How we recruited over 200 staff for Shaw Trust’s CFO 3 & 4 programmes

Over the past few years, we have proudly placed over 200 individuals on Shaw Trust & Ixion’s CFO 3 & CFO 4 criminal justice support contracts, aimed at rehabilitating ex-offenders with a strong focus on employability outcomes. Our journey has been filled with numerous success stories and valuable lessons that we are excited to share:

  1. Identifying transferable skills with managers: Finding experienced candidates was often challenging due to various factors like salary limitations and geographic constraints. To address this, we worked closely with managers to identify transferable skill sets that could be applied effectively. Criminology graduates, recruiters, drug & alcohol support workers, and residential care workers proved to be excellent candidates for the roles.
  2. Effective Candidate Marketing: Employability and criminal justice sectors may not be the first choice for many individuals. So, we strategically targeted our adverts and marketing campaigns towards candidates with transferable skills. Well-written adverts, targeted outreach, and nurturing our existing database yielded positive results.
  3. Sharing Success Stories: Listening to the success stories of the candidates we placed became a powerful tool for recruiting. These stories showcased the significant impact advisors were having on ex-offenders’ lives, often leading to life-changing outcomes. Additionally, highlighting the career growth and promotions of our placed candidates reinforced the appeal of the roles.
  4. Candid Communication: We believe in transparency. Candidates are informed about the challenges of the roles, including targets, compliance, independent work, and organizational skills. Screening candidates with a focus on these aspects ensures we reach the right fit, preventing future issues.
  5. Agility in the Process: Time is of the essence, especially when filling vacancies left by employees on a month’s notice. Our agile approach, setting project milestones within a short window (usually 2 weeks or less) from an interview date, ensures a smooth and efficient recruitment process.

As we eagerly anticipate the future of CFO Evolution and build upon the remarkable work of CFO 3 & CFO 4