RECRUITMENT
GETTING TO KNOW YOU
Firms spell out why they trust Teesside-based recruitment specialist
Partnership – Representing Sembcorp are , from left , Graham Taylor , Joanne Potter , Natasha Wilkinson , David Peacock , Jenna Way , Laura McLaughlin , Emily Blackburn and Emma Porteous , along with Imperial ’ s Adam Gallagher , Adam Pearson and Anthony Antoniou .
WORDS : DAVE ROBSON PICTURES : CHRIS BOOTH
Knowing all about the firms they ’ re recruiting for is all-important for Teesside firm Imperial Recruitment Group .
Here , two clients – one long-standing , the other a more recent addition – tell how communication and trust underpin their work together .
Sembcorp Energy UK “ It ’ s not just a service , it ’ s a partnership .”
So says Sembcorp Energy UK ’ s head of human resources Joanne Potter when talking about the firm ’ s ongoing collaboration with Imperial Recruitment Group .
With Sembcorp looking to expand its workforce as it plays a leading role in supporting the UK ’ s transition to net zero , Imperial came on board in spring last year .
And according to Joanne , the two parties hit it off from the start .
Collaboration – Imperial Recruitment Group director Anthony Antoniou and Sembcorp head of human resources Joanne Potter .
She told Tees Business : “ Because we had a big recruitment drive , we needed to embark on a journey with an organisation we could trust and that was in line with our values .
“ We started the contract following our tender process in April last year and have had some brilliant successes in utilising Imperial ’ s services . And not just in the North-East – we have sites all over the UK with different requirements , so the spectrum of what they ’ ve covered for us has been outstanding and through that , we ’ ve had a successful recruitment process .”
Between April and December 2022 , more than 100 roles were filled – a number that ’ s now nudging 240 . And one day in September , there were 20 new hires in a day – the largest single daily intake in Sembcorp ’ s history .
According to Joanne , it ’ s down to a combination of crucial factors – especially communication and trust .
She explained : “ Trust is a big thing . We ’ re an established organisation that ’ s followed different recruitment practices in previous years but Imperial ’ s team have an open mindset , which has been brilliant . It ’ s allowed us to consider things in a different way and tap into their creativity .
“ We ’ ve educated one another . Imperial is all about protecting brands and that ’ s instilled into the teams here . But equally , we have been open with one another on feedback and understanding how it all operates – and they have been very receptive to feedback .”
Discussion – Imperial ’ s Adam Pearson and Adam Gallagher chat to Sembcorp ’ s Emily Blackburn .
Anthony Antoniou is one of three Imperial directors . He says one of the key factors in the Imperial approach is getting to know the client .
He said : “ With Sembcorp , we spent the first few weeks understanding not just the business but the individual hiring managers as well . I feel like we ’ re an extension of Sembcorp in the recruitment market – everything we do , the way we protect our brand , I expect us to protect Sembcorp ’ s brand in the same way . There ’ s a business relationship there that we want to maintain and we work hard on it .”
But why did Sembcorp choose Imperial in the first place ? Joanne said : “ From the offset , Anthony instilled the confidence in the Imperial ‘ step approach ’, which focuses on how they search for candidates , how they deliver and how they discipline us to attend meetings at a certain point . The confidence our team now has in Imperial is strong .
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