At Lorien, we often emphasise how our people make the difference – and it’s true, they do. We have the best team at Lorien, their dedication to forming genuine connections and putting clients first truly sets us apart. Lots of the team have been with us and helped us grow for several years, including Oli Roberts, who joined us in 2007. Over the years, Oli has been a key player in helping our clients succeed and continues to make an impact every day.

In this blog, Oli shares a few stories from his Lorien tenure and how he has made the difference.

What client memory from Lorien stands out for you?

“My career goes a long way back and I was new to the industry when I joined, so I didn’t have any connections at the time. It was also close to our last economic downturn, so landing clients sometimes came down to luck., Alongside consciously going after opportunities that were outside the usual marketplace – I needed to stand out from the competition, and that’s how I brought in Oxfam.”

“I initially called Oxfam to take a reference for a contractor I had an offer for with another client. I ended up speaking with the Head of Technology. He was surprised, and impressed, by the detail I knew and care I took with my other clients’ needs. I then explained who Lorien was, what we were doing in the market and what we could offer. By the end of the call, I was asked if Lorien could help support Oxfam with their hiring needs. We placed around 40 contractors at Oxfam – proof that taking the time to connect genuinely and go the extra mile with clients can lead to meaningful opportunities.”

How do you maintain a close relationship with your clients?

“I always keep close to clients, regardless of if they’re currently looking to hire or outsource, or neither because it’s important to understand their long-term goals. I’ve never been a transactional recruiter and I’ve always gone the extra mile for anyone I’ve worked with – past and present. For instance. just a few weeks ago, I made a three hour round trip to Oxford to meet with key customers who aren’t hiring right now. It’s nurturing established relationships and the human aspect to the role that is still the most enjoyable part of my job.”

“When the client is hiring, many recruiters simply take briefs and supply the best candidates they can find. I take the time to be interested in what the client is trying to achieve and look at the bigger picture – helping to support our customers with their overall business goals. This means understanding the project purpose and matching people accordingly.”

What are the best innovations you’ve seen at Lorien?

“Using modern technology like Hinterview, a video interview platform, has been a game changer. Our clients have told us it adds huge value to the service, enabling them to interact with candidates in a more engaging way. We also offer various detailed market reports and insights to ensure that clients are given an edge over the competition.”

What’s your focus right now?

“We recruit for all Technology roles, but with individual specialisms to ensure that all clients get expert knowledge and the focus they deserve. My teams current focus is in Change and Transformation, Product Management / Ownership, and Support and Infrastructure. We've developed a number of high-value accounts that complement Lorien’s full suite of solutions."

The variety of solutions we have as a business is crucial. Project Recruitment, Statement of Work, fixed term roles – the whole spectrum of what a client needs right the way up to global RPOs and MSPs is truly unique.

If you’d like to learn more about what I can do for your business, contact me here. For more information on Lorien’s solutions, click here.