Retained assignments

This process begins with the client brief the Andrew Farr Associates consultancy team (either over the telephone or we will come to visit you in a convenient location) who will then submit a comprehensive proposal. This document will detail all facets of the method which we will use to ensure we get you the right person. The proposal may include advertising (direct mail, national publication or online) solutions or detail a specific search and selection methodology.

Clients who use this retained assignment approach for three reasons. Primarily the success of a retained assignment is significantly and comparably (with the other sourcing methods) high. Furthermore the exclusive nature of the agreement means that the client can expect additional work and investment by the consultant to ensure a successful conclusion. Finally a retained assignment gives the client flexibility in the way they pay for the recruitment, as a portion of the fee is normally paid upon acceptance of the proposal, a second payment on presentation of a short list and the final instalment on the completion of the assignment (where the client makes an offer). Payment schedules are agreed as part of the proposal and the client has lots of flexibility in the way they set this up so that it works for their business.

Retained assignments make up a significant part of our business. Clients use retained assignments when they are recruiting senior positions, roles with strategic importance, internally sensitive roles, or positions where a degree of speciality or uniqueness is needed.

Database search

This is where our trained consultants match your requirements with those candidates registered to our company database.

Andrew Farr Associates has a networked database which holds comprehensive information on candidates we can match to clients’ requirements. The nature of the database means that all registered candidates (whether active job seekers or those who are wanting to be kept up to date with opportunities) are equally accessible and searchable on the basis of skills and experience.

Database integrity is incredibly important to us, therefore our continual and award winning tri-media approach to marketing ensures that candidates are regularly added to the database each week. We also ensure that those people registered with us are kept updated.

Historically, there is a net addition to the database of approximately 500 candidates per month.

Search or Headhunting

Clients who use this method primarily want assurance that there is both a moral and scientific methodology behind our approach to identifying potential talent (whether we generate the list of target candidates ourselves, have it supplied by our clients or generate it through a mixture of the two). We will then approach individuals in a non-aggressive way in order to ascertain their interest in the role. We are well aware that clients are sometimes concerned about how this approach reflects upon them in the market. This is perfectly understandable, but we are experienced in this area and understand your concerns, For example we will only ever release the details of our client once the candidate has submitted a CV to us and had their skills profile matched with the client’s specifications. We will then discuss the candidate with you and once you agree that there is a potential fit will we go back to the candidate to tell them who the client is. By this time candidates have normally bought into the consultant and so 95% of candidates will ask to be formally submitted.

Clients should note however that as an ethical consultancy we will not headhunt from clients with whom we work with. We will discuss this in advance with you and if we ever felt that our relationships were too prohibitive to make a success of the assignment, we would recommend alternative methods.

Advertising

Advertising is an integral part of our sourcing options to clients. Clients can both influence and personalise this element of the recruitment exercise to enhance our already strong market position. Employer branding advice is also a value added part of our service under this option.

Our sophisticated bi-media approach to advertising ensures that we are in a position to access over 90% of active job seekers at any one time:

Online: Our commercial jobs are advertised on our own website – www.andrewfarr.com and we receive in excess of 2000 applications from this portal.

To supplement this we also advertise on the leading jobs websites in the UK which means your vacancies receive an audience in excess of 50,000

Our own website also has the option to have employers and jobs of the month/week. As a guide this can work for any number and size of client, for example some participants have included Argos, Homebase, Vodafone and Torex


Third-party Databases: We have access to over 3 million UK CV’s through our partner third-party databases


Media Advertising: We have a dedicated advertising agency which ensures we target the right national, trade and regional press at key times. This is an important dimension to our service, as it raises the brand awareness to optimise registrations, but also encourages applications to specific jobs. We regularly advertise locally and nationally.

We are also experienced in running co-branded client advertising campaigns across all print media on behalf of clients across the UK to generate both volume response and where a specific skill may be required.

We find that the power of two brands can improve the level of response considerably. As a guide, all industry sectors and company sizes can utilise this method through Andrew Farr Associates. For example the following have all had client branded adverts in national/local/trade publications: Vodafone, Lee Cooper, the Frank Thomas Group, BDO Stoy Hayward and IHG.

Our marketing department and advertising agency can ensure that the right publication is selected for both its cost, readership profile and branding opportunities.

Referrals: A large number of our candidates are recommended to us, which is testament to our customer satisfaction levels. Our recommendation rate is higher than the industry average, and we reward any candidate who recommends someone who we later place.

Our award wining marketing department has access to a leading advertising and design creative agency.

Direct Mail: we can mailshot through our own database or via one of the accountancy institutes (or their respective media partners):

AAT
ACCA
CIMA
CIPFA
ICAEW
ICAS

Once again we are also experienced in running co-branded client advertising campaigns across all direct mail on behalf of clients and find that the power of two brands can improve the level of response considerably.

Vodafone and SAB Miller are two companies who have taken this option.


As a consultancy who likes to be open and honest with clients and those who are thinking of accessing our service, we are happy for you contact our in-house marketing department to discuss attraction techniques, success rates and bespoke solutions. To contact our award winning Marketing Team please e-mail marketing@andrewfarr.com

Personality Profiling (Psychometric Testing)

Clients who choose to purchase this element of our service do so for a number of reasons:

1) All candidates are assessed equally and purely on their personality traits, thus eliminating any element of discrimination or perceived discrimination
2) It adds a scientific element to a recruitment process that is often intuitive
3) It empowers the employee and employer
4) The success of the candidate selected within the role and their length of time with the employer is greatly increased

Andrew Farr Associates provide this service through Thomas International.

Whilst Andrew Farr Associates administers the tests this is completed by our head of HR. Our Head of HR has a CIPD qualification and is trained to analyse individual psychometric tests, independently of the recruitment consultants/recruitment process, so that you can be assured of honesty and accuracy.

As a consultancy who likes to be open and honest with clients and those who are thinking of accessing our service, we are happy for you contact our in-house HR department to discuss profiling techniques, success rates and bespoke solutions. The contact details of our HR Team can be found here.