Our Head of Engineering recruitment celebrates 20 years with Nicholas Associates!

Today marks the 20th work anniversary of Chris Carter, our Head of Engineering recruitment. We’re excited to reflect on his journey over the past two decades, characterised by various experiences and responsibilities. We interviewed Chris to learn more…

Reflecting on your 20-year journey within the Nicholas Associates Group of companies, Nicholas Associates in particular. What are some key highlights or memorable moments that stand out to you?

I think that there have been several over the years.

I guess the first one was transitioning from the TEK business into the Nicholas Associates family. Moving from a small, owner-managed business of around 20 people to joining a 200+ person organisation was a major event for me. I was dead set against moving from a permanent-focused business to what I saw as a temporary-led, corporate business. However, I wanted to stay and build a successful team and take on the challenge and here I am 13 years later on, with a strong team by my side.

From a purely personal perspective, being awarded both Manager of the Year and Employee of the Year at our Annual Conference was a very proud moment.

Supporting my ex-colleague Danny Faulkner joining us as a 17-year-old apprentice, developing over 11 years and recently moving on to join Sulzer in a Senior Internal recruitment role is something I am proud of, albeit in a bittersweet way. I was sorry to lose him but pleased that I had been able to help him on his career path and obtain a role that gives him what he wants from a work-life balance after the birth of his baby boy.

I’ve been fortunate to have been involved in several international projects so for someone who loves travel, being able to visit the USA, Germany, Belgium and Dubai for work were highlights.

Overall though, the highlight for me is seeing how the team has grown. We head into 2024 with 12 people based in Sheffield, Nottingham, York Hybrid and Liverpool, and our goal is to beat our best-ever year of £1 million GP in 2022. We are still looking at new potential locations – the South West is very much on my radar.

Looking back, what advice would you give your younger self when you first embarked on your career in recruitment?

Don’t do it, stick to being a lawyer…haha!

Joking aside, I went into recruitment as a stop-gap whilst I decided what I wanted to do with my life after completing my post-grad. I probably didn’t truly realise I was building a career until 2 or 3 years later when I moved to Germany to set up a recruitment business in Frankfurt am Main.

My advice to myself would be simply to listen to people who have already been there and done it successfully. I was very fortunate to work for a major American recruitment organisation that instilled the value of long-term relationships. That is a mantra that has stayed with me throughout my career – I still speak with clients I supported with recruitment in 1997.

How do you think the landscape of engineering and technical recruitment has evolved over the past two decades, and what challenges and opportunities have you encountered along the way?

In what ways has technology transformed the recruitment process during your tenure, and how do you see it continuing to shape the industry in the future?

I will answer these together. Recruitment in every sector has changed hugely.

In 1996 there was no internet or computers – there was no LinkedIn, no job boards, no email and very few people had mobile phones. In the office, we worked from paper files, Rolodex, Yellow Pages, landline phones and fax machines. We went out on the road with an A3 AA Roadmap, an A to Z of the town attached to the car steering wheel with clothes pegs, a pager so that the office could contact you, and a bag of 2p and 10p coins to use to call the office from a public phone box.

Now everything that you need is on a mobile phone.

With the development of AI and automation, I think that some of the administrative tasks that are required will be taken away, leaving recruiters more time to do what they do best – speak to clients, speak to candidates and build relationships. But then I am an IT dinosaur…

When I started, our specialism was the supply of engineering and manufacturing contractors to the automotive, aerospace and rail sectors, my team was known as Planes, Trains and Automobiles if you remember the film. The introduction of PSLs in the 1990s had a major impact as clients’ recruitment strategies moved from being locally made based on competency and delivery to being corporate price-led.

Building long-term relationships is a great way to create opportunity. People I placed into hands-on engineering or junior management roles 15-20 years ago are now in Senior Management positions. The candidate becomes the client, and if you look after them, they will take you with them as their career develops.

As Head of Engineering & Technical Recruitment, what strategies have you implemented to foster a culture of excellence and innovation within your team?

Lead by example. Hire the right people, empower and support them, help them to win business and to be successful. I am very hands-off with my management style and hope that my team will say that they are very much treated as adults. I am very fortunate to have a team of great people and to be given the freedom to guide the team in the best way I see fit.

What do you believe sets Nicholas Associates apart in the realm of engineering and technical recruitment, and how has the company maintained its competitive edge over the years?

People, relationships and credibility.

Our clients expect us to be able to speak their language – talking geek as our Managing Director Paul Brammer calls it. The Engineering and Manufacturing team has experienced consultants who understand their clients’ businesses, technology, challenges and needs, and who can build long-term relationships with those clients whist identifying the right solution for their needs.

Can you share any particularly challenging recruitment assignments or projects that you’ve successfully navigated throughout your career?

I think that three stand out for different reasons.

I had a requirement in about 1998 for a Homologation Engineer with specific experience in automotive legislation in the USA. That took me 8 months to find someone but I did it in the end (bearing in mind no internet).

Secondly, a vacancy for a Principal Vacuum Induction Melt Metallurgist to work in Sheffield. The only person we could find was based in Western Australia, and the client finished up meeting the candidate halfway, in Dubai, to interview before offering them the role which was accepted.

Finally, the first placement that I made in Germany in 1998. I had recruited a “flying spanner” who was leaving the RAF and got them a role with BMW Rolls Royce. As they didn’t speak any German, I accompanied them for their first week to complete the legal requirements whilst also having the chance to meet various hiring managers on the client site. The candidate was a very down-to-earth, rough and ready, straight-talking, no-nonsense hands-on aircraft engine mechanic. On arrival in Berlin, we checked into the hotel for the first night to find that my rusty understanding of the German language resulted in me booking a double bedroom instead of a twin-bedded room. We are still in contact 25 years later and laugh about our romantic night together…

As you celebrate this significant milestone, what goals or aspirations do you have for the future of engineering and technical recruitment at Nicholas Associates?

• Expand the teams in Sheffield, Nottingham and Liverpool and have every consultant being successful and happy.
• Have enough work in York to justify an office.
• Open an office to cover the South-West.

Finally, what does reaching your 20th work anniversary mean to you personally, and how do you plan to commemorate this milestone?

It makes me feel old, so thanks for asking haha. I guess when I look at the recruitment industry, 20-year milestones are relatively uncommon so it’s something that I am proud of. I certainly made the right decision to stay 13 years ago. Maybe time for a small shandy or two to celebrate!

 

We are grateful to Chris for sharing his amazing 20-year career story with us in the recruitment industry! It’s been a pleasure hearing about his challenges, experiences and successes. We can’t wait to celebrate his future achievements with him!