Turning 13!

Meet the director: Sarah Leete

It’s now been 13 years since Sarah Leete and Kelly Notley took a leap of faith and set up their own business.

Working from a tiny office with just two brains, two phones, two laptops and a boatload of enthusiasm, Lawrence Dean was born.

Fast forward to 2023 and their award-winning business is now regarded as one of the leading recruitment agencies in Hertfordshire.

Here, Sarah discusses their journey, how the industry has evolved and the current challenges in the job market.

What prompted the creation of Lawrence Dean?

We had both worked in recruitment and had led and managed teams, at one point for the same boutique agency.

That business was bought out by a very large company and that brought about a change in culture that didn’t fit with our customer-focused values and left us feeling disillusioned.

After many discussions, we realised it made perfect sense to go it alone and we’ve never looked back.

Kelly and I started the business in 2010. Our first office was so small – neither of us could put on any weight or we wouldn’t have been able to move around the desks!

We now have 12 people on the team – all permanent – and we are proud of how far we have come.

How has the recruitment industry evolved over the years?

The industry has seen major shifts in terms of technology as well as remote and hybrid working.

Years ago, people would put up adverts in their business or shop windows or jobseekers went to the local Job Centre. Technology has made accessibility a lot simpler.

That said, the human touch is still very important for us; we are a people-centric business and I think that is what sets us apart. We still take the time to truly get to know our clients and for us that means getting together in person, rather than using technology.

How did the pandemic affect the industry?

Homeworking was a bit of a novelty at the start of the pandemic – everyone loved it, working from home in their joggers, eating cake!

Nowadays, we’ve noticed more companies want people to return to the office because people can share ideas and drive innovation, maintain relationships and communicate more.

There is a bigger candidate emphasis on work/life balance and companies who are more flexible have an advantage over competitors who aren’t.

No-one really hired for quite a while during the pandemic so there was two years of recruitment backed up. I think that’s partly to blame for the recruitment difficulties companies have faced over the past couple of years. 

Things are starting to settle now, but it’s still a candidate-driven market and salary, benefits and work/life balance have got to be competitive. With the cost of living and inflation, if annual increases don’t go up in line with that, it’s technically a pay decrease.

How is Lawrence Dean different from other recruitment agencies?

We take the time to understand how our clients operate and the culture they have built so we can locate the most suitable candidates.

Our survey shows 96 per cent of our clients have used us more than once and feel our service is better than our competitors.

It also showed 72 per cent of people we found work for didn’t take the job they initially wanted to apply for. After interviewing them impartially and understanding their requirements, we found them something which suits them better.

We won’t mis-sell a job. For example, if they are ambitious and want to end up managing a team and we know that won’t happen, we will help them find something that ticks their boxes.

It’s about being honest and finding the position which is a perfect fit.

We also strive to take care of our own team. As well as offering flexibility, we are also keen to reward our staff who work so hard. We all have a shared passion, and we love what we do!

We strive to consistently do what is right for our customers and job seekers not what is right for us.

We offer long service awards, including £1,000 towards a holiday, after five years and a six-week paid sabbatical after 10.

Training and development are also vital. You must invest in your people.

And finally, what advice would you give to any jobseekers preparing for an interview?

First impressions matter, so dress smartly.

Do your research, make sure you know about the company, its brand and values.

Sell yourself and don’t expect them to know all about your experience. Ask questions and show interest and remember you are also interviewing the company. 

It’s a new job that is going to have a big impact on your life, so if it’s the right one, you should feel excited. Trust your gut; if it doesn’t feel right and you can wait for something better to come along, it’s worth hanging on for the right fit.

And if it does feel right, make sure you get across how much you want to work for them!