I think it is fair to say that the last two years have been a rollercoaster of highs, lows and just plain unknowns with the pandemic still very much here, Matt Hancock breaking his own rules and Boris spending more time pro-creating and ‘not’ attending parties than leading the country!
That being said, the recruitment industry has been no different. All our trends have gone out the window and we have had to adapt our recruitment approach to suit this ever changing market, meaning more head-hunting, navigating counter offers and advising clients on how best to place their business to attract the right talent.
We have also been keen to work in the office where possible; in a bid to remain somewhat ‘business as usual’ (we also miss each other too much working from home)! Our Admin & Ops Manager Nicole Cirket has worked tirelessly alongside our MD Rebecca Thurlow in providing us with a working environment to keep everyone safe. We have kept visitors to a minimum however have been able to conduct some face to face interviews and provide a Covid-secure interview space for our clients too!
According to the Office of National Statistics our country has seen the highest number of unemployment within young people, sitting at 269,000 between July & September 2021. This is a record high figure and most likely caused by the pandemic and the loss of jobs within the hospitality and retail sector. This has prompted an increase in companies recruiting junior and entry level professionals into their teams with a view to upskilling! Our Principal Consultant, Sydoni Dixon has been supporting and coaching early career graduates in their job searches during peak season as well as conducting mock interviews with Harper Adams placement students & graduates which was a huge success!
Despite these challenges, we have seen an outstanding recruitment year here at Compass Point, where we have been able to tap into our established database of 27 years, whilst growing our team and setting new records! We have welcomed new clients and supported existing ones with their requirements and strengthened working relationships in the process which has been brilliant!
2021 has been an exciting time of growth for us, which saw us welcome Caroline Crouchman to head up our Accountancy division, Phillip Watson who has teamed up with Sydoni Dixon covering Engineering within Food & Agriculture and last but no means least Vitor Santos who has settled into the Industrial division like a comfortable pair of slippers and wowed us when speaking to his candidates in 3 different languages! They all brought with them a wealth of recruitment experience in their sectors and have been an asset to the business already!
Outside of recruitment the world has been a busy place with everyone still adjusting to our new ‘normal’. We have seen madness at the petrol stations, with people panic buying petrol along with the HGV driver shortage which saw the law being changed in order to fast track drivers behind the wheel and shortages on our supermarket shelves with deliveries unable to be made due to supply chain issues.
However - it hasn’t all been doom and gloom and there have been some incredible things to come out of this year, including the COP-26 meeting on climate change. This has prompted action within businesses and homes including 77 countries banning the use of plastic carrier bags!
With Christmas fast approaching, the country is still uncertain on how this year will end, with another impending lockdown! However one thing we do know for certain is that Compass Point Recruitment will be here in 2022 to help you with your job search!
Wishing you a Merry Christmas hopefully spent with your loved ones, see you in 2022!