We invited some of our BLT juniors (and dog) into the office on Christmas Eve to demonstrate their potential for recruitment.

As you may be aware that we are a proud owner of the Best Management Consultancy Recruiter Award in 2009 and repeatedly in the previous years - based on Your votes and awarded by the Top-Consultant.com.

As 2010 is here so as the new survey, we’re hoping to maintain our good showing in the poll's Best Recruitment Consultancy category. Can I ask for your support, please? It takes just two minutes to complete a short survey from Top Consultant via the link below.

Please click this link: www.top-consultant.com/consultingrecruitmentsurvey2010.aspx to open the survey. You will need to enter this password - 478151879 - at the top of the survey page.

The answer to Question 14 begins with a B and ends with a T.
and Question 16…………?

Thanks for your support.
We look forward to reading the results.

The November Management Consultancy Question asked you what consultancies can do to attract and retain more women. Nearly a hundred of you took the trouble to respond.

There were a number of family friendly policy suggestions made: more home working allowed, better crèche provision, local projects reserved for mothers with young children, flexible hours. But there was also a recognition that most would be difficult to implement given the current ‘model’ of consultancy.

Entry schemes should include programmes targeted at female graduates and older, industry-experienced women. Work policies should be attractive to single, married and women with children. Diversity policies need to be paid more than lip service. These are just some of your comments.

One respondent felt that as promotion to the highest ranks in a firm tends to be determined by sales success, women were disadvantaged because they were less predisposed to selling.

Another, having worked for both a Big 4 and a niche firm, reported the latter much more responsive to her family commitments.

But there was overall agreement that until more women make it to the Top Table, consultancies will be slow to change their working practices. A pity, as there seems to be much talent being underutilised, or just going to waste.

Watch this space for our upcoming question.

Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldn't Buy Presents for the Holidays has been all over the press in the last few weeks.

If you haven’t heard about this new book by Wharton Professor Joel Waldfogel, catch him talking at a recent entertaining LSE event about how we waste over £50bn on presents.

“When we buy for ourselves, every pound we spend produces at least a pound in satisfaction, we shop carefully and purchase items that are worth more than they cost. Gift giving is different. We make less-informed choices, max out on credit to buy gifts worth less than the money spent, and leave recipients less than satisfied.” The Professor suggests some alternatives.

If you haven’t ventured out into the High Street yet for the Christmas presents… read this first.

Hello.

In the spirit of the festive season, we at BLT thought you might like to see some of the ‘out-takes’ from 2009’s launch of our YouTube channel. Its like finding an extra comedy DVD in your stocking! (but perhaps not quite as intentionally hilarious as some better known comedians).

You may have seen some of the other videos we have posted previously (if not please do visit our YouTube channel).

In the meantime BLT wishes you a Merry Christmas and we looking forward to catching up in 2010!

Best wishes from us all at BLT.

www.blt.co.uk - www.bltog.co.uk - 0207 405 3404