Thirty years in recruitment is no small achievement. For Anna, it’s been a journey defined by a focus on adaptability and an unwavering belief in the power of human connection.
Anna’s recruitment story begins in 1995, when she returned home from university with a degree in French and little idea what to do next. “I got a job working at Trebor Bassett’s in Hillsborough,” she recalls. “They told me I talked too much to be an accountant and said I’d be good at recruitment – turns out they were right.”
Back then, the industry was a relentless sales environment. “Fifty phone calls a day, eight visits a month, everything measured,” she laughs. “It was tough, but the training was brilliant. You learnt resilience, how to build relationships and that you only get out what you put in. Those lessons have never left me.”
Fourteen years later, a twist of fate pushed her to take a leap that hadn’t been planned. While working at another company, returning from a meeting one afternoon, she found the HMRC had shut down her employer’s office – the door literally boarded up.
After a bit of soul-searching, a decision was made to take the plunge. From her back bedroom, she set up what would become Anna Maher Recruitment. “Would I have had the bravery otherwise? Probably not. But that was a real sliding-doors moment. It was now or never.”
That said, it was hardly glamorous to begin with.
“No frills, no fancy offices – just me, my phone and a list of jobs to fill. I knew I was a good recruiter, but I had to learn how to run a business at the same time.”
With the help of a supportive backer – whose accountant and IT team she borrowed in the early days – Anna gradually built confidence, eventually buying out her partner in 2014.
From the start, Anna Maher Recruitment did things a bit differently. Specialising in rec-2-rec (recruitment for recruiters), she built her reputation on relationships rather than volume. “When I first started, I was sick of being headhunted by people who’d never even spoken to me,” she says. “I wanted to get to know people properly – understand who they were, what kind of environment they’d thrive in. That’s what still drives me now.”
She believes the industry had lost – and is now regaining – that personal touch. “It’s come full circle,” she explains. “People are craving real interaction again. I still pick up the phone, meet candidates face to face, go and see clients. You just can’t build relationships through a screen.”
However, despite sticking resolutely to those old-school principles, she’s certainly no technophobe. “I use AI and ChatGPT as tools. They help sharpen up emails and save time on certain tasks – which means I can spend more time doing what I love: talking to and connecting with people. I don’t want to be seen as someone who’s been in the industry 30 years but hasn’t moved with the times. I’m excited by what’s possible and I constantly keep up to date with new technology and trends.”
Running a small business for more than a decade has meant navigating countless highs and lows. The recent economic uncertainty has been one of the toughest tests yet. Anna describes it as “a recession no one’s talking about”, forcing many in the sector to adapt quickly.
She’s learned to take a pragmatic view – scaling back, setting realistic goals and focusing on what she can control. “You never switch off when you run your own business,” she admits.
“People say you’re lucky being your own boss, which is true to an extent, but it can also be stressful. You’re always thinking about the next month, the next invoice, the next placement.”
A key antidote to those difficulties has been community. Over the past few years, she’s thrown herself into Sheffield’s business scene, attending events, joining accountability groups with fellow recruiters and building a strong network of peers. It’s helped her stay motivated – and reminded her that running a business doesn’t have to be a solitary pursuit.
That connection extends beyond work. This year Anna Maher Recruitment have raised more than £3,000 for St Luke’s Hospice through runs, raffles and quiz nights, and she now volunteers with the charity once a month. “It’s about giving something back,” she says. “It keeps you grounded.”
Despite reaching the thirty-year milestone, Anna is keen to make it clear there are no plans to slow down – though she is keeping one eye on the next step. Mentoring and consultancy appeal, with plenty of valuable experience to pass down to those taking their first steps in the sector. “I’d love to help the next generation of recruiters. I’ve learned a lot – often the hard way – and I think I could share that.”
When asked about regrets, she’s also realistic about what could have been done differently. “I wish I’d started networking sooner. For years I just got my head down and worked, but being visible and connected makes such a difference.”
Honesty and humility underpin her working ethos. She’s never wanted a large team or big corporate image – Anna simply loves the job itself.
“Filling roles, helping people, seeing it all come together – that’s still what drives me.”
Ask her what’s kept her business strong for so long and she doesn’t hesitate: “Reputation and integrity. I’ve won work because clients know I’ll deliver. I might not be the biggest agency out there, but people trust me. I’m still learning, still evolving, still excited about what lies ahead.
“I think, for me, that’s what being built to last is all about.”
