MEMBERS NEWS
Getting the job done
Lawrence Dean marks 13 years in business
The year 2010 saw the launch of the iPad and Instagram, Kate and Wills celebrated their engagement and Downton Abbey took over Sunday evening TV. David Cameron became the first UK Conservative leader for 13 years and a huge volcanic ash cloud in Iceland sparked the cancellation of millions of flights around the world. In Hertfordshire, meanwhile, 2010 saw the birth of Lawrence Dean Recruitment.
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fter years of working in the industry, Sarah Leete and Kelly Notley took a leap of faith and set up their own business.
Major changes have swept the industry – not least a more relaxed attitude to flexible working and technological advancements. “Years ago, people would put up adverts in their business or shop windows or jobseekers went to the local Job Centre. Technology has made accessibility a lot simpler,” said Sarah.
Working from a tiny office with just two brains, two phones, two laptops and a boatload of enthusiasm, the pair wanted to create a company which focused on finding that perfect fit for hiring managers and jobseekers. Fast forward to 2023 and their award-winning business is now regarded as one of the leading recruitment agencies in the county. Sarah said: “Our first office was so small – neither of us could put on any weight or we wouldn’t have been able to move around the desks! “We now have 12 people on the team – all permanent – and we are proud of how far we have come.” Sarah and Kelly take the time to understand how clients operate and the culture they have built and then use their knowledge and contacts to locate the most suitable candidates.
“That said, the human touch is still very important for us; we are a people-centric business and I think that is what sets us apart. Surveys show 96 per cent of their clients have used them more than once and feel the service is better than their competitors. It also showed 72 per cent of people they found work for didn’t take the job they initially wanted to apply for. “We won’t mis-sell a job,” said Sarah. “For example, if they are ambitious and want to end up managing a team and we know that won’t happen, we will help them find something that suits them better. “It’s all about being honest and finding the position which is a perfect fit.”
“We still take the time to truly get to know our clients and for us that means getting together in person, rather than using technology. “No-one really hired for quite a while during the pandemic so there were two years of recruitment backed up. I think that’s partly to blame for the recruitment difficulties companies have faced over the past couple of years. “Things are starting to settle now, but it’s still a candidate-driven market, and salary, benefits and work life balance have got to be competitive.” For more information on Lawrence Dean, visit https://www.lawrencedeanrecruitment.co.uk/
Pop-up sustainable restaurant
Hitchin’s multi-award-winning sustainable restaurant is launching a series of themed Monday Pop-up Clubs for the first time on 30th October with the first theme being guilt-free burgers.
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ussmanns Sustainable Kitchen on Sun Street prides itself on its sustainability credentials with the key ingredients of the burger menu for the restaurant’s first-ever Monday Pop-up Club beef, chicken, vegan and fish - being sourced from within the British Isles.
grilled Mediterranean vegetables with Barnet halloumi; The Vegan ‘Lamb’ featuring North African spiced lamb-style mince; and The Fish Finger with cod from a sustainable fish source approved by the MSC, which sole purpose is to safeguard seafood supplies for the future by promoting sustainable fishing
Hertfordshire residents are being invited to pop in and enjoy a burger and chips for £13.95 with the option to choose an apéritif from the specially curated aperitif list for Monday Pop-up Club for an extra £5. Lussmanns’ full drinks list and tapas will also be available for diners to enjoy.
Talking about the new Monday Pop-Up Club, Lussmanns MD irector Andrei Lussmann said: “We did a takeaway burger menu during the lockdown of 2020, and it was very popular so we thought we would combine the return of our guilt-free burger experience with opening our Hitchin restaurant for the first of our Monday Pop-up Clubs.
The burger menu includes: The Classic with organic beef burger sourced from the Rhug Estate in Wales; The Schnitzel with free-range chicken schnitzel burger from Balsall Common on the Warwickshire border; The Vegetarian
“Dining out on a Monday, enjoying an affordable menu of responsibly sourced sustainable ingredients, washed down with an aperitif or two from our Pop-up Club drinks menu, is the perfect way to start the week.”
The Monday Pop-up Club launches on 30th October and will be open every Monday until 20th November inclusive. Lussmanns Hitchin will continue to open every Monday after that until the New Year with diners invited to choose from the restaurant’s Christmas, Autumn or Locals Set Menu, which costs £18.95 for two courses and £23.95 for three, and is available every day between 12pm and 6.30pm.
INSPIRE
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