The future of work

A changing employment landscape means recruitment consultants have to show their value to clients and candidates, reports Tim Gibson.

The world of work is changing. Expectations among the millennial generation are radically different from those of their Generation X forebears.

Not for these young bucks a job for life. Rather, they expect to make rapid progress through their chosen career path – and if they don’t, they’re more than happy to plough a different furrow.

According to a 2011 report by consultancy company PWC (Millennials at Work: Reshaping the Workplace), people born between 1980 and 2000 will revolutionise the employment landscape with their fresh attitudes and different expectations.

These include an openness to pursuing a number of careers in the course of their life, and an acceptance that they may still be working well into old age.

HR specialist Emma Kershaw, a director at Just Recruitment Group in East Anglia, says there’s another trend among millennials. Many expect to hold more than one job at any one time, because they want to retain control over their professional destiny, while gaining job satisfaction and a decent work-life balance.

“The defining mark of the new generation of people flooding into the workplace is their desire for flexibility,” Ms Kershaw observes. “They may want to work in a salaried post on a part-time basis, so they’re free to pursue a more lifestyle-friendly job in their spare time. For example, we have a staff member who works for us four days a week, then spends the rest of her time breeding horses.”

Now I have to say that none of this is news to me. Since the start of my working life, I’ve done a number of jobs at any one time. By the age of 16, I mixed freelancing for magazines with selling vacuum cleaners in Currys and washing up in a pub kitchen at weekends, all while studying for A-Levels.

It’s been a similar story ever since. I worked my way through seven years at university by writing for the local newspaper and various magazines. Then I blended tenured academic appointments with freelance journalism, teaching, and a bit of corporate consultancy. Not a day passes without my baby-boomer parents wishing I had a conventional career.

All of which begs a question for the likes of Ms Kershaw: if I were to contact her agency in search of work, how on earth would they know what to do with me?

“Our job is all about matching people’s skills with the right opportunities,” she tells me. “Increasingly, that involves more than simply cross-referencing candidates to vacancies. Instead, we’re helping candidates work out what they really want from their working lives. And we’re helping employers learn to be flexible, to make their vacancies as appealing as possible.”

This sounds simple, but it isn’t. While those of us in the midst of this easy-come-easy-go generation are, as we would say, totally cool with flexible career paths, a number of employers are still getting their heads around it.

“That presents companies like ours with an exciting opportunity,” says Emma. “In an industry that’s become increasingly commoditised, we can now provide genuine consultancy to our clients.

“We help them develop opportunities that appeal to prospective employees and make the very best use of their skills and aptitudes. This is an amazingly creative, innovative and fleet-of-foot generation. So it’s really exciting to be involved in shaping their professional future.”

Emma is right: that does sound like an exciting prospect for recruitment consultants. Enough to make me think I could try my hand in the industry. It would have to be in my spare time, mind you. I’m too busy launching a forest school to do it during the day.

© Copyright Just Recruitment 2018

If you liked this article you may like to read – Commoditisation and how to resist it

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Jobs currently available

Customer Services Executive
Sector: Customer Service
Salary: Discussed on application
Location: Sudbury, Suffolk
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: TB14
About the role

Just Recruitment is recruiting for a Customer Services Executive for a manufacturer based in Sudbury, Suffolk.

As a Customer Services Executive, you will play a key role within the sales and marketing team — delivering exceptional service to both new and existing customers while managing ongoing accounts.

You will answer customer questions, solve problems, and provide information about the company’s products and services — all while building strong relationships and ensuring long-term customer satisfaction.

Key responsibilities include:

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  • Manage the CRM system
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  • Processing incoming sales orders
  • Liaise with the order fulfilment team for the smooth supply of products to customers
  • Manage any after-sales requirements
  • Help project manage key projects and clients

Role requirements include:

  • Must possess excellent communication skills, both oral and written
  • Previous experience in a similar role is preferable
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  • Good knowledge of and proficiency in Microsoft Office and basic database skills
  • Must be able to understand business calculations and be competent to correspond via email in a professional manner
  • Must be an excellent face-to-face communicator
  • Telephone communication skills are of a high standard
  • One of the keys to success is to develop professional relationships with decision makers, and so the ability to ‘connect’ with people and build networks should come naturally
  • You will be based at the Sudbury office, with occasional requirements for site and customer visits

Skills and qualifications to include:

  • A highly capable person with strong planning and scheduling skills
  • Self–driven, results-oriented, and with a positive outlook and a clear focus on high-quality standards
  • An independent person with good organisation and planning skills, who is capable of objectively assessing and improving their own and the department’s performance
  • Must be reliable, tolerant, and be able to work under pressure. The ability to be professional at all times and represent the company in a professional manner is a prerequisite
  • Tenacity and the ability to see things through to the end goal are desired traits
  • Must be able to work alone as well as work within a team
  • When required, able to work extra hours to accommodate the business needs, which may include occasional travel


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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Technical Sales / Applications Engineer
Sector: Engineering and Manufacturing
Salary: £26,000 - £34,000 per annum
Location: Tiverton, Devon
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: TB13
About the role

Just Recruitment is seeking a Technical Sales / Applications Engineer for a leading client in Tiverton, Devon — an excellent opportunity for a graduate, higher apprentice, or experienced engineer to develop their career within a technical engineering environment.

Reporting to the Technical Sales Manager, this role will focus on the promotion and sales of company products to prospective, new and existing customers.

Scope:

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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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Procurement Manager
Sector: Purchasing and Merchandising
Salary: Discussed on application
Location: Sudbury, Suffolk
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: TB11
About the role

Just Recruitment is working with a growing manufacturing business based on the outskirts of Sudbury, in the search for a talented Procurement Manager to join their expanding team.

Required skills and qualifications:

  • CIPS Qualified - min level 5.
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  • Strong Negotiation and Supplier Management skills.

The key purpose of this role is to lead the delivery of greater strategic and operational value of the procurement function and help to deliver business-critical goals.

This is a hands-on, strategic, and operational role that requires a confident leader with deep procurement expertise and the ability to inspire and develop a team.

You will work closely with the Supply Chain Manager to shape and implement a fit-for-purpose procurement strategy, ensuring alignment with business goals across quality, cost, sustainability, and risk management. This role is pivotal in maintaining robust and value-driven supplier relationships while enabling continuous improvement in all procurement activities.

You will also oversee raw material planning and call-offs, ensuring that the business maintains the right balance between availability and inventory control — essential for production continuity and working capital efficiency.

This role includes direct line management of a Procurement Specialist, supporting their development and day-to-day activity management.

Key duties include:

  • Develop and implement a comprehensive procurement strategy aligned with business objectives, operational needs, and sustainability goals.
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  • Collaborate with the Supply Chain Manager and other departments to align procurement with broader supply chain goals and business plans.
  • Contribute to the company’s sustainability, traceability and ethical sourcing commitments through strategic supplier partnerships.
  • Oversee the procurement of raw materials, packaging, indirect goods and services, and CAPEX items, ensuring optimal quality, cost and delivery performance.
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  • Ensure the ERP system is updated and used effectively for procurement activities and reporting.
  • Monitor and report on procurement KPIs, savings and supplier performance metrics.
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers and service providers, driving continuous improvement and innovation.
  • Lead supplier performance reviews, audits and corrective action processes.
  • Identify and assess risks within the supply base and implement mitigation strategies to ensure business continuity.
  • Lead, mentor and develop the procurement team to achieve high levels of engagement, performance and professional growth.
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Build and nurture key working relationships with Production, Quality Assurance, Finance, Warehousing, Sales and Commercial Teams, Suppliers, Logistics Providers and Regulatory Bodies.

This is an excellent opportunity to drive change within a business — offering a great working environment.

Working hours for this role are Monday to Friday, 8am - 5pm, although some flexibility is required.

Please note that due to the location of the business, you must have access to your own transport.

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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Purchasing Supervisor
Sector: Purchasing and Merchandising
Location: Ipswich
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: JC24
About the role

Just Recruitment is partnering with a growing, industry-leading organisation in Ipswich to recruit a Purchasing Supervisor.

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Duties include:

  • Primary responsibility for the daily management of specific team members.
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Hybrid working will be available after successful completion of the probationary period (min. of 3 days in the office, up to 2 days at home).

 

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

 

Read more