We are a service-oriented business so we love it when our clients say nice things about us. Here are a selection of testimonials below….
“Balls2 Marketing has used Astute Recruitment Ltd twice and both times Andy and I have been very impressed with the candidates they’ve offered us. Financial appointments aren’t the same as others, and a high level of trust right from the start is vital. If you’re looking for someone to join your business in a senior financial role, I would feel very confident in recommending them.”
Owners of Balls 2 Marketing
“Sara-Louise worked tirelessly to understand our requirements and match these with a range of quality candidates that she thoroughly understood before presenting them to us. Her accountancy background, recruitment experience, and knowledge of the market and candidates, coupled with a highly flexible, guiding, business partnering approach, meant we quickly secured the right person for the job (and equally the right job for that person).
Sarah-Louise is a true professional at what she does and having been introduced to her, I would certainly use her again and would encourage others to do so.”
Mark, Finance Director within a growing, East Midlands SME Business
“The first time that I met the consultant at Astute, she impressed me with her ability to actually listen to my needs and understand the requirements for the position I was trying to fill. The fact that she has an accountancy background herself facilitates this. She also took the time to understand the business and market that we operate in, the make-up of the current team, and the type of personality that would fit well within the team. The quality and suitability of the candidates she forwarded to me for consideration was excellent. Astute Recruitment’s fee levels were extremely competitive and they do not employ hard-sell techniques. I am extremely satisfied with the services I have received and would highly recommend them to anyone looking for accounting staff.”
Company Accountant – Credenhill
“Just thought a big thank you was well overdue in relation to the two candidates placed by Astute recently. Despite our usual tricky preconditions and the current recruitment market, we are delighted with how both employees have fitted in with the team and hit the ground running so quickly. Both are great additions to the department. As usual the communication and suitability was spot on. As always, we will be in touch with Astute first for any future recruitment requirements. Thanks again!
Financial Controller – DGS Group
“Astute Recruitment has provided a range of employment services from accounting to secretarial vacancies. Terrie is a pleasure to deal with and professional in her approach. As a result of the level for service they provide, I would not hesitate in recommending her and Astute.”
HR Manager – Smith Partnership
“Having worked with the team at Astute during my time at Picsolve on a number of vacancies, both permanent and temporary I have found them to be very professional and sourcing a number of excellent candidates. I feel that they understand our requirements
for the different Finance roles we have filled and as such provide the right people with the right skillsets and attitudes to help us successfully fill our positions. I would not hesitate in recommending.”
Purchase Ledger Manager – Picsolve
“I have dealt with Sarah Stevenson for over 15 years. She has always understood my requirements and been able to find great people for my business. She is always professional and goes the extra mile. I have been really impressed with the speed at which Sarah and her team have been able to fill urgent roles for me. I would gladly recommend Sarah and her team to any company.”
Director – Riley Product Handling
“I’ve used Astute Recruitment and Mary Maguire to appoint for a newly created opportunity. As an established international SME business ourselves it was absolutely key to get someone who would fit into our longstanding team but who could also work accurately, coping with a varied remit and be able to fully support the directors and operations management teams. As this was a newly created role – Mary worked with us to identify what level of accountant we required and source candidates with the right accountancy ability but also team fit. Our new Finance Manager has now been with us for over 7 months and we can’t imagine the place without her. Thank you to Astute and Mary!”
Operations Director – Infotec
“CAME BPT UK Limited has gone from strength to strength in recent years, as the Finance Director of this expanding company, I needed someone to be my finance number two to be responsible for management accounts and as well as liaise with our other sites and related companies. Mary contacted me after I posted an advertisement in the local press to see if I would be interested in some support to recruit the right person. Initially I wanted to see who would apply direct and historically we have not been confident in using recruitment agencies. Unfortunately I was disappointed in the quality of applicant and the time taken to meet with potential hires. Mary patiently kept in touch and I agreed for her to assist me. In return for an exclusive arrangement she was able to agree a favourable fee and quickly provided me with a great shortlist of three candidates which was perfect as I did not want to interview lots and lots more applicants! I met all three and went onto hire Steve who has now been with us now for just over a year and has already become a valuable part of the team here at CAME BPT. I would thoroughly recommend Mary and her team to any business looking for someone in their finance/ accounts department. Astute’s ability to listen to their client’s requirements, help and advise throughout the recruitment process and identify suitable candidates based on experience and ‘team fit’ is second to none.”
Finance Director – Came BPT UK Limited
“I have used Astute to recruit for a number of junior accounts and clerical positions within my Finance teams in my current and previous roles. From my previous experiences Astute have always made an effort to understand the culture, structure, working environment and future direction of the business to ensure that the candidates they put forward are a match for the role and have the work ethic required. This gives me the confidence that when carrying out interviews I can concentrate on the technical skills of candidates and assessing whether their personality will fit into the team. I would have no hesitation in recommending Astute to any business looking for quality candidates and will certainly use them in the future when I am looking to add to my team at any level.
Head of Finance – Craft Channel Productions Limited
“I have used Astute Recruitment on many occasions over the last year to fill both interim and permanent positions at DHU. They are a professional and well managed company and I have been very impressed with the quality of candidates that have been put forward for positions.
It is clear that Astute value their customers by trying to match both the individual and client needs rather than just trying to secure any placement. There is no hard sales pitch or constant bombardment of calls and CV’s, and they seem to have the balance of communication just right.”
Head of Finance – Derbyshire Health United
“Having worked with Astute personally for many years, they have always listened, and taken on board what my requirements for my next role to be – and have always come back to me with roles that fit the bill.
Now sitting on the other side, looking for new team members, they offer the same service. Terrie took time to listen and understand the company, my team and the role before sending over suitable candidates. I will continue to work with Astute and would not hesitate to recommend them.”
Group Financial Controller – Chevin Fleet Solutions
“I was registered as a candidate with Astute Recruitment who found me my current role very quickly. I have since, over the last 2 years, used Sarah and Astute Recruitment to source staff for my department. I have found Sarah very professional, she knows her market very well, and knows the type of person that fits in with my team.
I can highly recommend Astute Recruitment and Sarah Stevenson from both a client and candidate perspective.”
General Ledger Manager – NHS Supply Chain
“Astute contacted me in 2015 and briefly outlined the way their Agency operates, and quickly understood what I required for the team, including the type of person and personality that would fit our business,
Astute, within 7 days, had conducted 1st and 2nd interviews. All the people we met were of an excellent standard giving us a difficult decision to make.
The whole process ran smoothly and quickly and we are delighted with the person that the role was offered to.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Astute to any business because I feel that they are very good at understanding your requirements, do not bombard you with vast numbers of unwanted CVs that you have to trawl through, and my overall experience is an organised agency that is very good at communicating between ourselves and the Candidate.”
Credit Manager – Raleigh
“I have worked with Astute Recruitment for over 2 years now both from a candidate and an employer perspective.
In the role of a candidate, I found that they were very flexible and helpful in their approach towards me, giving me advice and feedback as required. They knew the marketplace and local area in-depth and completely understood my requirements for the ideal role I was searching for. Amazingly they were able to find a perfect match for me in the current position I hold of Regional Financial Controller, within 1 week.
From an employer perspective I have found that whatever level I have recruited at, Astute has always provided me with good quality candidates. Many of the candidates put forward have either been called back for a second interview or offered the position despite tough competition with other agencies providing candidates too; more recently I have been able to internally promote one of the candidates recently employed through Astute demonstrating the quality of the candidates they provide.
I have found they offer the most competitive placement rates in the marketplace and importantly, without compromising their level of service. They do this through a very friendly and extremely capable team of individuals, who are no-nonsense and will tell me if they don’t have any suitable candidates – what a refreshing change for a recruitment agency! This kind of honesty is something which I really value and is the reason the relationship works so well and why I would have no hesitation in recommending Astute.”
Financial Controller – Imperial Commercials
“I have known Sarah Stevenson for over 15 years, not only has Sarah placed me as a candidate on several occasions including at NHS Supply Chain, I also use her to find all my staff in the department. Sarah understands my requirements and always finds me the best candidates on the market. I can’t recommend Sarah and Astute Recruitment enough, they are an excellent recruitment agency.”
Credit Manager – NHS Supply Chain
“We have recently worked with Astute Recruitment who have successfully helped us to recruit for a senior finance position. The consultant with whom we worked, went to great lengths to understand our business, our people, and our ethos which then enabled him to refer only those candidates who he believed would be well suited to the challenges and work culture we have.
As a result, we received some high-quality candidates. He worked on this assignment very promptly, efficiently, and professionally, giving us regular, honest feedback. It was a pleasure to work with Astute Recruitment and we would not hesitate in using them again.”
Personnel Manager – Weleda (UK) Ltd
“Finding an experienced candidate with the right skill set and dynamic personality is not only increasingly difficult but extremely time-consuming. On a recent senior hire, Astute Recruitment proactively delivered exactly to the brief given. Our first experience of Astute has been a refreshing change to other recruitment processes we have run.
I wouldn’t hesitate to use Astute Recruitment again, and would recommend them to any business looking to strengthen within their Finance Team.”
Partner – Business Advisory Services
“Over recent years we have experienced strong, consistent organic growth which led to a need to expand our tax team at a senior level.
The project was the first time we have worked with Astute, we set the consultant an extremely challenging brief to source us the ideal professional to join our team. Their fresh, transparent consultative approach to recruitment delivered the ideal professional we were looking for.
Recruitment can be a costly and time-consuming process if not handled in the right way, I would have no hesitation in working with Astute again and recommend them to any business who are looking to strengthen their finance teams.”
Managing Director – Botham Accounting
“I worked with James Williams at Astute Recruitment for the first time earlier in the year when we were recruiting for a new niche senior position. He understood our recruitment needs and was able to provide candidates of a high calibre, one of whom we ultimately recruited.. I found James to be responsive to our needs and worked in a professional manner at all times, communicating in a timely manner and thus ensuring we were always up-to-date with information.”
HR Manager – Aga Rangemaster
“We have been working with Astute Recruitment, over the last year on a number of vacancies. The service we have received has always been excellent. Their understanding of the business needs and culture of the organization has enabled them to provide us with high-calibre applicants.
I feel that Astute always puts every effort in to matching our recruitment needs with relevant candidates and has worked tirelessly to help us recruit successfully.
Astute Recruitment have always been professional, honest, and reliable and I would not hesitate in recommending them to anyone.”
Financial Controller – Litho Supplies (UK) Limited
“Daher Aerospace has used Astute Recruitment as our preferred supplier for all our financial recruitment needs for the last few years. Working with Jenny Callum, our Senior Consultant, we are always guaranteed a first-class service. The difference between Astute and other agencies is that they take time to understand not only the skill and knowledge requirements of the vacancy but also the culture of the organisation, to try and get the right fit.
Our relationship with Jenny benefits from her honesty, she does not try to fit a round peg into a square hole. Their quick response to our recruitment requirements has enabled us to source suitable candidates against tight timeframes.
I would have no hesitation in recommending referring all your financial recruitment need to Astute Recruitment. They will always be our first port of call for our financial recruitment needs.”
HR Consultant – Daher Aerospace
“We had been looking to find an experienced and qualified accountant to strengthening the charity’s Board of Trustees for quite a while without any luck.
When Mary visited us to introduce Astute I mentioned this just in passing. I was really astonished when just a few days later Mary found 3 ideal candidates, one of which will now be joining our Board.
I am very impressed.”
Chief Executive – Enable
“This is the first time that we have used Astute Recruitment as we rarely recruit for Finance roles. I found Mary Maguire to be attentive, responsive and she really took on board what our individual company requirements were for the role that we were recruiting for. I am pleased to say that Mary was successful in sourcing us with the appointed candidate and should any similar positions come up in the future, I will certainly be getting back in touch with Astute.”
Human Resources Officer – Access Training Ltd
“Astute Recruitment recently assisted my company with the recruitment of a new Finance Director to the business. The role was pivotal in supporting the business, which is on a path of significant growth over the next few years.
Astute’s team really took on board the key attributes of the candidate we were looking for and selected a small pool of candidates to put in front of my business partner and I. Astute managed to source the ideal candidate – one who was available at short notice, which is what the business required at the time, of extremely high calibre and with the right personality fit for the business. They also dealt with the role with the confidentiality it required.
Aspire, Achieve, Advance Ltd has gone on to turn to Astute for a further piece of recruitment at senior level and I would not hesitate to recommend their services to another organisation.”
Managing Director – Aspire, Achieve, Advance Ltd
