intelligence and time management can make all the difference in a project.

How to Accelerate Digital Transformation and Why

Recent global events had had a massive impact on many businesses who before lockdown occurred and working from home was the norm, were set to implement a digital transformation and move to a more efficient business model.

The Next Cyber Security Pandemic

In the world of cyber security, doomsday cyber breaches are a constant. Recall back in 2013 when the US Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano said, 

"Our country will, at some point, face a major cyber event that will have a serious effect on our lives, our economy and the everyday functioning of our society."

Improving Supply Chains for Pharma & Medicine Through Blockchain

The coronavirus pandemic has revealed the shortcomings in the Pharma and Medical supply chains and strategies. Blockchain may be the solution for the future of both sectors staying agile and secure.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Recruitment & Hiring

The UK went into lockdown on March 23rd 2020, but the economic effects of COVID-19 began much earlier and have greatly impacted the global market. With airlines shut down, office buildings closed, and furloughs and redundancies being handed out, it has been a difficult start to the new year.

How Tech is Fighting the Coronavirus

“The COVID-19 situation is not just a health emergency, but also one that affects the economy and society. With that in mind, Innovate UK has launched this rapid response competition today seeking smart ideas from innovators,” Dr Ian Campbell Executive Chair of the United Kingdom's innovation arm, Innovate UK. 

How to Stay Productive While Working From Home

With current precautions in place to reduce the spread of coronavirus, many businesses have put forth a work-from-home scheme to heighten health and safety. With this being the case, many employers and employees alike are worried about productivity suffering and deadlines not being met. However, if you end up having to stay at home for two weeks, it doesn't at all mean that productivity will go down. 

Why Is Hiring a Product Manager So Hard?

They are crucial for businesses bringing a tangible product to their consumers, but why are Product Managers so difficult to hire? Consider some of these key factors before you start looking for your next Product Manager!

Cyber Security and Cloud Integration in 2020

2020 will be an important year for Cyber Security as more and more business integrate their operations with cloud technology. How does this impact the already increasing level of security breaches and data leaks? How will cloud technology impact Cyber Security practices in 2020? Here a few security considerations for businesses implementing cloud infrastructure in the new year.

How to Keep a Developer Happy

They keep our businesses from crumbling and maintain our workflow, but is your business prioritizing your development teams happiness? Here are some reasons why, and ways to improve and maintain a developers' happiness and promote a positive work environment. 

The Importance of Cyber Security in MedTech

As newer systems and innovations within MedTech emerge and grow in sophistication, security is paramount. Recent cyber threats have led to some large infiltrations in systems and servers, causing massive privacy and security infringement. What does this mean for cybersecurity and MedTech going forward?

Top 5 Fintech Trends in 2020

With innovations in blockchain, Robo-advisors and mobile banking, 2020 will prove to be a landmark year for fintech. Here are the top five trends to consider and why they will have an impact on the financial sector.

Quality Customer Service: 5 Business Tips

When you consider the term customer, for most customer service jobs you immediately think customer service outsourcing, someone external to a business that pays for goods or services. However, many recruitment blogs often overlook that customer service skills include internal responsibilities.

Love or Hate Them, Are KPIs Necessary?

My motivation for discussing KPIs began after concluding interview questions with potential candidates, many of whom asked me about KPIs. When I asked, "do you have any questions for me?" the candidates often replied with “I do not want to work in a business that has KPIs, do you have any business development KPIs?”

Hiring for Diversity

I want to highlight two factors that could influence the way you read this. Firstly this is my first attempt at writing a blog, so forgive me if it isn’t to your taste or preferred writing style. Secondly and more importantly, this article is in no way trying to avoid the fact that there will be some people out there that have experienced discriminatory practices in some companies.

My Journey to HR Director

We are not defined by our gender, and this is completely true.

I have worked in the recruitment industry for over 15 years and most recently within the IT recruitment sector, which is predominately male-dominated – and it has never held me back.

An update from our Managing Director - Project 2020, Values & Mission Statement

At Square One we're embarking on an exciting period of growth; we have an ambitious strategy that will see a sustained development of the business over the next two years and beyond. Since becoming Managing Director last year, I have been identifying what it is that we need to achieve and the timescales this will entail.

"Show determination and ambition. Your gender should not define you” - Daniella Aristides. #WIR

“Working in recruitment has allowed me to progress my career at a rapid rate, and live a life I love. In a male dominated industry, being a woman has not slowed me down. Show determination and ambition. Your gender should not define you"

It's OK not to be OK - World Mental Health Day 2018

We understand the importance of Mental Health at Square One. A few of our employees have shared stories today about their struggles with mental health and the support they recieved here at Square One. 

It's OK not to be Ok.

Tim Harlow - 10 years at Square One Resources

Tim Harlow talks about the past, present and future of Square One!

From Recruitment Consultant to Managing Director - We congratulate Adam Breacher on his promotion

Square One has appointed Adam Breacher as their managing director. He joined the company in June 2007 as a recruitment consultant and has always been an integral part of the Square One team.

How to save money with SAP licensing

One of the biggest criticisms of SAP is that the software is too expensive for small and medium-sized businesses. However, with different licensing models, the software is looking to dispel the myth that it’s only for blue-chip corporations.

What is the difference between SAP ECC and SAP HANA?

SAP ERP Central Component (ECC) provided modules that covered a full range of business applications including logistics, finance and HR. All of these were linked together by a customisable system run through a database of the company’s choice.

SAP S/4HANA Migration Guide

SAP'sEnterprise Resource Planning software (ERP) has helped over 50,000 customers in 25 industries streamline processes across their business. However, as of 2025, the company will be stopping all mainstream maintenance on the system. This means that after the deadline, there will be no new functionality as the ERP software is phased out and SAP look to run all its systems from one single database – SAP S/4HANA. 

What is the difference between SAP HANA and SAP S/4HANA?

With both SAP HANA and SAP S/4 HANA being widely spoken about throughout the industry, getting the two confused is an easy mistake to make. However, while the two are related, they are completely different products. Simply put, SAP HANA is the name given to the in-memory computer platform and SAP S/4HANA is the next generation business suite specifically built to work on SAP HANA.

What does SAP stand for?

While SAP is commonly referred to in its abbreviated form, it actually stands for Systems, Applications and Products in Data Processing. While the full name accurately describes what’s on offer, the abbreviation was chosen to create a focus on the core software. The company was founded in Germany back in 1972 by five ex-IBM engineers and has grown into the world’s third largest independent software supplier.

Which SAP courses are most in demand?

SAP skills and experience are among the most desired throughout the IT sector. With the software suite continuing to go from strength to strength, it’s no surprise that many are looking to build the necessary skill sets to develop a career within SAP.

Building customer retention through SAP

In most businesses across the world, retention is vital. It’s often easier to keep a customer than it is to gain a new one, so companies should always look to keep their existing audience loyal. Whether looking to proactively manage or just monitor customer behaviour, businesses often turn to enterprise resource planning software to assist them.