Hunter Adams Senior Recruitment Advisor Jude Fletcher speaks here about her role and what she’s been seeing of late in the market.
What is your role at Hunter Adams?
I am a Senior Recruitment Advisor, supporting clients with Permanent and Fixed Term Contract HR recruitment in the Central Belt of Scotland.
Describe a typical day?
There probably isn’t a typical day in the world of recruitment – but that’s what makes it fun! I spend a lot my time having briefing meetings with clients to get a real understanding of their recruitment needs, interviewing candidates for specific roles, conducting candidate searches and engaging with candidates on the market to build relationships and ensure we have a great pipeline of strong HR professionals to reach out to when we are sourcing.
What HR skills or specialisms are in particular demand among Mid Region employers right now?
There has been a real mix in the specialisms we have seen demand for recently outwith the generalist HR remit, such as Payroll, Reward, Pensions and Talent – which is interesting to see. This provides more of a challenge for us as recruiters as the roles are more niche and candidate pool is smaller, but I enjoy a challenge!
What are candidates looking for in a prospective employer?
Flexibility is key for candidates post-Covid. Hybrid working is so important for them when considering a new role and if this isn’t something on offer then the attraction is significantly less. I have also seen an increase in candidates requesting detailed information on the overall reward and benefits on offer. Salary is no longer the deciding factor for candidates when considering a move and things like maternity leave, flexible and hybrid working and even holiday allowance can have an impact as they give a sense of the culture of an organisation and allow candidates to understand if they are aligned.
What market trends have you witnessed this year?
Lots of change – from reorganisations to refreshing company values and focusing on the EVP and DE&I. The world has changed a lot in the last three years, and now things have settled post-Covid organisations have the capacity to review and make plans for the future and ensure they are fit for purpose. Projects which were on hold are moving forward and this is reflected in the types of roles in the market and the skills required from candidates. This is certainly the case in the Central Belt of Scotland but I think it’s also true right across the UK.
What are your predictions for the coming months, bot in Central Scotland and more generally UK-wide?
After the recruitment boom of 2022, I think organisations are looking to build more sustainable, engaged and skilled workforces; so there will be a continued focus on employer branding, talent attraction and retention. We will continue to see the use of technology being used in recruitment to connect in a more engaging way with candidates, streamline processes and reduce time to hire. I think in the coming months, candidates in the market will be taking a much more considered approach when applying to roles, ensuring that the organisation is aligned to their values and gives them a sense of purpose.
Get in touch with Jude at jude.fletcher@hunteradams.co.uk or connect with her on LinkedIn here.
