Celebrating 20 Years of Linear Recruitment
Back to All NewsCelebrating 20 Years of Linear Recruitment
April 2021 marked a significant milestone for Linear Recruitment as we celebrated our 20-year anniversary. In the 20 years since we started Linear Recruitment, so much has happened and so many milestones have been passed.
From our beginnings in Sheffield in 2001 to expanding across the UK, we’ve experienced continued growth, overcome challenges and built long-standing relationships with clients and candidates.
How It All Began
Linear Recruitment was founded in April 2001 by Adam Turner, who had already spent 16 years working in recruitment.
Having progressed to Operations Manager for Anders Elite, managing offices across the country, Adam decided to take the plunge and start his own business in his hometown of Sheffield.
With a copy of the Yellow Pages and a box of index cards, Linear Recruitment began in an almost-derelict 500 square foot office in the Mazda buildings on Campo Lane in Sheffield.
The business grew very quickly, taking on its first employee, Stewart Humble, in June 2001. By the end of the year, the office was filled with 12 members of staff.
20 Years of Growth
Following a successful first year, Linear Recruitment continued to expand, moving into new offices in St Peter’s Close in Sheffield City Centre.
In May 2002, we started our Industrial Division, before opening our second office in Leeds City Centre in 2003, covering the whole of Yorkshire.
Further expansion followed, with offices opening in Milton Keynes in 2009, Newcastle and London in 2010, and Birmingham and Manchester in 2014.
Of course, the journey hasn’t been without its challenges. Having experienced growth year on year, the recession in 2008 really felt like falling off the edge of a cliff, with turnover dropping by 50%.
Along with recessions, bad debt and the global pandemic, we’ve overcome some tremendous challenges. We’ve changed and adapted as a company to meet the needs of our clients and staff.
By 2021, Linear Recruitment employed over 50 permanent staff and processed payroll for more than 1,200 workers a week.
A Straightforward Approach to Recruitment
Despite the changes and growth over the years, our approach to recruitment has remained the same.
When choosing a name for the business, Adam put his family’s names into an anagram word finder tool. ‘Linear’ was a name that stood out, meaning direct and straightforward.
This reflected exactly what he wanted for the business: a simple, honest, direct and straightforward approach to recruitment.
We do what we say we are going to do, keep it simple and work hard for both our clients and candidates. It’s this approach that has helped us build relationships lasting more than 20 years.
Celebrating Our People
Our success over the past two decades wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work and dedication of our employees, clients and candidates.
We’re proud that some of our very first clients are still working with us today, and that many members of our team have grown and developed their careers within the business.
As we reflected on 20 years of Linear Recruitment, we wanted to say a big thank you to all our staff, clients and workforce. It’s because of their help and support that we’ve been able to continue to grow and develop in an ever-changing world.
And to celebrate we've produced an anniversary-special newsletter. Learn more about us, our history, and why we do what we do.
Featuring:
- An interview with our Founder and Chairman, Adam Turner, talking us through how it all began
- Q&A with our MD, Gareth Tomkins
- Interviews with our Senior Management Team