"We facilitate the development of people"

Over the years, Lutgo has gained a reputation in the fruit and vegetable sector in the field of personal recruitment, career support and personal development. "Our goal is to bring people and companies, national and international, together and find the right match. In principle, people should use their capabilities and ambitions to the full, and find companies which can make maximal use of them," explains Wim Geurts.

Together with Joeri Broekhart and Arja van Meekeren they form Team Maasland of Lutgo Recruitment which the company, since August, has found a new home between the vegetables and ornamental growers and various wholesale and sales organisations. "A great location to speak with candidates without being disturbed," says Wim. "For us, interviews are an important part of our work. A CV tells me all about the training and experience of the candidate, but nothing about who they are and what they are looking for in their life. Ultimately, our goal is to place a candidate in a company on the long term."



Mirror
Wim is active in matching candidates in the fruit and vegetable trade sector, while Arja is primarily engaged in production from breeding and producing, production organisation, suppliers and consultants. "But we also come together a lot."

"Our work is all about people. We try to get our candidates to hold a mirror up to themselves to see how their behaviour and appearance affect their chances on the employment market. Often that 'mirroring' is very rewarding, but sometimes candidates who had high expectations leave the door disappointed, but many candidates let us know they found the interviews an inspiring experience."

Wim indicates that there has been more unrest between fruit and vegetable workers recently. "More people are looking, but I will not say these are always the best people. Secondly, every person is unique and it is a challenge for me to see if someone really feels good in the role. Sometimes you can see that this is clearly not the case, but people chose the security of a job and don't dare look in a new direction. In the horticultural trade though, people are less static."

In the horticultural sector Arja signals that on one hand many experienced personnel are being changed for 'cheaper' temps. "On the other side there is a professionalization requirement for intelligence to be added to the organisation. The breaking factor here is the question of finance. We sometimes have to deal with the owners of production companies who due to bad organisation have to close their business. Often they are doers and regulators and it is not always easy for them to find a suitable job and they are stuck in a rut. Abroad there are often great vacancies available, but for this type of function you must really be cut out for it and it must fit your private situation."






Fuel and oil
"In the fruit and vegetable trade there is a shift from the trader to the retail type. That is a whole different method of working and often requires a more concrete education. Companies without a strategy, in our experience, will not last the journey. Personnel may have a high salary, but the salary is only the necessary petrol and definitely not oil. Without oil you will suddenly get stuck! Finally you can also seethe least loss in companies with a clear strategy and a pleasant team spirit," said Wim. "Another trend is that we have more requests from foreign production companies who have a sales office in the Netherlands and we are being asked to look for candidates there."

The consultants at Lutgo work on a 'no fix, no pay' basis where a bill follows if the vacancy is filled with the right candidate who fits well with the company. "The question is not always concrete, but more in the form of 'you should come and see if the company fits you.' But that is just fun. Far too many people sit in a circle from which they cannot see out of and only fight each other. We facilitate the development of people. That is the Lutgo formula!"

For more information:
Lutgo ZWN
Herenwerf 34
3155 DK Maasland.
Tel: +31174-289474
Mob Wim Geurts: +316-23686558
W.Geurts@lutgo.com
www.lutgo.com