Astute Recruitment – Triple-Point Guarantee Client Testimonial – Mayfield Yarns

Triple-Point Guarantee Testimonial – Mayfield Yarns

“As a highly regarded SME manufacturing specialist with a reputation for excellence, it was key for my senior management team, Finance Director and I to utilise a local Derbyshire accountancy recruitment specialist specifically working with other SME businesses. With a proud reputation for staff retention having had long-serving staff for 15+ years, I needed a new Qualified/ Qualified By Experience Accountant to assist me covering all aspects of manufacturing accounting including costings. I also needed someone with the experience to provide robust figures across the balance sheet and profit and loss for the Group FD based in Yorkshire. It was also incredibly important to get someone who would understand the quirks of our specific business, office set up and commit to us for the long-term.

After searching online – I came across Astute Recruitment Ltd. Their website, branding, and awards convinced me of their pedigree and focus specifically towards SME Businesses and I gave them a call.

I had a great initial conversation and arranged a meeting with Andy Lilliman – Senior Consultant and Mary Maguire – MD of Astute to understand their service and approach.

Myself and the Group Finance Director were very impressed, particularly when they explained their unique Triple-Point Guarantee. In return for exclusivity, signing and agreeing on specific dates for shortlisting CVs, first and second stage interviews – we were delighted to have the full focus of Astute’s team.

The Group FD and I did not want to engage with multiple agencies and have a raft of CVs and phone calls from other recruiters. Instead, we welcomed Astute’s dedicated approach in only shortlisting and sending us the most relevant, qualified candidates who matched our criteria.

Scroll forward four weeks and we have appointed a terrific candidate who was immediately available with the breadth of experience we were looking for, who also had the perfect fit for our own team, culture, and business.

I’m delighted with Andy and Mary from Astute and would thoroughly recommend them and their team. Their Triple-Point Guarantee offering also worked beautifully to ensure a smooth, efficient service with a guaranteed outcome.”

Ian Brindley

General Manager – Mayfield Yarns

Client testimonial on our Triple-Point Guarantee from Weight Partners Capital

Triple-Point Guarantee Testimonial – Dale Topco (owned by Weight & Partners Capital LLP)

I’m a partner at a specialist London based Private Equity Investment company. Nearly a year ago I needed a Financial Controller for one of our newly acquired SME Business Investments in Derbyshire. Key was to get someone who was hands on for this small but successful operation. Someone to be responsible for the day to day finance and accounting issues including outsourced payroll, statutory accounts, management accounts, managing a small team and ultimately reporting to the Private Equity partners.

Without understanding the local Derbyshire/ East Midlands marketplace – I googled a Derbyshire based accountancy recruitment consultancy and Astute Recruitment Ltd were top of the list. Their ethos, core market, and areas of expertise seemed to perfectly fit with what I needed.

After arranging a meeting with a consultant at Astute, I was confident that their knowledge of my business and the timelines agreed would work. Because I am London-based I only wanted to work with one agency who I could trust would have great local candidates with experience in other SME businesses. This is why I was so impressed by Astute’s Triple-Point Guarantee.

Agreeing exclusivity, I was able to map out ideal dates for initial shortlist of candidates, first stage interviews and second stage interviews to tie in with my existing diary commitments in London. This also allowed me to have just one point of contact to efficiently manage the entire recruitment process which is what happened.

As planned, 4 weeks from agreeing the brief, I was able to put an offer to the successful candidate. Nearly 12 months later the person appointed has grown to become a trusted and crucial part of the operation in Derbyshire. I would not hesitate to use Astute again and their Triple-Point Guarantee is a lifeline if you want a smooth process without the hassle of working with lots of different agencies.

David Jolly – Partner at London Based Weight Partners Capital LLP

WPC is a specialist private equity investor founded in 2009 to bring profit improvement and investing skills together to generate outstanding returns. They invest in the consumer and healthcare sectors where the team has operational experience. WPC focus on businesses capable of transformation but not in deep distress, at the smaller end of the market in the UK and Ireland.

Why your business needs a great Management Accountant

The dictionary definition of Management Accounts:

“A set of summarised accounting data (balance sheet, cash flow and income statement) prepared and presented (usually every month, fortnight or week) specifically for a firm’s management. The objective of management accounts is to provide timely and key financial and statistical information required by managers to make day to day and longer-term business decisions.

While financial accounts are the lifeblood of a business providing a snapshot of the income received and bank balance, it is the management accounts that truly deliver a story of where the business has been, where it is now and where it looks like heading. Management accounts are the thermometer of a business’s viability and critically it’s financial and commercial well being.

While AI is constantly looking to replace formulaic accounting there can be no substitute for a strong management accountant and true finance business partner to be the bellwether of a company’s performance.

Here at my company, Astute Recruitment, we have noticed an increased demand from SME business owners and Finance Directors for truly strong Management Accountants / Financial Business Partners – to go through the numbers, genuinely understand the ebbs and flows to provide the senior management team with clear, succinct, accurate information to genuinely impact the bottom line. People who can liaise with key internal and external stakeholders, providing them with meaningful operational information but who can also challenge the status quo to improve performance further.

If you are a Part Qualified/ Qualified Management Accountant who is looking for a genuine chance to add value and perform a true management accounting service for a great business, please contact Andy Lilliman or I for a confidential chat on 01332 346 100 or by email: [email protected] OR [email protected]

We have a number of brilliant roles at the moment with client’s keen to interview before the Christmas Holidays!

10th of the 10th – World Mental Health Day – What does that mean to you?

10th of the 10th – World Mental Health Day – What does that mean to you?

Mental health is no friend of age, race, creed or colour.

It does not discriminate between male and female.

It does not care if you are rich or poor.

But you or I should.

Look around your office. If you have a team of 4+ staff, on average, one of you will be affected by Mental Health.

Those are the hard facts.

So, don’t dismiss the 10th of the 10th.

Instead think about your work colleagues, friends, family and neighbours. Think about whether a friendly word, smile, some small act of re-assurance or a kindly deed could just make that all important difference to someone not in your sphere of happiness.

That’s what World Mental Health Day is about, and what every single day is about too.

I hope this article resonates with some of you reading this and if even a few are motivated to make a difference, no matter how small, to someone, the 10th of the 10th will be worthwhile. If you are someone who is affected by Mental Health – hopefully, these few words will sustain, encourage and give you the confidence to know you are not alone and there ARE people who care.

Just one of the many charities specialising in Mental Health is https://www.mqmentalhealth.org/ where you can find out more about the issues and how these can be overcome.

By Mary Maguire

MD – Astute Recruitment Ltd

Have you heard about our Triple-Point Guarantee? Article featured in AGENDA magazine’s Autumn Edition 2018

Astute Recruitment in Queen Street is re-inventing the way recruiters are seen with a unique ‘Triple Point Guarantee’, which offers clients £500 in cash should their vacancy not be filled in time.

The service is being offered to companies with a permanent role available which choose Astute as their sole recruiter for an agreed time period and is the first policy of its kind to be offered by a recruiter anywhere in the UK.

Mary Maguire, MD of Astute Recruitment said: “We really want to set ourselves apart from our competitors and demonstrate our commitment to offering value and high standards of service.”

“We work across the East Midlands with a great number of SME’s locally, so anything we can do to support our clients and make a real difference to their business, we will embrace and the Triple Point Guarantee is exactly that.”

“As well as the £500 payment, we also offer free replacements and pro-rata fee rebates if a candidate leaves the role in the first eight weeks of placement.”

“We pride ourselves on being able to place the right people in the right roles – this policy demonstrates how confident we are in this and gives clients peace of mind.”

Astute has worked to secure more than 1500 jobs for local businesses and is continuing to go from strength to strength, hiring three new consultants in the last six months and launching a highly successful commercial division.

Leigh Timmis round the world cyclist and adventurer will be speaking at Astute Recruitment’s Business Breakfast on 18th Oct 2018 at Derby’s iconic 3AAA County Ground

DERBY-based business Astute Recruitment has teamed up with round-the-world cyclist and new Guinness World Record hopeful, Leigh Timmis to share tips on how East Midlands-based businesses can deliver a world class performance.

The ‘Cycling for Success’ business breakfast event, which will take place on 18 October at the iconic 3AAA County Cricket ground in Derby, not only focuses on building a world class team, but will also put a spotlight on Mental Health and Mental Resilience.

Local professionals will hear tips and anecdotes from Leigh, touching on how he created a world-class performance despite a number of challenges and set backs along the way. They will also learn how crucial mental health is in achieving goals and overcoming pitfalls, Leigh will also discuss how important it is to have the right team around you – a key issue many SMEs face as they grow.

Derby-based world record hopeful, Leigh Timmis said: “This will be my first engagement after my world record attempt and I’m hoping to be able to speak about the world record I will hold by that point.

“It’s fantastic to be working with Astute to help local businesses create a world class performance whether that’s locally or internationally. I’m also excited to be able to raise awareness for my charity, MQ: Transforming Mental Health, working to share the importance of mental health in creating personal and professional success.”

Having struggled with mental health issues in the past, the topic is something that’s close to local adventurer, Leigh Timmis’ heart. After quitting his job in 2010, Leigh cycled around the world for over seven years.

Leigh’s latest adventure saw him fly to Carbo da Roca in Portugal on the 10 September to attempt to break the Guinness World Record for cycling across Europe in the fastest time. Leigh will be speaking at the event less than a month after his world record attempt which he hoped to complete in just 20 days, four less than the current world record. In the event Leigh smashed not only the World Record but also his own goal of 20 days – completing the marathon cycle in just 16 days!

Managing director of Astute Recruitment Ltd, Mary Maguire, said: “It’s a really great honour to be able to partner with Leigh for this event, he’s such an inspirational person and a great business speaker.

“The aim of the breakfast session is for delegates to leave in a positive, can do frame of mind, feeling confident that they can use some of Leigh’s tips to bolster team spirit, harness potential and exceed expectations. Whether these are business goals, career goals or personal goals.”

To sign up for the event please visit: https://www.astuterecruitment.com/leigh-timmis-round-the-world-cyclist-presenting-tips-anecdotes-for-success-at-one-off-event-at-derbys-iconic-3aaa-county-ground-on-18th-october-2018/

Clive Mason/Getty Images
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton won last year’s Formula 1 British Grand Prix

The team at Astute have worked so hard in the last twelve months, so Sarah Stevenson and Mary Maguire are delighted to take Astute’s team down to Silverstone and hopefully see Lewis Hamilton work towards securing Pole Position for this weekend’s British Grand Prix.

Photos of the day to follow next week!

“Reward success in your team and your team will reward you with success”

Why Awards Can Make You Win Big Press Article Written By Mary Maguire MD Astute Recruitment Ltd

Mary Maguire, Managing Director at award-winning Chamber Member Astute Recruitment, assesses how business can improve their chances of award success – and what winning can do for your business. This article was featured in the EMC’s Business Magazine.

Let’s go back to March 2014. I was a new business owner who had tried entering awards for the first time. I wasn’t consistent. I wasn’t disciplines. I did not have a strategy or plan. However, this changed the following year when I was encouraged to re-think my approach.

Scroll forward to 2018. It has been an amazing four years with awards successes from the IoD, ICAEW and the Chamber’s own Business Awards in 2011, 2015 and 2017. At the end of 2017, we won a couple of prestigious global awards too.

Entering and winning awards has introduced the company to a bigger audience, gaining credibility and new business in the process. Our company is now more appealing to potential hire. We have achieved a record year of turnover, secured record amounts of new clients and hire two new, experienced recruitment experts into our team.

I recently talked to fellow Chamber member Owen Conti, Founder of Code 56. Owen recently won Marketing Derby’s Rising Star Business Award 2018, and I asked Owen what winning the award meant to his business in real terms.

He said: “To be recognised as the winner means experienced business professionals have heard and trusted our story. You can’t buy that kind of third party trust that this panel of business leaders have given to me and my Business.”

“People are already taking us more seriously. For example, contracts I have built up over the past year have come back with requests for how we can help develop their business strategies using the latest technology. “

“My audience reach has increased on social media which in turn has driven increased enquiries and new business. This award acted as a catalyst in inspiring confidence for other businesses to use my company, so if you have recently started your own business, entering awards is an accelerated pathway to increased awareness of your brand and what you stand for.”

The institute of Sales & Marketing Management discovered more than 70% of consumers are influenced by awards when buying products and services, so unlock this potential for your business.”

So, what are you waiting for? Enter your business for an award. You have nothing to lose and may just win a lot more than a trophy.

Four Key Steps to Successful Awards Entries

Recognise what makes your company successful.
Select the right awards to enter. Local awards recognising local businesses are the best way to start. Make sure the awards you choose have categories that play to your strengths.
Read and then answer the questions – not what you think they want to hear. Be clear, concise and passionate. Judges are not looking for the next poet laureate but love to hear your passion and enthusiasm come across.
Leave enough time. Awards take a lot of time to complete. There are often word limits and specific financial information you will need to provide from your annual accounts. This all takes Time.

Exclusive Mental Resilience In The Workplace Business Breakfast Hosted By Astute Recruitment With John Dabrowski

Astute Recruitment are delighted to announce our next exclusive quarterly business breakfast event will take place on February 15th 2018. We have managed to secure a fantastic international guest speaker, published author and business coach – John Dabrowski!

· Have you ever felt that pressure of work is getting too much?

· Do you wish you could relax more and feel less stressed?

· Are there times when you get stuck in a negative mindset?

· Could you and your team benefit from techniques to maintain a positive mindset?

· Would you and your team like to be inspired and energised at work?

If the answer to any of the above is yes…then this event is for you! You will hear from John about the key strategies to improve your own mindset and that of your team in this powerful workshop.

John has spent over 30 years in the business world, putting him in a unique position to deal with contemporary business challenges. His vast mix of experience, accomplished ability to make personal growth simple, delivered with his infectious enthusiasm and energy, has inspired audiences, and made him a most highly regarded and sought after expert in all aspects of mental resilience.

Photo of John Dabrowski
Mental Resilience Expert
International Speaker
Published Author

http://www.jdmindcoach.com/

Programme: –

7:30          Registration, complimentary tea/ coffee and           Complimentary breakfast
7:45          Introduction
7:50          John Dabrowski
8:45          Opportunity for Q & A / Networking
9:00          Close

Free car parking is available and if you have any special dietary requirements please contact Mary Maguire – [email protected]

Please let us know if the breakfast event could be of interest and one of our team can forward you a complimentary and exclusive invitation to attend with details to confirm your place. This event is strictly by invitation only and there are only a few places so ensure you don’t miss out and contact Mary Maguire, Managing Director on 01332 346 100 or by email [email protected] for more information.

Do let us know if you would be interested in hearing about other events… and if you would like to subscribe to our monthly newsletter where we will announce other events and topical career and business articles, videos and more!

Christmas Greetings from everyone at Astute!

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Mike

16:04 13 Mar 23

Highly recommended! Josh and Sarah have been fantastic at Astute. They've found and placed me in 2 jobs now between them, both really responsive and excellent at keeping you up to speed with things. Very knowledgable about the roles and happy to talk to companies with any queries you have.

C R.

10:45 27 Jan 23

Great agency one of the best ones I've worked with! Liz has been a great help and support in helping me towards a new direction in my career life. She is very attentive and keeps me in the loop at all times! She makes the extra effort to work with my preferred requirements for work and even if it isn't completely attainable she meets me in the middle and does as much as she can to help! Also Liz is very funny might I add 😂 and I'm happy that I can now put a face to the name after all these years! Thank you again Liz for all your help and support! 😊

Christine

10:32 20 Dec 22

Josh and the Astute team was very swift to help me to find roles that matched my profile. They are really reliable and will help through every step of the recruitment process going out of their way to assist and follow up when needed. Could not find a better recruitment agency!

Helen Pinegar

16:19 18 Dec 22

Fantastic recruitment agency.. Josh was extremely enthusiastic, encouraging and clearly knowledgeable about what was needed from both the employee and the employers point of view. Extremely supportive especially in regards to interview preparation and endeavoured to procure feedback promptly. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Astute in the future to both candidates and recruiting businesses particularly for the right fit for the role!!!

Lisa Leigh

11:56 30 Nov 22

I have worked as a candidate for Astute and they have been excellent. Super friendly service and professional agents keen to fit the right person to the right job. It has been a pleasure dealing with them and I would happily work for them again in the future. Highly recommend this agency.