For many SME owners, using a recruitment agency feels a bit like going to a new hairdresser. You know it could be great, but you are not quite sure what you are walking into.
Will they actually listen?
Will they send 50 random CVs?
Will you be passed from person to person until nobody remembers your name?
Not here. Let us pull back the curtain and show you exactly what happens when you brief Proactive Recruitment.
Step 1: The conversation (not a form)
It starts with a call or meeting with Gemma. No call centre, no junior consultant reading from a script.
We talk about the role, of course, but also about you: how your business works, what your team is like, what has worked (and not worked) with past hires, and what success looks like six months from now.
This is the part most people skip. It is also the part that makes everything else work.
Step 2: The brief, in plain language
We turn that conversation into a clear brief: the must-haves, the nice-to-haves, the salary range and the timeline. If anything is unclear or unrealistic (“senior experience on a junior salary” is a classic), we will tell you honestly, before the search starts.
Step 3: The search
Now we go looking. That means advertising the role where the right people will see it, and also reaching out to candidates who are not actively job hunting but would consider the right move.
The best managers are often happily employed. Finding them takes more than posting an ad and hoping.
Step 4: The screening (where the magic happens)
This is where we save you the most time. Every candidate is checked against your brief: experience, skills, salary expectations, notice period and, just as importantly, how they are likely to fit with your team and the pace of your business.
Most applicants never make it past this stage. That is the point.
Step 5: Your shortlist
You receive a short, considered shortlist with our notes on each candidate: why we think they could work, and anything you should explore in the interview.
Fewer CVs. Better people.
Step 6: Interviews and decision
We arrange the interviews around your diary, share feedback both ways, and help you compare candidates fairly.
When you are ready to make an offer, we help with the conversation about salary, start dates and counter-offers.
Step 7: After the handshake
Our job does not end when the contract is signed. We stay in touch with you and your new hire through the first weeks to make sure everyone is settling in well.
Why it works for SMEs
• You deal with one person who knows your business.
• You spend your time on the best candidates, not the whole pile.
• We are honest about salaries, timing and the market, even when it is not what you hoped to hear.
• We are built for small businesses, with their flat structures, fast decisions and tight budgets.
Your first step is the easiest one. Book a free Hiring Health Check. It is a relaxed, 30-minute conversation about your next hire. No obligation, no hard sell, just honest advice.
