Working as part of the recruitment and capacity team for RMS, Ashley and the team build and nurture strong relationships with our field employees to create relationships built on trust, honesty and knowledge. With a large team across the UK and Ireland at RMS, it is important that all individuals fit in with the core values of the business whilst representing the company out in stores.
What does your usual working day at RMS look like?
My usual working day starts with prioritising the jobs for the day ahead, reviewing any jobs that need immediate attention and dealing with them first thing in the morning. I will then catch up with the Account Managers and other departments to assist with any HR requirements and to understand where we are needing to recruit for any future projects. The focus then will be reviewing applications and contacting potential candidates that have come through the website and Indeed.
What made you choose to work at RMS?
After working for a large organisation where the structure was very rigid and there was no real sense of achievement, I decided it was time to look for something different. RMS being a family run business makes the job feel much more purposeful to me. The goals and visions of the company are what drew me to it as I find I am working toward my own goals and at the same time striving for the overall goals of the business.
What's your favourite part about the role?
The main achievement is making a real difference in people's lives by giving them the opportunity to work in a job where they thrive and enjoy the work. It’s also nice to build relationships with candidates and speak to a wide range of different people.
What's the most challenging part of the role?
Like with any job there are challenges. Managing the recruitment of lots of different people and personalities can be difficult because everyone responds differently and has different ways of working. The thing I have found helps with this challenge is effective communication, tailored for the individual based on their preferences and remaining open and honest to make sure candidates are the right fit for the job, as well as the job being the right fit for them.
Is there anything you’ve changed about the recruitment process?
The recruitment process has improved a lot over the last few months and we are continuously improving the process to make it an easy and stress free journey for our candidates. This includes making sure they have all the information they need before starting and making sure they have a point of contact if they have any questions or concerns about our processes.
What skills do you look for in candidates?
Being a unique business with vast opportunities for training, the skills of our candidates isn't a main factor for the hiring process. We look for people with the right attitude, aspirations and culture to come in and join the RMS family. If they are wanting to grow and develop their skills we are able to offer them different training and qualifications for them to progress within the company.
What methods do you use to attract people to RMS?
Brand exposure is an important factor for us which is mainly done through our social media platforms. The Marketing department builds brand awareness through advertising our current jobs through social media channels, primarily Facebook, we also advertise through Indeed. It is then up to us in recruitment to make sure candidates have a good impression from the offset when they apply. Being their first point of contact, we need to make sure we are getting back to candidates promptly on their applications.
What staff benefits are in place?
We have several staff benefits which include benefit schemes such as my staff shop which offers a range of services and discounts exclusive to its members. We also offer Hastee Pay which is a financial wellbeing platform that allows employees to access money they've earned before they’ve been paid.
Our feedback system is another way of showing our appreciation for our employees. When we receive good feedback about our employees, we make sure to pay the thanks on to the individuals with open feedback and monthly reward incentives. This ensures our employees know their hard work doesn’t go unnoticed.
What training do you have in place?
When employees join us at RMS we make sure they have all the basic knowledge they need to begin working with us. We also ensure on the job training is put in place so employees feel confident and successful in their role.
Further training and development is available to our employees on an ongoing basis. We are always looking to identify where our employees want extra training to upskill and grow within the company.
The recruitment team are key to a successful operation here at RMS and whilst the team work really hard to recruit new talent for future projects, one of their main focuses is on supporting and engaging with our existing members of staff because we have some incredibly skilled and experienced members of the RMS family.
If you are interested in becoming a part of the RMS family please find the following link to our jobs page here: https://www.rms.uk.com/flexible-jobs
Ashley Swift
Recruitment Manager
