Meet the Team: Thomas Smith

Thomas recently joined Archway, bringing over 20 years of recruitment experience to our Construction team. With a career spanning from London to Sydney and now Wellington, Thomas has developed a strong network within the civil construction sector. Get to know Thomas a little more below:

Who are you?

I’m Thomas, born in Sheffield (Yorkshire city not the village in Canterbury). I’m happily married to Sheree and we have twin teenage boys, Kade and Joel. We also have a badly behaved/trained Miniature Schnauzer.

What do you do at Archway Recruitment?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I recruit permanent positions nationwide in commercial construction, working with Main Contractors and subcontractors. I work closely with Grant Richardson in our construction team who focuses on civil construction, as well as Susannah Shackle who focuses on professional support roles within the built environment and Nick Parson who specialises in the Property sector.

I enjoy the down-to-earth nature of the construction sector and partnering with clients who are passionate about the projects they deliver and hiring the right people. Recruiting in construction allows me to meet with a wide range of people.

How many candidates on average do you interview a month?

25-30

If you could offer a single piece of advice to candidates, what would it be?

When you are in an interview, talk about the problems and challenges that you have faced and what you’ve done to overcome them.

If you could offer a single piece of advice to clients, what would it be?

Clearly define the scope of the role before you commence a recruitment process.

What is the best excuse you have had for someone being late for a job or an interview?

I once placed a Quantity Surveyor in a role that I wasn’t working on. The candidate arrived at the office of another quantity surveying business that had moved into the same office building that my client was in. An hour later I received a phone call from the Director of that business asking me to provide a reference and the candidate received an offer and started the following week.

What is the most interesting role you have recruited or placed?

I placed a Project Manager working on a confidential Ministry of Defence project, in the Falkland Islands.

What is the funniest thing someone has said or done in an interview?

I had a candidate tell a potential employer that he couldn’t work when England were playing football. The client was also a big England fan and didn’t have a problem until the candidate disclosed that he was a convicted football hooligan and had to report to his local police station during England fixtures. He didn’t get the job.

Do you have a party trick?

My party trick is managing to get my wife to leave within an hour of first telling her we are leaving.

Is this your second career? If so, what was your first?

I worked as a Trainee Auditor for six months and hated it.

What is something you are passionate about outside of work?

Sheffield Wednesday FC, who continue to be a constant disappointment to me.

If you were a movie star, who would you be?

Mark Strong, British, bald and middle-aged.

 

If you are looking for a new team member, or a new role within the construction sector, get in touch with Thomas for a chat.