01
What recruitment experience showed us
A service can be efficient without becoming transactional.
Howard Forster's experience of recruitment and the wider world of work showed him how easily people could become CVs, vacancies could become numbers and communication could disappear once an introduction had been made.
After returning to the UK from Thailand, he saw an opportunity to build a recruitment business where service, transparency and relationships were treated as part of the work rather than an extra.
02
Why Howard James was created
A small beginning with a clear purpose.
Howard James Recruitment was founded in 2004. The business began in a spare bedroom, with a telephone, determination and a belief that employers and candidates deserved clearer, more personal recruitment support.
“With little more than determination, a telephone and a spare bedroom, Howard James Recruitment was born.”
03
What we wanted to do differently
Understanding comes first.
The founding principle was practical: take the time to understand the vacancy, the business and the person before making a recommendation. That meant honest conversations, transparent communication and a service built around relationships rather than volume.
Those ideas continue to shape how briefs are discussed, how candidates are introduced and how the team stays involved through interviews and offers.
04
How the business has grown
Growth through repeat business and referrals.
Howard James grew steadily as employers returned with new vacancies and people recommended the service to others. Today, the business supports employers and candidates through 16 recruitment locations across the UK.
The footprint has changed, but growth has remained tied to the quality of individual working relationships rather than unsupported claims about size or scale.
05
What has not changed
The conversation still matters most.
Recruitment markets, working patterns and the way people search for roles have changed considerably since 2004. The need to listen carefully, explain the market honestly and remain accountable for a recommendation has not.
That is the standard Howard James continues to work towards with every employer, candidate and vacancy.