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Posted by Niche Recruitment
21st June 2021
Loyal Clients, Lessons Learnt, And Being A Plant
MEET NICHE DIRECTOR, NICK WIMSHURST
It’s no secret that at Niche, relationships are our thing. We’re passionate about taking the time to really get to know all of our clients and candidates so we can build long-lasting relationships and deliver an exceptional level of service. And speaking of long-term relationships, we thought it was time to introduce you to our fellow Co-Founder, Nick!
Last week we introduced you to the lovely Michelle. But although she’s a recruitment whizz, she can’t do it all on her own – which is where Nick comes in!
Nick and Michelle’s careers have been intertwined for nearly 20 years now. They’ve been each other’s managers, employees, mentors and now business partners, and their solid relationship underpins the importance of relationships in everything we do.
So, read on to meet Nick, find out about his background, his experience – and discover why Michelle is the ‘Completer’ to his ‘Plant’…
A bit of background
Nick’s first taste of recruitment was as a baby-faced graduate at Reed Recruitment 17 years ago. Having completed a Business Management degree and travelled the world with his wife (then fiancée), Nick began working as a Trainee Consultant with none other than Niche Co-Founder Michelle as his boss.
Right from the start, Nick loved the variety of recruitment and quickly became passionate about helping candidates and clients to find their ideal match. And his drive and determination to get the best possible results saw him rise up the ranks to consultant and then Perms Manager.
When Michelle moved up the corporate ladder, it made perfect sense for Nick to take over her role. So, Nick became Branch manager, then one of Reed’s top billers, and then – after following Michelle into management – successfully running branches in Bath and Reading, before moving to cover the Oxford branch while Michelle went on maternity leave.
His success hadn’t gone unnoticed outside of the company and Nick was approached by Wells Tobias to set up their Swindon office. He went at it full steam and growing the business immediately, it wasn’t long before he was calling on his trusted partner, Michelle, to help out. It was only when the focus shifted towards billing clients over building relationships that it seemed the right time to start his own agency. With so much experience, and knowing they worked so well together, naturally he approached Michelle. Niche was born a few months later…
Nick’s niche
Both Nick and Michelle are incredibly service-led and everything they do comes back to their core values: understanding, quality, passion, integrity and innovation. Technology and innovation has always been a passion of Nick’s, hence Niche’s investment in their videoing capability and emotional intelligence screening so they can spot talent that on paper could be overlooked.
Nick says, “Recruitment for me is about really getting to know people and what makes them tick. It’s about asking the right questions to find out their goals and what motivates them. Essentially, it’s that psychological piece. By using emotional intelligence as part of our recruitment process, I can get to know candidates and clients on a deeper level, and ensure I match people perfectly to the right role.”
So what makes Niche unique?
“Recruitment has a bad reputation,” Nick says. “When people think of recruitment, they think of KPIs, power hours, and pushy consultants. But at Niche, we’re the opposite of that. Of course, if you’re going to get results, there’s a certain amount of input you need. But what truly makes us different is our focus on people. We go above and beyond to deliver every time – and that’s what sets us apart from the rest.”
In fact, when Niche was founded, Nick and Michelle’s aim was clear: they wanted to deliver a recruitment service that provided the highest possible level of care to each and every client and candidate. To this day, that’s what they strive for. “I believe our focus on nurturing relationships and understanding people’s values is what makes us shine. It’s what’s helped us get through the difficulties of the past year, and it’s what’s going to help us grow in the future”, Nick says.
Complementing each other
To put it simply, Michelle and Nick have always worked super well together. Their careers have intertwined over the years, and they have been through it all. From the recessions to the booms, they’ve always come out fighting. There’s a huge element of trust between them, and although they might have differences of opinion at times, they’ve never had a situation that they can’t resolve.
Nick likens their relationship to the Belbin theory: He’s the Plant, or the thinking role, while Michelle is the Completer/Finisher, which is the action role. “I’ve got the ideas, and Michelle sorts the details behind it!”.
Outside of work
When he’s not in the Niche office, Nick is very much a family man. With a crazy four-year-old (his words, not ours!) who never stops and an 11-year-old daughter about to start at The Royal Ballet in London, life is always busy for Nick and his wife. In fact, Nick openly admits that he doesn’t spend enough time on himself and would love to get back to playing sports. And when the kids are a bit older, he hopes to reignite his love of travel.
So far, Nick and his wife have visited Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia (where they spent their time selling accidental death insurance while living on Bondi Beach!), New Zealand, America and Dubai, and they are keen to travel to Canada to see the Rockies when the children are old enough.
What’s next for Niche
Let’s be honest, the last year has been tough for everyone, including Niche Recruitment. But Nick is incredibly proud of the team for getting through it and coming out stronger than ever. “It’s been brilliant to see things picking up again,” Nick says. “In fact, we’ve had one of our busiest months ever this month, and it’s incredibly exciting to be rebuilding things. I feel like we’re evolving with a new energy and a fresh approach, and as we enter into our seventh trading year, I can’t wait to see what lies ahead!”.
Want to find out more?
Niche Recruitment is an award-winning specialist recruitment agency based in Swindon working across the digital, marketing and creative, head office and management, and HR and Learning & Development sectors. If you want to find the right people for your organisation or are searching for new opportunities yourself, let us take the stress out of recruitment. Discover our niche and call our team today on 01793 230469 or fill in our contact form here.
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