© Markgrimrecruitment
After a career spanning more than 18 years in bananas, as key account manager at Chiquita, and ginger, as sales director retail at Sawari Fresh, Mark Grim has quite literally jumped in at the deep end. As of 1 January, following the traditional New Year slowdown, he has started as an independent recruitment partner for organisations in the fresh, food, and retail sectors.
"This step is completely new for me, although the ambition to start my own business had always been there in the background. Eventually, everything came together after a conversation with a former teacher who has been active in this industry for 20 years, and I decided to make the move from salaried employment to self-employment," says Mark.
"I learned a great deal at both Chiquita and Sawari Fresh and had a very enjoyable 'journey'. Throughout my career, I have regularly dealt with recruiters, both when hiring and when being approached myself as a potential candidate. In doing so, I have seen how things can be done well, but also how they sometimes should not be done. There is a group of fast CV shufflers, but fortunately, there is also a group of recruiters who, above all, ask in-depth questions and genuinely look for the best candidate for the company."
Cultural fit
"I hope to focus in particular on 'cultural fit', by really investigating whether there is a match between the company and the candidate. You cannot determine that based on a CV alone," Mark continues. "In my view, many companies do not realise what a mismatch can cost. Quite a few companies respond very reactively. When things get busy, they look for someone to join the team. But how valuable would it be if you could use employer branding to build a talent pool around your company?"
"I think this is still often underestimated in the fresh produce sector. Of course, there is a shortage in the labour market, but it is important to think carefully in advance about what profile you are looking for and what competencies your people need to have. If that is clearly defined upfront, the rest becomes much easier. When you describe appealingly what a week working at a fruit company looks like, you can create a strong image for potential candidates."
Out-of-the-box
With Markgrimrecruitment, Mark will mainly focus on companies operating at the intersection of fresh, food, and retail. "That is where my experience lies. At the same time, I believe you also need to dare to think out of the box when it comes to candidates. Why should someone from healthcare or another sector not be suitable for a role in fresh produce, if there is a match in competencies and the aforementioned cultural fit?"
Although Artificial Intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly important role in recruitment, Mark believes there will always be space for specialist knowledge and skills. "Of course, AI will take on certain tasks, but I strongly believe in the craft of finding the right match through personal attention. There will undoubtedly be plenty of competition, but I am mainly relying on my own personality and quality."
"The nice thing was that even before I embarked on this adventure, people in my network told me that entrepreneurship suited me perfectly. I am a real people person and genuinely interested in the individual behind the candidate. I am therefore very much looking forward to creating the right matches and warmly invite companies, HR managers, and candidates to get in touch!"
For more information:
Mark Grim
Markgrimrecruitment
Het Hout 9
6652 GA Druten
Mob: +31 (0) 6 51033770
[email protected]
www.markgrimrecruitment.nl
