A reflection on Q1 and a look to the year ahead

By Nick Boulton, Client Server CEO

One good quarter doesn’t make a year, but what a quarter it has been!

The first quarter of this financial year at Client Server has been remarkable, with records made everywhere. Revenue records and the volume of candidates we have helped find employment have surpassed anything we have achieved before in all our 22 years in business. Individuals and teams across our company have exemplified the consistency of their delivery and commitment to providing outstanding service to all clients and candidates. They have cemented the quality that people have come to expect from Client Server.

The market is indeed starting to soften. Businesses are looking more closely at what roles are critical rather than focusing on how quickly they can fill seats. The quality is returning to their hires, and the need for consultants to sharpen their skills-sets is increasing. Some businesses are still behind the hiring curve and are now taking advantage of the reduced competition in the marketplace.

The question of a recession is not an ‘if’, but a ‘when?’ and ‘how big?’ it will be. A recession is just another challenge for us to overcome. Instead of concern or trepidation, this is an opportunity to be excited about how we will approach it as a business.

We have worked incredibly hard over the last 24 months to construct an infrastructure and support network that will stand the test of time. We have created a business, an environment, and a culture to be proud of, and we have confidence in its ability to perform in any market condition, which is the true test of a business’s resilience.

The past 18 months provided one of the most buoyant recruitment markets on record. Of course, there is the danger of letting these recent successes go to our heads and for complacency to set in. This glut of opportunity in the market means some people could succeed whilst only putting in half the effort, leading to a false sense of security. To not fall into this trap, we have established enough leaders within our business to keep things in check. They have proven over the last 24 months that this is not just a one-off; they have been excellent at motivating, inspiring and challenging the consultants under their guidance. The current levels of performance we are seeing illustrate that our structure is working.

The real test will come in Q3 & Q4 of this year. Can we sustain these performance levels? Our ability to adapt over the next few quarters will be crucial to our success this year. In time, we will see if we can move with or even in front of the market and if we can pre-empt the shift and react to it promptly. In this period, we will be striving to continue to secure long-term opportunities and grow our client and candidate reach whilst still delivering the needs of the business.

These challenges approaching over the next 12 months will determine if we can stand out from our competitors and extend our revenue growth and market share in the way we have been. The fact that over 30% of our staff are shareholders in Client Server shows the determination and dedication of our team. It bodes well for the future that an ever-increasing number of employees are becoming shareholders, meaning they all have skin in the game. For them, this is a massive incentive to maximise all possible opportunities and prosper, no matter where the market ends up. We are all looking forward to the future of the business and the future of tech recruitment.

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Client Server is a leading technology recruitment consultancy. We find exceptional people exceptional jobs in tech. Find out more about us here?www.client-server.com.