Economic recovery in the UK has led to widespread job creation, with employers nationwide keen to increase staff numbers in order to capitalise on a boom in orders from both at home and overseas. Yet while many believe the majority of these job opportunities to be concentrated in London and the South East, recent figures released by Sellick Partnership indicate that this is not the case.
The recruitment agency – which specialises in financial, legal and procurement recruitment – has seen a significant uplift in demand from regional offices based in Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Derby, Leeds and Stoke on Trent.
As a result it has increased its pool of contract workers from 350 to 500 in the past year alone. This helped it to turn over £24 million last year, with the majority of its temporary contracts providing additional staff for public bodies such as the NHS and local government – although small start-ups have also contributed to growth.
Company founder Jo Sellick believes that it is not only the favourable economic conditions which have enabled his firm to help those in the north and Midlands find work.
He explains; “Any notion that the economic revival in the North isn’t under way is a fallacy.
“80 per cent of our sales come from temporary contracts and interim placements – employers still need to find maternity cover, along with long-term sick replacements and project workers to keep the business ticking over.”
As research released this month by High Fliers indicates that the graduates of today are expected to benefit from the strongest job market since 2007, it is only natural that these graduates will have a greater choice in their career path than graduates of earlier years.
This means that companies can no longer be assured of the loyalty of their staff, and therefore recruitment agencies such as Mr Sellick’s can expect to see profits increase further in the years to come.
Recruitment agencies have become particularly popular within the public sector, and local governments in the North and Midlands have been particularly keen to utilise the abilities of these firms in seeking temporary staff. Yet small start-ups can also benefit from temporary accountants or lawyers in the early stages, particularly if they are looking to buy or rent a commercial property and require assistance balancing their budgets for this process.
Do you think more small start-ups should utilise the services of recruitment agencies when seeking short term staff, or will they see greater success by taking on permanent staff and establishing a loyal workforce?
Previous Post
Subway plots Ambitious Growth Programme
