Interim management is a field dominated by men, since 85% of them are men and in the over 50 crowd, as reported by Executives Online in March 2011. So is there a place for female professionals to take back this market?

Interim management is no different than many other professional careers across the UK, in that there is a gender pay gap. In a six-month report released by Russam GMS in June 2011, the recruitment agency found that an 8% gap in favor of men remained in the rates of pay awarded to professionals at the interim management level.

Average pay for male interim managers is 613, while average female pay for interim managers is 567 per day, which is down from the 11% gap reported in December 2010.

This doesn’t necessarily indicate that there is pay inequality in interim management. Charles Russam, the chairman of Russam GMS, proposes that the pay gap is mostly a function of the industries that typically attract men and women.

Gender pay gaps of only 3 were found in March 2011 by Executives Online within the contracting sector. Of course, a pay discrepancy of any measure is certainly not ideal, but this gap is far less significant than it is within countless other industries in the UK.

So if rate of pay doesn’t necessarily have to represent a barrier to female interim management, the question remains as to whether or not it is right for women?

A dedicated business forum, Interim Women, recently conducted a study of 1600 female interim managers in the UK to profile the average type of professional female who pursued interim management, as well as the reasons why.

The survey found that the average female interim manager had 22 years’ experience in business and came from a top executive level position. The desire and motivation needed to become an interim manager typically was born out a want for flexibility, work life balance, independence and to improve business skills.

On the other hand, everyone, no matter the sex, who aims for interim manager must have in mind that this type of job comes with an uncertainty in finances, as the women managers stress. Winning contracts often requires having many professional connections and a lot of networking, which does not happen quickly.

Interim management has historically been a male-dominated industry and, depending upon interpretation of statistics, the gender gap in pay does still reflect an element of that thinking. This position is found by many leading professional women to be the ideal way to develop greater opportunities, improve skills and develop careers.

Using interim management is an effective means for an organization to successfully carry out strategies for change. Outcomes UK delivers interim managers to work in companies operating in the private and public sectors throughout the UK.

The current government pilot programmes were launched in the UK in 2008, consisting of 11 social work remodeling schemes intended to make improvements in the social care service sector. Through these programmes, social care services have been exploring areas of development, including the creation of new social care positions and further investment into recruitment practices.

Just what is the implication for you? Well, with further investment and overall service revision come increased opportunities for social care service professionals, including those with expertise in Children’s Services.

Children’s Services is a diverse area of social care, full of potential opportunities for professionals with a range of skills and experience. Social care recruitment will allow you to follow a number of different routes if you are looking in the Children’s Services sector:

Prevention and early intervention

Protecting kids

Kids with challenges to mental abilities

Kids who have physical health concerns

Kids that live in care

Children who have recently left care

Kids living within residential housing

It depends on what you like and what turns you on. If you are currently employed in the social care sector, the skills you need may well transfer from your previous or existing role.

However, if you are new to social care or are considering a change in career, you need to consider some of the necessary personal and professional skills to become a Children’s Services social worker.

In the career of social care recruitment a job in children’s services can require you to work with young people of various ages of growth, from infants to pre-teens. Whichever age group you work with, you are likely to be interacting with young people who are vulnerable in some way, perhaps as a result of past experiences or because they are wholly or partly dependent upon the social care system.

Working with vulnerable children requires compassion, patience, open-mindedness and dedication. Working with certain age groups or working with children who have experienced traumatic pasts, including neglect or abuse, can be challenging. The potential for harmful behaviour or complex needs in some of these children is something worth taking into consideration before you pursue a career in the Children’s Services field.

You may have developed certain skills because of experiences in day-to-day living and caring for someone you love, rather than in professional training However, a career in Children’s Services also requires certain qualifications. If you want to be employed as a social worker in the UK (United Kingdom) you have to be approved by the GSCC (General Social Care Council), which means you have earned a qualifying degree in social care from an institution approved by GSCC. Remember, as in most employing organizations, you will probably have to submit to a criminal background check, as well as ensure that you meet the necessary educational qualifications.

Get the best candidate for your employment vacancy through social care recruitment. Outcomes UK are specialists in the placement of professionals within the social care sector. Visit http://www.outcomesuk.com/ for further information.

It is best to bear in mind the objectives which you hope to accomplish and the type of people you need to accomplish them, when recruiting social workers for your organisation. During the recruiting process you may well be confronted by potential pitfalls in the world of social worker recruitment; listed here are several issues which you might need to avoid.

Believing you can’t

Just because the economy’s having difficulties, doesn’t mean you can’t fill the social worker role required or that you have to settle for second best. It is not often easy to find the right staff for your social worker jobs, but the current economic climate will mean there will be a lot of eager and qualified people searching for an opportunity. As long as your budgets allow for recruitment, as long as you can find a cost-effective recruitment method and as long as you can allow for the time, you should be able to fill a social worker post with ease.

Searching in the wrong places

As with all hiring practices, social worker recruitment deserves time and consideration and you need to be on the lookout for right person. This can come in the form of knowledgeable guidance from a specialist recruitment agency or consultant. It is worth using the services of a social worker recruitment expert to ensure that you find the candidate with the expertise and most relevant working experience which you are looking for.

Listening to the wrong advice

If a recruitment consultant suggests a certain recruitment path or candidate which you hadn’t envisioned, keep in mind that your don’t have to go with it. If you are clear on what you need and who you are looking for don’t be bossed around even if you require a high level of input with your recruitment practices. If the organisation you are working with will not respect what you want, you do not have to go along with their ‘best option’. It is perhaps best to only listen to those if they have listened to you and taken on board your requirements.

Not being completely ready for job interviews

It is important to prepare interview questions for when the candidates have been shortlisted, be sure to come up with questions which will inspire the answers which you are looking for. Be aware that some candidates will simply say what you are wanting to hear, remember that there are a lot of other qualified people also wanting the job. Carefully whittle your interviewees down to find the right candidate. Be prepared to ask unexpected questions, think outside the box, and consider what really matters to you.

Trying to fill a post too quickly

Don’t rush into hiring once you’ve identified some viable social worker candidates. You may feel that you want a second interview with some candidates or a practical assessment which is perfectly fine. Social worker jobs are thin on the ground and if you’re offering a quality opportunity with options for future development and career progression, then it’s fair to ask someone to wait a little longer and come back to talk to you more about what they can bring to the role.

Outcomes UK are specialists in the placement of professionals within the social care sector. Get the best candidate for your employment vacancy through their social care recruitment services. Visit http://www.outcomesuk.com/ for further information.