Recruiters join forces to produce talent guide

Four recruitment agencies have joined forces to produce an e-brochure for new and expanding businesses in the borough.

Recruitment Solutions NW, Northern Employment Services, Optima and Bamford Contract Services say they hope the collaboration will encourage companies to ‘shop local’ when looking for staff.

Rochdale Development Agency has helped with the production of the ‘Talent Guide’, which includes key information about the borough and will be sent to new and growing businesses in the borough.

Kirsty Wilkinson is the operations director at Northern Employment Services and said it’s vital Rochdale businesses work together.

She said: “Rochdale is the birthplace of the co-operative movement and it’s more important than ever that we work together.

“We were finding out about businesses opening in Rochdale after it had happened so we pooled our resources to produce something of genuine value before the companies had moved in or if they had a recruitment need.

“We’ve included key statistics like the fact Rochdale is home to 14 business parks and 1.6m people live within a 30-minute drive as well as details about our companies and where to find us.

“In the past we might not have worked together like this but by working collaboratively we can present a viable alternative to the big national agencies.”

Gavin Reynolds is a director of Recruitment Solutions NW, which specialises in specialist finance, accountancy and office support.

He said: “The purpose of the Talent Guide is to connect Rochdale employers, both existing and new to the area, with an easy access resource pointing them to specialist recruitment support from experts with a deep understanding of Rochdale, both in terms of the locations and accessibility but also candidate availability via a talent base built up over nearly two decades.”

Ryan Lockett is the head of operations at Optima Consultancy Services, which specialises in helping manufacturers attract and retain the best talent.

He said: “The purpose of the talent guide is to showcase our offering to the new businesses that come to Rochdale.

“We want to help manufacturing businesses in Rochdale to thrive by making sure they’re getting the most talented people.

Councillor John Blundell, cabinet member for economy and communications at Rochdale Borough Council and RDA Board member, said: “This is another fantastic example of Rochdale’s businesses working together and underlines the spirit of co-operation that continues to exist in the borough.”