Keeping pace with a fast-moving industry

Keeping pace with a fast-moving industry

The business world moves at a much faster pace than when Just Recruitment started 40 years ago. Here’s how the recruitment industry has evolved to keep up.

By Tim Gibson

Keeping pace with a fast-moving industryWind the clock back four decades and the world seemed to turn at a very different pace. Although they existed, email and the internet were by no means in widespread use, and social media would have sounded like an idea from science fiction.

...everything can happen so much more quickly and seamlessly in the 21st century.  

It’s a similar story with tablets and smartphones, the antecedents of which appeared in fantasy TV series like Star Trek and Buck Rogers, giving every impression of being utterly otherworldly.

All of which goes a long way to explaining why the speed business transactions moved at was considerably slower back in the 1980s. Because everything happened at a steadier pace, no one had a choice in the matter.

“I don’t think it’s the case that we did things particularly slowly back then,” reflects Jenny Wrightson, who founded Just Recruitment Group Ltd in 1983. “We were always working to optimum efficiency. It’s rather that everything can happen so much more quickly and seamlessly in the 21st century. And what we’re seeing is that there’s a whole generation that has been brought up in the digital age, and therefore has no patience for processes that don’t happen in lightning-quick fashion.”

This has profound implications for a business such as Just Recruitment, especially as so many of the candidates it works with are of the millennial or “digital native” generation.

“We find that many of the people we’re looking to place in jobs are accustomed to instant communications,” Mrs Wrightson continues. “If they express an interest in a job, they expect to receive further details in the time it takes for one of our consultants to reply to an email. Likewise, they expect to be interviewed in a matter of days, and even to be in post within a week or so.”

Fortunately, technology exists that enables Just Recruitment to meet these expectations – which is good news for candidates and employers alike. The sophisticated job-matching software employed by the company uses a massive database to cross-refer candidates with opportunities, enabling an almost instantaneous identification of vacancies for which they may be suitable.

“Contrast that to 40 years ago and you’ll get a sense of how far things have moved on,” says Mrs Wrightson. “When we started out, a candidate would come to our offices and have their CV typed by one of our staff. This would then be photocopied, shared around the agency and posted out to prospective employers. If a match was identified, the process of shortlisting and interviewing candidates could last as much as a couple of months. Which means a quarter of a year could easily elapse between us meeting a candidate and them starting in a new role.”

Now, Mrs Wrightson says it is possible for a candidate to make contact with Just Recruitment in the morning and have a job lined up by the close of play. In some cases, they will even report for duty the next day.

“Obviously, some appointments take longer to fill,” she declares, “especially for more senior positions. But a lot of the opportunities we handle on behalf of clients can be filled in no time at all, and it’s all thanks to the speed at which the digital world operates.”

Keeping pace with a fast-moving industryAlongside big-data-munching job-matching software and speedy modern communications, it is fair to say the processes employed by the recruitment industry have evolved, as organisations like the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and initiatives like the Recruitment Industry Benchmarking (RIB) index recognise.

“With the emergence of social networks like LinkedIn, it’s possible to be far more proactive about finding candidates for roles,” observes Mrs Wrightson. “We can develop a profile of a candidate before we’ve even met them, and that greatly improves the efficiency of matching people to opportunities.”

This speaks of a bilateral enhancement to the recruitment process: on the one hand, technology enables candidates to find jobs more easily, and on the other, it enables recruiters to locate suitable candidates with greater alacrity.

“The net result is an industry that’s global, highly efficient and very fast-moving,” concludes Mrs Wrightson. “The nuts and bolts of recruitment are the same as they ever have been, especially the soft skills required by effective recruitment consultants. But yes, the speed at which things move has rocketed. As technology continues to advance, we’re only going to see even greater sophistication in the way jobs are filled, making it a very exciting industry to be a part of.”

 

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Published: 27 July 2023
© Copyright Just Recruitment Group Ltd 2023

Jobs currently available

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Sales Manager
Sector: Sales
Location: South East
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: 913721
About the role

Just Recruitment is working with a growing Sudbury-based business seeking a Sales Manager to join their long-standing team.

Due to continued growth, this newly created role will play a key part within the sales and marketing team — delivering exceptional service to new and existing customers while managing ongoing accounts.

You’ll act as the vital link between customers and the technical teams, ensuring every interaction reinforces the company’s reputation for excellence.

The sales team is expected to know their clients, and therefore, a minimum of 50% of your time will be spent in front of customers.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Prospect and build a pipeline of winnable projects.
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  • Provide outstanding customer service to new and existing clients.
  • Build and nurture relationships to drive customer satisfaction, retention, and repeat business.
  • Understand customer needs and effectively communicate product information, features, and benefits.
  • Support customers throughout the sales cycle, from enquiry through to delivery and aftersales.
  • Manage time and priorities effectively to meet deadlines and maintain high service standards.

Skills and qualifications include:

  • Proven experience in prospecting new clients, preparing proposals, negotiating and closing disinfection sales in the water and wastewater industry.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills — confident, clear, and customer-focused.
  • Strong ability to build rapport, listen actively, and translate customer needs into practical solutions.
  • Solid understanding of the sales process and relationship management.
  • Skilled at explaining technical products in an approachable way (training provided).
  • Effective time management, organisation, and follow-through.

This is an excellent opportunity to grow and develop within a successful team and business.

If you are a hungry and driven salesperson - this role is for you!

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

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Sector: Engineering and Manufacturing
Salary: £27,500 per annum
Location: Colchester
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
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Just Recruitment is delighted to be supporting a well-established business on the outskirts of Colchester in recruiting a Production Operative to join their existing team. This role also offers an excellent opportunity to progress into a Team Leader position.

Working within a busy manufacturing facility, you will be required to work with the wider team to ensure production and business targets are met, and that clients receive the required products on time.

You will come from a manufacturing or production background - used to handling large, heavy products, although candidates with no experience and a great attitude will be considered.

Working days - Monday to Friday on a shift basis (6.00am - 2.30pm and 1.30pm – 10.00pm). Overtime is available as per business needs.

This employer is committed to investing in and developing its people — for every machine you’re trained to operate and for which you meet the required standards, you’ll receive an increase in your salary.

Free parking is available on-site.

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
The salary advertised is the bracket available for this position. 
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

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Sector: Marketing, Advertising and PR
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Hybrid working is available after successful completion of the probationary period (min. of 3 days in the office, up to 2 days at home).
Hours: Monday to Friday (9:00am - 5:00pm).

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

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Sector: Purchasing and Merchandising
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Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

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