Buchanan Search Reviews

This list is going to be long so strap in... The business is a hyper aggressive recruitment firm that manipulate and lie to graduates during their job search. From a candidate perspective - They attract some of the best graduate candidates through the use of fake adverts with over zealous titles like junior investment banker scheme, international sports recruitment, exclusive graduate broker scheme. These adverts are laden with superlatives about money, international destinations and ludicrous incentives that are all made up, just like your career prospects if you join Buchanan Search. Their graduate positions are solely recruitment roles. You'll find this out during the interview process when you'll be aggressively interviewed, and have all of your other job prospects bad mouthed and put down before being sold recruitment (despite you applying for an investment banking role which shares very few common traits with recruitment) to the hill with the promise of riches and meteoric progression. But enough of the candidate perspective and moving onto working at Buchanan search. The lies won't just be external, you'll be consistently lied to internally and sold during 1v1's about the inflated figures that other more senior consultants are earning in the business to draw some false hope that you can make it rich in the world of Buchanan Search. Beyond the lies, you'll be constantly berated on KPI's with flashing KPI screens around the office, little to no training on how to succeed or innovative ways to attract candidates beyond 'smashing the phones' and getting told that you're just 'not calling the right people' - helpful training might counteract this but that's just a suggestion. You will be berated on the smallest of matters by an irrational MD, named James Baker, who will regularly shout down individuals over the smallest of matters in front of the entire office. The hours are long in recruitment but the expectations are ridiculous alongside the fact that if you're for any reason late into the office past the 8.30am deadline then it's mandatory to stay until 8pm that same evening, regardless of what/who is to blame for being late (NOTE: this rule doesn't apply for senior management/the inner circle) The vision of the MD, James Baker, is that anyone below management level is dispensable as long as the business is profitable, the churn of graduates does not phase him and the mantra that is distilled across the business is that the easy market in which you recruit in/working conditions afforded to you at Buchanan Search, are far better than any other recruitment business - this is simply not the case and once again is a scare tactic to avoid you looking to leave. When it comes to you resigning and handing in your resignation letter, hire an employment lawyer in advance as you will be fired for gross misconduct for ambiguous and outrageous reasons and your notice period will not be paid to save the business a few hundred pounds. If you decided to protest against the fact you haven't been paid your statutory pay you'll then receive follow up letters from James' lawyers (who also happen to conveniently be his mates) with a severe tone to dissuade you pursuing said statutory pay. Also, the all expenses paid rewards trips for top performing consultants will actually cost you an arm and a leg. So make sure you save those pennies beforehand as after the first round of drinks you’re on your own. In sum, London is full of recruitment businesses that are far superior to Buchanan Search with far superior MD's so avoid this one.

Where do I begin... this company is an absolute fraud - for the all naive graduates thinking they’re going there to interview for “wealth management”, “consultancy” etc. You’re wrong. They spin you into Recruitment. James (CEO) posts fake adds on linked in and other job recruitment platforms. For those looking to work for this company, there’s some things you should know... James (CEO) used to stay in a glass box in the centre of the office, everyday Seniors were called in there and sworn at and verbally abused repeatedly. James also swears at employees. You’ll never earn the 60K dreams they sell you and for 23K a year, you’re expected to work 12hr days despite the fact that your contracted office hours end at 6pm. This was the worst company I have ever worked for and I’ll never regret my decision to leave.