We’re really pleased to welcome Simon Barlow to Talent Hive as our new Head of FM Recruitment.
Simon joins us to lead our move into Facilities Management recruitment, working across both soft and hard services and bringing a huge amount of industry experience with him.
At Talent Hive, we’ve always believed that the best recruiters are the ones who genuinely understand the industries they work in. Our team includes former Hotel Managers, Sales Managers and Chefs – people who have actually done the jobs they now recruit for.
And Simon fits right in.
Before moving into recruitment, Simon ran construction sites and went on to work as a Facilities Manager with Mitie, delivering total FM. He then moved into recruitment and has spent more than 20 years working across FM, building services and the built environment, recruiting everyone from engineers through to board-level appointments.
So, when Simon talks to a client about what they need from their next hire, or to a candidate about their next move, he understands it from both sides.
It’s an approach to recruitment that Simon has developed throughout his career:
“I’ve always thought good recruitment should be about more than matching a CV to a job description.
I’ve worked in FM, managed sites and then spent more than 20 years recruiting across the sector, so I’ve seen it from both sides of the desk.
That gives you a different perspective.
I want to understand what a business actually needs, what’s happening within the operation and what will make someone successful in the role, rather than just sending over a few CVs and hoping one sticks.
The FM market is full of good people, but finding the right person isn’t always as straightforward as putting a job advert out and waiting for applications.
I’m looking forward to bringing that experience into Talent Hive, building the FM side of the business and, most importantly, working with good people and having honest conversations about the market.
If I can help a business find someone who genuinely makes a difference, or help someone find a role that is right for them, then that’s what good recruitment should be about.”
For us, expanding into FM makes sense. Hospitality, catering and facilities often sit closely together, and many of the businesses we already work with operate across all three.
Bringing Simon into the Hive means we can offer our clients even more support, while sticking to what we’ve always done best – specialist recruitment led by people who know the industry.
If you’re hiring within FM, looking for your next opportunity, or simply want to have a chat about the market, Simon would love to hear from you.
Welcome to the Hive, Simon. Great to have you on board! 🐝