We posted our ‘2023 wrapped' on LinkedIn earlier in January, and it sparked lots of conversations about the best processes, recruitment etc, so what better topic to write my thoughts about?
Job Titles:
Our top job titles were Farm Manager, Junior Agronomist, Grower Supervisor, Grower and Trials Officer.
After doing this for 5 years, I believe the reason this is the top job title is they’re standard, well-known job titles. It’s great for a candidate or a client to have a unique job title, however when people are looking on job boards or for their next challenge, unique job titles don’t come up in job or CV searches. Keep it simple, they still work.
Top Locations:
Lincolnshire, Kent, and Cambridgeshire are a hub for business in the horticulture and agriculture industry, so I’m not surprised these were our top locations. Herefordshire, West Sussex, and Lancashire came close though! We also placed from Devon to Dundee last year, so whilst we have areas that are busier, our candidate reach is far and wide. We work to find the right fit for candidate and client regardless of location, and we do a good job at that.
Number of Jobs we advertised externally:
People might think that 64% of roles advertised externally is low, but the result is as I would have expected. We work on so many roles that are new, confidential, or can’t be advertised for other reasons, which is why we work so hard to keep in touch with our candidates and the more ‘passive’ market. There is so much opportunity people can miss if they’re just looking online!
Salaries and Job Title Range:
Our salaries range in 2023 were from £22,500 to £140,000, but this is in line with our job titles ranging from Trainee Grower to Director of Growing in Horticulture, and Trainee Agronomist to Director of Farming in Agriculture.
Having the breadth of working from graduate level to director level means that our reach is even bigger, and no two days are the same!
Retention:
96% of people who our team placed in 2023 are still thriving in their new roles. Some have even got promotions! There’s always a risk when employing someone new/working for a new business. It could be training, the role not being quite right, culture, personal circumstances and more. I’m proud of the team to say we’re managing the process for everyone involved with all the information and knowledge we have, to keep that percentage high.
Team Expansion:
In the video, we said that our team expanded from 2 to 3, but that’s actually now four people! Alongside myself, Alice, and Hannah, we’re also excited to have Kieran Duncan-Johal on board to support in the desk. We’re getting so much busier, I’m sure we’ll welcome a new face or two soon.
Overall:
2023 was a good year. Lots of trade shows, phone calls, meetings, video calls and placements, which has paid off for so many people.
2024 has kicked off stronger than ever, and I’m excited to see what we can achieve this year!
