I have just returned from 10 days in the UK, where I spent time with several of my UK clients and made a presentation to 150 recruitment Owners and Managers at a REC event.

Here are some quick observations of good news I saw while there.  (And check all the pics at the end!)

1) London is back! The central area where I spent time, was buzzing. Restaurants, bars, theatres, and shops were packed and heaving. All the clients I saw had offices full of active recruiters, and the atmosphere was positive and energetic.

150 Recruitment Owners and Managers at the Savage REC Masterclass

2) Recruitment agencies are hiring and training rookies. Yes, it may have been borne out of necessity, but a savvy new generation of diverse recruiters is being developed right now. Many come from sales, but an equal number have come from various academic and work backgrounds. What’s more, I feel like they are getting better training (some of it from me!) than before. As a result, there is an excellent chance that many of these will make it as good recruiters, and contribute to the industry for years to come.

3) Recruiters are standing their ground. In the past, I have described the UK as one of the most transactional recruitment markets in the world. That might still be the case in some sectors, but my observation is that many recruiters I spoke to are much more selective about the clients they work with. There is pushback on price degradation. Recruiters are more thoughtful about which companies to partner with and their expectations regarding responsiveness from their clients. This excellent development plays into a higher level of exclusivity, retainers, and job-fill rates.

4) There is a lot of talk about an impending recession, but I was pleased to see that many of the companies I have spoken to are preparing for that. There is no sense of panic, as the labour market is so tight and candidates in such short supply, but there is a realisation that the wheel will turn, and many recruitment firms are planning accordingly.

5) There is an appetite to engage. At least half the clients I met with are encouraging their recruiters to get out face-to-face with clients, and clients are extremely open to it. It’s also true that the industry is ready to congregate again after two years of zoom training and meetings. For example, 150 owners and managers come to my event in London, and while there is no doubt that lots of training and conferences will stay online, it’s clear that recruiters want more face-to-face time at suitable events and with the right group. Neil Carberry, CEO of the REC, confirmed this. Neil plans to develop a blend of online and ‘in real life‘ events for the Association, depending on the content and the audience.

Lunch with Neil Carberry, CEO REC

6) It’s nuanced, complex, and challenging, but all my clients are making progress on the blend of work from home and getting people together. Sure, there are issues around culture, communication, company ethos, and developing newbies. However, tension is coming out of the situation, and a healthy compromise between flexibility and pragmatism is growing, which can only be positive for individuals and companies alike.

7) This is a vast generalisation, and I’ve got no data to support it, but I sense that Owners are getting the balance between technology and human intervention right. Or at least it’s improving. There is a better use of the database, there is more understanding that it contains a candidate gold mine, and money and resources are being spent on improving the parts of the business that should be automated.

8) I really enjoyed my trip to Norfolk to attend the wedding of Aiden Boast, a young recruiter at people2people in Sydney. It was an outstanding day, and my congratulations to both bride and groom. Here is the happy man on the happy day.

Aiden Boast from people2people

9) Finally, it was outstanding for me to catch up with so many recruiting friends after three years away from the UK. The energy and positivity are tangible, and although there is no doubt that the UK, like the rest of the world, is going to face some economic and other challenges over the next two years, it feels to me that the Recruitment industry is in as good a shape as it ever has been.

Thanks to all my colleagues, clients, and partners in the UK, who were so generous with their time while I was there, especially my friends from JobAdder, Freshminds, REC, and Bespoke Careers

Some of the team at JobAdder

Fun morning with Bespoke Careers

The team at JobAdder

Some of the REC team

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