When Karen and I started our recruitment careers back in 2000, one thing was drummed into us: recruitment is about people.
Over time, working for a large multinational recruitment firm, we watched the focus shift. Targets, KPIs and numbers increasingly took centre stage. And while commercial success matters, we always believed there was more to recruitment than that.
Fast forward 26 years (eek!), and we’re still guided by the same principles. We trust our instincts, value our relationships and truly care about the people we work with.
A challenging year, but a rewarding few months, thankfully!
The first half of 2026 certainly tested our patience and resilience. Candidates changing their minds even after lengthy screening and discussions, offers being accepted and then declined – it can happen – and employers taking so long to make decisions that good people slipped through their fingers.
But we stuck to our guns, kept doing what we know works, and things started to turn around after the summer.
Thankfully, we’ve enjoyed some great recent successes across our specialist areas, including several challenging senior finance appointments within the charity and not-for-profit sector. Some of these roles had been advertised directly without success. Despite plenty of people looking for work, employers were struggling to attract and secure the right people for their organisations.
That’s where we came in, capes at the ready!
It’s about knowing people, not just finding CVs
More applicants don’t necessarily mean better recruitment outcomes. Automated screening systems and job boards have their place, but they can overlook excellent candidates whose experience doesn’t neatly match a list of keywords.
Some of the best people we introduce aren’t actively looking for work. They’re people we’ve built relationships with over many years, who trust us enough to have a conversation when something interesting comes along.
And sometimes, we believe, our most valuable contribution is challenging a client’s thinking.
Is the salary, right? Does the job title reflect the opportunity? Are the expectations realistic? Is the recruitment process putting good people off? We’re not afraid to ask awkward questions. In fact, most of our clients welcome a little bit of constructive challenge!
As Claire Lucas from Emmaus South Wales recently put it:
“They really understood the brief. The candidates selected were excellent, giving us a good choice. Excellent communication throughout the process.”
Claire Lucas – Emmaus, South Wales
This means a great deal to us because it reflects how we want every client to feel.
Some things never change
When we started at Hays, CVs were still arriving by post and fax, and email was barely part of our working day. It’s so interesting to reflect on how much has changed.
Today, AI, technology and automation are transforming recruitment, but we remain convinced that relationships, human judgement and a genuine connection with the people we work with are the key to why Sitka remains successful today.
We celebrate ten years in business this year, and our values of integrity, commitment and excellence very much remain at the heart of everything we do.
Yes, we’re a small business, but an important one, and we like it that way. We know our clients, we know our candidates and we take care and pride in doing things properly.
As Tracey Thomas, HR Manager, recently said:
“Sitka took the time to understand our requirements and kept us informed at every stage. The quality of candidates and the speed of response was excellent, which made the whole experience straightforward and enjoyable.”
Tracey Thomas – STG Aerospace
And that’s exactly what we aim for.
Every successful appointment matters to us, not just because we’ve filled a vacancy, but because we’ve helped an organisation find someone who can make a real difference, while helping a candidate take their next step.
Let’s have a conversation
If you’re struggling to attract the right people, have advertised without success or simply want a fresh perspective on your recruitment plans, please pick up the phone and talk to us.
We’ll listen, ask questions, perhaps challenge your thinking a little, and give you honest advice about what we believe will work.
No hard sell. Just two experienced recruiters who genuinely care about getting it right.
Let’s talk, 02920 484520.
To find out how we can work with you, please drop us a line
We liked Karen’s personal approach to finding the best candidate. She spoke to them in depth, matching the person to the business and vice versa, rather than just advertising the role to an existing database of job seekers. The process was very efficient and well-communicated from start to finish.
I had a very positive experience with Sitka. Ita was quick to contact me after I submitted my CV for a role and the process progressed very quickly. She gave me a lot of information about the company and role so that I felt prepared at the interview. Thanks Sitka!
This was the most professional recruitment processes I have experienced as a candidate. I felt really well prepared for the hiring process. Ita took the time to understand my experience and align my skills and values with those of role that I was applying for. This meant that I felt really prepared for the interview process and confident that I understood the role, culture and values of the organisation.
I would recommend Sitka and I would also consider using them as a client in the future. Having experienced their service as a candidate I have seen the effort that is made to ensure there is a good fit between candidate and client. Thank you Ita!
The whole recruitment process, led by Karen, was a really engaging and positive experience. I can honestly say it was the best interview I have ever had!
I felt Ita really understood my skills and experience and the service I received was great. I felt that Ita was invested in my future career and did everything she could to help me land my new role.
I’d have no problem recommending Ita and the Sitka team to anyone entering the job market. They made the whole process much easier for me.
We were recommended to Sitka by one of our customers and we needed a lot of support on creating a job spec, salary level, interview techniques etc. We met Ita and immediately felt in safe hands and were presented with 3 excellent candidates in a short space of time. I would highly recommend Sitka, especially for those that need extra help and guidance finding that perfect employee.