Material Things and Workshop Recruitment: Providing recruitment support for a niche interiors hire

Finding the right specialist for the role

When Victoria Hutchins, Finance Director at Material Things, reflects on the business’s need to strengthen its team, she is clear about the challenge they were facing.

Material Things is a well-established furniture and interiors business offering bespoke furniture, upholstery, curtains, carpets, blinds and full interior solutions. With a strong focus on customer service and in-home consultations, specialist product knowledge is essential across the team.

At the time, the business needed a Blinds/Shutters Salesperson who could confidently support customers, carry out home visits, and bring strong product knowledge across blinds, shutters and made-to-measure solutions.

The requirement proved more challenging than expected.

“We needed someone with real blinds experience,” Victoria explains. “We didn’t have the time to start from scratch.”

The business had previously recruited via job boards such as Indeed, but while applicants came through, few had the level of specialist knowledge required.

“It wasn’t just about general sales ability,” she adds. “We needed someone who genuinely understood the product.”

A consultative recruitment approach

When Workshop Recruitment first made contact, the difference in approach was immediately noticeable.

“They were really friendly and not pushy at all,” Victoria says. “Some agencies can be quite full-on, but this felt very different.”

Rather than repeated calls or pressure to commit, the approach was more consultative, focused on offering support and allowing the business to engage at its own pace.

“It was more like, ‘we’re here if you need us,’ which we really liked.”

As the vacancy progressed, Recruitment Consultant Kerry Carter quickly became a standout throughout the process.

“Kerry was brilliant from the start,” Victoria says. “Really proactive, really honest, and she actually took the time to understand exactly what we needed.”

Rather than sending a high volume of CVs, Kerry focused on quality and relevance, providing clear feedback on suitability and managing expectations throughout.

“She didn’t just send people for the sake of it. She was very clear about who would work and who wouldn’t, which really helped.”

Securing the right candidate

Among the candidates presented, one immediately stood out.

With strong experience in blinds sales and fitting, they brought both product knowledge and practical capability - exactly what the business had been struggling to find.

“When we saw the CV, it was clear they had the right background,” Victoria recalls. “They weren’t just a salesperson; they understood the products.”

Although another applicant had been interviewed through traditional channels, the difference in experience was significant.

“They were exactly what we were looking for in terms of knowledge and capability.”

The process wasn’t entirely straightforward. An initial offer wasn’t accepted, and the role briefly stalled.

However, Kerry maintained close contact with both the client and candidate, ensuring communication never dropped and the opportunity remained active.

“She kept everything moving,” Victoria explains. “Even when things changed, she stayed in touch with the candidate and we managed to find a solution that suited us both.”

That persistence and flexibility ultimately led to a successful hire.

A successful long-term fit

Once in post, the new hire settled quickly into the role, initially focusing on training and internal systems before moving into full sales activity.

They quickly became a valued member of the team.

“They’ve been really proactive,” Victoria says. “Not just doing the job but coming up with ideas and suggestions to improve how we work.”

This included input on marketing, social media and local outreach activity, adding value beyond the original brief.

For Material Things, the experience reinforced the value of working with a recruitment partner who takes time to understand both the role and the business.

“Kerry in particular was excellent,” Victoria says. “She really stood out throughout the process.”

When asked whether they would work with Workshop Recruitment again, the answer is simple:

“Absolutely. They’d be the first people we come to.”