Age Is Just A Number!

Another week in to 2024 and the excitement in the recruitment sector is practically…. well flaccid.

No, sorry, that was what the Doctor wrote on my health check this week.

Well, in my defence it has been very cold, hasn’t it!

The topic of conversation this week has been age.

Not just something you use to filter your Tinder search but something there seems to be a genuine concern about.

On one end of the spectrum there is a definite appetite for bringing young people into the trade.

And looking at the guest list for the Norfolk Dinner on Thursday, you can see why.

It read more like the end credits of Dad’s Army. With more Godfreys than Pikes. One for the kids, there.

“What can we do to encourage young people into the trade, Phil?”

“Well, you can stop making them cold call farmers for a start and expecting them to buy / sell 3000 mt of grain / seed and then wonder why they throw the towel in after 6 months of being used as a yardstick for everyone they speak to”

Cue a blank stare…

I wrote last week about how entry level salaries need to be better so I won’t go over old ground but suffice to say, if you are at a firm where the Senior Management team are pulling the guts out of half a million quid and they won’t pay more than £20k to a new starter, then frankly you have bigger problems than attracting Gen Z.

On the other side, this week has seen me have conversations with people all of whom are of a certain age , where one could safely deem them “no longer the future”. Or not what people are looking for.

They are the ones who have worked their way up over the course of 20 years or so and maybe via 2 - 3 different employers.

They can manage a team, buy raw materials, operate a site, trade futures and look after big accounts. All are vastly experienced and an asset to any firm that wants them however, through a mixture of “market saturation” and cost cutting there seems to be few places for them to go.

Experience like theirs isn’t cheap (£65 - £85k) which can be prohibitive but they can walk into any business and start new things.

The industry has seen a lot of consolidation across numerous sectors which has made finding new opportunities difficult.

Not everyone wants to be or indeed can be a Managing Director but there should be a place for some forward thinking 50 somethings - shouldn’t there?

If you are looking for someone to fill those tricky management roles, then do get in touch:

For example here are some candidates I’ve spoken to this week;

• Sales Director

• Feed and Raw Materials Experience

• Operations and People Management

• Midlands Based but can relocate if required.

• Commodities Trader

• Futures / Hedging Experience

• Forecasting

• Sales Team Management

• East Midlands Based

• Senior Analyst and Business Manager

• Logistics and Shipping Expert

• South East Based

Anyway, on to what you are really here for… nudes.. oh..wrong newsletter.

Job Number 1

This is a big job and will suit someone with significant B2B experience in the crop input sector - it needs a big hitter. Someone who knows the fertiliser industry better than their own family!

Job Number 2

If you are an Agronomist ,or know of one, practically anywhere in the Eastern part of the country then please get in touch. I have some clients who are very keen to speak to either established agronomists or those who have been through the sausage factory of “a large crop inputs specialist” and feel they have a point to prove.

If this sounds like you, then please get in touch.

Job Number 3

This is a great opportunity , with a firm I’m very pleased to be working with.

It does feel like a job where you will have to wear 3 hats but it’s a great role!

You’ll require a calm mind and great organisation as you will be the key person to the success of the firm. This includes buying the raw materials for the feed book, negotiation on rates for the site and managing a team at the head office.

With great responsibility comes a generous package.

Job Number 4

Further into the South West… Cornwall.

This client seeks an established sales manager to carry on their expansion across the land of Milk and Honey!

Ruminant expertise is the requirement and strong relationships on farm are the must have.

Job Number 5

Grain buying isn’t for everyone - especially in the North! Where the men are hard and the women are harder(!)

However, if you are looking for a change of scenery, (and let’s be honest a payday) and think you can bring your impressive ledger (not a euphemism) across with you, then I’d be most interested in having a chat.

I am looking to fill the following vacancies too.

As always, thanks for reading and please do feel free to share this amongst friends, family and co workers you want to leave your business!

Have a great weekend!

Phil