• Position: Principle Consultant
• Summed up in three words: Driven, confident and resilient
• Fun fact: Jake went up against Jimmy Carr and Katherine Ryan in Comedy Central’s Your Face Or Mine.
Jake worked with our Director Steven Jagger before joining Maxwell Bond, admiring his commitment to training and progression. Once Steven had set up the company, it was only a matter of time before Jake would rejoin his former team.
As a Senior Consultant, Jake divides his time between placing specialist candidates and supporting the training of new employees. With an expertise in cyber security, he intends to progress into the management of an infrastructure-focused department.
To learn more, we grabbed five minutes with Jake…
Tell me about your role at Maxwell Bond
I head up cyber security and infrastructure roles for Maxwell Bond, taking care of business development and the accounts we have in this field.
As Senior Consultant, I’m also responsible for training and coaching up the rest of this team. I love watching their skills develop and come to fruition. As the team builds, I’m leading from the front – still drawing in business and working with other consultants.
In the future, once the North West’s cyber security sector develops, I’ll gradually move into management. Most likely, I’ll focus solely on senior appointments with an aim to move away from placing candidates as we grow.
What do you like about working for Maxwell Bond?
I guess everyone says this, but it has to be the people and the environment. Everyone wants to be better, and really tries to. We have a rewarding culture in that respect with plenty of actual achievable opportunities for promotion.
In most companies, a KPI-driven culture can sound unappealing, but ours is realistic. It’s built around helping staff develop and train. As with any business, you have to work hard, but people come here to progress – at least, that’s why I did. It’s a company that helps people get the best out of themselves.
This all strengthens our ability to support clients, not just fire out candidates. We pride ourselves on building good relationships for the long term. That’s what gives Maxwell Bond such a great retention rate, even when we don’t personally end up filling the role.
These values permeate our entire business. It’s never just about recruitment – it’s about who you are, how you support people in difficult situations, and how you help the wider business as a result.
How do you spot a company where people matter?
If you can recognise that an employee, regardless of their industry, is being invested in – that’s where people matter. Even if they aren’t offering a service or selling a product, they need to have access to some sort of training, certification or education that gives them an opportunity to become a leader or manager.
A client can determine whether a recruitment agency has these values if the consultants are doing everything they can – not just securing positions. If you see staff offering an all-round service that adds tangible value (a service that keeps the relationship going long after filling a role), then you’ve identified a business where people matter.
Again, this is achieved through investment in the consultants themselves, with P2P learning and support systems in place that are designed to help them progress.
What matters to you in recruitment?
I’ve mentioned it before, but being able to build relationships that last is what will really set a consultant apart from a typical recruiter. If you have honesty and resilience, you’re more likely to be able to develop relationship-building skills. Everyone has their share of tough months, but if you can keep pushing through and support others, that will really pay off.
Doing right by people will ultimately yield the best results for everyone. Whether that’s a client or candidate, if you do a good job for them, they’ll reward you in turn through experience or repeat business. I pride myself on the ability to do this.
Your top tip?
For a recruiter? Develop a great work ethic. Make sure you have an open mind and the right attitude. If you’ve got both of those, you’ll find it easier to build better relationships and you’ll start making a name for yourself.
