With impeccable Cartesian logic Mr Jospin is seeking to spread a dwindling quantity of decently paid work in his nation across

With impeccable Cartesian logic, Mr Jospin is seeking to spread a dwindling quantity of decently paid work in his nation across a growing population.While Tony Blair was dodging questions on the future of labour relations in Britain with the same adroitness that he stayed miles away from BA’s fight with flight attendants this summer, meanwhile, French employers were openly discussing the terms of a new contract in principle with workers. Even the quasi- old-Labour-style government of prime minister Lionel Jospin is resigned to globalisation now – and is looking to stake out a position midway between embrace and rejection of what is in effect a deregulated world economy.This means that while Gordon Brown was pledging a return to “full employment” – a pledge, incidentally, that could come back to haunt him – Paris was debating a move to a 35-hour-week. What choices will the Government make when forced to by a deteriorating economy? Who in the country, meanwhile, will be asked to make what sacrifices?
Britain is a darling of the markets now. Across the Channel from Brighton stands France, currently a dog in the eyes of the markets. Yet it was across the Channel last week, and not in Brighton, that the interesting debate on what a nation does when the winds of international competition chill its national economy was taking place.France is portrayed as a nest of anti-globalisation sentiment second only to Mahathir bin Mohamed’s Malaysia these days.But this is an old rap French industry is restructuring.

However, it does enable them to be discriminating when it comes to a candidate’s capabilities,” says Dr Selby.The irony is that, with so many different Internet recruitment services springing up, final-year students desperate to find places will probably end up filling in just as many forms as their paper-bound forebears did.. Congratulations to Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. In Brighton last week they finessed the two key economic questions facing the country. What happens when the boom ends? The Prime Minister and Chancellor said only that we face “hard choices”. And when those hard choices come home to roost? They said only that we must all make “sacrifices”

There is an undeniable logic in this position. Yet neither they nor their fellow ministers were pressed on the obvious follow-up questions. One subscriber told us that if he finds one undergraduate with real flair through Inter- Work, his investment will have paid off.”Nor do the benefits end here.

Companies – which pay for the service on a sliding scale based on the numbers of people they hire – cannot screen candidates on the grounds of gender, race or disability. “Inter-Work ensures that employers treat all candidates equally, not allowing prejudice to influence selection. “Employers are prepared to accept that in the past they may have missed out on a pool of talent in their graduate recruitment programmes. “There are now no logistical reasons not to consider candidates from all higher education institutions.”This factor appeals to companies, as they are recognising the people they need are not always going to be where they expect to find them. What’s more, this is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”In addition companies can – through a software package supplied to subscribers – set out their requirements and compare student “competencies” to these profiles to achieve the best matches.

Students are attracted by being able to apply to a range of employers through filling in one form and the system brings them into consideration for work with some of the biggest recruiters.”Inter-Work brings into contention students from outside the ‘big eight’ universities visited by major employers,” adds Dr Selby. Like the above schemes and various others, the company behind it says Inter-Work is of benefit to students and companies alike in terms of time and money saved. But Inter-Work is different in that it includes an assessment. Students are asked to fill in questionnaires that collect not just biographical information but also hints of their approach to work and capabilities.Colin Selby of Selby MillSmith, the firm of occupational psychologists responsible for Inter-Work, explains: “Companies can access the most suitable graduates without having to leave the office. Not so long ago it was just computer studies students who showed off their technological prowess by applying for jobs via the Internet Now it seems everybody’s at it. And, lest they be outflanked by such developments, recruiters and the consultancies who traditionally fill their vacancies are rising to the challenge.