Phil Scott – Director
Whats your background? I grew up near Whalley in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire. I graduated from university with a degree in Accountancy & Finance. I used my breaks from university to gain work experience at a local accountancy practice and work in the family business.
How did you get into recruitment? After leaving University I did a summer season as a holiday rep. My 6 month summer job turned into a 4 year career through a succession of promotions. One of my last roles with Thomas Cook was in their recruitment team. The travel novelty eventually wore off and I wanted a permanent base in the north west so I found a role with a recruitment company in Manchester. When I was offered the opportunity at a financial recruiter it seemed a sensible option as I could combine my recruitment and accountancy knowledge and my enjoyment of meeting people.
What attracted you to AFR? I gained experience working for a really good firm in Manchester but I had always wanted to follow in my parents footsteps and be involved in running my own business. The timing felt right and in 2004 I was at an age where I could put in the hours needed to help get everything off the ground. I’ve never looked back, we are able to react quickly to changes in the market and I feel we are one of the most innovative firms around, its clear to see from our news section we have developed lots of client initiatives.
Whats your role at AFR Consulting? My role in AFR is to recruit senior financial positions across East Lancashire & Manchester. Aside from my day job, I am tasked with looking after the company finances, pursuing new business opportunities and developing client initiatives.
Outside of work interests? Outside of work I love to play football, and spend time with the family. Holiday past times include skiing and scuba diving although now I’ve a young family I’m more likely to champion making sand castles on the beach.
Simon Speak – Director
Whats your background? I graduated from Uni with a degree in Psychology & Management studies, then I did some traveling and worked a ski season before deciding it was time to get a real job.
How did you get into recruitment? Ideally I wanted a career where my own hard work would be rewarded, I didn’t fancy any of the graduate trainee type roles, I enjoy understanding and learning about different businesses and I liked the idea of working with different types of people and clients so recruitment seemed an obvious choice.
What attracted you to AFR? I had been working for a large north west recruiter since about 1998 focusing on practice and industry placements in Lancashire. An opportunity came along to set up a business where I could be my own boss and I felt I could add a lot of value and build upon some of the skills had already learned.
Whats your role at AFR Consulting? I deal with senior placements in West Lancashire and the North Merseyside region, particularly into industry and practice. Internally I help my colleagues attract and retain new business and I also monitor current clients ensuring they receive an excellent service and benefit from our added value processes.
Outside of work interests? I have two young children who keep me busy but when possible I like to play squash and go out on my mountain bike, I am also enjoy cooking.
Tammy Smith – Director
Whats your background? I grew up in North Yorkshire where I lived just outside Richmond. I went to college in Harrogate and moved to Preston in 1995 where I did a degree at the University of Central Lancashire in Tourism and Leisure Management with Marketing.
How did you get into recruitment? I fell into recruitment! I went to register with Blue Arrow to gain office experience and they offered me a position in their office running their catering desk on a temporary basis. After 4 months, I went for an interview at RK Accountancy and was offered a position as their Temporary Consultant in the Preston office and started in January 2000.
What attracted you to AFR? I used to work with Simon at RK and he approached me to set up a Junior Division within AFR. I knew AFR as a competitor and they had a great name in the market place. The ethos of AFR is that they are an independent recruitment consultancy who pride themselves on working closely with their clients to build long term relationships in order to be able to provide the candidates and services they need. This was the way I enjoyed working and felt I would work well in that sort of environment.
Whats your role at AFR Consulting? Having spent 11 years as a Billing Consultant, and with the team constantly increasing in size, I have now chosen to focus on internal strategy and staff / business development within the company. This comes with a new title of Branch Manager. My role involves setting objectives, internal/external PR, staff training and appraisals, staff incentives, brand awareness and creation and implementation of all existing/new policies and procedures. I am also responsible for attracting new staff and extensively involved in the recruitment process for future recruitment consultants so we can grow the business for Warrington and Manchester branches.
Whilst fulfilling my duties as Branch Manager I will also be returning to my role as Billing Consultant specializing in providing candidates for temporary and permanent roles up to £22k across PR, FY and LA postcodes.
Outside of work interests? Where to start ? I have two major passions in life… food and shopping.. just don’t ask me to choose between the two!! Fortunately, I have the pleasure of living in Manchester, which caters for both of these hobbies fantastically well. My favourite restaurant has to be Lounge 10 – if you haven’t already been, you must! Go on a Friday or Saturday and there’s a table-side magician who is amazing! I'm very much a family girl and spend a lot of time returning home to North Yorkshire to visit my family and old school friends. I also have a lovely group of friends from Uni who I see regularly – I’m pretty sure all of these could confirm that I consider myself a social butterfly !!
Emily Formby – Senior Consultant
Whats your background? I grew up in the Rossendale Valley and moved to Liverpool to study Business and Information Management. Throughout my time in education I held a variety of part time roles ranging from an estate agency to market trading!
How did you get into recruitment? I think like most recruiters I did not set out for a career in recruitment, I just fell into it! As a graduate I was looking for a role where I could combine my previous sales experience with developing relationships, and of course earning some decent money! When I heard about recruitment consultancy it sounded like the perfect choice!
What attracted you to AFR? Having worked with Tammy at a previous recruitment company I was excited about the opportunity to work with her again! When I met with her initially about joining AFR it was clear she was really passionate about delivering a top quality service to her clients and candidates alike. I liked her straight talking, honest and proactive approach and thought this would be a great fit with the way I work. Having subsequently met with Simon and Phil it was clear to see this was a company wide ethos and I was delighted to be chosen to work along side Tammy to develop the junior division of the brand.
Whats your role at AFR Consulting? I specifically recruit candidates up to the £22k mark in the East Lancs (BB) and North Manchester (BL) market place. Living and working in the area gives me the opportunity to really get to know the clients and candidates in the area.
Outside of work interests? I love skiing and always make sure I have one trip per season! I like to sing and am part of a national choir called Sing Live – we perform at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester.
Rachel Mitson – Senior Consultant
Whats your background? Having studied Educational Research at Uni, I moved to Manchester and noticed an agency needed a consultant to recruit for schools across the region. I decided that it would be a new challenge and have now worked in recruitment for 8 years!!
How did you get into recruitment? I decided I wanted to be rewarded personally for the effort I put in and therefore a commission based environment suited me! However I began to want to develop my business acumen and therefore decided to change sector to Finance/Accounts within which I could gain a wider knowledge of different industries and how they operate.
What attracted you to AFR? Having relocated back to the North West I wanted to be more Lancashire based. I therefore approached AFR after gaining some feedback from both clients and candidates on the services offered by competitors, it was soon apparent they were the leaders across Lancashire with regard to consistent positive feedback.
Whats your role at AFR Consulting? My role is to develop and establish strong links across the Warrington and North Merseyside area with particular focus at the part qualified or Newly qualified levels, although I am experienced at all levels of finance recruitment covering Temporary, Permanent and Interim Assignments.
Outside of work interests? I love the outdoors and try to spend most weekends hiking. I also enjoy eating out and generally socialising with friends and spending time with my family.
Iain Martin - Senior Consultant
Whats your background? I grew up in South London before moving to Preston in 1996 to study Environmental Management at the University of Central Lancashire. I joined a global recruitment group as a trainee consultant in early 2002 and have been working in recruitment ever since. I enjoyed a 4-year spell in New Zealand. I returned to the UK in 2008 to get married and settle down and have been recruiting across Lancashire and Greater Manchester.
How did you get into recruitment? I was friends with Tammy Smith throughout our time at University and also enjoyed working with people and working in a busy fast paced environment and so I felt that recruitment would be something I would enojy. I spent a short spell as a contracts administrator with a recruitment group in London getting some first hand experience and joined Hays as a trainee consultant in 2002.
What attracted you to AFR? I wanted to work for AFR as they are a well established specialist recruiter with an excellent reputation in the local market. The team here consists of very experienced consultants who know the market inside-out and so they can offer both candidates and clients valuable and relevant service. I was especially impressed with their approach to recruitment which isn’t based on bombarding companies with constant calls, emails and mailers to pick up jobs, but to work closely with them to build lasting relationships.
Whats your role at AFR Consulting? In my role as Senior Consultant with AFR I specialise in providing a tailored recruitment service to accountancy practices across Lancashire and Cumbria focussing on trainee, part-qualified and qualified accountants in Audit, Tax and General Practice. I am able to provide a supportive service to candidates giving open and honest advice on career management and taking that next step. For clients I provide a professional and tailored recruitment service that is highly cost effective and based heavily on recommendation. At AFR we take a proactive approach differentiating ourselves by sponsoring awards recognising “Rising Stars” and promoting networking events helping the professional community keep up to date with topical issues. I am active in several industry related groups enabling me to keep up to date with developments in the sector.
Outside of work interests? I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I am also very much an outdoors person and enjoy getting out on my mountain bike or road bikes, watching or playing football and being dragged to the shops by my wife!
Alex Kelly - Recruitment Consultant
Whats your background?I grew up in Ripponden and studied English Language, Business Studies and Sports Studies at College. Straight out of College, to gain a variety of sales experience, I started a job in Call Centre in the Banking Industry for 18months. In Nov 2009 an opportunity presented itself in the Recruitment Industry where I started off as a Trainee.
How did you get into recruitment? My sister has been working in the Recruitment Industry for 5 years, I shall say that, sparked my interest as she found her position as a Recruitment Consultant to be a rewarding one. I met Tammy sometime ago and approached her for any opportunities within AFR.
What attracted you to AFR? I always wanted to be part of a well known and respected company. They have a good reputation in the Market place. They recognize good work and offer opportunities for advancement for those wanting to grow themselves.
Whats your role at AFR Consulting? My role in AFR is to specialise on roles up to £22k across BL and BB postcodes covering both temporary and permanent roles.
Outside of work interests? I enjoy socializing with friends. I am also very much an outgoing person and enjoy watching and playing my favorite sports. In the past I have swam for Lancashire, played rugby at a high level, having the opportunity to go on a tour around South America and most recently have played National League Basketball. I still play basketball and keep up as much as possible with all of the sports I have played.
Lee Rush - Recruitment Consultant
What’s your background? In the early days I worked in catering for a few years in establishments across Yorkshire. I was lucky enough to work alongside a number of great Chefs in some extremely successful Rosette winning venues before moving to Manchester in 2002. Initially I managed a bar before deciding to move out of catering and into the finance industry. I joined the banking industry in 2004 mainly because I needed to move away from 100 hour weeks as my Son Joshua was demanding more time! I started working at London Scottish Bank where I quickly moved into management before making the move across to their sister company in 2008. I moved from Bought Debt Team Manager to a senior management position and took a back seat from mainstream collections moving into an Audit, Compliance and Relations role. After 7 years spent in the Debt Industry, the time was right to look at new career routes and explore other opportunities.
How did you get into recruitment? I have a circle of friends in Birmingham who are in the industry and after seeing their success and speaking to them about potentially changing careers I finally decided to take the plunge. I never thought that I would enjoy the industry as much as I have done in my short career. There’s nothing more rewarding than finding someone their dream job and I have been lucky enough to do this a number of times.
What attracted you to AFR? AFR are well known in the industry and have an established brand with a strong market presence. They also boast a mass of collective experience which is something that I was keen to tap into. In addition, I had met Simon Speak earlier in the year and was really impressed with the way that AFR were going about their business in the market. The forums, awards and events that AFR continue to stage to professionals throughout the region really puts them above the competition and continues to add value to both clients and local businesses.
Whats your role at AFR Consulting? I will be working closely with Simon to grow and develop AFR within Warrington and the surrounding areas. I will be responsible for all accounting positions up to £25K on a temporary and a permanent basis.
Outside of work interests? Having worked in the industry, I am a massive foodie and eat out on a regular basis. I also do a lot of cooking at home when I can get into the kitchen - my partner Holly also bakes a lot so competition for the oven is always high! I also enjoy socializing with friends, especially at festivals! As well as snowboarding, cycling and keeping fit, although I need to do this much more and will be taking full advantage of the gym membership that AFR provide as a staff benefit!!
Yvette Owen - Office Manager
Whats your background? I grew up in the Chorley area and having left school at 16, have spent the last 18 years working in an administration / accounting environment.
What attracted you to AFR? I applied for a position with AFR in 2005 when the business was less than a year old and was excited at the prospect of working for a young, growing company with plans for the future. I had the opportunity to take a position where I could make the role my own, establishing procedures and assisting in the growth of the business.
Whats your role at AFR Consulting? My position is Office Manager covering a wide range of duties including all of the administration side of recruitment, formatting CVs, placing adverts etc, together with all the accounts for the office, payroll, invoicing, credit control and management accounts.
Outside of work interests? The majority of my spare time is spent with my husband and two daughters, we love to travel when possible, particularly the Greek Islands, having actually got married on Santorini in 2008. I also love food, both cooking and eating – I am often trying out new recipes on my family.
Shabaan Banana - Marketing Co-ordinator
Whats your background? I have obtained my Marketing and Public Relations Certificate. I am a highly motivated individual and strive for success in all areas in my life. As a dedicated and hardworking employee I aim to apply my skills and contribute positively to the whole company effort. I am sociable and can communicate with all people with ease. I work well in a team and individually and naturally can take the lead should a situation call for it.
How did you get into recruitment? I managed to get into Recruitment by chance 5years ago, as an Office administrator and worked my way up to become a Marketing Manager. I found recruitment to be my calling as it is rewarding helping others achieve their goals in their careers.
What attracted you to AFR? After moving back to the UK I needed to find another job, AFR had a position available as a Data Entry Clerk and them being Recruitment Company attracted me to apply for the position. This was a good chance for me to get back in the market after being unemployed for a year.
Whats your role at AFR Consulting? At the moment I am an all-rounder, helping with marketing, social media and internet development, I also undertake general office duties when required.
Outside of work interests? I am a mom, and my life revolves around my kids, so if I am not at the football field watching my son play football, then I am at my daughters dancing school.I enjoy reading a good book, cooking, dancing watching movies and generally spend time with the family.
