For this month’s cover feature, unLTD headed to Bramley Social to share a slice of birthday cake with the Glu Recruit team, celebrating the Rotherham-based recruiters’ milestone. Afterwards, unLTD’s Joe Food sat down with the company’s Managing Director, Rob Shaw, to discuss his business journey and key lessons learned along the way.
“I’m a proud Rotherham lad,” Glu Recruit founder Rob Shaw tells unLTD. “Bringing the business here was something I was really passionate about. I grew up here and was taught the value of hard graft by my family, a lot of them ex-miners and people with trades behind them. When you have that sort of upbringing, you don’t think twice about rolling your sleeves up.”
We’re sitting in the snug of Bramley Social Club, a stone’s throw from the council house Rob grew up in. He suggested the Tardis-like building, which has served the village’s community for more than 80 years, as a venue for our interview and photoshoot celebrating eight years of his business.
It’s a fitting location, reflecting some of the key values that drive him: the importance of knowing your roots, celebrating community and maintaining a down-to-earth approach.
“I started out in recruitment back in 2005 and worked for a large corporate agency and also a smaller independent company, but the thing that always motivated me was the importance of creating a bond with our candidates and clients,” he says. “That’s where the name Glu came from, the importance of making placements that stick and the bond formed between our clients and candidates.”
Rob set up Glu Recruit following a significant life change. He and his partner were adopting children, and faced with the demanding nature of his job and the needs of his new family, he decided to take a step back. “It was too difficult to have a job in a demanding industry with long hours at that time, so I took some time off.”
At some point during this hiatus, a friend suggested he start his own business so he could continue recruiting on his own terms. “I thought, ‘Why not?’ I wasn’t working at that moment, so if I was ever going to have the time to do it, that was the time.”
After setting up a desk in the conservatory and purchasing a second-hand laptop, Glu Recruit was born.
Rob’s initial goal was modest: place one person in a job each month. However, the demand grew rapidly. “I realised I needed help about nine months in,” he says. Hiring his first employee was a nerve-wracking decision, spending his own money to expand. But this move marked the beginning of Glu Recruit’s organic growth, which has since seen the company hire seven full-time staff members and take on premises at Bradmarsh Business Park.
The recruitment industry has evolved significantly since Rob first entered it. “Back in the day, we relied heavily on job ads in newspapers like the Sheffield Star or Rotherham Record and waiting for people to apply,” he explains. Today, the focus has shifted to proactive candidate attraction, with a strong digital presence.
While embracing these changes, Rob is also keen to maintain a traditional, people-focused approach at Glu Recruit. “We’re still about building relationships and understanding our clients and candidates’ needs. For us, that personal touch has never lost its importance.”
From the outset, Rob was determined that Glu Recruit would be different from the more corporate recruitment agencies out there. “The recruitment industry is a saturated market, and we didn’t want to be corporate or soulless. You know, those websites with stock images of people in suits make us feel a bit queasy. We aimed to be everything that’s not.”
With almost 20 years of experience in the game, what keeps Rob so passionate about recruitment? “Placing people in jobs and helping companies grow is incredibly rewarding,” he says.
He also enjoys learning about local businesses and their operations, something he finds fascinating. “You get to see behind the curtain of how things work, and that’s one of my favourite parts of the job. You’re always learning new things.”
Reflecting on significant milestones, Rob recalls his first placement and the first invoice he sent out – done on Excel without any invoicing software. Hiring his first employee, moving into their own office, buying a building, and surpassing 2 million in turnover were all equally pivotal moments.
However, he also highlights a low point as a key turning point for the company. “I think everyone in business has a difficult year at some point. We had some team attrition, which impacted our work and forced us to remodel and refocus,” Rob shares. This period was challenging and stressful by its nature, but led to Glu Recruit emerging as a stronger, more resilient business.
Today, the team at Glu Recruit is a close-knit one, something he is immensely proud of. “We genuinely enjoy coming to work and being around each other. It’s like a family – and I’m aware how cheesy that sounds!” Hearing an employee describe it as the best job they’ve ever had and express a desire to stay for life was one of Rob’s happiest moments in business. Another key member of the team is the Glu dog, Reggie, who’s always on hand to boost staff morale.
Looking ahead, Rob is focused on continuing to build relationships in the South Yorkshire business community and create placements that stick. “My hope is for Glu Recruit to continue growing and creating opportunities for everyone involved and for the local area,” he says. “We recently launched a new accountancy and finance division, and if that works well, we might create more specialist subdivisions.”
At this point, Rob’s partner and Glu’s Operations manager, Joe, chips in with the suggestion that the dream would be for the business to become self-sustaining enough that Rob could take a step back, move abroad and enjoy the fruits of his labour.
However, rolling down the sleeves isn’t something that comes naturally to Rob. “While that does sound great, I’m not sure how much I’d actually enjoy it,” he laughs. “I like the idea of it, but when you’re used to being a bit of a grafter and love your job, I think I might struggle. We’ll see how that one goes!”
The Power of 8
Rob walks us through 8 key lessons – one for each year of the business – that he has learned since founding Glu Recruit.
- The power of keeping it local
Yes, we recruit all around the country, but we believe in the power of supporting local job seekers and businesses. Rob is a local lad and has always wanted to maintain this focus throughout our 8 years in business – which has helped us gain trust within the community and build relationships that stick! - The power of a supportive business network
Rob started this journey in his conservatory. The business now has a network of loyal, supportive clients who put their trust in us daily. We’ve learned that partnerships and collaborations can send you forward in ways that going it alone simply can’t. - The power of doing things differently
It’s no secret that there are a lot of recruitment agencies out there and having started Glu with a lot of recruitment experience under his belt, Rob knew it would be a challenge to break the norm. Doing things differently, planning insightful events, remaining flexible, and giving back to those who support us are key. This distinct approach gives us that edge and solidifies our reputation in the market! - The power of people over processes
Recruitment is, at its heart, about the people. In our experience, a transactional approach is dated and doesn’t work in today’s market. Remaining down-to-earth and focusing on building genuine relationships yields better results than any rigid corporate process ever could – plus we get to have fun while we work! - The power of giving back
Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of working with some incredible charities such as Adoption UK, Paces, Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust, Routes and Bluebell Wood. Believe it or not, we do think that there’s more in the world than just recruitment. Working with these charities always brings our team together to work for something bigger than us. - The power of culture
A strong, positive company culture is essential for success. Rob places a huge focus on this when hiring and we’re lucky enough to have a supportive team that encourages one another and wants the best for them and the business. This has also helped us understand the importance of hiring the right staff for a business. - The power of resilience
Recruitment is not for the faint-hearted. It demands resilience, no matter how many challenges you face. At Glu, we believe that picking yourself up, dusting yourself off, and powering through is key to doing well. - The power of continuous learning
The recruitment landscape is always evolving and while we’ve had a cracking 8 years, there’s always more to learn. We embrace every opportunity to grow, whether this is through professional development, learning more about the market, or feedback from our clients and candidates. This mindset ensures that we can continue to provide the best possible service!
Whether you’re a candidate looking to make a career move, or an employer looking to add to your team, contact the Glu Recruit team at www.glurecruit.co.uk for a placement that sticks.
Call: 0114 321 1873
Email: eyup@glurecruit.co.uk
Address: 3 The Point, Bradmarsh Business Park, Rotherham, S60 1BP
