Click ‘Read more’ in each category to view full details

Best Candidate Attraction through Social Media

Criteria

From Twitter to LinkedIn, Facebook to Instagram and beyond, social media has become a go to for recruiters to access talent.

This award recognises the most effective, innovative and forward thinking ways social media is used to attract and engage talent.

Judges will look for:

  • A carefully designed campaign to target specific talent
  • Resources invested in launching and maintaining a campaign
  • Clear results from the campaign, accessing new talent and/or delivering value to end clients

Best Client Service

Category sponsor
Criteria

This award recognises excellence in client service delivered by a UK headquartered recruitment company.

The service must have been delivered between 1st January 2023 and 31st December 2023.

Customer service is key to growing a successful recruitment business, but what does great customer service look like? What makes the client experience delivered by your business so special?

Entrants must provide evidence of:

  • Practice to ensure high customer service across the organisation
  • Evidence of innovative and unique client service delivery
  • Service delivery created to match client, industry and/or sector demand

Three client testimonials are required for this submission. Please note testimonials will need verification by the contact person stated.

Best Employer Brand

Criteria

The recruitment industry needs to attract the best talent to serve its clients. However, the sector does not always enjoy a positive image.

This award therefore recognises excellence from a recruitment business in creating an employer brand that doesn’t just attract great recruiters, but goes beyond to enhance the reputation of the sector.

The brand should encompass all parts of the business such as candidates attraction, reward and working environment. It should be exciting, innovative and effective.

Judges will look for:

  • An accurate portrayal of the company through the brand
  • Effective communication of the brand
  • Overall impact of the campaign and brand for the company and for the wider recruitment industry
  • Examples of brand use

Best Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Strategy in a Recruitment Business – sponsored by Partners&

Category sponsor
Criteria

This award recognises the best example of an effective equity, diversity and inclusion strategy operating within a recruitment business.

It is open to recruitment companies of every size and looks for an E,D & I strategy which clearly attracts and supports everyone in the workplace.

The award recognises both policy work within recruitment companies and the ability to make the initiative work practically. These initiatives are not just good for the recruitment business, but good for the wider industry as well.

Judges will be looking for:

  • A clear and well thought out E,D & I strategy which encompasses the whole experience of joining and working for the recruitment business
  • Clear initiatives which promote inclusion for everyone in the workplace, giving equal opportunities for everyone
  • Measurable outcomes of the strategy and a business which responds to ensure ongoing improvement to the way the business deals with E,D & I

Two testimonials are required for this submission. These can be from current employees with the business or from external clients. They should describe the impact of the company’s E,D & I policy on their working lives or their own business. Please note testimonials will need verification by the contact person stated.

Best In-House Training

Criteria

This award recognises in-house training services delivered by a UK headquartered recruitment business between 1st January 2023 and 31st December 2023. The training activity can be delivered by internal experts or through the engagement of external resources.

This award recognises unparalleled training and development for recruitment consultants. It is not an easy job, so how do you help your consultants, team leaders or even management survive?

Entrants must provide evidence of:

  • Training provision that moves a recruiter forward in their career and increases their effectiveness
  • Training tailored to your workforce
  • Monitoring and evaluation of training to ensure effectiveness
  • Testimonials from attendees

Two attendee testimonials are required for this submission. Please note testimonials will need verification by the contact person stated.

Best Innovation

Criteria

This award recognises an initiative which aims to enhance recruitment practice either within a company or across the industry. The initiative can have been designed, launched and/or delivered between 1st January 2023 and 31st December 2023. It must have been created by a UK headquartered company. It can be from a recruitment company or a recruitment industry supplier.

An innovation can be a stand alone product, process or service, or a significant addition to an existing product, process or service. Innovation can occur in any area of the recruitment industry, from the provision of technology, finances and back office solution to a new recruitment service for clients.

Entrants must provide evidence of:

  • Unique nature of innovation – what sets this apart from everything else
  • Impact upon the recruitment sector or process
  • Effectiveness/success of the new innovation

Two client testimonials are required for this submission. Please note testimonials will need verification by the contact person stated.

Best Large Recruitment Business: Annual turnover: £100m+

Criteria

This award recognises a recruitment business which has delivered a turnover of £100m per annum or more according to accounts posted between 1st January 2023 and 31st December 2023. The business must be UK headquartered although it can derive some of its income from overseas business.

From client service to looking after employees, from marketing to industry involvement, the best large recruitment businesses will demonstrate a strong all-round performance and deliver a positive impact for everyone with whom it works.

Entrants must provide evidence of:

  • Great customer service and candidate experience
  • Involvement with and understanding of the community they serve
  • Clear quantifiable billing success and a great approach to supporting internal talent
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Social media and website use

Two client testimonials are required for this submission. Please note testimonials will need verification by the contact person stated.

Best Marketing Campaign

Criteria

This award recognises a marketing campaign delivered within the recruitment sector between 1st January 2023 and 31st December 2023. It can come from a recruitment business or supplier or other company or organisation targeting recruitment or the recruitment sector.

This award recognises excellent marketing campaigns within the industry. Campaigns can be designed to capture either the attention of candidates, clients, consultants or recruitment businesses. They can be run by recruiters or by industry suppliers.

Entrants must provide evidence of:

  • Originality of marketing strategy
  • Clear targeting of campaign to reach desired audience
  • Impact and success of marketing campaign

Best Medium Recruitment Business: Annual turnover: £20m – £100m

Criteria

This award recognises a recruitment business which has delivered a turnover between £20m and £100m per annum according to accounts posted between 1st January 2023 and 31st December 2023. The business must be UK headquartered although it can derive some of its income from overseas business.

From client service to looking after employees, from marketing to industry involvement, the best medium recruitment businesses will demonstrate a strong all-round performance and deliver a positive impact for everyone with whom it works.

Entrants must provide evidence of:

  • Great customer service and candidate experience
  • Involvement with and understanding of the community they serve
  • Clear quantifiable billing success and a great approach to supporting internal talent
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Social media and website use

Two client testimonials are required for this submission. Please note testimonials will need verification by the contact person stated.

Best Newcomer: Businesses between 1 – 3 years old – sponsored by WeDo Recruitment Finance

Category sponsor
Criteria

This award recognises a recruitment business which started trading in the three years up to 31st December 2023 and has posted at least one year’s account. The business must be UK headquartered although it can derive some of its income from overseas business.

From client service to looking after employees, from marketing to industry involvement, the best newcomer will demonstrate a strong all-round performance and deliver a positive impact for everyone with whom it works.

Entrants must provide evidence of:

  • Great customer service and candidate experience
  • Involvement with and understanding of the community they serve
  • Clear quantifiable billing success and a great approach to supporting internal talent

Two client testimonials are required for this submission. Please note testimonials will need verification by the contact person stated.

Best Permanent Consultant

Criteria

This award recognises the best individual performance of a permanent recruitment consultant based in the UK. The performance must have been delivered between 1st January 2023 and 31st December 2023.

Being the best means more than just big billing. A good permanent recruiter is one who fully understands their sector, their end users’ requirements, and the demands of their candidates. They are always ready to respond and go the extra mile to deliver a quality service. They also provide a leading example within their own business.

Entrants must provide evidence of:

  • Individual billing record
  • Candidate and client service
  • Evidence of taking a leading role with their company and industry
  • Client / candidate testimonials

Two client and two candidate testimonials are required for this submission. Please note testimonials will need verification by the contact person stated.

Best Recruitment Process Outsourcing Business – sponsored by Giant Global

Category sponsor
Criteria

Outsourcing recruitment can involve different models, but always requires a special relationship between recruiter and client. This award recognises value adding relationships which enable clients to gain the best talent in the most effective and efficient way.

Judges will look for:

  • The creation of a great relationship between recruiter and client
  • Efficient processes to ensure seamless recruitment and on-boarding
  • Overall impact of RPO in terms of supplying required talent

Entries must include testimonials from clients detailing the value they had received from the Recruitment Process Outsourcing.

Two client testimonials are required for this submission. Please note testimonials will need verification by the contact person stated.

Best Small Recruitment Business: Annual turnover: up to £20m – sponsored by HIVE360

Category sponsor
Criteria

This award recognises a recruitment business which has delivered a turnover below £20m per annum according to accounts posted between 1st January 2023 and 31st December 2023. The business must be UK headquartered although it can derive some of its income from overseas business.

From client service to looking after employees, from marketing to industry involvement, the best small recruitment businesses will demonstrate a strong all-round performance and deliver a positive impact for everyone with whom it works.

Entrants must provide evidence of:

  • Great customer service and candidate experience
  • Involvement with and understanding of the community they serve
  • Clear quantifiable billing success and a great approach to supporting internal talent
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Social media and website use

Two client testimonials are required for this submission. Please note testimonials will need verification by the contact person stated.

Best Specialist Recruitment Business

Criteria

This award is open to recruitment businesses of any size based on their performance between 1st January 2023 and 31st December 2023. The business must be UK headquartered although it can derive some of its income from overseas business.

This business doesn’t just know about their sector, they are truly part of it. As a specialist or niche recruiter your knowledge of the vertical you serve goes beyond the superficial.

Entrants must provide evidence of:

  • Great customer service and candidate experience
  • Involvement with and understanding of the community they serve
  • Clear quantifiable billing success and a great approach to supporting internal talent
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Social media and website use

Two client testimonials are required for this submission. Please note testimonials will need verification by the contact person stated.

Best Start-Up Agency: Business under 1 year old – sponsored by Magic Umbrella

Category sponsor
Criteria

The recruitment industry is entrepreneurial and the past couple of years have seen a record number of new recruitment companies registered at companies house. This award recognises the hard work, determination and inspiration required to create a fantastic new start-up recruitment business.

Only new recruitment companies established in the year 2023 can enter.

Entrants must provide evidence of:

  • Innovative and inspiring thinking for a recruitment company: A company that does things differently, and aims to deliver exceptional service
  • Impressive progress in the first year: this can be financial but may also be brand awareness, number of clients/candidates, growth of company
  • A sustainable business model which will deliver into the future. This could mean creating ongoing relationships with clients and candidates, implementing effective and clear processes, developing internal talent to push the business forward.

Two client testimonials are required for this submission. Please note testimonials will need verification by the contact person stated.

Best Temporary Consultant – sponsored by Simplicity

Category sponsor
Criteria

This award recognises the best individual performance of a temporary recruitment consultant based in the UK. The performance must have been delivered between 1st January 2023 and 31st December 2023.

Being the best means more than just big billing. A good temp recruiter is one who fully understands their sector, their end users’ requirements, and the demands of their candidates. They are always ready to respond and go the extra mile to deliver a quality service. They also provide a leading example within their own business.

Entrants must provide evidence of:

  • Individual billing record
  • Candidate and client service
  • Evidence of taking a leading role with their company and industry
  • Client / candidate testimonials

Two client and two candidate testimonials are required for this submission. Please note testimonials will need verification by the contact person stated.

Best UK Overseas Operation – sponsored by Workwell Global

Category sponsor
Criteria

This Award recognises an excellent overseas service provided by a UK headquartered recruitment company during the period 1st January 2023 – 31st December 2023. The service can be delivered through a subsidiary office stationed overseas or through the overseas placing of candidates by a UK office. This category is open to recruiters of any size.

In an increasingly global market, this award recognises excellence in extending a strong recruitment service.

Entrants must provide evidence of:

  • Involvement with and understanding of destination country
  • Great customer service and candidate experience
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Innovative approaches to connecting with candidates and clients

Two client testimonials are required for this submission. Please note testimonials will need verification by the contact person stated.

2024 WINNERS

“I was truly humbled just to be nominated for this award but to win is beyond my wildest dreams! I’m so proud to be recognised for our approach to candidate care and I’d like to say a massive thank you to all my hard-working team as I genuinely couldn’t have won this award without them. I’m on cloud 9!” – Richard Shorrock, Spencer Clarke Group