Bit of a delay here as things have been flat out over the past two weeks, both business and personally, so apologies if anyone has been counting down the days to the next episode 👀.

The Current Market Right Now?

The M&E sector is really picking up, which is great news for candidates. There seems to be more jobs out there looking for experienced high calibre candidates, which is putting you in the driving seat.

Make sure you do not just move for a salary though. Putting companies in a Dutch auction is never a clever idea and the difference between a £80K salary versus £82K is not worth it after you take tax into consideration. I would advise anyone looking to move roles now, to focus on finding the best business FOR YOU, whilst you have more chance to be selective.

If you are moving for money only and the market turns to be more vacancy led, you may find yourself jumping from job to job. Secure your future and really think about what is important, being content with the day to day.  That said, we go to work to earn money, so it’s got to be a fair package but don’t sacrifice everything else for an extra couple of percent.

Companies hiring – you really need to focus on your “USP” to make sure you are securing the best people you want. Most roles I work on, offer the same salaries, the projects are similar and everyone is promising progression. So, what makes you different and why should candidates choose you?

I have had some great conversations this month with companies that don’t realise how powerful the small things they do / offer can help in securing the best talent – bonus structures, clear paths, chances to work abroad, 30 days holiday, annual holidays abroad as a team are a few examples.

The Recruitment

Month Two has been up and down (but when is recruitment not?!). It is an emotional rollercoaster; when you do not have a salary and the only way your mortgage is going to be paid is by billing, it really hits you for six some days.

Ok, so Month Two, saw ten interviews take place (a further five booked in and unfortunately cancelled by either client or candidate), five offers sent out and two permanent placements confirmed. As a result, I am happy with two permanent placements in a month, and if this is to be the case every month then everything will be going swimmingly.

As recruiters, we are an optimistic bunch and in the back of our mind there is the voice of, “if all of these interviews go as they are supposed to, I can buy that (Insert over ambitious purchase here)”. However over 11 years, I have learned to tame that voice and not listen to it, and I would say I am realistic about the ratio and likelihood of each process being successful.

With that said, there was a Friday a couple of weeks ago, where I was waiting to hear back on two client offers, two candidates deciding to accept our client offers (or alternatives offers being made) and feedback on a 2nd stage interview taking place.

By 5pm that day:

• – One offer made, which the candidate turned down and accepted another role that day,
• – One offer receded as the job had changed into more a senior role,
• – One offer made, which the candidate declined and accepted another role which allowed more flexibility,
• – One candidate decided to go with another offer which was £10k more than the role we had on the table with a tier one contractor,
• – And finally, the client with the 2nd stage interview cancelled as another division had hired a candidate for a project that did not come through.

Safe to say not the best start to a weekend.

But writing this and looking back, I am happy with the two placements we have completed. Importantly, both are with new clients that I have really enjoyed working with and getting to know during our detailed conversations. I genuinely believe in their culture and the journey they are on.

I have found working with smaller to medium sized businesses under £20million really rewarding and I look forward to developing these relationships and being heavily involved in their hiring strategies over the years to come. Developing these types of client partnership is why I started Enhanced M&E

In other news:

• – Had an issue with our email server for a day which was a big panic. Since our domain name was new, it was being flagged as ‘untrusted,’ but thanks to the fantastic backroom team at Isotope Capital , the issue has been resolved.
• – The website is coming up soon after a couple of reviews – again the team at Isotope Capital have been great with this, and the delay has been me needing to focus on other things – organise yourself Sam!
• – In exciting news, we have agreed exclusivity with three more clients that I genuinely believe in and look forward to working with.
• – Factoring and CIS have been set up, so we are good to start hiring on a contract basis – again big thanks to Isotope Capital here, who helped  get this in place.
• – From a business development perspective, I have strategically mapped out a large number of clients on our database – going to have a bit of a break after all the data entry!
• – We are also looking at rolling out a new advice / information service for candidates with sector specific expertise and experience. More to come on this, so watch this space.
• – I am always keen to speak to small recruitment businesses within construction, whether that be one person companies or small teams. Networking is a great tool, which benefits everyone involved, whether it be offering advice, helping each other’s clients and candidates by opening more doors or simply creating a space to talk about what is happening in the sector  – get in touch and we can have a chat!

Should be 2-3 weeks until the next blog is out. As always, any advice or comments are welcome.

Thanks,

Sam Warren