Wayne Starritt Profile

How long have you been recruiting IT professionals?
7.5 years, 6.5 at Vector.

What sets you apart from the rest?
A couple of traits help me do my job well; I’m naturally inquisitive and enthusiastic and am easily interested as opposed to easily bored.
In life generally I believe I’m a solution-finder and a logical thinker and this is something I try to apply every day in my job.
I retain information well – weirdly I’m not great with names but often I will be asked for a recommendation and remember someone on the basis of an unusual technology they have worked with, or where they live, a company they worked with or even a hobby, on the basis of a conversation from 6 years ago.

What do you think the key is to successful IT recruitment?
Since I changed my job in the Summer of 2010 from SAP specialist recruitment consultant to Head of Resourcing & Account Management, I have an overview of the work of all of Vector’s Recruitment Consultants and I believe that the most success comes from the best service. Sounds obvious to say but is worth highlighting. The best service is to operate as a genuine consultant - be prepared to offer a strong opinion and advice to clients and contractors. This requires confidence and belief in your service.

Inevitably the Recruitment ‘Administrator’ approach of paper matching a paper spec to a CV will occasionally result in a placement, but real success comes from a partnership between recruiter and client where the Recruitment Consultant’s genuine expertise is utilised. This may involve telling the client something we think they may not want to hear, and certainly something other recruiters shy away from saying, but in the long term the best clients value this.

What has been your biggest achievement to date?
I’m not a great one for looking backwards, but successfully building up a new team and having been at the forefront of remodelling our approach to resourcing contractors over the past twelve months has been the most rewarding aspect of my career so far.

When I update this page in three years time I look forward to writing that I have helped develop and bring through the next generation of successful Vector Recruitment Consultants.

Do you have any role models?
I’m a big believer in nurture over nature, and so am influenced by friends, family and colleagues, but would rather be influenced by a wider selection than a narrow one

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.
I once scored the winning try at Twickenham with a broken wrist. I was 11 when I did this so should stop dining out on it.  I also have tickets for the London 2012 Olympic 100m finals!