GBS Automation filled a Mechanical Fitter role in 11 days and saved £4,000 in recruitment fees

GBS Automation is a specialist in high-output bakery equipment, delivering intelligent industrial process systems for businesses across the industry. With a busy period approaching in March and April, the team needed to move quickly to fill a Mechanical Fitter role after direct adverts and local agencies had failed to deliver the right candidates.

Before

Before working with Connect, GBS Automation was facing a familiar recruitment challenge:

• The hiring manager needed to urgently fill an important role quickly ahead of a busy period.
• The company had already posted its own job adverts, but they struggled to attract enough candidates who looked like a strong fit.
• Local agencies had sent CVs, but none of the candidates were of the right calibre.

After

Connect helped GBS Automation turn the vacancy around quickly and cost-effectively:

• A shortlist of three interview-worthy candidates was produced quickly.
• All three candidates were considered hireable after interview.
• A successful hire was made in just 11 days.
• The role was filled for a flat £1,500 fee, around 4% of the candidate's salary.
• The successful candidate came from a local competitor and had not seen GBS Automation's direct adverts over the previous few months.

Process

Connect kept the process simple, targeted and focused on reaching the right local talent:

• The hiring manager sent over the job specification and shared what they were looking for in a potential employee.
• Connect created and launched an optimised advert that clearly communicated the benefits of the opportunity.
• An email campaign was sent to local candidates with the right skill set.
• A local candidate from a competitor saw the Connect advert and walked into the office after work to register their interest.
• The shortlist was produced, interviews took place and the job was closed after 11 days.

Conclusion

GBS Automation needed a capable Mechanical Fitter quickly, but their own adverts and local agency support had not delivered the right result. Connect helped them reach a local candidate who had previously missed their direct hiring activity, while also producing a shortlist of three candidates strong enough to be considered hireable.

The result was a successful hire in 11 days, saving £3,900 — giving GBS Automation the skilled support they needed ahead of a demanding period without the cost or delay of a traditional recruitment process.