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Clients get so much more than just a job
FOR many years the only ways to find a job were to use the government-run Labour Exchanges, search the classified columns of the local newspaper or scan newsagents’ windows for cards advertising vacancies.
Now, recruitment consultancies are a familiar sight on almost every High Street, sometimes two or three standing cheek-by- jowl with each other.
The competition is fierce to get both job hunters and firms searching for staff through the door. Once there, agencies want to keep them for repeat business.
“It’s only done by building up relationships with both parties,” says Kathryn Shaw of
the Lucy Bristow consultancy, who has won the Best Recruitment Consultant category
in the Evening Post Recruitment Awards.
“This is a hard job if it’s done properly. If you just treat people as statistics you won’t get anywhere. You have to be interested in them to get to know them and what they are about.
“You have to listen to what people tell you and read between the lines. It’s interesting to know such things as where they’ve been on holiday.”
Ms Shaw joined Lucy Bristow six years ago as a recruitment consultant after seven years with a recruitment firm at Aztec West.
Four years later she was promoted to permanent division manager after receiving tailored coaching from Business West and in-house training.
Ms Shaw has placed nearly 300 candidates in 200 companies and manages 100 clients at any one time. She has exceeded her targets each year and this spring brought in £20,000 in monthly revenue.
She has placed staff in positions ranging from office managers with a set of barristers’ chambers to chief executive for a student accommodation and hospitality company.
Ms Shaw is proud of the relationships she fosters with both firms and job hunters.
This involves maintaining regular contact with them through meetings and phone calls, and everyone knows she is just a phone call away should they need urgent advice.
“Often clients call me to check employment legislation, seek a perspective of the local market, request guidance on salary benchmarking or check their approach to personal issues are on track,” she says.
“I feel a great deal of satisfaction and pride knowing that people rely on me so much.”
Having started her working life in a national recruitment agency, she is convinced that an independent agency with its local focus and regional knowledge provides a better service to all concerned.
“It’s been rewarding to see so many people who come to us for work develop over the years and progress to positions of authority.
“It’s nice to be recognised for doing something that makes such a huge difference to people’s lives,” she said.
Ms Shaw is from the North West and came to Bristol after reading English at Manchester University.
Outside of work she loves to travel, although that has been put on hold with the arrival of daughter Caitlin four months ago.
In nominating Ms Shaw, her boss, Ms Bristow , said: “Kathy is the most ethical recruitment consultant. She gives so much of her time and energy to both clients and candidates. I don’t know anybody else who could match her dedication.
“She is the best recruitment consultant in the West.”
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