Employers

Carl Bashford is the Recruitment Manager for Suffolk, overseeing recruitment across the manufacturing, warehouse, and food & beverage divisions for both temporary and permanent roles. While part of the management team, Carl is hands-on in every part of the recruitment process, from resourcing and screening CVs to sales and account management.

For candidates, Carl handles the initial screening, coordinates interviews, and supports candidates through the offer process. For clients, he manages everything from the sales and enquiry stage to advertising vacancies and guiding applicants all the way to interviews and job offers.

Beyond recruitment, Carl works closely with the Senior Leadership Team to streamline processes, review training, assess KPIs, set sales targets, and even run sales competitions. He’s always open to new ways of working, adapting to the ever-changing recruitment industry.

Carl is proud of his career, which began as a Trainee Consultant after university. A highlight for him was breaking the monthly revenue record for permanent placements in his first 18 months and opening the Bury St Edmunds office in January 2023. However his proudest achievement is getting ties removed from the Prime dress code.

If Carl could swap jobs with anyone in the office for a day, it would be Peter Holmes, being the Prime Appointments handyman is no easy tasks, especially when it goes side by side with tennis, golf and a slice of cake now and then!

Chris Mason is a Recruitment Manager overseeing the Warehouse and Food & Beverage divisions at Prime Appointments. He’s been with the company since 2010 and is part of the management team while still handling 360 recruitment duties.

Chris works with a range of clients across Essex, filling short-term, long-term, temp-to-perm, and permanent roles. He handles everything from advertising job openings and interviewing candidates to placing them in roles and supporting both candidates and clients through the recruitment process.

On the management side, Chris leads a team of three, ensuring daily operations run smoothly. He also works closely with the Senior Leadership Team to review and improve processes, as well as ensuring compliance is maintained, including GLAA for Food Manufacturing.

Chris is proud of his achievements at Prime, from his personal growth and the lasting relationships he’s built with clients (some of whom he’s worked with for 15 years!) to the successful launch and growth of the Industrial Permanent side of his division.

When asked about the most random fact he knows, Chris says: "It’s illegal to be in possession of a cow while drunk in Scotland!"

Mark Everitt leads the Technical & Engineering Permanent division at Prime Appointments. After transitioning from a Senior Management role into recruitment, Mark quickly adapted to the fast-paced world of recruitment, gaining a deep understanding of the industry and the needs of both clients and candidates. Starting as a Trainee Consultant, Mark’s dedication and growth saw him progress within the company, eventually leading his own team.

Specialising in technical and engineering roles across multiple sectors, Mark’s expertise spans manufacturing, precision engineering, automation, and aerospace. He’s passionate about staying on top of industry trends and works closely with businesses to ensure they find the right talent, while also helping job seekers land fulfilling careers.

Mark’s proud of his journey from Trainee Consultant to Team Leader, where he enjoys mentoring newer consultants and supporting his team’s success.

When asked about something he’s always wanted to try, Mark shared, “I’ve always wanted to be in and sky dive from a helicopter!” We’ll sign you up for the next Alzheimer’s Society sky dive, Mark!

Simon Clark is the Team Leader for the Technical Temporary division at Prime Appointments, overseeing recruitment for manufacturing and engineering companies across Essex. Since joining the company in 2013 as a Trainee Recruitment Consultant, Simon has worked his way up to Team Leader, managing a variety of roles, including CNC Machinists, Welder Fabricators, Maintenance Engineers, and more.

Simon takes a consultative approach with candidates, offering advice based on their previous experience and matching them with the right roles in Essex. As a Team Leader, he sets both individual and team targets while keeping the team focused on Prime Appointments' long- and short-term goals.

One of Simon's proudest achievements is his ongoing partnership with one of the coolest car component manufacturers in the South East. Since 2017, he has helped them grow significantly, recruiting over 90 staff on both a temporary and permanent basis. It's been a rewarding experience seeing the company thrive, and Simon is proud to have played a part in their success.

When asked about his go-to karaoke song, Simon shared, “Busted - Year 3000.” But if we’re honest Simon doesn’t need a karaoke night—he takes every opportunity to sing around the office!

Julia has been in the Technical & Engineering recruitment industry for 24 years, with 9 of those spent at Prime Appointments. She started her career within Engineering and Design companies, and her natural interest in technology, combined with her extensive experience, allows her to quickly understand the roles she’s recruiting for and find the best candidates for the job.

Julia’s role gives her the chance to stay up-to-date with the latest developments in design and manufacturing, keeping her at the forefront of new job opportunities in these fields. She covers every aspect of the recruitment process, from sales and account management to consulting with both clients and candidates, right through to successfully placing the right person in the job.

Over the years, Julia has built long-lasting relationships with both candidates and clients, with some of the junior candidates she placed early in their careers now becoming senior clients. She is proud of her career achievements, including being named Sales Person of the Year at her previous company, out of over 300 consultants. At Prime Appointments, she won the New Business Sales Competition in 2021.

When asked what she could talk about for hours without getting bored, Julia replied, Music —a passion of hers that never fails to spark an interesting conversation or a tune on the kazoo!

Laura Anne Smith is a Recruitment Consultant, specialising in the temporary office and finance desk at Prime Appointments. Since joining in 2018, Laura has become an expert in handling the full 360 recruitment process, from business development to candidate sourcing, and client relationship management. She takes pride in her ability to work independently, ensuring smooth day-to-day operations while supporting both clients and candidates.

In her role, Laura builds and nurtures relationships with clients in the office and finance sector, seeking new business opportunities and offering tailored recruitment solutions. She also manages the entire recruitment process, from sourcing and reviewing candidates to coordinating interviews and ensuring a seamless placement experience.

One of Laura’s proudest career moments was progressing from an Industrial Resourcer to a Recruitment Consultant on the office and finance desk. This achievement showcased her adaptability and growth in a new sector, marking a key milestone in her career.

When asked about a fun fact, Laura revealed, “I danced on Top of The Pops!” – Laura is our very own Prime dancing queen!

Alex Craig is a 360 Recruitment Consultant specialising in warehouse and manufacturing staffing across Essex. She manages the entire recruitment process, from sourcing and interviewing candidates to overseeing placements and ensuring client satisfaction. Whether it’s a last-minute temp booking or a long-term hire, Alex works quickly and efficiently to match the right people with the right roles.

She builds strong relationships with both clients and candidates, ensuring a great fit for every position. With a deep understanding of the industrial sector, Alex is committed to delivering recruitment solutions that meet the specific needs of businesses.

Alex is proud of how far she’s come in her career in such a short time, thanks to the support of a fantastic team who have helped her grow and learn along the way.

Known for her smile and positive attitude, she said that if her workday had a theme song, it would be “Happy” by Bruno Mars.

Brendan Barros-Crowe is a Recruitment Consultant specialising in the manufacturing sector across Suffolk. He recruits skilled professionals, including welders, CNC machinists, managers, production operatives, and warehouse staff. Brendan handles the entire recruitment process, from sourcing and screening candidates to managing compliance, negotiating contracts, and providing ongoing support after placements.

Brendan takes a personal approach to recruitment, meeting clients and candidates face-to-face whenever possible. These conversations allow him to build strong relationships and gain a deeper understanding of their needs, ensuring the best fit for everyone involved.

By sharing insights into salary benchmarks and industry trends, he helps businesses make informed hiring decisions while guiding individuals to roles that match their skills and career goals. Brendan is dedicated to making recruitment as seamless and effective as possible.

A proud moment for Brendan is successfully transitioning from healthcare to industrial recruitment. He quickly adapted to the sector, and his role has since expanded to include technical and engineering recruitment, managing both temporary and permanent positions.

If Brendan were to write a book about his life, it would be titled: "Be Right Back, Still Figuring It Out!"

Abi Finch is our Recruitment Coordinator for Office and Finance roles across Essex and Suffolk. She helps our consultants find the best candidates by reviewing CVs, sourcing talent through job boards and social media, arranging interviews, and keeping our database up to date.

She works closely with hiring managers to understand their exact requirements, making sure we always match the right people to the right jobs. With roles ranging from entry-level to director positions, every day brings something new.

Abi is great at building a pool of potential candidates, meaning we can fill jobs quickly when they come in. She keeps things organised and makes sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes.

If she had to pick one type of food for life, it would be Italian—because a piece of bruschetta and a bowl of pasta never get old!

Amy Lizzimore is a Recruitment Coordinator in our Warehouse and Manufacturing team. She plays a key role in supporting our consultants to find and secure the right candidates for a variety of industrial roles, whether temporary, temp-perm, or permanent.

Amy is responsible for screening applicants to assess their experience, ensuring they match the right roles based on their skills and career goals. She also coordinates face-to-face meetings with successful candidates at our Witham office, guiding them through the full registration process and making sure all compliance requirements, including Right to Work (RTW) checks, are completed.

Amy takes pride in identifying the ideal candidates for our consultants to speak with, ensuring that the process runs smoothly, and everyone is fully compliant.

A piece of advice Amy holds onto is: "You've only got one life, live it!"

Louie is a Trainee Recruitment Consultant at Prime Appointments, working within the Technical & Engineering division. He’s currently completing his Level 3 Recruitment Apprenticeship with DBC and is really enjoying learning the industry — from building client relationships to helping people find roles they’re excited about.

Since joining Prime, Louie’s hit the ground running. He’s already managing a number of temporary workers, speaking with clients, and growing in confidence each week. He’s enjoying the fast-paced nature of recruitment and finds it rewarding to know his work helps people move forward in their careers.

Outside of work, Louie’s big on sport. He’s captained his local football team, Heybridge, for around six years, and stays active by going to the gym and running.

Always happy to connect, Louie enjoys chatting with others in the engineering and recruitment space — or about football, if you get him started!