Hydropower, dam and pumped storage is a specialised industry where technical expertise, project experience and the right industry relationships matter. Finding a person to do a job is one thing; finding the right person, with the right technical background, within the correct time frame, available and prepared to relocate is something entirely different.

We speak to Plan Recruit’s Managing Director, Alex Naylor, about an important question for businesses operating in this sector:

Are your current recruitment processes genuinely giving you access to the best talent available – or simply the best talent that happens to apply?

What are some of the key recruitment challenges facing the hydropower sector?

Timescales and start dates are probably the two biggest challenges. Timing is everything. Plan Recruit is the only agency focused exclusively on the hydro, dam and pumped storage sector. We have spent seventeen years building a network of high-level candidates that we can access immediately, and I’m confident that we can deliver results within four weeks.

That said, transparency is key around project timelines and anticipated start dates. It makes perfect sense to forward plan for hires, especially on major engineering projects, but there needs to be balance and clear communication. If you engage candidates too early, you risk them being unavailable when needed. That ultimately wastes valuable time for everyone involved. The key is finding the right balance between early workforce planning and engaging with the market at the appropriate stage.

How can specialist recruitment partners complement internal HR and Talent Acquisition Teams?

We see specialist recruitment providers as an extension of an organisation's existing capability rather than a replacement for it. The HR contacts we work most effectively with are often those who have already recognised the value of bringing in an external specialist. They understand an external recruiter isn’t necessarily competing with the internal recruitment function – it can actually make their job considerably easier.

Engineering and construction are relentless industries. Projects don’t stop, technical problems don’t wait, and recruitment requirements can change very quickly. There is constant pressure to deliver results, and specialist recruitment requires significant knowledge, persistence and dedication. Plan Recruit is easy to find, and we have developed a comprehensive understanding of the hydro and dam sector industry. We know the market, we know the people within it, and we can easily spot the difference between the bad, the good and the guaranteed candidate. Often, when there is a problem at site or within a design office, we are among the first to hear about it because of the relationships we’ve built throughout the industry.

An internal recruiter can’t replicate that level of market exposure. That doesn’t mean internal recruitment teams aren’t valuable; they absolutely are. But businesses need to consider what it costs when they don’t have the right people in their critical positions. Yes, recruitment agencies can represent additional cost. But the more important question is: what is the cost of securing the wrong person?

Plan Recruit don’t charge a fee to undertake a search; commission is only payable when we successfully complete a mandate. So the question I want to ask is: if an external specialist can run an additional search at no upfront cost, why wouldn’t you utilise that resource?

Are HR and Talent Acquisition Teams always supporting businesses in the best possible way?

That’s a question businesses need to ask themselves. They have an important role to play, and recruitment is naturally part of that. But the fact that recruitment sits within HR doesn’t necessarily mean that every recruitment challenge can – or should – be handled internally.

My concern is that we are regularly overlooked despite having spent many years developing specialist industry knowledge and recruitment expertise. When the quality of candidates is diminished because an external specialist hasn’t been brought into the process, projects can ultimately be put under unnecessary pressure. For critical appointments, I believe there is a strong argument for running a parallel search alongside the internal campaign. Ultimately, the hiring manager should have the opportunity to choose the strongest candidate available, regardless of where that candidate originated from.

How important is headhunting when recruiting specialist engineering talent?

It’s absolutely crucial when quality is the priority. Advertising and LinkedIn are excellent recruitment tools, but they have limitations. They tend to reach people who are actively looking, or at least receptive to new opportunities. The very best in the business are often not looking for another job. They are busy delivering projects and established within their organisations. They may never see – or apply for – a job advertisement.

Internal HR and Talent Acquisition Teams can face limitations when approaching people in competing organisations. There are obvious sensitivities involved, particularly when dealing with senior or highly specialised technical roles, which can put an internal team in an unnecessarily difficult position.

That’s where Plan Recruit comes in. We can operate in that space professionally and confidentially, providing businesses with access to a much wider candidate pool without the drawbacks internal teams face. We have built relationships with candidates who aren’t visible through conventional recruitment channels. We understand their career histories, technical capabilities, availability and, perhaps most importantly, what would actually motivate them to consider a move. Those relationships can’t simply be created overnight.

Would you say communication is an issue?

It definitely can be. Recruitment is fundamentally a chain, and communication holds the links together. Once a candidate has been identified and introduced, there needs to be a clear flow of information between the recruiter, candidate, and client. Unfortunately, even when we are already involved, we can encounter situations where communication slows down dramatically.

Occasionally, candidate feedback just isn’t provided, calls and messages aren’t returned, or emails go unanswered. That doesn’t just frustrate the recruiter – it can damage the candidate experience with the client. A candidate who has taken the time to engage with a company deserves to know where they stand, even if the answer isn’t the one they want to hear. There really is no excuse for poor communication. Everyone is busy, but everyone has the time to communicate when it matters.

Couldn’t businesses simply employ more internal recruiters to solve recruitment pressures?

That’s something businesses need to examine carefully. When an organisation struggles to identify specialist candidates, the instinct can sometimes be to increase the internal team to combat it. But adding more internal recruiters doesn’t necessarily solve a market-access problem. If the issue is a lack of specialist networks, technical understanding, market intelligence or access to passive candidates, increasing headcount internally is unlikely to address the underlying issue.

Sometimes the answer lies in accessing expertise that already exists outside the organisation. There are some excellent HR and Talent Acquisition professionals who understand exactly how specialist recruitment should work. We especially value working with those people.The issue is more fundamental: specialist engineering recruitment isn’t a simple 9-to-5 administrative process.

The market moves incredibly quickly. Candidates can become available unexpectedly, projects can accelerate, offers can be received and accepted within days, and a lack of urgency can mean losing someone perfect for the role. Recruitment in this sector requires drive, high technical understanding, market knowledge and availability when the opportunity arises.

Do you encounter issues with businesses making decisions?

It can happen. Slow decision-making is extremely damaging. When an organisation takes too long to decide, it can create two immediate consequences. First, the candidate can lose confidence in the process. They might interpret prolonged silence as disorganisation or a lack of interest.

Second, the candidate could just as easily find another job opportunity. In a competitive market, another company that moves quickly can secure the person you wanted while your process is still waiting for approvals. That is why recruitment isn’t simply about finding candidates. It’s about managing the entire process effectively, from initial identification to offer and commencement.

So why should businesses consider external recruiters?

I think businesses should ask themselves if they are doing everything possible to access the best talent available. Internal recruitment has an important role, but specialist recruitment shouldn’t be viewed as a last resort when everything else has failed. For highly technical, difficult-to-fill positions, an external specialist can provide additional market coverage, access to passive candidates, industry intelligence and a network that has taken years to build.

In a sector as technically demanding as this, recruitment isn't simply about filling vacancies. It's about securing the people who can make a project work. And when the cost of getting that appointment wrong can run far beyond the recruitment fee itself, perhaps the bigger question isn't: ‘Can we recruit this person ourselves?’ It’s ‘Have we genuinely accessed every part of the market before making the big decision?’

When you’re ready to talk, you know where to find us.

Plan Recruit / team@planrecruit.com / +44 (0)161 850 101