Our Interview with Recruitment Manager Carmel Curley

Recruitment Manager Carmel has more than 16 years of experience working in the recruitment industry, specialising in the FMCG, Food and Drink, Logistics and Distribution sectors.

Focusing on both interim managers, contract and permanent staff across the UK and Europe, Carmel sources everyone from Production Engineers to Directors.

As she nears her six-month anniversary with CV Consulting, we sat down with Carmel to uncover her insights into current recruitment trends.

Here is Carmel’s take on how both candidates and clients can put their best foot forward in a competitive job market.

Clients Need to Adapt to a Continuing Candidate-Driven Market

With both skills gaps and candidate shortages showing no signs of slowing down, it’s up to employers to adjust their expectations and understand that top candidates are likely to have  a number of irons in the fire when they are searching for a new role.

Many clients in this climate value personality and cultural fit just as importantly as skills. When I start working with an employer, I like to understand what the ideal candidate ‘looks’ like, and how they decide on a preferred candidate. Currently, with the majority of clients it seems to be a 50/50 split – 50% on personality and 50% on skills.

As a good cultural and personality fit is important, it’s our responsibility as Recruiters to inform and explain to the Hiring Manager how the market is currently.

We advise them that if they like a candidate, they need to move quickly or they run the risk of losing them. They can no longer afford to wait three or four days to make a decision or run a lengthy interview process.

The challenge for our clients is that many of them have competing priorities themselves, and understaffing leaves them more and more short-handed. Sometimes recruitment makes up only 5% of their responsibilities, so it’s up to us as Recruiters to build a trusted relationship where they know it’s always worth taking our advice.

Candidates Want More Than High Salaries

Once upon a time for candidates, it was all about salary. Now, candidates are looking for the additional benefits such as work/life balance, distance, healthcare, pension and flexibility. This is one way that organisations can have an advantage over competitors in the marketplace when recruiting. Offering a better work/life balance, and some flexibility can be the deciding factor for an applicant with multiple offers.

When looking for new opportunities, candidates are interested in the organisation’s culture and ethos. They also want to understand what the working environment is like, what the people are like and whether it matches what they are looking for.

Personal Development is Key to Retention

We’ve seen more and more companies offering training and development programmes for their employees.

A lot of candidates or employees prioritise their personal development. We’re seeing more candidates taking responsibility for their own learning and development, this is evident when they are looking for a new opportunity and looking at upskilling in areas they need to give themselves an edge.

Working with a Specialist Agency Benefits Candidates and Clients

I’ve worked with the mantra of “Today’s candidates are tomorrow’s clients” for many years. It doesn’t matter if you’re the most senior person in the company or somebody starting out in your career. Everyone is important

Here at CV Consulting, we take the time to get to know people. It’s not just about finding candidates’ jobs, it’s finding the right jobs.

Some candidates don’t realise how the right Recruiter can help them in securing their next suitable job.

From meeting a candidate to helping negotiate a contract, our process is tailor-made for each candidate and intensive. We are there to guide them every step of the way, from the initial contact call, to meeting in person. Preparing them for the client interviews and coaching them through the resignation process with their current employer – this can be a scary time for some people.

With a dedicated Recruiter, you have a champion and someone who will fight your corner. I’ve been known to debate with a client when they have reservations about a candidate. Due to spending time getting to know both the candidate and client, I have felt confident knowing it was a good match.

At the end of the day, we’re not CV merchants. We don’t simply post a job ad and send a stack of CVs through to the client. I spend time getting to know people on both sides, visiting clients, understanding their working environments, having a site tour. The more I understand what the candidate or company is looking for, the better I can match them up.

Plus, there’s also the fact that we often recruit sensitive or confidential roles that aren’t advertised publicly at all and can present candidates proactively to clients who don’t yet have open vacancies.

Again, it comes down to building and maintaining trusted relationships,­ both with the candidate and the client.

Starting Building a New Relationship Today

Our team at CV Consulting is always looking for qualified candidates in the Design, Engineering, Technical and Manufacturing sectors. If you’re ready to find your next career opportunity, or want to find a new interim contractor or permanent employee for your team, please get in touch with us today.