Matching Job Seekers with Employers: Q&A with our Recruitment Service Team

Work Avenue’s Recruitment Service connects employers directly with job-ready candidates, helping businesses and charities find the right talent while opening doors for job seekers (into good employment opportunities).

And the results speak for themselves: more than 100 people have been directly placed in work so far in 2026 alone. As demand continues to grow, Work Avenue’s Recruitment Service has become a trusted first port of call for employers looking to recruit and job seekers looking for their next opportunity – demonstrating the value it is bringing to the community.

We spoke to Work Avenue’s Recruitment team, Melissa Athersych and Yael Brodie, about how the Recruitment Service works, what sets it apart and why getting the right match matters so much.

Q: What exactly does the Recruitment Service do?

Melissa: We connect job seekers with employers in the community who are hiring – and sometimes with employers who don’t yet realise they need to. We might recommend a candidate to an employer on the off chance that a connection could be made, and sometimes that leads to temporary project work, an internship, work experience or a permanent job. It’s how our service began and continues to expand.

Yael: We also have our ever-changing Jobs Board and work closely with our Work Avenue Employment Advisers, so that we can proactively recommend clients we’ve met to employers.

Q: What type of employers can use the service and how does it work for them?

Melissa: Everyone can use it! It could be a corporate organisation, family office, charity, small business or an SME looking to grow. We can help anyone who needs to hire and wants to connect with the right job seekers.

For employers we already know, the process is straightforward. We add their vacancy to our Jobs Board and advertise it, then put forward suitable candidates. But we do this in a much more bespoke way than a standard recruitment service. We tailor CVs and applications to the role because we know the detail behind the vacancies, the teams and the employers. The relationships we build mean we understand what they’re really looking for (on both sides).

Yael: With an existing employer, we already understand the organisation. For a new employer, we make a point of speaking to them one-to-one – giving them the time and space to explain what their business needs and what matters most to them in a candidate.

We are proud to have become the place in the community that people and organisations can turn to when they need help with recruitment. We have a thorough process in place, but we’re also flexible enough to meet employers where they are.

We also support employers with salary benchmarking, contracts and job descriptions, as well as the other aspects of recruitment.

Q: So it’s much more than putting a vacancy on the Jobs Board?

Yael: Absolutely. It’s a much deeper, more holistic service. One of the most important things employers can do to get the best possible service from us is to spend time explaining what they need.

Melissa: And where an employer hasn’t worked out exactly what they want, we can help with that too. We have experience of working with lots of different organisations and understanding the nuances of different roles.

Q: How about people looking for a job? How does the service work for them?

Melissa: We currently have more than 800 job seekers in our network. Candidates come to us through our Jobs Board, employment services, training, business support, Freelance Agency and beyond.

We support them throughout the application process, helping with CVs, cover letters and interview preparation. We also make sure a candidate is a good fit for the employer. Because we work in such a personal way, we will always be honest if a role isn’t right for someone.

Yael: The volume of applications is remarkable, but so are the number of vacancies. We receive new jobs every day and currently have around 120 on the Jobs Board.

Q: What makes Work Avenue’s Recruitment Service different to a traditional commercial recruitment agency?

Melissa: We always say we’re not an agency, but a communal organisation helping people into work. We don’t charge recruitment fees and we aren’t driven by targets or KPIs. We’re candidate-focused and want people to be happy in their jobs.

Because we know our candidates personally and work with them closely, it’s a genuine process rather than a sales-driven one.

Yael: We have got to know some commercial recruiters, and it has made us realise how different our priorities are. We’re not simply trying to add another placement to a list. We want the candidate to get the best possible deal and to be happy in the role. If an employer decides not to hire, that’s fine too – we don’t want anyone to recruit unnecessarily.

And if we realise a business needs to think through its plans first, we can also bring in the Work Avenue Business Team to help with that.

Q: What do you enjoy most about the job?

Melissa: The work is so varied. There’s a lot on our shoulders, but we both love working with people. We speak to hundreds of individuals every week. It’s not just following up with employers; we’re also checking in with job seekers, managing applications through the website and dealing with people through our WhatsApp and Facebook channels. We really enjoy the variety and following everyone’s journey.

Yael: It’s a privilege to be part of something that has grown so organically, through word of mouth and recommendations from businesses and charities to one another. When I first joined, I thought I’d be reaching out to employers to find vacancies and help build the service. Now, we’re largely managing the demand that comes in.

That shift reflects how established the service has become, with employers and job seekers increasingly recognising the value of Work Avenue’s recruitment support.

Melissa: When I joined six years ago as an administrator, I remember being excited when we reached 50 jobs on the Jobs Board. We now have 2-3 times that amount with the service growing every year. We’re both really proud to be part of that.

Yael: You also get to see the whole cycle: a business needs to recruit, it grows, and people find work.

Melissa: There’s nothing better than calling someone who has been struggling to find a job for months and telling them they have an interview or have been offered a job. That’s especially rewarding when you’ve supported them through their wider employment journey at Work Avenue.

Q: Why is the service important to the community?

Melissa: Finding the right role, or any job at all, can change someone’s life. That’s particularly true in today’s market, when people are being made redundant left, right and centre. Helping someone find work can make a huge difference, which is why the service is so important to our community.

Yael: There’s also a real value in working within the community. More businesses are approaching us because they want to give our candidates opportunities they might previously have advertised elsewhere. We’re all there to support one another, and having somewhere people can turn for help and advice is so imperative.

Q: How can people get in touch?

Yael: We want more people to know what we do so that we can help them. Whether they’re a business, a charity or a job seeker. There’s always someone who needs support, and we want to help make that connection.

Melissa: Whether you’re an employer looking for the right candidate or a job seeker exploring your next opportunity, we can help. Get in touch via our contact page – https://theworkavenue.org.uk/contact-us/