When Border Biscuits couldn’t find the ultimate Master Biscuitier to join their team, they called upon i2i Recruitment’s David Woodward to find the perfect candidate…
Summary:
- Butter me up and crumb join us for a case study that really takes the biscuit!
- Border Biscuits, an independently owned biscuit-crafting business in Scotland, were looking to expand their team with a “Master Biscuitier” (wait, a what?).
- After extensive media coverage and 300+ applications, Team Border still had no luck finding their ideal candidate. After all, it wasn’t just about the dough on offer, but having the sweet skills and enthusiasm to help Border Biscuits thrive! See what Eammon Holmes said about the role on This Morning.
- Border Biscuits contacted i2i Recruitment’s David Woodward to join their search for the perfect candidate.
- Using his experience of the food industry and recruitment know-how, David found Linda Brown, who had all the desired credentials and more, and prepared her for the interview process.
- It was a batch made in heaven! Border Biscuits were delighted with their chosen Master Biscuitier, and Linda is thoroughly enjoying her new role.
- So, if you want to have your biscuit and eat it… contact i2i Recruitment and we’ll find the people who will put the cherry on top of your team!
- Dunk right into the full case study here.
Introduction
It’s no secret that the UK population enjoys a good biscuit (or two!) with a brew – but what happens when a love of biscuits just isn’t enough?
Read on to discover how David Woodward at i2i Recruitment found the perfect candidate to join Team Border!
Who are Border Biscuits?
Border Biscuits is an independently owned business that began crafting beautiful biscuits in 1984. Since then, they have gone on to become a leading supplier of premium biscuits in Scotland and across the UK, thanks to their good quality ingredients, tried and tested production techniques and – as they highlight on their website – good people to bring it all together.
And what was their goal?
Border Biscuits were looking to expand their team and take their current success further than ever before by appointing a Master Biscuitier to:
“[…] Creatively lead Team Border to manufacture high quality products that Border Biscuits are proud of, assuring this obsession is at the heart of everything we do. The Master Biscuitier will ultimately ensure we make treats that people love, everywhere.”
… not your average day at the office!
What was Border Biscuit’s roadblock to a successful hire?
In order to find their ideal candidate for the role, Border Biscuits pulled out all the stops. From a fantastic advertising campaign with ITV to a feature on This Morning, an article on insider.co.uk to extensive sharing on their social media accounts, the role caught the eyes (and appetites!) of many a potential candidate.
However, after 300+ applications, Border Biscuits couldn’t find the calibre of candidate they needed. For while they all had a love of biscuits, they simply did not have the qualifications and experience required to create the impact the company wanted.
It was time to think outside the (biscuit) box…
Reaching out to i2i Recruitment
By December 2020, Border Biscuits still had no luck finding their Master Biscuitier. It was only when David Woodward, Managing Director at i2i Recruitment, was recommended to the HR team that the tide began to change.
Having started his career in the food industry and gained in-depth experience in commercial baking, David was the ideal choice to find the perfect candidate for the Border Biscuit’s Master Biscuitier role!
Finding Linda Brown
As with any recruitment endeavour, this mission was not without its challenges; but at i2i Recruitment, no stone goes unturned in our pursuit to find the perfect candidate for our clients!
As such, David and the team dedicated their time to some truly in-depth research, reaching out to relevant professionals in similar businesses to that of Border Biscuits, approaching people with the right skillset, and scouring the marketplace. It was then that the trail led to one particular candidate – Linda Brown!
Linda not only had all the qualifications and passion required to succeed in the Master Biscuitier role, but had a bright, positive and enthusiastic personality that truly stood out from the crowd.
What’s more, Linda loved making and experimenting with chocolate in her spare time – the icing on top of an already fantastic cake!
You can learn more about David’s thoughts about current working practices in the ever-changing recruitment landscape in his interview with Mark Cummings on BBC Radio Gloucestershire below:
Time to prepare…
David worked with Linda to prepare for interviews, explain the process, practice interview questions and provide insight into the professional background of the interviewers.
As a result, i2i Recruitment’s famous 2:1 ratio (for every two candidates interviewed, one is offered a job) was proven true once again – Linda was successfully offered the role!
“David was very helpful, responsive and professional. He understood the role and business and was able to make the process as straightforward as possible. A really positive recruitment experience and I am really excited about my new job.”
– Linda Brown, newly appointed Master Biscuitier at Border Biscuits
What was the outcome?
In short, Border Biscuits could not have been happier with their new-found Master Biscuitier!
At i2i Recruitment, we make sure to follow up with both the candidate and our client following a successful hire to ensure everything is going well – and this was the fantastic response we had from Team Border:
“David is friendly, easy to work with and communicates very well. The Master Biscuitier was a really specific brief to fill, and David was able to quickly understand the technical knowledge, experience and culture fit we were looking for. He has been able to find just the right person for us and we are delighted that Linda has joined us.”
– Catriona Meakin and Nicola Stewart, Border Biscuits
What’s more, we’re staying on the team’s radar for any positions that arise in the future, and – perhaps most joyously – Linda is thoroughly enjoying her new role and looking forward to what her future at Border Biscuits will bring!
Want to have your biscuit and eat it, too?
If you, like Border Biscuits, are looking to find the ideal candidate for a vacancy in your business – no matter how complex the role – get in touch with our team at i2i Recruitment today and we’ll be sure to find the right applicant for you!
