The Elephant Insight – Hiring Highlights & Hilarious Excuses

A regular update on all things Brellis and Recruitment by Co-Owner Matt Breakwell

Author

Matthew Breakwell
August 04, 2025

Welcome Message from Matt

🐘 The Elephant Insight – July Highlights: Hiring Highlights & Hilarious Excuses

Welcome to the July edition of the Brellis Recruitment newsletter! This month we’ve got a great mix of insight, success stories, and a bit of fun to keep things fresh. Here’s what’s inside:

  • 🐘 A lighthearted start with an elephant comic strip

  • 📊 A quick July market update - what we’re seeing in the commercial recruitment space

  • 🌟 Three standout candidates actively looking for their next opportunity

  • 🐦 The Great Escape: A true (and slightly ridiculous) story about the time a rogue budgie cost me a forklift driver

  • 💼 A candidate success story: From graduate to managing £6.5M in accounts

  • 🎟️ An exciting giveaway: Win VIP tickets to Walsall FC’s exclusive 1888 Suite

📈 July Market Update – Steady, Shifting, and Full of Opportunity

July brought a welcome shift in momentum, even if the wider market remains a little uncertain. While things are still quieter than we'd like, we’ve seen a steady stream of activity in customer service, HR, and finance, where companies are keeping things moving, but with one eye firmly on the budget.

We’ve had the pleasure of placing some fantastic candidates this month, including:

  • A HR Assistant at a photo printing powerhouse that transforms your camera roll into coffee table-worthy creations

  • A Finance Manager for a structural solutions business that keeps buildings standing strong—basically the team behind the steel and the certainty

  • A Bookkeeper at a consultancy packed with engineering minds who design, install, and quietly keep commercial spaces ticking

  • A General Manager for a care agency under fresh ownership, with a bold new approach to delivering quality care

  • A Maintenance Engineering Manager at a business specialising in M&E maintenance—making sure systems behind the scenes keep running smoothly so the rest of us can get on with our day

  • Two brilliant temps: an Accounts whizz at a long-established components supplier that’s been keeping production lines moving since before most of us could walk, and a HR Business Partner at a global automotive tech leader pushing boundaries behind the scenes

We’re also seeing a growing trend toward temporary contracts, particularly in HR, especially within employee relations.

Candidate confidence took a dip in June, likely down to Trump’s tariff talk and the Employer NI increases. Applications dropped to 2,083. But July brought a full bounce-back to 3,684, proving that quality candidates are out there and ready to make their next move.

Here’s what we’re seeing:
✅ Strong candidates emerging from internal restructures
✅ Salaries levelling out, helping hiring stay budget-friendly
✅ Faster start times, with candidates ready to go within days, not weeks

While some companies are still sitting tight, forward-thinking businesses are hiring smart and moving fast seizing the opportunity to secure great talent while others hesitate. And we all know: those that act now tend to come out stronger when the market shifts again.

#JulyUpdate #BrellisRecruitment #SmartHiring #ElephantInsight #MarketTrends2025

🌟 Star Candidates – July Edition

Each month, we shine a spotlight on a selection of outstanding individuals currently seeking their next opportunity. These are candidates we’ve personally met and been genuinely impressed by people who bring not only the right experience but also the right energy, attitude, and professionalism to the table.

Whether you’re actively hiring or just keeping an eye out for future talent, our Star Candidates are always worth a look.

🌟 Star Candidate: David – Analytical, Driven & Exceptionally Versatile

David is an outstanding Warwick-based graduate with a First-Class mind and a hands-on attitude. Armed with a BSc in Physics & Astrophysics from the University of Warwick, he blends technical brilliance with real-world commercial experience.

  • 💼 Recently worked at the UK Home Office, processing over 5,000 visas with 100% accuracy in a compliance-heavy role

  • 🚚 Logistics Specialist at EVRi and Venue Co-ordinator at the Commonwealth Games, solving real-time challenges and leading teams

  • 💡 Skilled in data analysis, risk modelling, and programming (Python, R, MATLAB, C), with strong Excel and analytical skills

  • 🚗 Full driving licence and based in Warwick – mobile, sharp, and ready to hit the ground running

  • 📊 Ideally looking for a role in finance, analysis, or operations but open to wider commercial roles where his problem-solving skills can shine

David is professional, proactive, and incredibly capable. Whether you're looking for a data-driven problem solver or a future leader with technical horsepower, he's one not to miss.

✨ Isabel – High-Energy, Highly Capable, and Ready to Go

Looking for someone who’ll hit the ground running and bring energy, polish, and razor-sharp organisation to your business? Meet Isabel.

After nearly a decade with a prestigious national estate agency—working her way up from Administrator to Associate and jointly heading the Banbury office—Isabel is now ready for a new challenge outside of estate agency, and we think she’ll be a game-changer in any business operations, support, or coordination role.

She thrives in high-pressure, client-facing environments, with a natural ability to manage multiple priorities and keep things running smoothly behind the scenes. From diary management and stakeholder liaison to team coordination and first-class admin, Isabel brings structure, calm, and charm in equal measure.

📍 Location: Based in Banbury—perfectly placed for roles across Warwickshire and Oxfordshire
💼 Looking for: A permanent position where she can use her high-level admin, PA, or operations skills
💷 Salary Expectation: £35,000
📆 Availability: Immediately (redundancy situation)

Isabel’s a standout candidate who blends confidence, professionalism, and warmth—someone your team (and clients) will love working with.

#StarCandidate #AdminExcellence #OperationsSupport #PoweredByBrellis

🧠 Jane – Strategic, Compassionate, and Exceptionally Versatile HR Leader

With over 18 years of HR experience across sectors including healthcare, education, engineering, and professional services, Jane is the definition of a true generalist—calm under pressure, commercially astute, and brilliantly people-focused.

She’s supported everything from TUPE and restructures to performance management, engagement strategies, and wellbeing initiatives across multi-site and international teams. Whether it's leading HR across EMEA, supporting line managers with hands-on ER cases, or building out onboarding and benefit frameworks, Jane delivers with empathy, structure, and a level head.

She’s currently exploring new opportunities after a recent contract ended and is open to both HR Manager roles and interim or FTC positions—including taking a step down temporarily to stay engaged and productive while hunting for the right long-term opportunity.

📍 Location: Based in Leicestershire, very familiar with Warwickshire including Leamington and Warwick
💼 Looking for: Permanent, fixed-term, or temporary HR Manager or generalist roles
💷 Salary Expectation: Flexible and open depending on the role
📆 Availability: Immediately available

Jane is an experienced, warm, and proactive HR professional who would make an immediate impact in any forward-thinking organisation.

#StarCandidate #HRLeader #PeopleFirst #FlexibleHR #PoweredByBrellis

🐦 “The Great Escape: The Day a Budgie Cost Me a Forklift Driver”

A true tale from the Brellis vaults…

Back in the early 2000s, when I worked in industrial recruitment, I kept a little notepad. It wasn’t for anything fancy just a running list of all the temps who didn’t show up for interviews or shifts. A kind of recruiter’s diary of disappointment.

One name still makes me smile: Ian.

Ian had been chasing me for weeks about a forklift driver job at IKEA. He was keen, really keen. When I finally got him the start date, he was over the moon. You’d think he’d won the lottery.

Then the morning of the shift arrived.

Ring ring. It’s the warehouse manager:
“Ian hasn’t turned up.”

I was stunned. Ian? The man was practically bouncing off the walls to get started.

I rang him straight away. He answered, sounding groggy.
“Ian, what’s happened? Why aren’t you at work?”

Without missing a beat, he said:

“Oh no… my bird escaped.”

I paused. “Right... but why does that mean you didn’t go to work?”

And with full sincerity, he replied:
“Well, the only thing I can think of is... he must’ve landed on my alarm clock during the night and turned it off.”

I’ve heard some no-show excuses in my time but that one? That one made the notepad.
And now, many years later, it's made the newsletter.

Candidate Story: Sam’s Journey From Graduate to Customer Success at Parker

At Brellis, we pride ourselves on connecting great people with brilliant opportunities and few stories capture that better than Sam’s.

After graduating in International Business and gaining strong experience in customer service, Sam found himself limited by a lack of transport when job hunting. That’s where our consultant Hannah stepped in. While the first role he applied for wasn’t feasible, Hannah kept him in mind and soon came back with a perfect opportunity closer to home , one that matched both his skills and ambitions.

Sam joined Parker in 2023 as a Customer Support Coordinator, where he now manages customer accounts worth over £6.5 million. With a clear eye on progressing into marketing, he’s already being supported by his leadership team in gaining cross-department experience. It’s a story of perseverance, timing, and the power of the right support at the right time.

🏟️ WIN an Exclusive Matchday Experience at Walsall FC!

We’re thrilled to announce our latest giveaway and this one’s for the football fans!

As proud partners of Walsall Football Club, Brellis Recruitment is giving away 4 tickets (2 Adult and 2 Children) to an upcoming Saddlers fixture, but not just any seats. You'll be watching the game from the exclusive 1888 Suite, offering the ultimate VIP matchday experience.

🎫 Choose between:

Walsall v Grimsby Town – Tuesday 19th August or Walsall v Salford City – 23rd August

Here’s what the winners can look forward to:

✔️ Access to the exclusive 1888 Lounge and private bar
✔️ A leather padded seat in the 1888 enclosure for prime pitch views
✔️ Complimentary matchday programme
✔️ Half-time refreshments, cheese & buscuits and cakes.
✔️ Pre-match Q&A sessions with special guests (available at selected games)
✔️ Post-match interview with the Man of the Match
✔️ Dedicated on-site car parking

While this may not be the Premier League, Walsall offers real, passionate football at its finest. The 1888 Suite gives you the chance to get closer to the players, enjoy a fantastic matchday atmosphere, and experience a game that’s accessible, affordable, and full of character. It’s football the way it should be.

👉 To enter, simply click below and one winner will be picked at random and announced
📅 Deadline for entries: Friday 8th August 2025.

Good luck—and Up the Saddlers!

That wraps up our July edition, full of fresh insight, standout talent, and a bit of humour, all heading into an exciting VIP football giveaway.

We’re here to support your hiring journey with expertise, market knowledge, and occasional surprises along the way. Want to chat about any of this month’s stories, or discuss your next hire? We’re always ready when you are.

With appreciation for your continued trust and partnership.

Matt & The Brellis Team