Meeting Managing Director Andrew Mackay at the Coleman James office in Hoults Yard, Newcastle, is a refreshing experience. You get a great feeling when you walk through the door – the atmosphere it’s modern, warm, friendly and welcoming, much like Andrew.
But let’s start with some background.
In 2016, Andrew decided to take the knowledge and experience he’d gained over a decade-plus in the recruitment game, specialising in the built environment sector, and do things his way.
Frustrated by the constraints of the corporate recruitment machine, he believed there was a better way to operate. He had a vision to change the game – to forge his business on a set of personal values that would define not only the people who work at Coleman James, but the way they operate.
It was a bold move for the then 32-year-old entrepreneur, who at the same time also became a first-time dad. The name is an amalgamation of his grandmother’s maiden name, Coleman, and his middle name, James. It’s a neat touch and a nod of recognition that behind him is a very supportive family.
The core values of integrity, long term relationships, excellence and specialist knowledge are woven into the Coleman James DNA and embody Andrew and his team of experts. The approach has resonated with clients across the UK during their four short years in business, and the rewards have been significant.
“Unfortunately for my profession, recruitment has a bad reputation. It’s not all deserved – there are some exceptional recruiters out there – but some of it is historic and justified. Many
larger firms play the numbers game. They employ inexperienced staff, fail to invest in their development, and work on a high volumes sales strategy – screening lots of low grade candidates and hoping something sticks.
“In my experience, this rarely works. At Coleman James, we need to understand your company culture and the skills and values you are looking for in your candidates. Only then can we seek the right person for your company. We know that our clients will invest significant time and resource, not only in finding the next recruit, but developing them. So, we need to get it right. It’s about the long term strategy, building partnerships with our customers, who come to trust us at all levels.”
To make the right connections, build those long term customer relationships and find the right candidates takes experience. When Andy recruited his growing team of 14, he was looking for specialist expertise, a set of knowledgeable individuals who understand the built environment sector – from construction to architecture to building services and facilities management.
The average age of the Coleman James workforce is around 35, because if you are going to live your values – and knowledge is one of them – you have to have experience.
Andy continues; “When I set up, I needed people who could hit the ground running. Our team have been operating at the highest level for many years. They know and understand the industry and
their customers. They are highly successful at forming partnerships with businesses and building trust and credibility.”
Since 2016 Coleman James has gone from strength-to-strength. Earlier in the year they won Small Business of the Year at the North East Business Awards, as well as scooping a runner up prize in the Service Award category.
The business now has a national footprint and a burgeoning client book, with 40 per cent of customers operating outside of the North East region. There are plans to open new offices in key locations and in early 2020 the firm will move into the rail and engineering sector. With the advent of HS2 and new rail projects, Andrew has identified an opportunity to apply his boutique approach to recruitment to the sector.
This will include the appointment of experienced new team members, with in-depth knowledge of the sector. They will quickly set to work, identifying and supporting high quality candidates
that meet the aspirations of the organisations Coleman James works with. New customers can expect the personal and attentive service Coleman James has built its reputation on to date.
Andrew concludes; “We’ve come a long way in four short years, but this is just the beginning. If we continue to stay true to our values and build our reputation on integrity, knowledge, relationships and excellence, I know we will continue to grow our business and our team in the right way – and importantly continue to deliver for our customers and our candidates. The
future looks very bright.”
