Marvel FMCG - Certified B Corporation®

We're #hiring a new Category Manager (International Retail) in St Albans, England. Apply today or share this post with your network.

Today I am requesting that the Recruitment Police make the following illegal: 1. ‘Competitive Salaries’ on adverts. No one likes this. End of. 2. Cover letters - what a waste of time. No one ever replies to you. Or your CV. 3. ‘Keeping the candidate warm’ I am not wrapping them up warm in an electric blanket when its a no. What a waste of electric. 4. 5-6 stage processes - Just make a decision !!! 5. 5 years industry experience for entry level roles - I mean WTF? 6. Needing a degree for a job that does not need a degree. 7. Feedback saying ‘They are not the right fit’ - its not a popularity contest 8. STAR technique - Yes because the order of how I answer the question means I can do the job 9. Ghosting - Such a dickhead thing to do 10. Fake job ads - just why? 😂 11. Outrageous terminology on jobs ads to cover up your culture. I never hear anyone say anything positive about all of the above yet we continue to do them. Crazy. If you continue on this path then the future is bleak for you. What would you add? Comment below 👇🏻 Cheers 🫡

Please note. 1. Flexible working and part time is not working less 2. Flexible working and part time doesn’t mean you don’t care 3. Flexible working and part time doesn’t make you different 4. Flexible working and part time doesn’t mean you are not committed and untrustworthy 5. Flexible working doesn’t mean you will not be dedicated to your job We are seeing more requests for flexibility and part time yet many still do not accommodate these requests when hiring. More companies need to change mindset and react. Flexible working and part time is a motivator, a great attraction piece and most importantly an opportunity for your business to succeed. Do this and you will win. Trust me. Who’s with me ? 🫡

We're #hiring a new Senior Account Manager in London, England. Apply today or share this post with your network.

We're #hiring a new Customer Activation Manager in Andover, England. Apply today or share this post with your network.

I was recently approached to recruit a sales role. It all sounded great until the hiring manager told me that the role was 5 days a week in the office. No flex. You were only allowed to WFH in an emergency. I didn’t ask what is deemed an emergency as I fell off my chair … it hurt. Apparently the MD is in the office every day and expects all employees to follow suit. I gather he lived round the corner from the office. It worked well for him and must be lovely stroll when the weather is nice. I also imagine the nanny does the school run as Mrs MD hits the morning yoga class. Just the perfect life to do 5 days in the office. I declined to work on the role as I do not believe 5 days is inclusive and I live in the real world. I would lose so much of my candidate network. How do I know this? Because I listen to them. How can I pitch a role to a candidate when I don’t believe in it? Imagine saying, ‘great role but you will be chained to the office, but hey if you have an emergency you can WFH’ FFS, really ? Yuk. We also know the role would be extremely difficult to recruit for and does not make business sense to me. Any recruiter that says different is telling porkies. Yesterday I saw the role reposted. 10 weeks later. Still going strong. I wonder why? If you want to retain and attract talent then balance and flexibility is absolutely critical. Hybrid. Just do hybrid. Flexibility is the future. Don’t go back in time. Cheers 🫡 ♻️ to support flexibility in work 🛎️ follow me Rich Howell for more open and honest recruitment content

Ready for some refreshing recruitment? Our team uses proper industry knowledge and expertise to match the best candidates with the most equitable and inclusive FMCG alcoholic drinks companies out there. We’ve assembled a team of industry experts who have all held a load of different jobs in drinks, from working the bar to senior positions in sales and marketing. And we’re ready and waiting to work with you to make the world of drinks better than it’s ever been.

One thing we do not talk about enough is the impact the current job market has on mental health. I know for a fact that it is taking a toll on many of those out of work and I feel we are heading to an epidemic unless something changes. Let’s face it, we cant change the job market. Thats out of our hands. But we can make things a bit easier for many of those out there looking for a job. We have people out of work who have families to support, mortgages to pay, bills to pay. This is one of the major things that can have an impact. A candidate told me last week he has never known fear like it. Fear of letting his family down. Imagine what that is doing to him? And yesterday I caught up with a senior leader who was very open about their mental health and the impact looking for a job is having, for them it was going from being one of the most important people on a daily basis to nothing. No emails, calls, texts. Lonely. Imagine how that makes her feel? The worst thing? I know there are people going to extreme measures to end their suffering because of this. Horrendous to even think that. You might think someone is ok looking for a job, but behind the mask they might not be. I wish I could help everyone that gets in touch with me but I know I can’t. What I do know is that I can provide them a service and support them as best I can. Whether that is me or anyone in my team. As a recruitment industry we have a huge role to play. So when you get a message don’t ignore it, you might not be able to help them but reply. When you get application and it’s not suitable tell them. If someone rings you, make time. These little things might just make a difference. The same applies to hiring companies. You also have a role. This week the penny dropped for me that there are things my business can do to support those struggling, I am going to get my thinking cap on and try and help. If anyone has any ideas PM me, lets do this together. Let’s do all we can to help those out there as they really need it. Cheers 🫡💙

Marvel FMCG - Certified B Corporation® is excited to introduce a new policy aimed at supporting those seeking part-time work. Our Marvelous Job Share initiative makes flexible working a reality for both individuals and businesses. When we place a candidate in a full-time role on a part-time basis, we'll recruit an additional candidate to cover the remaining hours at no extra cost. This allows companies to tap into a broader, more diverse talent pool, creating workplaces that are more inclusive, equitable, and accessible to all. Get in touch if you'd like to learn more!

A candidate asked me the other day if something in their recruitment process was standard and happens often… My answer was simple: No, nothing is ever the same in recruitment. Every role, every client, and every hiring process comes with its own quirks, challenges, and surprises. Some processes move at lightning speed, while others take weeks of back and forth. Some hiring managers want a casual chat, while others require multiple stages, business plans, or even psychometric tests. For candidates, this can be frustrating—expecting a “standard” process when, in reality, flexibility is key. The best approach? Stay adaptable, ask the right questions, and focus on putting your best foot forward at every stage. For businesses, it’s a reminder that candidate experience matters. A smooth, transparent process can make all the difference in securing top talent. Have you ever been caught off guard by a recruitment process that was anything but standard? Let’s hear your experiences in the comments!