Supply Chain Online interviews Wayne Brophy, MD of award winning recruitment business Cast UK.
Name: Wayne Brophy
Company: Cast UK
Position: Managing Director
What did you want to be when you were at school?
Apart from wanting to be a professional footballer but sadly realising I was not good enough, I really wanted to join the Army!
When did you first start out in the Recruitment industry?
I started out working for Michael Page in 2004, it seems like a long time ago now!
How did Cast UK come about?
Working at Michael Page I realised how much I liked the speed of recruitment & the responsibility of developing my own client base. However, once I’d learned the job, I also quickly decided I would prefer to work in a closer, more collaborative manner, unrestricted by the confines of a global brand. I started Cast UK in May 2005 and we have just celebrated our ten year anniversary.
What kind of jobs does Cast UK specialise in, and which areas do you cover?
We specialise in white collar professional roles in Procurement, Buying, Supply Chain and Logistics, across these sectors; FMCG & Retail, Manufacturing & Engineering, Logistics, Public Sector & Professional Services.
What's set's Cast UK apart from your competitors?
Our sector specialisms & expect industry knowledge means we are streets ahead of other recruiters. Our fresh and direct approach means that clients & candidates know exactly where they stand in our working partnership, whilst our continuous development and investment internally means we are always at the leading edge of our market.
Cast UK celebrates its 10th birthday this year - congratulations. What's been the biggest challenge you and the company have faced in that time?
Without doubt the crash of 2008 caused Cast UK some scary moments for sure. However in the long term the way we overcame those adverse conditions has made us undeniably stronger going forward.
There can be no doubt that the rise of social media has had a significant impact on the recruitment industry. How has social media changed the way you work at Cast UK?
It’s changed our working methods massively. More and more people are looking for roles on social media & in turn, we are finding more & more candidates out there on places like LinkedIn etc. We advise clients that with good talent in short supply, they have to get their brand out there on social media to make sure they attract the best people.
How important are job boards within your marketing strategy?
Job boards are important & will probably always be, but to be honest we only find 50% of our candidates that way. That’s the reason why clients come to us, because we have access to thousands of passive candidates who aren’t necessarily actively looking for a new job but that doesn’t mean they’re not interested if something good does come up….
What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given?
My father has always said “It is not a dress rehearsal. It is the real thing”. I very much follow this piece of advice in everything I do ensuring I give 100% and enjoy every moment of what life brings.
What one piece of advice would you give to other young entrepreneurs starting out?
Do your research, know your market inside out, but at the same time, don’t forget Prato’s Law which states that 20% of the effort creates 80% of the results! Having a plan and direction is key to everything.
What's the latest news at Cast UK?
We are really excited about our newly installed state-of-the-art phone system, and we can’t wait until our new bespoke CRM system is installed in September, it’s going to revolutionise the speed at which our consultants can work. It will be win-win for everyone.
Where would you like Cast UK to be in 5 years’ time?
I’d like to think that if we continue to make advances the way we have over the last 5 years, we’ll be closer than ever to offering the perfect recruitment solution – if such a thing exists!
Interview by Richard Marshall - Managing Direct of Supply Chain Online
By Supply Chain Online
www.supplychainonline.co.uk
