Struggling to find candidates – UK

Title: Seeking Recruitment Solutions in the UK Manufacturing Sector

I’m currently facing challenges in sourcing candidates for a role in the manufacturing industry. Working at a small recruitment agency, I primarily utilize CV-Library and our internal database, but I’m quickly running out of viable options. The locations we’re recruiting for are often hard to access, and the salaries and job requirements set by our clients—especially for positions in London—are not competitive enough, which further complicates attracting candidates.

Given these difficulties, I’m reaching out for advice. Are there alternative platforms or sourcing methods that UK recruiters find effective? I’ve tried leveraging Facebook and WhatsApp groups to recruit candidates but haven’t had much luck. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Small agencies = bad client

Small Agencies Do Not Equal Bad Clients

Hello everyone! This is my first time posting here, and I’ve noticed a common sentiment among many that small agencies often come with “bad” clients or that having a limited client base can be a disadvantage for newcomers. I completely disagree with this perspective!

I joined my company four years ago when I was just 22, and at that time, there were only 13 employees, including two others who started alongside me.

I received comprehensive training and began developing older clients to get up to speed with new business initiatives. Within six months, I was handling complete 360-degree business development, and by the seventh month, I had brought on three new clients in completely new sectors. By the end of my first year, I was billing £10k per week on contracts. Over the past four years, I’ve managed to acquire about 20 new clients, with around 40% of them turning into repeat business. I’ve consistently billed between £300k and £400k annually and am projected to reach £500k this fiscal year.

I share this to highlight that many people advise newcomers to avoid small agencies due to their perceived shortcomings. I believe that with minimal infrastructure, you can still grow your own business within the agency and excel in an environment that might not initially seem supportive.

To new recruiters, my advice is to stay persistent and think creatively—you can absolutely succeed!

In summary: There’s no such thing as a recruitment agency being too small or lacking clients in 360-degree recruitment. You have the opportunity to develop your own successful business within a larger one. Keep striving!

Agency references

Seeking Advice on Agency References

Hi everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well. I’m currently pursuing a job with the civil service, but as many of you know, the onboarding process can be quite lengthy.

A friend suggested I take on shifts with Blue Arrow, which I’m interested in. However, I have a question: if I’m successful in securing the civil service position, will Blue Arrow be able to provide me with a reference? I’m worried that the companies they partner with may be reluctant to give a reference since I’ll only be working as an agency staff member. Given how strict the civil service is about references, I want to make sure I’m prepared.

I appreciate any insights you can share!

Thanks!

AI/Innovations in Hiring

AI Innovations in Hiring

Hello Everyone,

I’m not a recruiter, but rather a researcher dedicated to enhancing AI-driven hiring systems.

I’m currently working on a toolkit aimed at helping development professionals improve these systems, with a special emphasis on transparency and explainability. Both candidates and recruiters benefit from a clear understanding of the process, as candidates often receive little feedback, while recruiters may struggle to maximize the effectiveness of these automated tools.

My primary focus is on the initial resume screening phase.

I’ve already had discussions with recruitment professionals and have identified challenges related to search engines for recruiters, as well as the complexities of providing feedback to candidates.

Information on these systems is sparse, so I’m reaching out to this community to gather insights and experiences.

If possible, please share any examples of how you’ve seen AI utilized in hiring systems or any innovative tools that have caught your attention (and their names, if applicable). (I plan to contact these organizations for further exploration.)

Feel free to express any frustrations you’ve encountered with these systems as well—I’m eager to discover potential solutions through my research.

While my work is still in its early stages, I intend for it to be open-source. My goal is to contribute to the development of more effective and satisfying hiring systems for both recruiters and candidates.

Thank you for your attention!

Wishing you all a wonderful day!

Terms of business

Subject: Request for Australian Business Terms

Hi everyone,

Does anyone have a template for terms of business that I can adapt for the Australian market? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Using SEEK/Hiring in the Phillipines

Hiring in the Philippines: Advice Needed

We are in the process of establishing operations in the Philippines, which is still about six months away, but we need to hire one contracted employee in the meantime. Does anyone have suggestions on how to advertise on SEEK (Jobstreet) or any other platform in the Philippines without having a registered business there yet? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated, as it seems that advertising on the Australian site doesn’t allow for overseas visibility. Thank you!

I AM LOOKING FOR A JIB IN FOOTBALL

Excited to Connect with Football Opportunities!

Hello! I’m a passionate young football coach with three years of experience focused on individual player development for U14, U16, and U17 teams. Additionally, I have seven months of experience as an assistant coach for a U16 team. My expertise includes designing training sessions tailored to various skill levels, group sizes, and tactical themes, as well as crafting structured yearly, monthly, and weekly training plans. My priority is player development, utilizing age-specific techniques to enhance both individual skills and team cohesion.

I believe in creating enjoyable and engaging training sessions that challenge players while promoting their growth—both as individuals and as team members. I’m convinced that a positive, enjoyable environment is key to helping players reach their fullest potential.

Feel free to check out my credentials, experience, and the projects I’ve worked on in my profile: www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-dobrev-01217230b.

As a Bulgarian with an EU passport, I’m eager to explore new coaching opportunities. Let’s connect!

Reading resumes felt like I am wasting my time

Reading resumes felt like an endless cycle of wasted time. As a solo recruiter hiring for a digital campaign manager position, I anticipated receiving around 40 to 50 applications, but instead, I was overwhelmed with 500 in just two weeks.

Going through each resume felt tedious, and it took me 4 to 5 hours just to filter down to 100 candidates. Managing those candidates was even more challenging.

I wondered if I was just too slow, so I sought solutions and created an assessment for the candidates. To my surprise, nearly 50% of them didn’t complete it.

That left me with 250 applications, which meant I now had to review both resumes and assessments, adding to my workload.

Then I discovered AI Agents and built one to automate several aspects of the process:

1. Pre-filtering candidates before the final interview
2. Rating each candidate based on their assessment responses
3. Providing personalized feedback to each candidate based on their answers

For me, this approach was a game-changer. Candidates appreciated the process, even sharing it with their friends, resulting in 267 assessment responses. Interestingly, 17 individuals who hadn’t even applied for the position completed the assessment, likely just for the personalized feedback.

What do you think?

Starting my own Recruitment Firm (UK)

Launching My Own Recruitment Firm in the UK

Hi everyone,

A couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to work at a recruitment firm, and it’s been on my mind to start my own ever since.

I’ve managed to save up enough to sustain myself for about nine months, which gives me the confidence to take this leap.

I would really appreciate any advice or tips you might have!

Thank you!

Rippling Payroll: How Does It Compare to Gusto or ADP?

Exploring Rippling Payroll: How Does It Stack Up Against Gusto and ADP?

I’m looking into Rippling for our payroll services and would love to get feedback from anyone who has experience with it. How does Rippling measure up against other payroll solutions like Gusto or ADP? Are there specific features that set it apart? Also, are there any drawbacks or challenges I should be aware of? Appreciate your insights!