The Elephant Insight No.5 March is a wrap!

Welcome Message from Matt

👋 Welcome to the March Update!

Wow, can you believe how quickly March has flown by? Spring’s officially arrived (finally!), and here at Brellis Recruitment, things have continued at full pace. It’s been another incredibly busy month for recruitment, and we've got lots to share with you in this edition.

This month’s newsletter includes:

• A Spotlight on Zoe Ellis, our co-founder, including a few fun surprises from her childhood!

• Brellis Brollies are back! – Perfectly timed (fingers crossed) for April showers. Enter our simple giveaway for a chance to win!

• Top-Tier Talent – Meet Mary, Michelle, and Harry, three exceptional candidates ready for new opportunities.

• Service Provider Shoutout – Highlighting our fantastic SEO partners at Verian, who help keep Brellis visible online.

• Recruitment Snapshot – March was our busiest March ever since our record-breaking year in 2021.

🐣 Spotlight On: Zoe Ellis – Recruiter, Co-Founder, and 90s TV Star?

This month, we're turning the spotlight onto Brellis Recruitment’s very own co-founder, Zoe Ellis.

Now, we could tell you that Zoe’s been in recruitment since 2005, built a brilliant career across finance, HR, marketing and operations roles, and managed teams in Oxford and Cardiff before launching Brellis Recruitment with her husband Matt in 2018… but let’s be honest, that’s not the most entertaining part of her story.

Did you know that, as a child, Zoe appeared in a Chicken Tonight advert broadcast all the way over in South Asia? While most kids were just hoping for fish fingers at teatime, Zoe was already mastering the art of screen presence—bright enough to spell "CV" and probably critique the script too!

Still not impressed? She also briefly appeared on Chris Evans' iconic 90s show, TFI Friday—a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo, but trust us, we've replayed it and she’s definitely there.

And if that wasn't enough quirky 90s trivia, her childhood nannies were none other than the indie pop duo Alicia’s Attic. One day it's nursery rhymes, the next they're off performing "I Am, I Feel" on Top of the Pops—typical babysitter stuff, right?

Behind all these fun facts is someone genuinely dedicated, warm-hearted, and brilliant at what she does. Zoe's flair for connecting with people and making recruitment feel personal has helped shape Brellis into what it is today—and we're incredibly proud she's leading the way.

#ZoeEllis #RecruitmentStar #TFIThrowback

☔ Brellis Brollies Are Back – Just in Time (Maybe)

Over the years, we’ve handed out some pretty fabulous Brellis Brollies—our signature golf-sized umbrellas, perfect for those unpredictable British downpours.

The only problem? My timing has always been terrible. Every time I announce we’ve got a fresh batch ready to go, the skies magically clear and we’re hit with an Arabian summer. It’s like the weather knows... “Matt’s got those umbrellas again—quick, switch to sunshine!”

But not this year. This year, I’m playing it smart. April is just around the corner, and with it (hopefully) comes a classic British helping of showers.

We’ve got 10 Brellis Brollies to give away, and it couldn’t be easier to enter:

Click this link to our website 🔗 https://brellisrecruitment.co.uk/about-us/, and you’ll be popped into a random draw. That’s it. No awkward surveys. No riddles. Just a quick click, and you could be swanning around town with one of the most stylish, oversized umbrellas known to the Midlands.

Let’s hope you don’t need to use it—but hey, it’s better to be prepared, right?

🌟 Introducing Three Exceptional Candidates – Michelle, Mary & Harry

Every month, we’re lucky enough to meet some fantastic professionals looking for their next opportunity. This month, we've handpicked three standout candidates we’re excited to share with you: Michelle, Mary, and Harry.

Each of them offers an impressive combination of skills, proven experience, and great personalities, capable of making a real difference in your team. Whether you’re actively hiring or just scouting the market for exceptional talent, these candidates are well worth your attention.

Ready to meet them? Let’s jump right in! 🚀

🌟 Meet Michelle – Talent Acquisition Expert with a Passion for HR

📍 Based: Warwickshire | 💰 Salary Expectations: £34k+

Michelle is a CIPD Level 5-qualified HR professional with a strong background in Talent Acquisition. She’s highly adaptable and now looking for a role either within talent acquisition, broader HR, or even business administration—her versatility makes her an exceptional candidate for a wide range of opportunities.

📌 Why Michelle Shines:

✅ Experienced Recruiter – Over four years’ experience as a Talent Acquisition Consultant, specialising in sourcing, interviewing, and hiring top talent through both traditional and creative channels.

✅ HR Savvy – CIPD Level 5-qualified, with proven experience as an HR People Coordinator managing ER issues, absence management, payroll submissions, onboarding, and employee engagement activities.

✅ Excellent Communicator – Skilled in stakeholder management and comfortable delivering presentations, training, and strategic updates across different organisational levels.

✅ Problem Solver – Proactive in identifying issues and rapidly implementing practical solutions, while comfortably managing competing priorities in busy environments.

✅ Organised & Tech-savvy – Highly proficient with applicant tracking systems (ATS), candidate databases, and HR management tools, streamlining recruitment workflows and reporting insights.

Michelle is professional, personable, and enthusiastic—whether your need is within recruitment, general HR support, or high-level administration, she could be the versatile talent your team needs.

📩 Interested in meeting Michelle? Let us know—we’d love to introduce you.

🌟 Meet Harry – Business Analyst & Project Professional with a Passion for Finance

📍 Based: Coventry | 💰 Salary Expectations: £32k - £35k | 🔎 Looking for: Financial Services or Business Analyst Roles

Introducing Harry, a versatile Junior Business Analyst whose analytical expertise and keen interest in financial markets make him a valuable candidate for roles in financial services, fund administration, or broader business analysis positions.

📌 Why Harry Stands Out:

✅ Strong Analytical & Administrative Skills:
Harry has demonstrated exceptional ability in data analysis, process mapping, and compliance monitoring (including GDPR). His roles at both the University of Surrey and Hays PLC involved detailed data management, reporting, and systems analysis.

✅ Regulatory Compliance & Due Diligence:
Experienced in maintaining compliance frameworks, Harry’s familiarity with rigorous data protection protocols aligns perfectly with KYC and AML procedures often required in financial services.

✅ Effective Stakeholder Communication:
He confidently liaises with stakeholders at all levels—departments, external suppliers, IT teams—to ensure successful project delivery and alignment.

✅ Process Improvement & Attention to Detail:
Involved in User Acceptance Testing (UAT), Harry effectively identified process inefficiencies and offered actionable improvements, highlighting his proactive and meticulous approach.

✅ Passionate About Financial Markets:
Alongside his professional skills, Harry has been actively investing in shares, forex, and cryptocurrency since 2018, giving him genuine insight and a personal passion for the operational aspects of finance.

✅ Academically Strong:
Holding a 2:1 degree in Business Management & Leadership from Coventry University, Harry brings both academic and professional credibility.

Immediately available and adaptable across sectors, Harry’s unique combination of analytical skills, compliance experience, and genuine passion for financial services makes him a superb addition to any forward-thinking business.

📩 Interested in Harry? Get in touch—we’d love to connect you!

💼 Meet "Mary" – Finance & Admin All-Rounder with a Flair for Detail

📍 Based: Banbury | 💰 Salary Expectations: £30k+

This month’s standout candidate is a true finance and operations all-rounder. Mary brings a wealth of experience across finance, admin, customer service, and operations, all with a positive, can-do attitude and a sharp eye for detail.

🔍 What Makes Mary Shine?

✅ End-to-End Finance Support – Currently supporting sales and purchase ledger, credit control, payment runs, bank reconciliation (GBP & EUR), and assisting with P&L reporting.
✅ Multi-Tool Mastery – Confident with Sage 50, SAP, Microsoft Office, Google Sheets, and Excel.
✅ Customer-Facing Experience – From handling complaints to client site visits, she builds great relationships and knows how to keep things moving.
✅ Versatile & Adaptable – She’s worked across manufacturing, banking, food, and service sectors—and even supported HR and purchasing.
✅ Professional & Personable – Friendly, calm under pressure, and a total team player with an eye for streamlining processes.

If you’re looking for someone who can keep your back office running like clockwork while representing your business professionally, Mary could be the perfect fit.

📩 Interested in meeting Mary? Get in touch—we’d be happy to tell you more.

🧰 Unsung Heroes: A Shoutout to Our Service Providers

One thing that doesn’t get talked about enough—especially in small businesses—is just how crucial service providers are. Whether they’re large corporations or fellow small businesses, these behind-the-scenes experts are the reason we can focus on doing what we do best.

This month, we want to shine a light on one of ours: our long-term SEO partners, Verian.

Now, SEO was something I’d heard of, but didn’t really understand—and like many small businesses, I was sceptical. It sounded expensive, and the results felt hard to measure. But I trusted Mark, and both he and Ian took the time to explain the process in plain English.

At the time, we were redesigning our website and figured: Let’s put our money where our mouth is.

Fast forward nearly five years, and we haven’t looked back. Ian promised slow, sustainable progress, with a focus on organic growth—and that’s exactly what we’ve seen.

Today, our website outranks all of our local competitors, and SEO has become one of our biggest sources of new business. Mark and Ian have played a huge part in Brellis’ success, and we’re genuinely grateful for the partnership we’ve built.

If you’re a business wondering whether SEO is worth it—or just want someone to explain it without jargon—get in touch with Mark at Verian. They’re brilliant, and best of all, they get it.

🔗 https://verian.co.uk/

#ServiceShoutout #SEOThatWorks #BrellisBackbone

📈 March Recruitment Snapshot – Keeping Momentum Going!

March was another solid month at Brellis Recruitment:

✅ 2 temporary roles successfully filled.
✅ 1 temp-to-perm role secured with a brand-new client in the product print industry.
✅ 2 permanent roles filled with new clients—a skilled Office Manager for an M&E business, and a talented Financial Controller for an Estate & Property company.
✅ 11 permanent positions placed for returning clients—showing continued trust in our work.

Overall, business was up 20% compared to March 2024—not quite matching the highs of our record-breaking March 2021, but we were only one placement away from surpassing it!

Here’s to continued momentum and even greater heights in April! 🚀

#MarchUpdate #RecruitmentResults #OnwardsAndUpwards

🌷 Wrapping up March – Springing into More Opportunities!

And just like that, March is done and dusted—winter feels like a distant memory, and brighter days are ahead. Recruitment activity remains high, and the positive momentum is truly exciting to see.

As we move further into spring, we’re expecting even more opportunities, great talent, and (fingers crossed again!) plenty of sunshine. Thanks as always for being part of the Brellis journey, and here's to another fantastic month ahead.

If you're planning your next hire or want a chat about the local job market, we're just a phone call away.

Enjoy the start of spring, and keep those umbrellas handy—just in case! ☔

#SpringIsHere #RecruitmentBuzz #BringOnApril