Fairford Associates Blog

I have been recruiting for the security and general soft FM sector for over twenty years and one of the greatest pleasures of the job for me is building a long term relationship with a small company and assisting them to grow, by partnering with them in the recruitment of the right people for the business at the right time. Over the years my client base has changed with the number of vacancies I work on from the large players of the sector is smaller than it once was. This is due in the main to the fact the larger companies have a developed a more sophisticated approach to recruitment with far stronger in-house recruiting teams. The in-house recruiting team acts as an extension of the HR department. They liaise with the hiring managers within their company, understand their hiring needs and then go and find the best people for the job. These teams are tasked with not only filling vacancies that have arisen through staff turnover but also with an eye on the future (talent acquisition) i.e. focusing on long-term human resources planning and finding appropriate candidates for positions that require a very specific skill set. Every growing company reaches a point when it will need someone to manage its recruitment. If there are multiple roles to fill, someone is needed to write job descriptions, source candidates, arrange interviews etc. There are generally two routes a company can go at this point. Either employ an in-house recruiter to manage all the hiring responsibilities or it can outsource the responsibilities to a recruiter. The major disadvantage however of employing an in-house recruiter is that they are an employee, so you’ll have to pay them a salary, provide them with benefits and pay the other associated employee costs and the size of the business may not warrant that expense. So how can a smaller company possibly benefit from a similar resource? The answer to this is simple! Speak to me! I can explain how by outsourcing the In-House recruiter function to me you can benefit from the knowledge and experience of a Recruiter with over twenty years experience of recruiting within the Manned Security and Soft FM services sectors. I can assist you with the recruitment of key team members of staff when they are needed, whether this vacancy has arisen from business growth, through staff turnover or if you have one eye on the future. There are a number of advantages to working with me I do not need to be educated about the sector - I understand the various positions, mandatory skill sets and sought-after soft skills of the sectors to find the right candidate who will flourish in their role I can fill a position quickly when you don’t have the time to source, screen and interview multiple candidates I can fill difficult-to-fill positions You can work with me to source candidates prior to the vacancy going live (talent acquisition) I have an extensive database of industry experienced candidates I can source both active and passive candidates To talk to me further about how I could help you recruit successfully, email gary@fairfordassociates.co.uk or call me on 07791 590703 or 0845 4345734. My name is Gary Draycott linkedin.com/in/garydraycott and I am an Independent Recruiter. Since 1998 I have specialised in recruiting for the soft services and security sectors (both manned and security systems). In 2004 I began operating independently as Fairford Associates. I have successfully filled hundreds of vacancies at all levels (Directors, various management levels, Supervisors, Security Operatives, Sales and back office roles such as Trainers and HR staff) for a broad spectrum of clients across the UK.

Many companies turn to recruiters to find the right talent. When these companies are looking at devising a recruitment strategy one of their choices is whether to partner with a generalist recruiting (High Street) company or a specialised recruiting firm. For companies looking to fill speciality positions, an industry specialist is more often than not the better route to take. Speciality companies will focus on a particular field and this specialisation allows them to gain a deep knowledge of the field and all its various positions. If your company is currently looking to fill speciality roles, consider the following reasons why it makes sense to partner with an industry specialised recruiter. 1. Specialised recruiters are experts in their chosen sectors - Not only do specialised recruiters know where to find candidates in the industry with the required skill set they specialise in, but they also know how to properly source and qualify this type of talent. While general staffing/High Street firms are perfectly capable of understanding recruitment needs, recruiting processes and workplace culture, it takes specific knowledge about an industry in order to best fill speciality positions. Industry specialists do not need to be educated by their client’s about the sector they work in; they understand the various positions, mandatory skill sets and sought-after soft skills of their industry to find the right candidate who will flourish in their role. 2. Better Access to Passive Candidates - Passive candidates are job seekers who aren’t actively looking for a new job but would be willing to listen if the right job offer came along. Accessing these difficult-to-recruit candidates is much easier if the recruiter contacting them can speak the same language. Because they work across so many fields, general staffing recruiters are less able to have a deep conversation about available speciality positions. Recruiters serving a specific industry also have an invaluable network of niche candidates. Their job is to constantly be connecting with people in the sector they specialise in. The companies who partner with these recruiters gain access to an elite pool of candidates that has been developed over time. 3. Speed - With extensive talent networks in their chosen field of operation, specialised recruitment firms can dramatically reduce the time to fill vacancies, pinpointing the top best-fit talent rapidly. Therefore, if you have a major project deadline you are trying to meet, a specialist company should be your first port of call. 4. Lower Costs - When you work with a specialist recruiter, you have access to a faster, more efficient way to source specialty talent. This significantly reduces the costs associated with recruiting, such as productivity lost due to being understaffed and the time the sometimes reluctant recruiting Manager has to spend on the recruitment process. 5. They double as employer brand advocates - In the same way specialised recruiters are extremely selective in the candidates who’s CVs they forward to clients, they are equally picky with the companies they work with when recruiters approach candidates they know with a job opportunity, they’re sharing and promoting a company’s brand. It’s a recruiter’s job, as much as it is to find candidates, to assist companies in promoting, attracting and retaining top talent and that’s exactly what a good specialised recruiter does – they advance a company’s employer brand while sourcing and vetting for the talent they need. 6. Acquired credibility - People who work in specific industries are much more likely to connect with a recruiter that specialises in their field than a general recruitment (High Street) agency. A company looking to fill a speciality position acquires some of this credibility when trying to acquire talent through a specialised recruiter. My name is Gary Draycott ( linkedin.com/in/garydraycott ) and I am an Independent Recruiter. Since 1998 I have specialised in recruiting for the soft services and security sectors (both manned and security systems). In 2004 I began operating independently as Fairford Associates. I have successfully filled hundreds of vacancies at all levels (Directors, various management levels, Engineers, Supervisors, Security Operatives, Sales and back office roles such as Trainers and HR staff) for a broad spectrum of clients across the UK. To talk to me further about how I could help you recruit successfully, email gary@fairfordassociates.co.uk or call me on 07791 590703 or 0845 434 5734 .

For many companies the first thing they do when they have a new vacancy will be to log on to their job board account such as Indeed and place an advertisement. Then they will publicise their requirements on their website and social media accounts and hope by using these methods they will find the right candidate. They may have gone to the time, effort and expense of advertising their vacancy, but are they potentially missing out on a huge pool of highly talented candidates by only looking at candidates who are actively looking for a new role? Is it a false economy not to partner with an industry specialised recruiter such as myself who has access to a potentially far wider pool of talent? The right candidate introduced by me can more than pay for their costs, in terms of being more productive and less likely to leave your employment. Experience tells me that the most highly qualified, in demand talent isn’t surfing job boards. They already have jobs and are generally happy with them, but if the right offer came along, a significant majority would be willing to talk with me and consider a new role. This group of potential recruits are known as Passive candidates. Why should you seek out Passive Candidates? They have the right skill set - Having the exact skill set you need means a better fit for your company than you may find in the stack of CVs in your inbox. Passive candidates have the talent to get the job done, that’s why they already have a job, are valued by their current employer and are making a worthwhile contribution to their current place of work. They are unlikely to inflate their qualifications - It is easy to pad out a CV when you’re desperate for a job, but a passive candidate has no need to lie about qualifications. I contacted them, so why should they? They are good employees - Most passive candidates have a job they enjoy, and they tend to be good team members and potentially be a good fit for your team. As I have been recruiting in the soft services sector for over 20 years I have built up an impressive contact list of industry experienced candidates, the vast majority will currently be employed and would be described as passive candidates and I would estimate that circa 50% of my placements come from candidates I have spoken to in the past, but have not previously placed elsewhere. Work with me and find passive candidates I have developed two ways of working with me to ensure you have the best possible choice of passive and active candidates to choose from. My Contingency Service Once I have a complete understanding of your needs, I will begin searching for currently active candidates; this includes, inclusion in my job board advertising, website and social media to attract fresh candidates who would specifically be applying for your vacancy. I will search my extensive database of industry experienced candidates whose skills and experience meet your criteria. They may not be actively seeking a move (so they wouldn't see an ad) but could be interested in your specific role. I will handle applications, carry out initial telephone interviews, send appropriate CVs to you, co-ordinate interviews, obtain feedback and keep you fully up to speed with the progress of the assignment. I can offer my contingency search service for just 8% of the first year annual basic salary. Passive Candidates Search Service As you are already advertising for this position you may want to consider my Passive Candidates search service. This service includes points 2 and 3 above and ensures you are able to consider both passive and active candidates. I can offer my Passive Candidate search service for just 6% of the first year annual basic salary. Any placement I make with you will include a 24 week Free replacement guarantee Remember my services are entirely free until I successfully introduce a candidate to you, so if you are looking for the best possible candidate what have you got to lose by letting me search for candidates for your role? My name is Gary Draycott and I am an Independent Recruiter. Since 2004 I have been trading as Fairford Associates placing management, sales and support talent with clients in the UK Soft Services sector (Manned Guarding & Cleaning industries). For further information please contact gary@fairfordassociates.co.uk or call 07791 590703 .