Seven Resourcing, a global recruitment agency with headquarters in Ipswich, has expanded its awards cabinet after winning three categories at the REC Awards 2022, organised by the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC).

The business was named Best Company to work for (up to 150 employees) at the awards, which were held on Thursday, November 24 at the Royal Lancaster London hotel.

Managing director Richard Cooke, who founded Seven in 2011, won Business Leader of the Year and Recruiter of the Year.

“The REC is ultimately our governing body, our voice, our representative,” said Richard. “It’s certainly the most prestigious organisation in our industry – and the REC Awards are the most prestigious awards.

“Considering what we've been through with Covid, the REC saying that we are essentially the best agency of 2022 is an incredible accolade – it really is a proud moment for all of us.”

The REC Awards are three of 14 awards that Seven has won in the past 14 months.

The company was named Best Medium Recruitment Business at the Global Recruiter Awards 2022, held on November 17.

In October, it won Back Office Team of the Year and Growth Recruitment Company of the Year at the TALiNT International Annual Recruitment Awards (TIARAs).

“These are different judges, different competitions – they're not people we already know and have a relationship with – and all of them are saying ‘you guys are the best’,” said Richard. “It's good for our people to appreciate what they're achieving and the fact that they're being recognised.”

The Comet: Richard Cooke, founder and managing director of Seven ResourcingRichard Cooke, founder and managing director of Seven Resourcing (Image: Seven Resourcing)

Seven expects to grow annual revenue by 33.7% in 2022 – with gross profit predicted to increase by 44.2% and operating profit by 35.5%.

It has recruited 45 new employees this year – taking total headcount to 143 across its offices in Ipswich, Colchester, Swansea and Miami – and plans to double in size by 2024.

The company has also launched UGrad+, a “degree apprenticeship” that gives young people an opportunity to gain a degree while earning a salary at Seven.

Richard said Covid was very challenging for the business, but it was still able to grow rapidly during the pandemic.

“It was incredibly tough, but the team were amazing and we continued to thrive,” he said. “We were also lucky that many of the industries we supply were still needed. I feel very fortunate about that because if we were a restaurant, we’d have had no choice but to close.

“People losing their loved ones was obviously the worst thing that happened during Covid, but I don't think there’s been enough appreciation of what business owners went through.”

Seven is currently in the process of developing new technology to help it “deliver a better service and experience to candidates and clients,” Richard added.

“There's often a perception that recruitment agencies make easy money – you find a candidate and you put them forward,” he said. “If people saw the compliance process that we go through with nurses, for example, I think it would blow their minds.

“We've got so many different clients that require information in different ways, and to have technology that works with those is complex, but what we are developing is market-leading.”

For more information, visit www.seven-resourcing.com