Corporate social responsibility statement
As a recruitment consultancy, CBSbutler provides a service rather than manufacturing a product which means that happily our impact on the environment is relatively small. However we recognise the case for businesses to contribute to sustainable development goals and understand the benefits of reducing the consumption of natural resources. Consequently, we make extensive use of recycling initiatives for paper, plastic, cans, glass, printer cartridges and mobile phones. Employees are also encouraged to power down PCs when not in use.
As a professional organisation in the recruitment sector, we consider it our responsibility to make a positive contribution to society. We support the local school’s fete on an annual basis through sponsorship. We also support the Rainbow Trust, a local children’s charity. We use our marketing initiatives to support this – for example to encourage clients to respond to our market research surveys we donate £10 for every questionnaire received.
Diversity policy
At CBSbutler we understand that sourcing talent from the widest possible talent pool makes both moral and business sense. We use traditionally effective sources of accessing a diverse pool of candidates, such as advertising in key journals and on leading web portals, direct marketing and networking
CBSbutler’s interview and selection processes are competency based. Consultants are trained to look at an individual’s qualifications, technical and interpersonal skills, goals and ambitions. Issues such as creed, colour and gender are regarded as completely superfluous considerations. Consequently recruitment and selection decisions are based solely on objective criteria ensuring that individuals are selected and treated on an equal basis.
We embrace the concept of diversity in our own staffing polices. While individuals are always recruited on the basis of ability and commitment we have successfully developed a diverse workforce in terms of background , gender, nationality and ethnic background at al levels.
A day in the life of a recruitment consultant
John Brown, Recruitment Consultant
"Where perhaps a decade ago, recruitment consultancy was something that people ‘fell’ into, the sector has evolved so much that today, it is a professional career option for many graduates. The UK recruitment industry is the largest in Europe, worth an estimated £24 billion and in a climate where skills shortages are still dominating the business landscape; employers need specialist help more than ever before. And that’s where a recruitment consultant comes in.
In a nutshell, my job involves matching job seekers (candidates) to vacancies with employers (clients) for a fee paid by the client. But there’s much more to it than that - it is a very consultative environment where attributes such as sales ability, people skills, problem solving and customer service are absolutely key. Today’s clients and candidates are looking for consultancies who can become trusted advisers - not just matchmakers!
I can’t really describe a typical day as the role is so diverse - and that’s what I love about it. One day I could be looking for a rocket scientist with a PhD and the next I could be searching for a qualified medical engineer to support front line forces in war zones. It's all about finding the person with the right skills which can be a great challenge. I also have to deal with a vast spectrum of clients and candidates which makes the job really interesting. Regardless of the state of the British economy, engineers are in high demand and our clients are always commenting on there being a lack of good quality candidates.
Some days I’ll be out of the office meeting and advising clients on their recruitment strategies. This involves getting to know their business, their culture and their needs and building relationships in order to better service their requirements. An enquiring and probing mind is essential - as is the ability to be able to liaise at all levels of management.
A lot of my time is spent on the telephone and I’ll meet and interview candidates not only to ascertain their suitability for a role, but also to give objective career advice. I also have to write copy for recruitment advertisements, keep the recruitment database updated and manage issues such as the taking up of references.
I joined the company shortly after graduating as a trainee consultant and had both a formal induction programme and mentoring from a more senior colleague. As I had no previous experience of recruitment, the 20 module training course was excellent for me as that really got me started. It's broken up into manageable chunks - and then you get the chance to put what you've learned into practice. My training was very much one to one which worked really well for me as I was able to go at my own pace and then this was backed up by refresher and feedback sessions. And it shouldn’t stop there - the best recruitment consultancies to join are those that believe in an ongoing investment in training. At our organisation I’ve been lucky enough to be selected for leadership and talent management programme to address succession planning - and you have to earn your place! There is a set of criteria which staff must meet in order to be accepted on the programme linked to performance and behaviours. Sometimes I’ll be deployed at client sites so that I can gain an in depth understanding of customer requirements. At other times I may be attending client specific training programmes to ensure an expert understanding of technologies and work processes. And from time to time I’ll attend briefing sessions given by industry specialists.
It is important to appreciate that recruitment consultancy is a sales role and so the culture is commercially driven and can be pressured. But in my role, as well as being rewarded for the achievement of sales targets, I am also rewarded on competencies such as problem solving, teamwork, customer service and organisational skills. It’s a true meritocracy – an individual’s progression is limited only by their own performance and ambition. The company offers eight grades each with its own specific promotion criteria as well as five clear career paths designed to offer variety and to meet individual preferences.
Commission schemes vary from company to company but on target earnings at the end of your first year should be around £30k which will accelerate as your career develops.
A career in recruitment won’t suit everyone. It can be highly pressured and sometimes the hours can be unsociable - particularly if you need to interview candidates out of hours. However it has given me early responsibility, high earnings potential - and the satisfaction of helping to shape peoples careers - and in my book you can’t get better than that!"
Looking after our people
Family friendly & flexible working
We promote flexible working arrangements for those individuals who require either a part-time or reduced working hours as a result of family commitments. In addition, we have a number of ‘home-workers’ who use a remote access facility.
“I came back from maternity leave a year ago on a part-time basis so I can still dedicate lots of time to my family – I now work 2 and a half days a week. I do the half day from home which is great as it saves me from commuting into the office just for a few hours. My colleagues are really helpful as they’ll deal with things for me when I’m not around.”
Becky Stebbings - Resourcer
“I work part-time, 9 – 1 every day, so I can still take my children to school and pick them up. CBSbutler have been brilliant – when I returned from maternity leave I sat down with my manager and we agreed the best hours for me, which have been perfect.”
Laura Johnson - Administrator
For loyal, long serving staff we have a sabbatical scheme to enable staff to take extended time off to pursue their interests or take a career break. For example, one of our account managers is currently on a 6 month round the world trip, our BDM recently returned from a car rally around India.
Attractive social/recreation offerings
All staff enjoy a free on-site gym facility with professional grade equipment. Free, secure car parking for all staff on the premises. Spacious relaxation/lounge areas with digital TV, and well equipped cafeteria/dining areas.
Uniquely, there are two acres of grassed playing area /lawns at the H.O. which includes a picnic area and riverside seating – this provides for fantastic teambuilding events such as regular family fun days, BBQ’s, team sports.
In addition, various social events are held throughout the year, e.g. horse racing events, fireworks party and a luxury themed Christmas party.
Sponsorship & support for staff development
All staff are actively encouraged to pursue further professional or academic studies and qualifications, e.g. NVQ, IOD, REC, SIMA, CIPD. The company covers all costs associated with the courses and provide time off to attend. In addition, staff wishing to pursue non-business related studies are also given flexible finishing times, e.g. two staff are completing nutritional therapy courses.
“My formal business training was somewhat sketchy so I was overjoyed when the company sponsored me to undertake the IOD diploma in company directorship. It was a fair commitment from all parties – having spent 16 days in classroom training over 6 months…. it really made a difference to my confidence and competence.”
David Leyshon, Managing Director
Training
We believe it’s important to invest in developing our staff. Some of our training practices include:
* A thorough four month induction with a formal buddy programme
* One to one coaching and refresher training for experienced staff
* Leadership programme for aspiring managers
* A good boss programme
* Executive management coaching
* Industry specific training
David Leyshon
After completing a science degree and Masters degree in Satellite Remote Sensing, David moved into the recruitment sector. He joined Butler international, a large US owned technical recruitment firm in 1993. After becoming Managing Director in 1997 he secured a management buy out of the company and a few years later acquired CBS appointments, a long standing player in the defence, aerospace and electronics markets, marking the beginning of CBSbutler.Our latest articles
- Creating a coaching culture at CBSbutler. Focus on talent 09/08/2010
- Where does the term psychometric come from and what does it mean? 24/11/2009
- The three Rs: recruitment, retention, release 24/11/2009
- How to cope with redundancy and remain positive 24/11/2009
- Performance management and measurement - it’s not all about numbers 16/10/2009