[Closed] Small business and recruitment

Interview the applicants? Get them up there to Cumbria and see what they are like? Have they got UK degrees if so they know about the weather. After that there are 3 big engineering focused recruitment agencies up there, make your ad sound like it's for Sellafield or bae.

Forge a link with a relevant university, perhaps a local one or where you studied

Might not be the quickest way

Southern Europe

There are loads of engineers looking for work from Spain and Portugal in particular.

Why do you think they won't put up with the weather? Plenty of Northern European's put with uncomfortably hot weather in the Middle and Far East to earn a wage. Send them to Fishers for a decent shell and mid layer.

Have links with universities, works well but all the engineering grads want to join the big consultants. I have a ICE accredited training scheme, and we have no end of suitable work for people to get enough experience to achieve Chartered status. None of the applicants are UK Degree qualified and I am talking 40-50 applicants here, so its not just one or two....

On issue of sellafield/bae, been there as a graduate and its a bit of a bubble, what we are doing is far better (and more lucrative). Sellafield work is so up and down and with the management changing in 2-3 months time to one of the USA consultants, it will take 2-3 years before it settles down again.

Just need to keep looking and using social media etc

Seeing stuff like this makes me realise I should have done engineering and not chemistry at university ??

I was looking at the various job sites (indeed, cv library, s1 jobs etc) while I'm looking around.
Some stuff comes through uni pages.
Maybe just not being seen?

Shame your not in the Scottish Borders i looked around for more small companies as I think it's better being able to speak directly with seniors. Rather than far too many managers. I'd have apply 😀

There are a number of things that will make it harder for you. The fact the business is small and the location.

The first one poses a perceived risk (depending on how small) to the applicant as it limits the potential for growth/international travel//high cost of screwing up.
Were have your former employees moved on to? Apparently the expectation now is for a grad to come in learn then after 4-5 years move on. Would this job enable that? Are you prepared for that? How many internships have you had? Normally this is a good way to gauge the attractiveness of your company.

The second on is location. If the grad has just spent 3-4 years partying and living in a major city ar 21/22 what does this location in Cumbria offer for a young single person (nit from the area) or for someone who is looking for a job for their partner?

where about s are you based?

The average grad only stays with their first employer 5 years, and even BAES has diffulty getting grads to go/stay in Barrow. There's also a structural defecit of engineering grads vs places available as more people are retiring than universities are producing, so it's a sellers market. I'd look carefuuly at the offer, particularly in terms of the development you'd offer.

all I am getting is applicants from Southern Europe, India and China.... Somehow don't think they would put up with the weather in Cumbria....

Ultimately though, isn't that their decision to make rather than yours? You can offer a role to a perfect candidate, they can always say yes or no.

My neighbour runs an engineering recruitment firm in Keswick, might be worth an informal chat? Tell him Tom from 2 doors down sent you, maybe I'll get a finders fee?!
[url= http://www.macarthurrecruitment.co.uk/ ]Macarthur recruitment[/url]

We have helped companies from size of aecom to reid associates (5 staff) rec civil and structural engineers for years. We dont normally deal with grads as most companies can get them themselves without a fee however this year we have had a few fresh grad roles and even an apprentice. It seems harder than ever for consultancies to get grads now. I would suggest considering spanish and greek grads whose degree is arguably better than a bsc here. Drop me a message if u want more of a hand.

Don't know how much it has changed but as a civils grad ten years ago, most of us didn't go looking for work as all the major contractors and consultants came to us, either in evening presentations or careers fairs, so might be worth trying that with the local uni.

We have several dozen Spanish engineers at work as we couldn't recruit in the UK, so went to Spain to fill the vacancies

But all I am getting is applicants from Southern Europe, India and China.... Somehow don't think they would put up with the weather in Cumbria....

Thanks for all the suggestions and will take some of them up. I started business 2 years ago after selling last business before the collapse of renewables, so don't have previous employees who have just disappeared. Have been using freelancers etc but need to formalise some of the roles.

all I am getting is applicants from Southern Europe, India and China.... Somehow don't think they would put up with the weather in Cumbria....
Ultimately though, isn't that their decision to make rather than yours? You can offer a role to a perfect candidate, they can always say yes or no.