OUR VALUES & APPROACH
Placing People First, From the First Conversation to the Final Placement
At Marshall Harmony, recruitment is about more than filling a vacancy.
It is about understanding the business behind the role, the person behind the CV and what needs to happen for both to succeed long term.
That people-first approach shapes how we work with employers and job seekers across engineering, manufacturing, logistics and supply chain, commercial recruitment and executive search throughout the West Midlands and UK.
PLACING PEOPLE FIRST
What Does Placing People First Mean?
For us, placing people first means taking recruitment personally.
For employers, it means understanding why you are hiring before we start searching. We want to know what the role needs to achieve, how your team works, where previous recruitment has been difficult and what kind of person will genuinely thrive within your business.
For job seekers, it means looking beyond the CV. We want to understand what motivates you, where you want your career to go and what needs to be different about your next opportunity.
And for both, it means honest communication throughout.
We would rather have the right conversation at the beginning than discover the wrong fit several months after somebody starts.
OUR VALUES
The Principles Behind How We Recruit
Honesty
Recruitment works better when everyone knows where they stand.
We give employers a realistic view of the market and candidates an honest picture of the opportunity. If something is not right, we will say so.
Clear communication, constructive feedback and transparency are fundamental to how we work.
Understanding
A job description or CV only tells part of the story.
We take the time to understand the role, business, team, experience, ambitions and circumstances behind every recruitment process.
That deeper understanding helps us make better introductions and reduces the risk of hiring purely on what looks right on paper.
Partnership
We want to become part of the businesses we recruit for, not another agency sitting outside them.
Many of our clients choose to work with Marshall Harmony exclusively, allowing us to build a much deeper understanding of their people, culture and plans.
Some client relationships have continued for up to 15 years, with our knowledge becoming more valuable with every appointment.
Commitment
Taking on a vacancy means taking responsibility for it.
We actively search, communicate and remain involved throughout the recruitment process rather than simply advertising a role and waiting.
That commitment continues through interviews, offers, notice periods, onboarding and beyond.
Built on trust
Why Does Exclusive Recruitment Matter?
For many of our clients, working exclusively with Marshall Harmony creates a stronger recruitment partnership.
Instead of several agencies approaching the same market with different messages, one specialist team takes ownership of understanding the role, representing the business and managing the search.
That gives us more opportunity to understand:
Why the vacancy exists
What has and has not worked previously
The team and culture surrounding the role
What success will look like
Which skills are genuinely essential
Which candidates are most likely to thrive long term
It also allows us to represent the opportunity more accurately when approaching professionals who may not be actively looking for a new role.
The result is a more focused search built around quality, communication and trust.
“Setting Laura apart from other recruiters is the commitment to really understanding the needs of both employers and individuals alike.”
Matthew A, candidate and then client, on Google
OUR RECRUITMENT APPROACH
We Start With the Problem, Not the Job Description
Every recruitment process starts with a conversation.
A vacancy might exist because someone has left, but the real challenge could be succession planning, growth, skills shortages, increased production, a new market or pressure elsewhere within the team.
Understanding that context helps us determine what the business genuinely needs.
Understand
We get beneath the job description.
That means understanding the business, team, culture, expectations and the problem the appointment needs to solve.
Search
We build a focused recruitment search around what we have learned.
Alongside active candidates, we proactively approach relevant professionals within our networks and markets, including people who may not currently be searching for a new role.
Prepare
Good recruitment depends on both sides understanding what they are walking into.
We prepare candidates thoroughly, provide clear information about the opportunity and help employers enter interviews with the right context.
Communicate
Nobody should be left wondering what is happening.
We keep employers and candidates informed throughout the process, providing honest feedback and addressing questions as they arise.
Support
Our involvement does not end when somebody accepts an offer.
We remain in contact through the notice period, onboarding and beyond to support a successful transition and long-term placement.
OUR RECRUITMENT APPROACH
We Start With the Problem, Not the Job Description
Every recruitment process starts with a conversation.
A vacancy might exist because someone has left, but the real challenge could be succession planning, growth, skills shortages, increased production, a new market or pressure elsewhere within the team.
Understanding that context helps us determine what the business genuinely needs.
Understand
We get beneath the job description.
That means understanding the business, team, culture, expectations and the problem the appointment needs to solve.
Search
We build a focused recruitment search around what we have learned.
Alongside active candidates, we proactively approach relevant professionals within our networks and markets, including people who may not currently be searching for a new role.
Prepare
Good recruitment depends on both sides understanding what they are walking into.
We prepare candidates thoroughly, provide clear information about the opportunity and help employers enter interviews with the right context.
Communicate
Nobody should be left wondering what is happening.
We keep employers and candidates informed throughout the process, providing honest feedback and addressing questions as they arise.
Support
Our involvement does not end when somebody accepts an offer.
We remain in contact through the notice period, onboarding and beyond to support a successful transition and long-term placement.
INDUSTRY UNDERSTANDING
Recruitment Informed by the Industries We Work In
Marshall Harmony specialises in recruitment across engineering, manufacturing and the operational and commercial functions supporting those businesses.
Our team stays connected to those markets through recruitment relationships, industry events, business communities and partnerships with organisations across engineering and manufacturing.
That exposure helps us understand how skills requirements, candidate expectations and hiring challenges are changing.
Our recruitment specialisms include:
Spotlight
Executive Search
Confidential, targeted appointments at director and leadership level.
Spotlight
Logistics & Supply Chain
Planning, procurement, warehousing and distribution, beyond the factory gates.
WHO WE ARE
An Approach Built for Long-Term Results
Our focus on understanding, communication and long-term fit has helped us build recruitment relationships that continue well beyond one vacancy.
92%
of vacancies filled
82%
of placed candidates still in role after 12 months
250+
candidates placed in the past three years
60%
of the candidates we speak to are not on the open market
2%
of every placement fee donated to Acorns Children’s Hospice
No upfront fees. No retainers.
Exclusive: one role, one recruiter
Founded in 2021, based in Ironbridge, Shropshire
Laura Davies: 26 years in recruitment
MORE THAN RECRUITMENT
The Same Values Extend Beyond Our Placements
Placing people first also shapes the way we operate outside recruitment.
We invest in our people, support future talent and build relationships with organisations connected to engineering, manufacturing and our wider community.
Marshall Harmony also donates 2% from every successful placement to Acorns Children’s Hospice, with clients invited to match the contribution.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
Trusted by Employers and Job Seekers Across the West Midlands and UK
Clients and candidates regularly talk about the honesty, communication, preparation and personal support they receive from Marshall Harmony.
GET IN TOUCH
Want Recruitment to Feel More Like a Partnership?
Whether you are hiring specialist talent or considering your next career move, start with a conversation.
Tell us what you need, what has brought you here and where you want to go next.
