INTERVIEW WITH THE OWNER ANDREA BANKS

The recruitment industry is a key element of today’s competitive job market and with the dominance of digital technology, IT businesses need more skilled people than ever. This has been true for some time, and Global Technology Solutions with Andrea Banks at its helm has been there throughout the process — providing high-quality recruiting services, aiding with the hiring of workers, and helping clients find the right workforce.

As an IT recruitment business specialising in IT service management and technical resource, GTS rode the wave of increased need for good hiring methods. We’re proud to be affiliated and accredited by the WEConnect International, Women in Business association. Andrea Banks, the CEO and founder, has steered the business for 20 years and went from strength to strength. The focus on client satisfaction has more than paid off and created a company that cares about its employees, candidates, and clients.

From the Start

Andrea founded GTS on the idea of having a personal relationship with clients. After having her second daughter, Andrea decided to capitalize on her good relationships with her existing clients and strike it out on her own. Demonstrating a go-getter attitude that served her so well throughout her career, she cut out the middleman and started a new business from her bedroom.

By necessity, the business started small but with the intent to grow and adapt to the changing market. The focus on quality was a priority as was that personal touch. The aim was to offer a personalised service that would stand out from the myriad of IT recruitment agencies.

It was a simple concept, work closely with clients and candidates and be a partner, not just another recruitment agency. Building on feedback provided by clients, Andrea created a company that made everyone feel special and appreciated.

While juggling raising two children (including a newborn) and running a business proved challenging, it was incredibly rewarding. Andrea is the first to admit she was overwhelmed at times and could have used more help, but it all worked out in the end. After they got onto the PSL with a major player in the IT industry, the business really took off. The clients were incredibly happy with the quality of the candidates GTS put forth.

Not many large clients would have taken a chance on a new technical recruitment agency, but it’s clear the ones who decided to use Global Technology Solutions’ services saw great potential in the fledgling company. Their trust definitely paid off, and the rest is history.

Fun facts during the start-up

While GTS is a business first, and it’s run seriously and professionally, the staff isn’t without a sense of humour about themselves. The tagline and the founding principle “taking the headache out of recruitment” became a fun gimmick. The company’s founder dressed up as a nurse to be different and draw attention at a service management conference.

The image of a nurse remained something of a mascot for the company. However, later, a cardboard cutout nurse replaced the live model at exhibits.

This definitely shows that Andrea is a fan of light-hearted humour. She also fondly remembers her large, chunky Dell desktop computer and its chunky keyboard she used to work on.

GTS, now

While the process itself changed a lot in the last 20 years, the basics remained the same. No one uses fax machines anymore, but companies still need a qualified workforce. Social media changed a lot of things. Even something as ubiquitous as emailing a CV instead of faxing has streamlined the process.

Initially, GTS recruited primarily for service desk and desktop support positions. And while they still do that, now the key focus is on service management. This was a shrewd business decision. Major incident managers, problem managers, service transition and service delivery, to name a few, are in much higher demand than two decades ago.

The advancing adoption of digital solutions has made work much easier. In fact, the transition to remote working due to the pandemic was practically seamless. Video interviews and social media contacts are big game-changers in the industry. The shift to almost exclusively online recruitment services has already happened, but many of the old tools are still useful. More importantly, industry knowledge and experience are still important — even irreplaceable. Fortunately, that’s something Andrea Banks and her team have in spades.

Keeping up with the times

Every company needs to stay current, and that’s exactly what Global Technology Solutions has done. The company website is now sleek and modern, and searching through LinkedIn is a must for any recruitment effort. However, the good old phone calls don’t seem to be going anywhere. The tech may change, but the principles remain the same.

True to its initial vision, the company still really cares about what the customer wants. The personalised approach is incredibly important, and the company is more than willing to go the extra mile for the client. The team will conduct thorough due diligence and ensure each candidate is the right fit for the client’s company culture.

Both clients and candidates can expect this personalized approach. Candidates get extensive briefings, and they’re more than just numbers on a spreadsheet. Due to their success, many contractors have received permanent positions.

Andrea Banks owner of GTS IT Recruitment

GTS, the future

Global Technology Solutions is a company that aims to stay current and competitive. To do that, they will follow the trends and the developments in the industry. The growing need for homeworking and remote positions, in general, is one such trend. Video calls for remote positions are already commonplace, and that’s not likely to change.

Of course, these changes aren’t exactly monumental, and some of them have already been implemented. It’s just their scale and market penetration that are expected to change. There’s unlikely to be a massive paradigm shift in the recruitment industry, just a lot of small ones that are going to add up. Recruitment services are still necessary, perhaps even more than they were since the world has become very fast-paced and interconnected. This is especially true when we’re talking about jobs in the IT industry.

We have taken on new personnel recently, and the business will expand. Due to the increase in business, we are looking to open a northern office in the near future. And with the pandemic winding down, enjoying face-to-face work again.