Forge Talent

Founder & CEO 

Recharging the batteries 🪫🔋

Recharging before the next exciting chapter 🪫🔋🚀👀

Recharging the batteries

FJR Group

As Chief Executive Officer my role includes:

Leading the development of the company’s short and long-term strategy, ensuring their alignment with short-term and long-term objectives
Responsibility for FJR Group UK P&L
Delivery of Budgets 
Grow all sales leadership
Grow all sales teams across UK offices, Manchester, London & Edinburgh
Oversee the strategic direction of the business 
Responsible for day-to-day sales & operational decision making 
Work with CFO/COO on day-to-day financial decision making to safeguard the business & employees
Identifies risks and ensures appropriate strategies are in place
Maintaining awareness of the competitive market landscape, expansion opportunities, industry developments
Review financial and non-financial reports to devise solutions or improvement
Monitoring how each part of the company operates and how they work together to achieve overall business goals 
Creating and implementing strategies, together with the senior management team, to determine the direction the company will take

Chief Executive Officer

Responsibility for all recruitment activity along with everything that generates revenue & gross margin at FJR Group. Developing and leading our growth strategy, owning and refining short and medium term business performance.

As Chief Revenue Officer my role includes:

Shaping our strategic vision for revenue growth.
Responsibility for FJR Group UK P&L.
Grow all sales leadership & teams across UK offices, Manchester, London & Edinburgh.
Actively manage sales revenue and opportunity pipeline.
Hire, train and retain across each location.

We cover four demanding markets throughout the UK with our dedicated brands; FJR Finance, FJR Technology, FJR Human Resources, and FJR Executive; supporting both candidates and clients across interim, contract and permanent opportunities at the professional and executive level.

Chief Revenue Officer- UK

Founded in 2011, The FJR Group was set up with a single philosophy and desire in mind – to provide our candidates and clients with the high level of expertise associated with larger recruitment agencies, while also delivering the levels of service, commitment and enthusiasm that only an independent, management-owned consultancy can offer.

This is reflected in our ambitious mission statement, “To always exceed the service expectations of our candidates and clients”.

Our goal is not to be considered number one for revenue, profit or headcount; But for our reputation, culture and the quality of our team. We want to be recognised as experts in our fields, as a trusted recruitment partner and ultimately as being an awesome place to work.

We cover four demanding markets through our dedicated brands; FJR Finance, FJR Technology, FJR Human Resources, and FJR Executive; supporting both candidates and clients across interim, contract and permanent opportunities at the professional and executive level.

I can be contacted on 0161 667 2277 or max.learmonth@fjrgroup.com

Managing Partner- North & Scotland 

Robert Half

Robert Half is the world’s first and largest specialized recruiting firm providing placement services for Accounting and Finance professionals in 360 global locations.

Within our North West operations we recruit across the following brands: 

Robert Half Finance & Accounting – specialise in the recruitment of permanent and temporary positions from transactional to senior management level across all industries and market sectors

Robert Half Management Resources - specialise in the placement of senior interim assignments and include Interim FD/FC positions, Change Management, Project Management and specialised areas such as Risk & Compliance

OfficeTeam - permanent & temporary recruitment of office support professionals including HR, Legal, Procurement, Sales & Marketing & general administration positions.

Robert Half Technology- a leading provider of technology professionals on a project and full-time basis.
Focus areas;
Development, Technical Support, Database Management, Systems Integration, Security, Networking, Project Management, big data, cybersecurity, help desk, coding, webdev, devops, women in tech, network administration, .NET, Java, HTML.

Associate Director- North West

Max has responsibility for all operations in the Manchester. This involves working with local leadership in driving revenue growth and profitability in all lines of business, development of business strategy, people leadership, staff development and client relationship management. Responsible for the identification and attraction of potential Recruitment Consultants and Managers into Robert Half.

Within our North West operations we recruit across the following brands: 

Robert Half Finance & Accounting – specialise in the recruitment of permanent and temporary positions from transactional to senior management level across all industries and market sectors

Robert Half Management Resources - specialise in the placement of senior interim assignments and include Interim FD/FC positions, Change Management, Project Management and specialised areas such as Risk & Compliance

OfficeTeam - permanent & temporary recruitment of office support professionals including HR, Legal, Procurement, Sales & Marketing & general administration positions.

Associate Director- Manchester

Senior Manager- Temporary, Interim & Contract Services, specialising in the placement of Finance & Accounting professionals across Scotland. 

Recently filled positions;
System Implementations- Oracle, Hyperion, Net Suite & Zero across SME's & listed organizations.
Finance Manager- Charity 
Head of Finance-  Financial services
Group Financial Controller- Marketing Business
Project Accountant- Pharmaceuticals
Corporate Accountant- Investment Managers

Senior Manager- Edinburgh

Division Manager- Temporary, Interim & Contract team specialising in the placement of Finance and Accounting professionals.

The team specialise in all placements of transactional finance staff ranging from Purchase & Sales Ledger Clerks, Credit Control, Payroll, Bookkeeper, Accounts Assistants, Assistant Accounts and Qualified by Experience Professionals. 

I specialise in the placement of Qualified Accountants, Finance Managers, Financial Controllers, Financial Directors and Heads of Finance.

Recently filled assignments;
Financial controller- Manufacturing organisation.
Project Accountant- Logistics business.
Fund Accountant- Financial Services
Financial Accountant- Investment Managers.
Finance Business Partner- Construction
Newly Qualified- Renewable Energy
Finance Director- Charity Organisation

Division Manager

Founded in 1948 and listed on the New York Stock Exchange, Robert Half International (RHI) is the world's first and largest specialised recruitment consultancy with over 400 locations worldwide.

I work as a consultant within Robert Half Finance & Accounting's temporary division. Supporting my clients by providing the full range of temporary finance resources from ledger clerks, assistant accountants, part qualified through to fully qualified accountants and financial management professionals. I cover a wide geographical area across East Central Scotland

Robert Half® Finance & Accounting for temporary & full-time
Robert Half® Financial Services Group 
Robert Half® Technology, for Information Technology & Systems professionals
Robert Half® Management Resources for Interim Management and Project Proffesionals 
OfficeTeam®, for highly skilled temporary administrative support personnel

Recruitment Consultant

Scotland Club XV International 

Represented Scotland Club XV International in a series against Ireland and France

Rugby Union 

Rotherham Titans RUFC

Train full time as a professional athlete; in a variety of different excerise programmes to reach the top level of physical fitness. A combination of weight, speed, rugby training and nutrition was needed to be ready for competition. This accompoanied with dedication, high work ethic, focus and drive is what led me to have a career in professional sport.

Professional Rugby Player

CEO at FJR Group- Passionate about building high performing teams

Forge Talent has been founded on the core principle that we are focused on relationships not transactions. 

With over 25 years recruitment experience we've seen the industry evolve. We are focused on pushing that change further with our relationship led approach. 

We are a specialist Finance and Accounting Talent Partner that have deep rooted relationships across large PLCs & the SME space in and around the North West.

We operate across 4 verticals:

Transactional Finance 
Part Qualified 
Qualified & Management Finance 
Executive Appointments 

At Forge Talent our 5 core values are:

We’re driven by Relationships
A true talent partnership 
We Show Respect
Act Responsibly 
Always Honest 

If you want to work with a recruitment business that will put you first then please get in touch today!

https://forge-talent.co.uk


14 things I wish someone had smacked me with when I started in recruitment. 📣

1-Mindset is everything. 
2-Recruitment is a sales job. If that’s news to you, you’re already F&£ked.
3-You can’t control every scenario but you can manage every outcome. 
4-You’re entitled to nothing.
5-Relationships are the whole game.
6-Your personal brand matters. If you’re forgettable, you’re replaceable.
7-It’s not a 9–5 & success doesn’t follow office hours.
8-Never stop doing business development. The moment you relax, you’re about to have a shocker.
9-Don’t shirk communication even when things get awkward.
10-Grind & then grind more.
11-Your competition is waiting for you to drop the ball.
12-Bad service sticks.
13-You’ll want to quit, more than once.
14-You’re not getting a Bentley in year one.

But if you embrace the chaos it can be so so rewarding. 👊🏼

Max Learmonth

Founder - Forge Talent, Building Finance Teams across the North West 🚀

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For the purpose of the story, let’s call them Nicholas Cage. 📣

For the third time this week, a candidate I placed sat across from me at lunch and said. 

“Yeah, the pitch was: So what do you think of Max’s LinkedIn? Bit much, isn’t it? He uses nasty hurty words. You should work with us we’re much more professional and have a bigger reach.”

Adorable.

This is the stuff you should actually be doing:

-Identify the actual problem.
-Be the solution.
-Make real impact.
-Add actual value.
-Deliver something… anything.

But no, your chosen strategy is to whinge about my LinkedIn posts.

So buckle up & boys & girls. 

Because that tiny foothold you’ve still got in the North West?

We’ll be taking that now. 👊🏼

Culture Killer……..”We’re a family.” 📣

Give it a rest, it’s bollocks!

You are not a family.
You are a business with targets, pressure, wins, losses and all the S£&T that comes with trying to achieve something.

-Families forgive most things.
-Families let things slide.
-Families tolerate Uncle Dave pissing himself at Christmas every single year.

-Businesses don’t have that luxury.
-Businesses need clarity.
-Businesses need standards.
-Businesses make decisions, hard ones, fast -ones, sometimes brutal ones.
-Because that’s what keeps the lights on.

Calling your company a “family” is nonsense.

-It hides poor performance.
-It masks weak leadership.
-It creates confusion instead of culture.

You want a culture worth talking about?

-Be honest.
-Be direct.
-Set expectations.
-Hold people to them.
-Celebrate high performance.
-Own your mistakes.
-Act like grown-ups.

Teams win, grow & deliver.

Families do birthdays and roast dinners.

Start building a culture that actually works. 👊🏼

The old guard is slowly disappearing! 📣📣📣

Why?

A new era of Finance Directors and CFOs are coming through & they’re choosing new age recruiters who actually understand their world, not the lumbering corporates. 

In my opinion the game has changed for the big UK recruitment brands.

-Profit warnings.
-Headcount cut to the bone.
-Directors shoved back on the phones.
-Bonus schemes ripped up overnight.
-Being told to “try a new market” because the old one’s dead.

You’re wrong Max………..

It’s happening because the old model doesn’t work anymore.

-Generalist vs Specialist
-Spam vs Proper Consulting
-Red Tape vs Agility
-Clunky Legacy Tech vs Cutting-Edge Tools
-Fees at-all costs vs Relationships That Actually Last
-Command & Control vs Real Leadership

Meanwhile, SMEs and Boutiques are out there delivering, partnering, and flat-out taking over.

Contemplating what else is out there.

Do yourself a favour & have a look. 👊🏼

Where does don’t be a D£&K come from? 📣

Something Adam Holt on the Recruitment Rehab asked me recently.

I’ve been there done that and used to wear the T-Shirt daily. (Well 3 Piece 😂).

Like a badge of honour.

All I cared about:

-What my P&L looked like.
-KPIs being hit. 
-Hire & Fire mentality.
-Someone didn’t work out ‘they were soft’.
-How I was perceived with the Exec/SLT.
-Being flash.
-My bank balance.

It was to hell with everything else.

You either wanted to be a top performer and earn or you were gone.

Can’t put it all on the environment.

It was my behaviour, I was fuelled by ego, money & F£&K I was arrogant. 

Thankfully as you get older you realise it’s absolutely nonsense.

If you are in a leadership role today, park all of that. 

-Be a good human.
-Take people on a journey. 
-Make incremental improvements daily. 
-Don’t be afraid to be challenged. 
-Ask for help.
-Surround yourself with a group that make you better. 
-Look after people in good times and bad.

I guarantee your business starts to sing! 👊🏼

Ever been called too ambitious? 📣

Usually by individuals who are absolutely shit scared of what you might become.

-Your pace exposes their excuses.
-Your hunger threatens their comfort.
-Your vision makes their limits look self-inflicted.
-Your energy and appetite make them look painfully average.

Ambition isn’t the problem.
Ambition is the mirror they don’t want to look into.

Being ambitious means you’re challenging the norm and the norm hates being challenged.

-Don’t dial it back.
-Be relentless in pursuit.
-Be unreasonably committed to your goals.
-Be the person who forces everyone else to rethink what’s possible.
-Push yourself harder than yesterday.
-Push everyone around you to level up or get out of the way.
-Treat resistance as proof you’re on the right track.

Ambition isn’t a flaw it’s leverage. 👊🏼

Momentum is so powerful. 📣

The market has been challenging but stop the woe is me bulls£&t. 

If you were relentlessly executing the below you wouldn’t be moaning! 

-Nail the basics. 
-Run a slick efficient process.
-Partner properly.
-Communicate constantly. 
-Do what you said you’d do. 
-Add value without being asked.
-Deliver.
-Never stop using the phone.
-Meet people in person.

Then rinse & repeat.

That’s how you build unstoppable momentum. 👊🏼

I push myself right to the edge of breaking point constantly. 📣

Not for a badge of honour. 

Because I’m at my best when I’m extremely uncomfortable!

-Financially? I’ve bought property that I couldn’t afford.
-Fitness? I train when the warning signs are on.
-Sleep? Five hours feels generous & I’m still trying to reduce. 
-Professionally? I set deadlines for myself that make no sense to anyone but me.

Why?

-I don’t need or want balance.
-I’m probably addicted to making life harder than it needs to be.

When you force yourself into a place that uncomfortable, back yourself into a corner with no excuses and no safety net.

You only have one option.

You deliver for everyone around you. 

Because the alternative scares the S£&T out of me.

(Everyone is wired different before you chime in calling me the anti christ, I’m promoting burnout & a psychopath). 

It’s my massive flaw but also can be a superpower. 👊🏼

Will Foden you know the drill.

What exactly are you paying your recruiter for? 📣

Another vanilla shortlist?
One relevant candidate?

Wake up.

You should be getting:

-Someone who actually understands the role.
-Real credibility in your market.
-A recruiter who can spot talent a mile off.
-Actual market intelligence not guesswork.
-Salary guidance.
-A shortlist that impresses you.
-Faster hiring.
-A cleaner, tighter process.
-Bulletproof offer management.

Hiring is a minefield.

And average recruiters?

They drain your time, energy, and patience.

Set higher standards and make damn sure your recruiter hits them. 👊🏼

Leadership sets the tone. Full stop. 📣

I’ve worked with leaders who inspire trust, drive a clear vision, and genuinely back their people.

I’ve also worked with the egocentric pricks.

Great leaders:

-Know where they’re going and bring people with them.
-Don’t belittle.
-Coach, challenge, support.
-Have the hard conversations.
-Park the ego and put the team first.
-Actually give a damn.

Not perfect but consistent.

The egocentric prick:

-Makes everything about themselves.
-Leads through fear.
-Is “never wrong.”
-Obsessed with control.
-Builds a team of yes people.
-Allows toxic behaviour to thrive.

If you’re job hunting, don’t just look at the role, look at the leader.

A great manager lifts everything.

A bad one drains the life out of you. 👊🏼

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