The Supply Chain Social - Interview with David Thomas - Head Hunter at IntaPeople Procurement & Supply Chain

Supply Chain Online interviews David Thomas, Head Hunter at IntaPeople

Name: David Thomas
Company: IntaPeople
Position: Head Hunter - Procurement & Supply Chain

What did you want to be when you were at school?

A Procurement & Supply Chain Recruitment Consultant of course! (It was really a Professional Rugby Player).

When did you first start out in the Recruitment industry?

Back in early 2014. I've always specialised in procurement and supply chain because it’s both the fastest growing industry in the world as well as showing the largest increase in academia based uptake globally.

How did IntaPeople come about?

Established in 1994 IntaPeople initially specialised in IT recruitment but over the years we diversified into other areas of technical recruitment including procurement and supply chain, engineering and FMCG.

What kind of jobs does IntaPeople specialise in, and which regions do you cover?

We are experts in sourcing high quality technical candidates for a wide range of permanent, contract and temporary positions across Wales, the UK and Europe.

What sets IntaPeople apart from your competitors?

For us it isn’t about finding you any job, it is about finding you the right job to allow you to achieve your full potential. All our consultants are trained to be experts in their field which means we understand your skills and can accurately match you to suitable positions. We pride ourselves on the level of service we offer candidates throughout the recruitment process.

What's been the biggest challenge you and the company have faced since launch?

I suppose if it wasn't for the strong relationships that we forged over the years then the recession and economic downturns would have hit us a lot harder.

There can be no doubt that the rise of social media has had a significant impact on the recruitment industry. How has social media changed the way you work at IntaPeople?

Social media is intertwined with everything we do at IntaPeople. Clients and candidates expect businesses to be active on social media and we are constantly finding new ways to engage with our market online. Personally I’m extremely active on LinkedIn, not only headhunting top candidates but also sharing industry updates through my group ‘Procurement Industry News’.

How important are job boards within your marketing strategy?

To ensure we match candidates with the right roles we use a wide variety of candidate sourcing methods. Job boards are a fantastic resource for candidates actively looking for a new position but in order to fill complex or timely vacancies we often utilise our network of contacts, as well as social media.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

The harder you work the luckier you get.

What one piece of advice would you give to other young entrepreneurs starting out?

The harder you work the luckier you get J

What’s the latest news at IntaPeople?

Due to increased demand we have implemented a Graduate Development Scheme where we are training up graduates for a career in recruitment. We have also recently refurbished parts of our offices to make more room for the additional heads.

Where would you like IntaPeople to be in 5 years’ time?

I would like to further expand the procurement and supply chain division, building on the relationships we already have and fostering new mutually beneficial partnerships.

Interview by Richard Marshall - Managing Director of Supply Chain Online