Diary of a recruitment consultant

Chris Rowlands recounts recent events in the world of The HSE Recruitment Network.

Week 1 – Easter eggs
Back to work after a welcome four-day Easter break. A team meeting first thing to discuss open vacancies and new candidates registered the previous week – but not before an in-depth debate on who had eaten the most chocolate eggs over Easter. The result hinges on whether a Buttons egg, given its inferior size, should count the same as a Galaxy egg – who said recruitment consultants are competitive?! Bank holiday weeks can be slow, but this has been our best week of the year for new vacancies. Things are looking up!

Week 2 – Forrest Gump’s grandad
The week starts as last week ends, with lots of activity – many of the team head out on visits/meetings, various shortlists are delivered, and lots of interviews take place. A colleague and I head to London for lunch with one of our best contacts – he’s recently moved jobs and we wish him well, not least as he gave us some good advice in helping us fill the role he vacated. There’s a surreal moment during lunch as an unkempt man runs past the window and off down the street. We’re told he’s a regular sight and has been dubbed ‘Forrest Gump’s grandad’, owing to his endless propensity for running!

The team sits down to discuss new vacancies and notices an interesting trend – companies seem to be asking for CMIOSH candidates, almost by default, on everything from £25k advisor positions to £75k director roles. Whether this is down to a lack of understanding, or unrealistic expectations, it’s a concern. However, it’s also a clear example of how our expertise as health and safety recruiters can add value – we always spend time with our clients dissecting the requirements of each position to ensure that they’re not missing out on suitable candidates. It also proves the value of practitioners’ IOSH membership and maintaining your CPD.

Week 3 – Volcanic ash cloud
An unpronounceable volcano erupts in Iceland and Western Europe’s airports grind to a halt. I have no recollection of this being mentioned in A-level geography, so I’m probably not alone in watching the story unfold in disbelief. A number of interviews has to be rearranged as clients and/or candidates are stranded abroad. There’s clearly something to be said for a holiday in the UK!

Week 4 – Tie or no tie?
I’ve been invited to a lunch to celebrate 20 years of ‘Birmingham Forward’. After being advised by my MD that there would be “no need for a tie”, we head to the venue to find a room full of people that wouldn’t look out of place at the Oscars. However, our chairman is sat at the top table and is very much man of the hour, so I think we’re shown some leniency! There seems to be a steady rise in the number of vacancies available, yet no real pattern on industry sector. Candidates should think about transferring skills and experience to a new sector, and to structure CVs so that achievements are highlighted in such a way as to make them meaningful to all employers. We’re also seeing a small but significant rise in the market for environmental, CSR and sustainability professionals to work ‘in-house’.

Week 5 – Election fever
A candidate arrives 45 minutes early for an interview (good) and then answers my call to tell me that yes, the firm is able to see him early, and that he’s with the interviewer right now (not so good). Everybody, turn your mobile phone off when you’re in an interview! The UK is gripped with election fever, but I resist the temptation to stay up into the small hours of the morning to see the results roll in.

Week 6 – Safety & Health Expo
It’s Expo week and a good chance to meet key contacts. I advise all H&S practitioners to look at new opportunities to interact with their peers – whether it be regional/
specialist IOSH meetings, networking events, etc. We would be nothing without our own network of H&S contacts, so we raise a toast to our continued “coalition”.

You can find all the latest health and safety job vacancies at www.shp4jobs.co.uk