Why a Good Recruitment Consultant Should be Your Best Friend

The summer of 2022 is heating up and changing position has never been more difficult. There is a shortage of chefs and businesses up and down the country are doing their best to tempt staff away from where they work to start somewhere new. Salaries are increasing along with uncertainty. It’s a game of snakes and ladders and one false move can set you back with younger chefs able to command higher wages for their services and an option to move quickly up the ladder. But there is also a danger in moving to soon and this is why a good recruitment agent can be your best friend. Their advice can, literally, change your career path. Why? Because they know the industry, understand your value and can match your skills to the best position.

We teamed up with top Southwest recruitment company TTW to find out more and discovered that there’s more to working with a recruitment consultant than meets the eye. Founder Sally Wigg explained:

Sally Wigg, TTW Recruitment

“At TTW we really concentrate on getting to know both our applicants and the businesses we work with. This means that in many cases we have been working together for many years and we understand exactly what they are looking for and the sort of candidates that will fit in.

“We understand that it’s important to find a consultant and recruitment agency that specialise in your sector and really understands your local market. If you are a chef and thinking about a consultant, then recommendations from your peers are always good for this as they have prior experience.

“We’d also advise that honesty pays. Be clear about your aspirations, experience and any barriers that you may have – these can usually be overcome but are better out in the open. Another piece of advice is: allocate time to really get to know your consultant. Go and meet them or organise a time to chat digitally. Do this at a time when you are not at work and can talk freely.

“Lastly, always get in touch if you can’t attend an interview or need to reschedule and be up front with your consultant about other jobs you are looking at and interviews that you are attending so they can manage timescales and obtain the best outcomes for you. These tips will really help you in your job search and give your consultant a chance to get to know you.”

Charlotte Wade, TTW Recruitment

What a good Recruitment Consultant can do for you:

Give you an up-to-date overview of the chef job market in your region
Talk to you about realistic salaries and what level you should pitch your applications.
Help you put together your cv, including a punchy profile
Put you forward for relevant jobs giving you a full and honest overview of the role and job description.
Approach perspective employers on your behalf that you are interested in working for.
Sell you into an employer, talking them through your skills and what you can bring to the role. They can cover any areas of development or gaps in your cv in a positive way.
Support you with interview preparation, including mock interviews if this would be helpful.
Feedback to the employer and you during the interview process and negotiate salaries and benefits to get you the best package for the role.
Help you obtain references from previous employers or educational establishments that can be passed onto new employers.
A good consultant will keep in touch with you when you start your new job and iron out any problems in the early stages
Once you find a consultant you trust you will build a relationship that will continue throughout your career, helping you progress and perhaps becoming a client when you yourself are looking to recruit chefs!

Here’s what some of TTW’s candidates have to say about their experience:

“TTW really helped me – with so may jobs around, I didn’t want to attend lots of interviews and trials. Craig understood what I was after and pinpointed me in the right direction, really happy with my new job, it is the step up I was after.” – Matt, Junior Sous Chef, Plymouth

Craig Taylor, TTW Recruitment

“I wanted to moved on from my job, which I had been in for about 2 years, but I needed a new job to fit with my family life, which was proving difficult. I saw TTW’s advert, got talking to Craig and it was a smooth process, which Craig helped me through – thank you very much.” – James, Head Chef, Gloucestershire

“When I relocated to Bristol I needed some advice on the best places to work that would suit my experience. I was recommended Craig at TTW. They suggested two or three places and arranged my interviews on my day off so, it was pretty easy. I moved to Bristol about a month ago and loving it!” – Blake, Chef de Partie, Bristol.

“I’ve always been really picky about where I work, Craig put me in touch with a really good employer who shared the same ethos as me. It was really nice to meet people who are on the same page as me. I received some sound advice from Craig when it came to my salary expectations. I’m glad I took this job and Craig’s now helping me find a new Chef de Partie for my brigade.” – Harry, Head Chef, Somerset

TTW can help you find your next position or candidate.