Recruitment reflections

With experienced candidates holding the trump cards in today’s logistics recruitment market, A&S Recruitment’s Amanda Harrold shares her thoughts on the current state of play.

 “Employers are always keen to retain experienced staff, and the logistics sector is no different. However, the volume of available vacancies across all sectors of the industry – from import clerks to traffic planners – makes it very attractive for staff to see if the grass is greener elsewhere. 

 “A far from an ideal situation, business owners are understandably not always able to offer an uplift in salary and therefore have to be more creative in the packages they bring to the table. Post-Covid, the ability to continue to work remotely (albeit for part of the week) is proving extremely attractive. Whilst this working pattern isn’t possible for all roles, it can often be the inducement required to keep people in the post. Other incentives we’ve seen recently include increased holiday entitlement and flexible working hours.”

 With most employers insisting on a level of experience from prospective candidates, Amanda believes there is a growing appreciation across the sector that it hasn’t always been the most proactive regarding succession planning and thinking about the bigger picture.

 Amanda explains: “We regularly hear from companies that they’re too busy to train new and enthusiastic youngsters keen to work in the industry. However, the recent skills shortages across the entire logistics industry –  and not just the availability of HGV drivers  –  and their reporting in the media have encouraged some employers to be more receptive to taking on trainees. Most definitely a step in the right direction, we urge all employers to seriously consider embracing a trainee pathway. The benefits this route can provide long term are huge, not only to the company but to the industry per se.”

 Always at its busiest at the start of a new year, Amanda adds: “January 2023 looks like it will be off the scale with people getting in touch and keen to find a new position.

 “Many will have been waiting to collect their Christmas bonus before making contact, whilst others may be dissatisfied with the outcome of their annual pay review. But, if you’re thinking about making a career change, the Christmas break is a perfect time to invest a couple of hours fine-tuning your CV to ensure you’re ready to stand out from the crowd in January.”