After nearly 30 years in recruitment, working across industrial, architectural, IT, engineering and manufacturing sectors – and even running my own recruitment business for over 15 years – I’ve learned what I enjoy most about the industry.
It’s not chasing the next placement.
It’s not managing endless competing priorities.
It’s building relationships, understanding a client’s challenges, and helping organisations solve recruitment problems.
That’s exactly what attracted me to my current role as Business Development Manager at Jonathan Lee Recruitment.
Dean Love, Business Development Manager, Jonathan Lee Recruitment
Why I chose Jonathan Lee Recruitment
When I was approached about the opportunity, a few things immediately stood out.
Jonathan Lee Recruitment has built an exceptional reputation within the engineering and manufacturing sectors. The business has a strong market presence, a professional culture, and a genuine commitment to delivering quality recruitment solutions.
Having spent many years in recruitment, you quickly learn which businesses have a strong reputation in the market. Jonathan Lee was already a name I knew and respected.
What particularly appealed to me was the combination of specialist sector expertise, strong delivery capabilities, and a collaborative approach to working with clients.
Why Business Development?
Like many experienced recruiters, I’ve worked in a variety of recruitment roles throughout my career.
What I’ve always enjoyed most is business development – identifying opportunities, understanding what clients are trying to achieve, and building long-term relationships that create value for both sides.
I was looking for an opportunity that would allow me to focus on engineering and manufacturing business development within an established organisation.
This role gave me exactly that.
Rather than trying to balance every aspect of the recruitment lifecycle, I’m able to spend more time engaging with clients, understanding their workforce challenges, and developing long-term recruitment partnerships.
It’s a more strategic and consultative approach, which is something I’ve found particularly rewarding.
What does the role look like day-to-day?
No two days are exactly the same, which is one of the things I enjoy most.
A typical week involves:
- Meeting with existing and prospective clients
- Identifying new business opportunities
- Attending networking events and business development meetings
- Discussing workforce planning and growth strategies with clients
- Working closely with consultants on live recruitment campaigns
The conversations are often about much more than filling a vacancy.
Many clients are planning for future growth, expanding operations, or facing skills shortages. Being able to support those discussions and become a trusted recruitment partner is one of the most rewarding aspects of the role.
The Jonathan Lee difference
One of the biggest benefits of joining Jonathan Lee Recruitment has been the team around me.
The culture is collaborative, professional and supportive. There is a genuine willingness to help each other succeed.
What has impressed me most since joining is the depth of expertise across the business and the reputation Jonathan Lee has built within engineering and manufacturing.
When developing new client relationships, I have access to specialist knowledge, experienced consultants and strong delivery teams who understand their markets.
Once a new opportunity is secured, the delivery teams provide high-quality candidate solutions, maintain excellent communication throughout the process and aren’t afraid to challenge assumptions if it helps clients achieve better hiring outcomes.
That level of support allows me to focus on building relationships and creating opportunities, knowing clients are in safe hands.
Who would succeed in this role?
If you’re considering a move into business development within recruitment, I believe a few qualities are particularly important.
You need to be:
- Proactive
- Persistent
- Relationship-focused
- Comfortable picking up the phone
- Interested in understanding client challenges
Most importantly, you need to think beyond the immediate transaction.
The most successful business development professionals focus on building long-term partnerships rather than simply generating short-term opportunities.
Would I recommend Jonathan Lee Recruitment?
Absolutely.
The culture, support network and collaborative approach make it a great environment for recruitment professionals who want to build their careers.
For me personally, the biggest benefit has been the opportunity to work alongside a highly experienced team, develop new client relationships and create value for organisations operating across engineering and manufacturing.
It’s a role that allows me to focus on the aspects of recruitment I’ve always enjoyed most.
To learn more about Dean Love click here.
Interested in a career in Recruitment Business Development?
Jonathan Lee Recruitment is currently looking for an experienced Business Development Manager to join our growing team.
If you’re a successful recruiter who enjoys winning new business, building client relationships and developing long-term partnerships, we’d love to hear from you.
Whether you’re an experienced Business Development Manager or a high-performing 360 recruiter looking to focus more on client development, this could be the next step in your recruitment career.
View our Business Development opportunities here or contact our team for a confidential conversation on 01384 446115.
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