For employers
Growing Talent - the innovative way to be confident your new talent is the right fit BEFORE permanently hiring them. Note: this film is historic and some of those featured have moved on to other roles. The process below gives the current format.
To determine if it makes sense for your business, watch the video and scroll down to learn more.
What some of our current and historic employers say
Click to see quotes from employers who have taken part previously.
Swiss
Post
Solutions
Restore Harrow Green
Iron Mountain
Front of House Expert
Master-Fix Property Services
ConnectPlusServices M25
Red Personnel
UpTown Oil
Pertemps
ME London Hotel
Meliá White House
Holiday Inn
Rosie Hill, Swiss Post Solutions
“Growing Talent has offered us so much more than the usual recruitment processes. Jane has a very people-centric approach going beyond just matching skills and experience to a job spec, but is all about helping people with little or no experience become a valuable asset to a company. The holistic approach builds greater self-esteem with the candidates giving them a sense of pride and achievement in having a good job that they can develop in. This partnership delivers new talent to our business which fits our culture. They are really keen to absorb everything to grow in their new roles.”
Sharon Sales, Restore Harrow Green
“Growing Talent is a fantastic programme and has worked very well for us at Harrow Green. We’re pleased to be supporting people who are keen to work and who just need an opportunity to show what they can do. We have given them a chance, and they have repaid us with their hard work and commitment. Through the programme, we have gained new staff members who are capable and very motivated, and it’s great to see their confidence and abilities increasing. They are an asset to our company and I am extremely proud of what they have achieved.”
Michelle Wooton, then Iron Mountain
“PwC’s Growing Talent Programme has provided a great opportunity to recruit new talent into our business. The programme works closely with and supports both new recruits and the specific requirements of our organisation. It offered a personalised approach to recruitment that allowed both parties to assess and handpick the right fit. The level of support provided by this programme for the new recruits has enabled us to secure enthusiastic, professional people for Iron Mountain and set them on a career path within the organisation.”
Simon Pratt, Front of House expert
“Growing Talent is all about investing in the next generation of a company's key asset - their people and potential leaders who have that personal drive, determination, passion, confidence and ultimately the inner desire to deliver impeccable service.”
Ella Broughal, Master-Fix Property Services
“Growing Talent is a transformational programme that takes a uniquely holistic approach to employment. Candidates are encouraged to see their individual potential without being reduced to their past employment- while employers get a risk-free opportunity to widen their talent sourcing pools. Having been on both sides of the Growing Talent coin, I could not recommend it enough to potential candidates and enterprising employers alike.”
Andy Nicholson, ConnectPlusServices M25
”Having met with Jane James and learned about Growing Talent, we at CPS were keen to find out more. I was very impressed with the focus of the programme and the way it can change people’s lives for the better. Subsequently, we had a role within the business that we felt would be a great opportunity for someone to learn about the Highways sector and kick start a new career. I attended a Speed Dating session and met a fantastic array of candidates with a wide range of skillsets and experience as well as a fantastic outlook and energy. We took on one candidate who quickly adapted to our business and was soon offered the role on a permanent basis. She has been a great addition to our Projects team and I am sure will go on to have a long and successful career at Connect Plus Services. We hope to build a long lasting relationship with Growing Talent for future roles, and would recommend the service to all employers.”
Jamie So, Red Personnel
“At Red Personnel, the currency we work in is people, for this reason we encourage our clients to look beyond a CV and at the individual we represent. Growing Talent allowed us to select someone, from a pool of candidates, to come in to our business who could assimilate themselves in to our team and be trained and mentored to do exactly what was needed. From the initial rigorous assessment to the holistic support throughout the programme Growing Talent does exactly what it promises in an economic environment where the value of the individual is so much greater.”
Nigel Jewison, UpTown Biodiesel
“Our placement arrived well prepared for the workplace and quickly adapted to his role within Uptown. We are very pleased to have been involved and to have gained a now valued fulltime employee. Thank you Growing Talent”
Pedro Tsiamas, Manager - Specialist Division
“Once again, we have been successful using Growing Talent candidates in finding our newest team member. From the off the process is efficient for employers and beneficial for the candidates from support throughout their journey. As always, we will continue to use Growing Talent and look forward to meeting the next cohort of candidates.”
Emma Brierley, then HR Director, ME Hotel
”Growing Talent has been a fantastic and valuable experience for us at the hotel; we are so pleased to be part of this programme and supporting such an enterprising initiative to get people who truly wish to work in to the work place and not necessarily in business that they are skilled for. We have learnt to recruit in a different way and changed our mind set and it is interesting to meet people without seeing a CV first!”
Frances Lees, HR Manager, Meliá White House
“Growing Talent has opened our eyes to a different way of finding driven individuals who genuinely want an opportunity to show employers what they can do – and we have not been disappointed! We look forward to working with Growing Talent again next year.”
Ebb Kanga, then Holiday Inn
“I was sold on trying Growing Talent because it is an innovative way to attract new talent. There are no cvs or job descriptions involved. It’s based purely on personality. The model ensures the match is right for us as the employer and the new talent joining our business. It’s been amazing and I look forward to next year”
Sharon sales, Harrow Green
“Growing Talent is a fantastic programme and has worked very well for us at Harrow Green. We’re pleased to be supporting people who are keen to work and who just need an opportunity to show what they can do. We have given them a chance, and they have repaid us with their hard work and commitment. Through the programme, we have gained new staff members who are capable and very motivated, and it’s great to see their confidence and abilities increasing. They are an asset to our company and I am extremely proud of what they have achieved.’
The process for employers taking part:
Note: Jobs on offer must be real, permanent jobs where no one has been made redundant to produce this opportunity. Your Growing Talent Associate will not remain on site if they are not maintaining set criteria or they are not being supported appropriately to learn the job role on offer. Employers and Growing Talent Associates have a dedicated mentor for the journey. *By agreement, the in-role training element can be extended from 3 to a maximum 10 weeks.
Employers’ checklist
There are a few key things employers need to consider before using Growing Talent to secure new talent completely free of any recruitment fees:
1
You are selecting someone based on your view of their ability to grow into your vacant permanent role - which is theirs on successful completion - over the Growing Talent journey. There are no cvs/job descriptions nor traditional interviews.
2
Communication - ensure your team are aware of Growing Talent and why you are recruiting this way.
3
Those chosen are known as Growing Talent Associates (GTA). They must be employed on successful completion of the programme.
4
Growing Talent appraisals ensure mutual evaluation. No one remains on site who is not meeting/exceeding set criteria.
5
An on-site buddy must be assigned to support the GTA in day-to-day operations. You agree to fully train your selected GTA in the vacant role and all site policies and procedures.
6
Growing Talent's Co-Ordinator is available to support you including out of hours. You or a member of your team must also be contactable out of hours for emergencies.
jane@thejjc.net
7
For audit purposes, you must raise all issues, no matter how small, to jane@thejjc.net
8
Do not get involved in any hardship your Growing Talent Associate may tell you about. Instead, see 7 above.
9
Any planned absences your GTA has during this journey will be declared at the start which we ask you to honour.
10
The 'Details of Employment' page in the Growing Talent Journey Book needs to be completed during the final week of in role training.