Timing is everything in recruitment.
Seven days to take a new role from an initial briefing for a Full Stack Developer role to a new person I had found and introduced to them starting in said vacancy.
Seven days from meeting the client for the first time to all CVs being submitted, interviews completed, tech stack tests completed, contracts exchanged, and signed, to the person starting.
This is a jobs market where at the point I write this article there are over 34,000 Developer jobs advertised in the UK. Believe me when I say finding Developers for new roles is hard, finding developers for new roles in seven days? That’s timing.
So, some of you will now be thinking – This is just good luck timing, and I wouldn’t lie to you, there is always an element of good timing in recruitment. BUT, and I mean there is a BIG BUT in that, it is the work that happens behind the scenes with recruitment that makes ‘timing’ a lot more relevant and ‘right’ as it was on this occasion.
In short, I am clearly saying I create time. Yes, you read currently, I create time. Now I must have you hooked!
Let me explain, using this seven-day placement as an example.
At the start of September, I started to speak with a Full Stack JavaScript Engineer who after taking some time out of work was ready for their next challenge. I introduced this person to two partner clients I was working with, along with them doing their own direct looking for roles. The person did blow both my clients away with their technical ability, however on this occasion they found a role directly which they opted to take. It’s cool, this happens, and I’ve learned things must be right for all parties when completing a recruitment process. I wished them good luck for their new roles, and we agreed I’d stay in touch. You never know when that time might pop up again right? Right.
Let me tell you a little more about me, and my approach and view of recruitment. I am a relationships/partnerships focussed person that has a curious mind. Over the period of working with someone new I speak to them a lot, as part of this I develop a relationship with the person. I enjoy it more this way, plus it makes keeping in touch easier, and more comfortable for all parties.
In this example, it became clear quite early on to this person that the new roles they had sourced and taken directly was different to how the business was sold to them during interview. In particular this business was not as successful as first thought. One month after starting this person found themselves last in, first out, and unfortunately, they were being made redundant.
This is where timing becomes everything.
On the same day I was discussing this news with the person, I also had a call booked with a great new business that were looking for a great Full Stack JavaScript engineer. Oh, and they had been looking for nearly 3 months without any luck. I discussed the person I was aware of on the first call with the business and they immediately booked the first interview for the next day, at the same time as booking two further interview stages in for later that week. I love it when a business moves like this.
From there the process completed, the offer made, and a start date agreed. All in seven days.
Timing is everything in recruitment, isn’t it? Only if you can control time that is!
This article was written by Craig Fenn, JavaScript Partner and controller of time for Digital 51. To find out more about how a partnership with Craig can work for you, please reach out to him on
