Your Dedicated Research Team

Hannah: The Research team is a dedicated resource focused on finding top talent for our clients – essentially operating as an outsourced talent acquisition team. We seek to match the best candidates with our live roles as well as having the time to develop a talent pipeline which aligns with VWA’s wider client base. As experienced researchers with extensive knowledge of the recruitment process, we have a detailed and honed knowledge of our clients’ nuances which is a strength when matching candidates to roles. We also don’t have candidate ownership, meaning that candidates are matched to roles based on their strengths and suitability, regardless of who they know best within the VWA recruitment team!

Melissa: As researchers, we help our Recruitment Consultants deliver results more quickly. In fulfilling our roles, consultants can present a focused and relevant shortlist to clients, relying on our extensive market research, and most importantly, our in depth understanding of the candidates. This collaboration enhances the overall recruitment process and ensures a more efficient service for both clients and candidates.

Hannah: We are able to engage with candidates through direct advertising on our website and posting to well-known job platforms including LinkedIn. As skilled recruitment Researchers, we headhunt in a considered way by making targeted approaches, and are thrilled to be recommended through our extensive networks! Many of our temps have been with us for over 10 years, and a number of clients started off as candidates and have returned to us in both capacities over the years!

Melissa: Having the ability to dig deep and encourage candidates is key to the success of a Researcher. We also need to be good listeners, in order to understand what a candidate’s motivations and goals are, yet be able to advise when their expectations are unrealistic. We are also often a sounding board for candidates who might find job hunting to be a challenge, and can share insights on market conditions. Additionally, having an inquisitive mind and being trustworthy are key qualities to building successful business relationships in recruitment.

Melissa: Post-covid, there are still discrepancies in expectations between candidates and employers (such as the topic of hybrid working, especially for office support roles) which can impact decision making on both sides. We also spend a lot of time managing salary expectations; there is usually some uplift in a new role, but it’s not always the big jump (20%+) that some seem to expect. And lastly, in the current economic cycle, we are seeing some permanent roles being put on hold, with a corresponding increase in temp opportunities, as companies try and manage some uncertainty.

Hannah: Talking to people is the key one! Speaking to ten candidates with the same job title can lead to such different conversations based on those individuals, which is one of the most interesting parts of our job as recruitment Researchers. We love helping people develop their careers and provide support during recruitment processes, while also having the opportunity to collaborate with VWA colleagues and learn something new everyday about our clients!