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How can I find the right people in 2023?

How to navigate a shortage of candidates in 2023.

The need for the right staff has never been more apparent. Being on the front line, where candidates are moving so quickly (and sometimes disappearing off the face of the earth) we put our heads together and came up with our top tips for navigating this challenge.

  1. Expand the recruitment pool: Look beyond traditional recruitment sources and consider candidates from a wider range of backgrounds and industries
  2. Offer flexible working arrangements: Attract a wider range of candidates by offering sustainable flexible working arrangements such as remote work, part-time work or flexible hours (always consider business needs and the needs of new recruits/those training)
  3. Improve employee retention: Reduce the need to bring in new staff by looking after current employees. This can be achieved by offering competitive remuneration packages, career development opportunities, a positive work-life balance and a safe environment in which to learn.
  4. Invest in Tech: Analyse processes and invest in technology to streamline and or automate.
  5. Build a strong employer brand: Build a strong employer brand to attract top talent. This can be achieved by promoting the company’s culture, values, and mission, and by highlighting the benefits of working for you (including the location of your business, ease of transport links, cities, and towns of interest: the lifestyle will be important to some).
  6. Leverage Recruitment Agencies and headhunters: Leverage recruitment agencies and headhunters to find the right calibre of candidates for the job. Build a relationship and be safe in the knowledge that a great recruitment agency will have ears and eyes to the ground to find you the right people.  Be open and honest, let them learn about you and the business and they will be out there acting as advocates.

These are some of the strategies that can be used to navigate a shortage of candidates in 2023. It is important to consider which strategies will be most effective for your company based on your specific needs and resources.

Top tips for attending an interview on zoom in 2023

Interviewer at a laptop interviewing online How to smash your next online interview

I was privy to a recording of a highly professional zoom* interview yesterday, and one which was… not so polished.

For anyone undertaking an interview for a job you’re keen on here are some tips on how to prepare for a Zoom interview in 2023:

⚡Test your equipment: Make sure your computer or device, internet connection, and camera are in good working order beforehand. Test your Zoom connection and familiarise yourself with the platform’s features.

⚡Dress professionally: Even though you will be interviewed remotely, it is important to dress professionally as you would for an in-person interview. This shows respect and professionalism to the interviewer.

⚡Find a quiet and well-lit location: Find a quiet and well-lit location for your interview, free from distractions and interruptions. Make sure your background is tidy and professional.

⚡Be on time: Be on time for your interview, just as you would for an in-person interview. Log in to the Zoom call a few minutes before the scheduled start time to ensure that you are ready to begin on time.

⚡Have a copy of your CV and any relevant documents: Have a copy of your CV and any relevant documents easily accessible, in case the interviewer asks to see them.

⚡Keep a positive attitude: Keep a positive attitude and maintain good eye contact with the interviewer by looking directly at the camera, not just the screen.

⚡Be ready to answer common questions: Practice answering common interview questions and have some questions ready to ask the interviewer – things that are important to you in ascertaining if this is the right job role for you.

⚡Follow up: Send a thank you note or email to the interviewer after the interview to express your gratitude and reiterate your interest in the position.

By following these tips, you will be well-prepared for your Zoom interview and can feel confident in your ability to make a strong impression on the interviewer.

If you’d like more tips and advice on ensuring your next interview goes well, watch out for our new website – brimming with ideas to ensure your next interview (on or offline) goes well.

www.first-base.co.uk

*zoom is one of many online meeting providers

5 Tips to Improve Your Recruitment Process

You’ve come to the conclusion that you need to review your recruitment process. You’re engaging candidates but they don’t go the full distance – some drop out prior to the interview whilst others interview but don’t accept the job you’re offering.

Even if you have recruited people successfully in the past, today’s environment means that skills are harder to come by and the competition for good people is having a detrimental effect on your ability to bring staff on board. When you get recruitment right, your dreams for the future growth of your business can be realised. Get it wrong and it can be a nightmare for you and your employees. Recruiting staff should be seen as a major investment but sadly, we sometimes see more thought put into selecting a new piece of plant or machinery than employing the right individual to join your team.

Refined recruitment processes are efficient, productive and pleasant for both candidates and hiring businesses. With this in mind, we’ve put together a handy hiring checklist that will ensure that you’ve done the groundwork necessary to minimise candidate dropout when you’re recruiting, allowing you to follow a streamlined recruitment process for long-term success.

1. Create and share a clear job description and person spec

You might be surprised how often we get feedback from people that the job they thought they were applying for was very different from the requirements made of them once they had started. This mismatch between the expectation of the job and the reality is often why new recruits leave after a few weeks or months – putting together a clear job description and person specification is key in any successful recruitment process.

Prior to talking to people, make sure you are absolutely clear about the job you want the individual to do and what a good day will look like. When it comes to reviewing performance (making the decision on whether someone has passed their probation or needs to have a more formal discussion), you need to have clear measures documented in order that both parties know where they stand. This negates any surprises and allows for a more successful working relationship.

Think through what type of person you want to hire and what skills are required. Skills are, of course, essential in some areas. However, we’d also recommend thinking about the person “fit” too – what type of culture you have and any changes you want to make moving forwards. What type of behaviours do you want to see? Being really clear on this will make it so much easier to recognise the traits you want when recruiting and hiring new candidates.

Getting all of these things clear in your mind before going out to market is essential. A bad hire is expensive for you and your team (not to mention the individual), and being really clear on who you want can minimise mistakes early on in the hiring process.

2. What are you offering?

We can sometimes forget the fact that we have free parking, free soft drinks, teas and coffees, that we get together on a regular basis or have developed a competitive commission scheme. Have a think about the package you can offer to a prospective employee and ensure that it’s clearly defined. If you offer more than the standard 28 days holiday, this should be included, as well as free access to the gym and fruit in the kitchen. All of this is, of course, in addition to the salary to be offered, pension contributions and any performance-related pay. Look at the whole package and ensure that it’s competitive. Doing some market research is invaluable prior to talking to people.

3. Who will undertake the recruitment process?

Has the person who will be recruiting got the right skillset? We see numerous examples of the interviewer giving a really poor image of the business, asking inappropriate questions, making candidates wait or not turning up to interview themselves.

Things you need to consider when deciding on who should carry out the recruitment and interview process include:

A good candidate should undertake some homework prior to attending the interview and there may be things you’d like them to explore in preparation. Be clear on what you expect from them; advising them of the process for selection, who will be in attendance and anything you’d like them to prepare will give you a head start in understanding if they are engaged with working for your business.

Although candidates can get a feel for the business by checking out your website, socials or company news, the interview remains an important measure whereby a candidate can judge whether you are the right fit for them. Remember that the recruitment process is a two-way street, a candidate is assessing you, just as much as you are assessing them.

4. Make a job offer

Recruiting good people is key to the future success of any business. Happy employees lead to happy customers and a healthy growing business. Never be caught in the trap of hiring the best of a bad bunch – take your time and plan to find the best possible fit.

Once you have made a decision, be decisive. Good people have options and won’t wait around if you dither about making an offer. Whether the offer is made face-to-face or over the phone, you will need to confirm details in writing.

Don’t forget to communicate with those candidates that haven’t been successful. Better that they are telling their network that they were impressed by you and your business, rather than they are glad they weren’t offered a job!

5. It doesn’t stop there

Ensuring you have an all-encompassing onboarding process for training (and the softer side) is key to a successful recruitment process. Have a think through the following in preparation for a start date to ensure that your new member of staff feels engaged and welcomed:

All being said, it’s important that if you do lose a candidate during or after the recruitment process, you keep your head held high and start again. There are great candidates out there for your business and you will find them. If you lose a candidate, for whatever reason, it’s so important not to tar the next candidate with the same brush. Keep looking. We often find that the person you may have had concerns over, morphs into the person you want, right in front of your eyes.

If you would like to know more about how the First Base team can help you to recruit staff and make your recruitment process for both you and potential candidates, please give us a call on 01453 755 330 and speak to one of our friendly team.

How to Write a Standout CV

Lady googling "job"
If you’re looking for a new role, read these tips first.

YOUR CV IS YOUR PERSONAL ‘SALES PITCH’
Your CV is your opportunity to sell yourself so make sure it really works for you. It’s important you keep it clear, concise and easy to read to ensure that the recipient can easily digest the key points (bullet points can help with this). Employers won’t generally have long to look at each CV they’re sent, so aim for no more than two pages in length if at all possible.

It’s good practice to provide a covering letter/email telling the employer why you feel you are the right fit for the role. This can also help the interviewer when it comes to shortlisting candidates for interview.

Above all, proofread! Make sure there are no spelling mistakes, grammatical errors or ‘text speak’ in either your covering letter or CV.

As an aside, we see a lot of inappropriate / unprofessional email addresses that were set up in years gone past. Have a think about whether you’d like to set up an alternative account purely for job applications.

ATTITUDE MATTERS AS MUCH AS EXPERIENCE

While your experience of course counts, a willing and ‘can do’ attitude can give someone a distinct advantage over another applicant. Make sure your cv stands out by using positive and optimistic language. In your cover letter, for example, you could explain how you arrived at the decision to get into this field of work and highlight how you went about gaining the skills necessary.

The CIPD encourages HR (Human Resource) professionals to ‘recruit for willingness, train for skill’. This is something a lot of recruiters will have in mind during the interview process. A prospective applicant, who shows a willingness to learn and develop can often be trained in the skills required for the role

GAIN A COMPETITIVE EDGE
If you get an interview and it comes down to a choice between you and another candidate, there are a number of factors employers will consider when deciding who to offer the job to. You can gain a competitive edge by making sure you present yourself well, both in terms of looking smart, ensuring you display positive body language and the right attitude.

Always, always do your research about the employer in order that you feel prepared. You’d be surprised at how many people don’t check even the basics prior to attending interview. The company website is a great place to start but if you can find up to date company news to get a two-way conversation going, you’ll have set yourself apart.

You’ll usually be asked at the end of an interview if you have any questions. It’s so important to show interest in the job role and the company you’re applying to – be prepared with a few ideas of questions that you can ask about the business in order to show that you’re fully engaged.

If you need further advice, get in touch with us today! You can contact us via email, phone, or using the chat feature on our website.

 

Why are businesses struggling to find (the right) staff right now?

Eight candidates waiting on chairs for an interview
Hoping to have a choice in who you offer to?

It’s crazy out there right now – we know staff are moving very quickly and that decisions are being made seemingly by the minute. Counteroffers are rife, candidates are ghosting us or committing to a role, and then … purely not showing up.

There are so many reasons that we find ourselves in the situation whereby prospect candidates are like tumbleweed. Having spoken to hundreds of people this week, we thought it may be useful to share our findings on what has caused the scramble for the (right) staff, right now.

We have many blogs that may be useful when you’re looking to bring new talent on board. Please have a read and watch this space for more information on just how you can attract the right people. If you’d like to discuss any of the above, check salary levels in the area or update us on the types of skills you’re looking for, please call 01453 755 330.

How to Stop Candidates Dropping out of the Hiring Process

A man proposing to a woman with an engagement ring in a red velvet box. The woman is holding up her hand as a refusal
Why do some relationships just not work?

 

Have you ever had someone back out of a job offer? 

Often, you may not discover that your new recruit has dropped out of the hiring process until a couple of weeks before their start date or worse, on their first day, when they just don’t turn up! This can cause all sorts of issues including the time and resources spent on the interview process, discussions with teams surrounding a plan for onboarding and the purchase of tech or a vehicle.

Most candidates will have a notice period and therefore may have a gap of a month or more, between accepting a job offer and their first day in the role. For more senior roles, a realistic notice period could be up to three months.

Keeping in touch with your new recruit is key to ensuing your candidate doesn’t drop out of the recruitment process. Regular communication between making an offer and their start date is often overlooked, but this key strategy can prevent any disappointing news in the future and beginning the process again. We call this maintaining the motivation to move – this can quickly diminish if comms are stopped altogether.

A lot can happen in a month. Think about how quickly things moved in 2020! 

People change their minds and sometimes they are just too nervous to let you know. As a recruitment agency we are now finding an increasing trend in candidates declining offers, that they had previously accepted. Applicants may be at risk of redundancy and therefore panicking about both their financial situation. This is resulting in job seekers making quick decisions to accept an offer that may not actually be the right fit for them. An increasing number are being counter offered by their current employer as a result of changes happening fast, or backing out of a role if they accept a better offer.

Working with a good recruitment agency can help prevent candidates dropping out between the offer and start date as, ultimately, good recruiters want to find you the right candidate from the get go – they don’t want to be looking for a replacement a few weeks down the line. 

Your recruiter will qualify applicants in a series of communications over time.  I recently had an experience where, having spoken to a candidate several times, alarm bells started to ring.  I’ve been doing this a long time and my gut instinct is spot on. I spoke to my client to raise my concerns and together, we decided on a course of action which included agreeing on a timescale and keeping other candidates close by should we need them. As it turned out the candidate, as predicted, dropped out and took another job role where, perhaps, no such diligence was applied. We dodged a bullet.

By maintaining contact you really can ascertain any problems early on and protect your business from being on the back foot.

I suggest keeping in touch at least once a week; this could be a courtesy email to check they have received their contract and see if they have any questions, or a video call to explain what their first day will be like. Let’s face it, their first day probably isn’t going to be the same as it would have been this time last year and this will open up a conversation to cover off any concerns or questions. If you don’t receive a response don’t worry initially, however, make sure you follow up and have a plan B just in case. 

Once your job offer is accepted don’t just sit back and wait. From my experience, communication with your new recruit, right up to their first day is hugely important.

Lilly Chappell, recruiting into the office environment at all levels.

Working parents – how to avoid feeling overwhelmed

So how does your ‘master’ to do list look? Does it include a never-ending list of job deadlines, parenting responsibilities and domestic chores? The reality is that working parents have a seemingly endless and ever-growing to-do list or even multiple to-do lists. No wonder that research confirms that most working parents can end up feeling tired, in a constant hurry and stressed. For some, managing multiple priorities can seem overwhelming.

Technology has given us access to the tools we can use to organise our professional and personal lives but somehow these tools serve to remind us of the fact that we might not be getting enough done and may not be in control as we sit in bed scheduling meetings, phone calls, social media and business deadlines alongside school events, holiday activities and family commitments. We’ve all had that ‘stop the bus I want to get off” moment.

Our problem isn’t that we aren’t actually in control – it’s more about how the human brain functions. It is normal to feel overwhelmed when there seems to be so many multiple priorities to deal with.

The good news is that there are well established and simple techniques that every working parent can do to feel calmer and in control of those ever-present to do lists.

Begin with the end in mind

Good managers know that organisations work well when there are clear strategic, operational and tactical goals. There are targets that, when achieved, can be celebrated. Knowing where the organisation or team is headed they can be confident in decision making and enjoy the motivation that comes from working towards their destination.

Working parents don’t always do the same.

Too often we are working to get through what can often seem a daunting day ahead. Our heads go down as we ‘get on with it’ making our lives potentially seem relentless and stressful. It can feel as if those to do lists and schedules are in charge of your life rather than the other way around. Constantly feeling that we have too much to do can be exhausting.

If we take a leaf out of the good managers’ book and start thinking about the end results of being good parents and good in our professional lives you can put yourself back in charge. Knowing that your goals are to contribute to the success and growth of your organisation whilst raising healthy, independent, successful children provides a sense of confidence, motivation and self-determination. YOU decided on the goal and it is your goal you that you are getting closer to every day. And remember they are YOUR goals, not necessarily the goals of other parent’s. It’s achieving your own life and career goals that will motivate you when times seem tough. The more specific your goals are the more likely they are to motivate you.

With a clear view of what you are working towards you can rid your to-do list and schedules of anything that does not contribute to achieving your professional and family goals, focusing only on those things that matter, spending time and energy on those things driving you forward.

Keep an ‘it’s done’ list

It was when our very own David Tovey was speaking at a ‘Dealing with Multiple Priorities”  event in Sydney that he was introduced to the work of Russian psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik. The Zeigernic effect states that people tend to remember and over fixate on uncompleted or interrupted tasks significantly more than finished ones. Outstanding tasks take up a lot of mental space and create negative emotions that can leave us feeling anxious. As a working parent, the list of outstanding tasks can lead to a great deal of anxiety.  Whilst that to do list is necessary, it only fuels any stress we feel.

In Sydney, David met one person actually putting completed tasks, not originally on her to do list, on to the list so that she could put a line through it, showing it as completed. Why? Because it gave her a positive feeling of closure. Capture all those completed projects and remind yourself of how far you’ve come, how much has been accomplished in your professional and family life. Look back on the list from time to time to remind yourself of your achievements. At the same time keep all those ‘well done’ and ‘thank you’ work-related messages as well as fathers, mother’s day, birthday etc cards (especially the handmade ones). They have the power to bring a smile, a warm glow and remind yourself why you do what you do.

Take a digital detox

Smart phones, apps, email and social media provide great tools BUT also can contribute to a feeling of never being off duty. Promise yourself that sometime in the next couple of days you will set aside a minimum of 30 minutes for a digital detox at home. With that time commit to focusing on yourself and/or your family. Have a ‘no phones’ at meal times rule when the kids are telling you about their day. You have work commitments, yes, but even the highest powered execs can switch off for 30 minutes without the world ending.

Just 30 minutes can make a real difference. Stress ebes away and you are back in control having made the decision to detox and executed it.  Those schedules and to do lists are there to help you achieve your career, life and family goals. They don’t rule you, you rule them.

Employers and candidates tell us that First Base is their first choice for help with their recruitment requirements and their personal career progression. If you would like to know more about how the First Base team could help you, contact us on 01453 755330.

 

 

 

 

How to answer the ‘tell me about yourself” question

The team at First Base undertake hundreds of recruitment interviews on behalf of employers every year.  Well qualified people too often let themselves down by failing to prepare for the questions they should expect to be asked. Often the most stumbled over and feared question in the recruitment process comes right at the start with the classic ice breaker ”Tell me about yourself”; especially when asked to talk about what isn’t on your CV. Here are a few tips to help.

Getting personal

As well as an ice breaker, this question is a way for the interviewer to gain some insight into your personality. They also want to determine your fit for the job and the organisation. The interviewer doesn’t want to know everything about you – your answer needs to be a careful balance between declaring too much and making them wonder why you aren’t being more open with your answer. The interviewer wants to know that you have the sort of well-rounded personality and outlook that will fit well with their culture. Your research should, of course, include finding out about the culture of the organisation that you are hoping to join.

Remember that the early stages of a recruitment interview are about establishing rapport so avoid the temptation to start by giving a long list of qualifications for the job. You are being asked about the you beyond your career and work experience – so share something about what makes you tick and be authentic, don’t make things up or over exaggerate because you think it will impress – there will be follow up questions!

An option is to share some of your personal interests that don’t directly relate to your career but demonstrate your attitudes to life and work. For example, fitness related hobbies can help to emphasise a healthy energetic and positive outlook. If you mention more sedate pursuits such as reading or the theatre to demonstrate a thoughtful or creative edge, be prepared to be asked who your favourite author is or which genre’s you enjoy.  Voluntary work you are involved in can demonstrate your community and social values as well as highlight any skills you use, such as communication, that are relevant to the job you are applying for. On the other hand, do take care not to sound so enthusiastic about interests that you might suggest they could interfere with your career.

From Personal to Professional

Once you have shared a few interesting aspects of your background you can transition to speaking about key professional skills that would benefit your potential employer if you were taken on. A good transition might be to say “As well as my outside passions, my career is very important to me” and then move on to speak about the positive attributes that you would bring to the job you are being interviewed for. Prepare to share a few of the personal qualities and areas of expertise that would help you to deliver high performance in the job. Over the course of the interview, you should build on these three of four areas to help reassure the interviewer that you are the right person for the job. Your advanced research into the organisation and the job description will help you to emphasise your relevant strengths and skills, without overwhelming the interviewer with too much information at the start.

When you answer the ‘Tell me about you” question you are providing a brief summary of evidence that supports your application. For instance, you might say how much you enjoy networking and getting to know people if the job you are applying for includes interacting with clients and customers. You don’t need to share information about your family, your partners, children or any other strictly personal information and we suggest avoiding potentially contentious subjects such as politics and religion unless you are absolutely sure that your personal opinions are being sought and will be well received.

Remember, the more you research the organisation and job role, the more you can prepare for the questions you are likely to be asked.

Employers and candidates tell us that First Base is their first choice for help with their recruitment requirements and their personal career progression. If you would like to know more about how the First Base team could help you, contact us on 01453 755330.

 

 

 

Giving 75% effort but expecting 100% pay?

No candidate would get very far in the recruitment process if on their CV or during interview they suggested they would give 100% in a new role based on that old employee ‘joke’ –

I give 100% at work… 12% on Monday, 23% on Tuesday, 40% on Wednesday, 20% on Thursday and 5% on Friday. 

A joke maybe, but if you are an employer, it’s certainly not funny if you are paying people their full salary for anything less than 100% effort. Whatever your job, the amount of effort you put into it will play a significant part in your potential progression, your career path and future prospects. Even if the job is something you don’t like very much, there are still benefits to giving it all you’ve got. While we might day-dream of just simply not showing up for work one day and moving on, burning bridges can easily hurt chances of future employment or opportunities. You want to give every job you do the most positive effort you can. Even if you leave an employer it’s much better that you leave with everyone wishing you’d stayed rather than happy that you departed!

Job Security

Employers are more likely to keep on individuals that show dedication even in a down time. Someone who puts 100% in their daily lives can secure their position within nearly any company regardless of the organisations situation.

Promotion and pay

Employers are more likely to provide more opportunities to those who do a little more than they are paid to in order to help to benefit the organization. If more work is being completed than expected, good employers will often offer better pay in order to keep you motivated.

Re-hire value

Leaving at the end of a temporary contract or after a period of permanent work with a positive reputation as a hard worker, dramatically increases your chances of being re-hired. On the other hand, leave with a less than favourable reputation and you may find doors permanently closed.

Job references

Even if you didn’t like your previous job, by giving it 100% of your skills and effort you help your position elsewhere if the prospective new employer calls your previous one for references. You want to create good word-of-mouth advertising for yourself and giving your best could go a long way to doing that.

Be respected by the team

Having a reputation as a shirker, getting away with doing as little as possible will not help your reputation with colleagues. As long as you are not always self- promoting, other people on the team will look up to you as someone who sets a good example.

Managers listen

Have a good work ethic and your ideas for improvements or efficiencies are more likely to be listened to by management.

Self-respect

 Even in a job that you don’t much like. Nothing is better for your self-respect than knowing you are doing your personal your best.

Whether you are in your dream job or not, putting effort into your work can benefit you on multiple levels. When you are looking to progress in your career, or simply secure your position, putting 100% of what you’ve got into the task can secure your future in a variety of ways.

Employers and candidates tell us that First Base is their first choice for help with their recruitment requirements and their personal career progression. If you would like to know more about how the First Base team could help you contact us on 01453 755330.

 

Why use a recruitment agency?

With record numbers of people in work (32.54m and rising according to the Office of National Statistics in January 2019), it is not surprising that employers are increasingly turning to trusted Recruitment Agencies to find the talent they need.  How clients work with their Recruitment Consultants has changed and there are more reasons than ever for businesses large and small to use a reputable agency. We have certainly seen clients now spreading the net to find the candidates they need.

 

Advantages of using a Recruitment Agency:

Candidates, not applicants

It takes effort and time to attract applicants whether they are responding to your advert, applying on spec or through your website. Inevitably a lot of time will be invested in filtering, assessing, matching and communicating with people who apply for the roles you have available. It’s at this time that the best talent is often lost due to delays and a poor applicant ‘experience’.

A good Recruitment Agency will only present you with candidates – job seekers that have already been screened and selected because they match the criteria you are looking for and are worthy of interviewing.

Save time

Recruitment is a time consuming activity. By using a Recruitment Agency you save time dealing with the application process, screening CV’s and avoiding initial interviews with people who turn out to be unsuitable. You and your own team save time on dealing with the whole recruitment process as they deal with everything from application through to providing feedback to candidates on your behalf.

Reach and Connections 

Hard pressed HR or in house teams benefit from the long established reach and networks of a trusted recruitment partner. A good Recruitment Agency can generate a shortlist for interview faster than an in house resource because they working full time on building the networks and connections where high quality candidates can be found. Recruitment Agency web sites attract people seeking a career change every day, this provides a data base of talented people that can be matched with the employment opportunities you have

Fast access to key skills

At the top of the list of reasons for using a Recruitment Agency for many companies, is short term access to the key skills they need to cover leave and demand peaks. With high employment it’s not surprising that there is pressure on recruiting temporary staff as well a permanent staff. A good Recruitment Agency will have great relationships with their bank of workers, will track their availability and be able to place them in short term roles very quickly.

Promote your employer brand 

A Recruitment Agency will position your company and promote your business to appropriate candidates. Whatever the size of your organisation, it is always helpful to have someone who understands your business, can answer questions that may arise and who is on your side to sell your company at a time when there are many more employment opportunities for good candidates.

Expert Knowledge 

With consultants that specialise in specific sectors, a Recruitment Agency provides a wealth of knowledge that helps them to understand the skills and characteristics required of a specific role. This helps them to refine their search and put forward the most appropriate candidates. Sector specialists can advise on how to attract the right candidate and what salary range is considered competitive in the local area.

Long term relationships 

A good Recruitment Agency is interested in building long term relationships with their clients. They develop a deep understanding of how you work and become a part of your team, available when you need them and ready to find the people you need to achieve your organisations goals and objectives.

Why First Base?

With a reputation for being reliable, responsive and well connected, the First Base team has matched hundreds of businesses with thousands of candidates since 1997. Do get in touch if you would like to find out more about how we can help you.

David Tovey and Tricia Hay