Stephanie Beaumont

Tell us about your career journey so far?
I’ve worked in recruitment for nearly a decade now. I started in retail where I learnt the ropes, then chose the construction sector as my specialist area.

Whilst working for some household names I progressed through to senior account manager from trainee consultant before taking over my current position with GCS, working onsite as Recruitment Account Manager at Beesley & Fildes, a leading independant Builders Merchant.

Why did you join GCS Associates?
Joining GCS was clear career progression and it meant undertaking a long-term recruitment project where I thought I could really add value. Because of the location and flexibility of the position it meant I get to see a lot more of my family AND the position and the project were just too good to turn down.

What does your job involve?
I work onsite for Beesley & Fildes, one of GCS’s RPO clients within the Builders Merchant sector as an “Internal Recruitment Manager”. Based in their head office near Liverpool, I oversee and manage all our client’s recruitment and sourcing, from advertising to interviews and onboarding.

It’s a varied role where I get full autonomy which I love, we are also starting to work on more strategic projects for Beesley like Employer Branding and video creation to attract and engage more talent into the business.

How do your help your stakeholders and candidates?
I’m honest and upfront from the get-go. I think honesty and realistic expectations are paramount in our profession.

Also, biscuits, everyone loves donuts and biscuits!

What are you working on at the moment?
I think an easier question to answer would be what I’m NOT working on.

I’ve got a large long-term project at Beesley – with the mission to streamline their recruitment processes and benchmark salaries across a rapidly growing business that already employs around 350 people.

Day to day recruitment also fills my time to ensure all the branches & our HQ have the right talent in place.

What do you do outside of work?
Two young kids take up a lot of my time, but that’s time that I’ll never get back so I’m keen to spend it wisely with them now.

I’m Irish, so perhaps obligatory to say I don’t mind a pint of stout from time to time. I still play 11-a-side, albeit as a proverbial pensioner, but I still enjoy the odd worldy strike, although it’s becoming few and far between these days.

I am also a HUGE football fan – viva Ronaldo!

Tell us about your career journey so far?
My early career was spent working at Reeds Rains Estate Agents in Manchester City Centre. For 8 years, I worked across various offices with a focus on the rental market, and by 2009 I ran the Middlewich Branch over-seeing both sales and rentals.

In 2012 it was time for a new challenge, and I moved to Illingworth Ingham Timber Merchants into the position of Assistant Branch Manager. I then had the opportunity to run the Crompton Road branch in Macclesfield where I increased turnover 2.5 times until moving back to the Hurdsfield branch in 2019 to run the branch.

Why did you join GCS Associates?
After being at Illingworth’s for 10 years it was time for a new challenge. I knew of GCS Associates as they recruit into the Merchant sector and I knew I would have a lot of sector knowledge to bring into the team, as well as sales experience. I started at GCS Associates in Feb 2022 as a Recruitment Consultant covering the Construction Supplies sector.

It’s a refreshing change and a great team to work with every day!

What’s your role at GCS?
Currently my main role is the ‘resourcing’ side of the job which is basically learning the best ways to attract and engage with potential candidates. We use in-depth online searches and relevant advertising to attract the right kind of person for our clients, taking into consideration not just skillset but also culture fit.

The main thing I’ve learnt about recruitment is that job isn’t just waiting for people to reply to adverts – the vast majority of our time is spent actively headhunting for the best candidates.

What kind of roles are you working on at the moment?
Variety is the spice of life and as GCS Associates recruit for every type of position within the Construction Supplies sector, I’ve already recruited for lots of different roles – from Branch Management positions to internal sales and trade counter roles.

What’s the best thing about working at GCS or what gives you job satisfaction?
It’s very satisfying when you know you’re putting the right person into a role that will suit them and the employer.

I am also pleasantly surprised how people are happy to speak to us about their career goals and what might be a good next move for them. This job has changed my perception of the value a good recruitment consultant can bring to both employers and people looking for new jobs.

Tell me about how you help clients and candidates?
Regarding clients, it’s important we build up a picture of exactly what kind of person the client requires. This is crucial and saves a lot of time in the long run as we can then only put forward candidates which are the best fit for their organisation.

This really works – as if we find someone who fits in well to their new job then they will be happier in the role, if they are happier then they will be more productive and if they are more productive then that’s exactly what the employer wants.

It’s just about being helpful, informative, and really listening to our clients and candidates.

What do you do outside of work?
Spending time with my family and I am particularly passionate about most outdoor pursuits like hillwalking and cycling.

My house also needs a lot of work which also keeps me very busy in my spare time!

Tell us about your career so far?
I originally started my career as an amateur golfer. At the age of 21 after spending 3 years in the USA, I turned professional and traveled to Europe & the Middle East to compete professionally.

I then spent 5 years in the UAE working within Real Estate progressing through the ranks, learning my trade in sales before moving back to the UK. After returning to the UK, I wanted a role that represented the harder I worked the more potential there is, and Recruitment was just that.

I instilled the work ethic I had developed in Dubai into the UK recruitment industry and quickly came to grips with the market. After joining an agency and really enjoying working in the Recruitment sector, I made the decision to work for myself. I focused on Construction and Engineering and really immersed myself in those sectors, gaining a wealth of knowledge which I now gladly bring to the GCS Associates team.

Why did you join GCS?
I joined GCS because I believe in what they’re doing. Their focus on Engineering and my background within Engineering is a great match. I look forward to finding jobs for as many people as possible and bringing onboard my existing clients plus introducing new ones.

What’s your role at GCS?
My job as GCS is a Recruitment Consultant, specialising in Construction and Engineering. My role is to really get to know my clients & their teams then match the best candidates to their business, ensuring not only a skills fit but a cultural fit as well.

This approach really helps with our client’s retention rates and means their new recruits stay with them for a long time!

The absolute best part of my job though, is making the phone call to the successful candidate and telling them they have secured a new position.

It gives me job satisfaction to know I’m helping someone with their career goals!  My hope is to be making those calls more than ever this year and at GCS I have no doubt this will happen.

How do you help Clients & Candidates?
I believe in honesty when it comes to my clients. A lot of recruiters tell clients what they want to hear which in turn leads to failure in the partnership. Transparency is key and it’s important to provide accurate information on the current market.

I also help clients by securing the perfect candidates for their business. This, in turn, means I build long term partnerships and take on the role as trusted recruitment advisor for my clients. It’s important to me that I build long term relationships.

What do you do outside of work?
I continue to play golf. I regained my amateur status upon returning from Dubai and look forward to arranging a GCS Golf Competition for our clients and candidates soon (when COVID allows, of course!).