This month, Oliver Rae turns 6.
Over the last six years, we’ve spoken to thousands of candidates, partnered with hundreds of businesses, filled vacancies across manufacturing, engineering, and logistics, and had more conversations about recruitment than we could ever count.
Some of those conversations have been straightforward…others haven’t.
After six years in the industry, there are a few recruitment lessons for employers that we keep coming back to. They’re the things that don’t always get discussed in boardrooms, job adverts, or hiring meetings. Yet they’re often the difference between a successful hire and a vacancy that stays open for months.
So, as we celebrate our sixth birthday, we thought we’d share a few of them.
Lesson 1. The Perfect Candidate Rarely Exists
One of the biggest recruitment lessons for employers is understanding that the perfect candidate is often a myth.
We’ve seen businesses spend months searching for someone with the exact experience, the exact qualifications, and the exact background.
Meanwhile, strong candidates are being overlooked because they don’t tick every single box.
Recently, we worked with a business that had a Tube Laser Setter vacancy open for months. They wanted very specific experience and couldn’t understand why the role remained unfilled.
The reality was simple, the market had changed. Candidates with that exact skill set were already employed and weren’t moving for the same money.
Eventually, the business agreed to look at transferrable skills instead.
The person they hired had experience setting machinery, handling steel, and working within manufacturing environments. No tube laser experience, not a perfect match.
Today, they’re thriving there! The client stopped looking for perfection and started looking at potential.
Lesson 2. Potential is Often More Valuable Than Experience
This is probably one of the most important recruitment lessons for employers in today’s market.
Everyone wants experienced workers, very few businesses are willing to create them.
Over the last six years, some of our proudest placements haven’t been the most experienced candidates. They’ve been the people who were given an opportunity.
Candidates like Charlie, who left a permanent role because he wanted a future, not just a job.
Alicia, who brought transferable skills from retail into manufacturing and quickly became part of the team.
Harvey, who had the attitude and work ethic but simply needed somebody to open the door.
Will, who started with some pressing experience and is now learning design engineering.
None of them were the finished article. What they had was potential.
The businesses that recognised that potential are now benefitting from it.
Lesson 3. The Difficult Conversation Is Usually The Right One.
One thing we’ve learned over six years is that honesty builds trust far quicker than easy promises.
Sometimes the salary doesn’t match the expectations. Sometimes the role specification needs reviewing. And sometimes the market simply isn’t producing the candidate you’re looking for.
It’s tempting to tell people what they want to hear. It’s much harder to tell them what they need to hear. Yet some of the strongest client relationships we’ve built have come from those honest conversations.
Lesson 4. The Cheapest Solution Isn’t Always The Best Value
Recruitment is under pressure. Businesses are under pressure. Costs are rising everywhere. We understand why rates are scrutinised more than ever.
However, one of the most overlooked recruitment lessons for employers is understanding the difference between cost and value.
The cheapest option doesn’t always deliver the best outcome.
We’ve seen businesses spend more time managing agency issues than focusing on their workforce.
We’ve seen directors calling agencies on Sunday evenings to check whether Monday morning shifts would actually be covered.
That’s not what recruitment should feel like. Good recruitment creates confidence. It removes problems rather than creating them.
Lesson 5. The Skills Gap Won’t Solve Itself
The skills gap is one of the biggest challenges facing manufacturing and engineering. But we don’t believe it’s simply a shortage of people.
Often it’s a shortage of opportunity.
Young people are willing to learn! Career changers are looking for a chance. Candidates with transferable skills are ready to take the next step.
The businesses getting ahead aren’t waiting for experienced workers to appear. They’re helping create them. They’re investing in trainees, apprentices, and development pathways.
And in five years time, they’ll be grateful they did.
Lesson 6. Relationships Matter More Than Ever
The final recruitment lesson for employers is perhaps the simplest. Relationships matter.
Candidates have choices, businesses have choices, trust has to be earned.
The clients who have stayed with us, have done so because of the conversations, the support the honesty, and the consistency that came with working with us.
Recruitment is ultimately a people business. Always has been. Always will be.
Six Years Later…
When Oliver Rae started six years ago, the goal was to build something people could trust.
Looking back, these recruitment lessons for employers are the principles we’ve returned to time and time again.
Potential over perfection. Honesty over easy promises. Relationships over transactions.
Six years later, one thing still hasn’t changed. People still come first.
If you’d like to discuss your hiring challenges, future workforce plans, or how trainees could help bridge the skills gap within your business, we’d love to have a conversation. Get in touch with us here.