Welcome back to our regular blog series, where we have a chat with our team members to get the inside info on their role and time at Scantec. This time we caught up with Managing Director, Peter Bates to find out about his start in recruitment, Scantec’s history and growth, and his top lessons from leading a business.
Hi, Peter! To start off, take us back to the beginning of your career. How did you get into recruitment?
It was actually my brother - one of the four! - who introduced me to recruitment. His workplace was having problems with a very basic recruitment database. At the time, I happened to be looking for a new job, and was really interested in computers and technology.
My brother put me in touch and I started work coding and managing the database. Very quickly, it was a case of if the phone was ringing I would answer it and within the first month I’d progressed to a role in recruitment for the technical engineering market. After 2 years, I joined a different business, where I met my current business partner John. After a couple of years we were keen on setting up our own business.
As they say - the rest is history. In 1990, we started Scantec working contract roles in a small office with two desks, two phones and a phonebook - back then, our most expensive piece of equipment was our fax machine!
We really built from the ground up - between us, we’d cover anything that needed to be done whether it was speaking to candidates or driving out to go and collect cheques for credit control.
What were the biggest lessons from the first decade in business?
Some of the biggest lessons came from starting the business. We weren’t planning to grow massively at the beginning, we essentially started Scantec to provide jobs for ourselves. Looking back, we should have made the leap and recruited people sooner. Initially, we only recruited people who were actively looking for a job, and we didn’t employ anyone in finance until 4 years in. Now I think we should have made these key hires sooner to enable growth quicker.
One of the highlights was learning how to work in such close partnership with another person. In the beginning, when it was myself and John, we found real synergy with how we worked together. John was an expert salesman, whereas I was very much focused on the operational ‘processes’ side of the business. We couldn’t have one skill set without the other, so we worked really well together.
It sounds like a great start - what did the business look like in the 2000s?
We really built up the business in the early 2000s - we had our best year in 2007, then the financial crash came shortly after which meant our activity slowed down. By 2010, the structure of the team and the people in the business changed, and in retrospect we should have looked to resolve issues faster after 2008 to take advantage of the uptick that came around 2012.
However, this meant that we were better prepared to face challenges during and after COVID. Andrea, our current Ops Director came onboard before 2020, which helped us to get back to the basics of what we do, which got us to a better place as a business during 2020 and beyond.
Now, the fundamentals of our business are always front of mind. Efficiency is key for us, especially in our processes and operations. Rather than focus on how many opportunities we can fill, our key KPI is actually the fill rate. We always look at whether we’re actually able to fill the jobs we work before commencing a project with a client, which means our processes are slick and reliable.
What do you think are the greatest opportunities now for someone looking for a career in recruitment?
Definitely the opportunity to choose the sector as a career choice - recruitment is more established now than ever before. If you’ve got the right mindset, it’s a lucrative career.
Overall, recruitment is the best and the worst job you’ll ever have. This is a great job if you want to be in control - your success is ultimately determined by your mindset, outlook and drive. You have to be quite entrepreneurial to be successful in recruitment - too many people treat it as a process to follow, but it’s more than that. It’s not just ticking a box, it’s about building relationships, and matching great companies with fantastic people.
People do business with people - you’ll never get away from that need for human interaction. I always say to the team here that all CRM systems have is a better memory than them - whilst the technology certainly helps, it doesn’t fill the job. It’s people that make it happen.
What would you say to someone looking to come and work at Scantec?
Respect and enabling people to succeed is integral to the team here at Scantec. We don’t micromanage, we treat people with respect, and we give you the environment and the tools you need to thrive - all we expect in return is the same commitment, drive and dedication.
20 years ago, our staff were free to leave the office for children’s sports days or necessary appointments - we always have trust in each other and that will never change. A career with Scantec is what you make of it - you’re in control of your own prospects here. We’re in it for the long-term, and our team members are too.
How do you think the business and the industry has changed since you first started?
For us, growing our permanent division has been key. Historically, we always worked contract roles, with a smaller focus on permanent roles, but once we brought people in to oversee those roles, we saw a huge difference.
Even before COVID and lockdowns, finding skilled people in ‘white-collar’ markets was always difficult, but the way in which we reach them has changed. There are so many different tools and great platforms that we use daily - still, it comes down to building the relationships, being consultative and advising clients on their needs and challenges. A key message we send to our clients is that we work with you - it’s always a partnership when you work with Scantec.
Finally, what’s on the horizon for Scantec?
Growing the business is always top of mind for us. Even we struggle to find great talent for ourselves. We’re confident in the fantastic service we provide, so now all we need is to reach the right people.
At Scantec, you’ll be treated as a professional and supported for success. There’s a lot of opportunity for the right people - there's always a job for them here at Scantec.
Find out how to achieve your dream career at Scantec
Here at Scantec, we are passionate about finding and developing the best talent for our business. If you’re new to recruitment or an experienced recruiter and want to learn about building a career with us, we want to hear from you. Find out more at www.scantec.co.uk/cm/work-for-us or contact Andrea Davison at andread@scantec.co.uk.
