The recruiter...
Graeme Shaw
Executive chef, Norton House hotel, Edinburgh
www.handpicked.co.uk
So you use recruitment consultants to fill your kitchen?
Yes, they are a major source of staff. We get qualified chefs through them - usually chef de partie, junior sous or sous chef level rather than trainees.
And does this mean you get sent the cream of the crop?
Well, some candidates come prepared and some just don't show up. It depends whether the agency is good at targeting the right people with the right skills for the job. We soon weed out consultancies if they just send anybody.
What do you look for in a chef?
Experience is more important to me than qualifications when recruiting. I look for someone who has worked in a similar four-star hotel-restaurant. I look for people who are smartly dressed and have a basic knowledge of the hotel. About 85% of interviewees haven't even bothered to do any research. They don't even know about our accolades. If someone is keen, enthusiastic and asks me lots of questions that is even better.
But you don't recruit all levels through consultants?
No, we will take on commis chefs through word of mouth and we have a good relationship with colleges. Most of our jobs also go up on websites.
How did you get your job?
I got my job through word of mouth four-and-a-half years ago - I know the general manager. If I was looking for a new job, though, I'd probably have to go through a recruitment consultant because that's the way forward for head chefs at top establishments - unless you know somebody, of course.
The recruiter and the recruited...
Nina Eskriett
Director of HR at London & Edinburgh Swallow Group
www.swallowhotels.com
Have you used recruitment consultants to get a job?
Absolutely. I found my last two jobs through recruitment consultants, although I was headhunted rather than looking to move.
What was the benefit?
They gave me lots of background information on the company and its politics - the sort of thing you wouldn't find out about otherwise. And one helped me to negotiate my salary package.
How do you recognise a good one if you are a jobseeker?
A good consultant is one who understands how the business works - the unwritten aspects of the company. For instance at London & Edinburgh we are not just a big corporate entity. Each estate is diverse, with its own characteristics.
And if you are using them to recruit?
We have been sent candidates who are totally unsuitable for a position. If the agent keeps doing it we stop working with them. It's a bad sign from the candidate's point of view, too. It's pointless being with a consultant that just sends your CV out to everyone. We mostly recruit senior positions through consultants although we are finding it hard to fill basic entrance jobs. We are looking to Europe - although we are always happy to get CVs on spec.
Is there more to recruitment consultants from an employers' view?
Yes. They help in other ways by giving long-term advice on where the marketplace is changing and how candidates are feeling. It's useful to get an external perspective of the company because you can become entrenched.
Any advice to jobseekers looking to find a good consultant?
My tip is to find one with whom you have an affinity, because if you are relaxed it comes across with the employers, too. Make sure you are not treated as just a number and that you have regular contact with them.
The recruited
Diego Jacquet
Head chef, Zetter hotel, London
www.thezetter.com
Could you have got this job without a consultant?
It would be very difficult to get an executive chef or head chef job without their help. These positions require more than just sending off a resume. I found a consultant who talked to me to understand what I wanted to do and what my next move in London should be. She was on the case, setting up meetings, checking times and making sure the employers understood my basic requirements.
Give us a quick rundown of your career history
I was at Trafalgar Hilton for three years as executive chef and before that I was at Michelin-starred restaurants. I worked at El Bulli in Spain and other places in New York. Originally, I am from Argentina.
So what's your new job?
Here I am head chef, fully in charge of my own restaurant. I have 30 chefs in the brigade and the restaurant has 90 seats. My cuisine is modern Mediterranean but I have the freedom to use produce from Scandinavia if I want to. I can even play with Japanese ingredients.
Presumably you fitted the bill?
Actually, they weren't looking for me. They wanted a classic Italian chef, but the consultant helped to show them there was an opportunity to develop the menu and the restaurant with me. It was the consultant who spotted the opportunity.
So you would use a consultant again?
Yes. I needed somebody to help me find the right career. We were very honest with each other and I felt I could say no to some jobs that were put forward.
A good recruitment consultant...
- Views candidates as clients, so works with you to formulate a CV that promotes your skills.
- Conducts interviews and gives coaching sessions where necessary.
- Organises communication between employers and candidates and gives feedback.
- Offers training courses where required.
- Frequently attends induction days with employers to fully understand company policy and procedure.
Source: JS Hamilton Recruitment
(Following a management buyout at JS Hamilton Recruitment in May, Elaine Forino is now director of hospitality eforino@jshrecco.com. Tel: 07775 667692)
Top tips on getting the best from your recruitment consultant
- Provide a clear and concise CV stating qualifications and all former employment details, including contact details for references.
- Demonstrate a positive attitude by being confident at interview.
- Be willing to relocate.
- Show you are ambitious about a career in hospitality.
- Have the confidence to demonstrate practical skills (eg, all sous and head chefs are required to participate in cook-offs at final interview stage).
Working the system
- Communication. Don't have any secrets. If you are looking at another job, be honest about it. If you prefer not to say what it is that's fine. But be honest about your feelings and reactions.
- CV. Make sure your CV sells you. The consultant will advise you if anything needs to be changed. Take constructive criticism - your CV is what gets you the interview.
- Interview. Try to meet the consultant - even if it is just for a coffee. Half an hour is enough.
- Representation. If another consultant calls you about a job you are already represented on, be honest. Professional consultants have no problem with this. Go back to the original consultant and discuss it with them first.
- Preparation. Make sure you feel equipped for an interview - that's the consultant's job, so if you are not happy ask for more information.
- Research. Get to the interview on time and if you have a problem let the consultant and/or employer know. Look smart and make sure you have researched the company. Give and receive feedback after interview. If it isn't for you, say so. If you aren't sure, say so.
- Changing your mind. If you are offered a role you don't want, tell the consultant why. They may be disappointed, but if they are professional and you are a good candidate they will respect your view and work hard to find you a better position.
- No more than three. Don't use more than two or three consultants at any one time. It becomes confusing for all and can make you look desperate.
- Be loyal. Recommend a good consultant to your colleagues, use them when you are recruiting and develop a relationship that will be good for both of you in the long-term.
- Ditch unprofessionals. If you keep being let down by a consultant or suspect they are not looking after your interests, don't hang around.
Source: Linda Woodhouse, managing director www.woodhousehughes.com
Be on your guard...
- Be wary if the consultant discusses a role with you but doesn't want to meet or at the very least conduct an in-depth interview on the phone.
- Be wary if the consultant is not sure of the role they are discussing. If they have been briefed by a client they will have full information so if they are sketchy they are probably sending unsolicited CVs.
- If you don't feel the role is for you or you want more information, tell the consultant how you feel.
- Check out websites to see how many jobs a consultant is working on.
- A consultant is looking for a jobseeker who fills most of the requirements of the employer. If the employer is looking for an HR manager with a CIPD qualification, it is pointless discussing the role if you don't have it.
- A good consultant will keep in contact with candidate and employer so you should always call before interview for a final briefing and then to give feedback.
- Sometimes feedback is difficult to get from an employer but if a consultant doesn't get back to you, keep ringing them.
Source: Linda Woodhouse, managing director, Woodhouse Hughes (e-mail: lmw@woodhousehughes.com)
Food for thought
If you find a good recruitment consultant, nurture them throughout your career because you never know when they might come in handy. Good ones tend to have a "helicopter" view of the industry - especially the specialists - and so are in a prime position to see trends developing
Susan Johnson, divisional director, Portfolio www.portfoliointernational.com