Blue Recruiting gets SAICA trainees networking in style!

Blue Recruiting hosted 300 trainees from the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) at a networking event at Katy’s Palace Bar on 12 March 2022. After two years of Covid, it was heart-warming to see these finance professionals enjoying time out together and making invaluable connections with each other. In keeping with Blue Recruiting’s branding, guests were treated to blue gin cocktails overlooking the magnificent Sandton skyline, with up-and-coming DJs on the decks and a special appearance by well known local band, Rubber Duc.

Ask any South African chartered accountant about their years in audit training (now referred to as their SAICA traineeship) and they will tell you all about the incredible opportunities to network and socialise with fellow trainees. The past two years of global pandemic have meant that our trainees have been very much isolated from their peers. And there was little to balance out the long hours of audit that they endure during our world-class three years of post university finance training.

Blue Recruiting is a specialist finance recruitment firm that focuses heavily on finding South African third year trainees their vital first career placement. Blue Recruiting also believes very strongly in building relationships with both clients and candidates in order to place the right candidate in the right career. “We send you more than just CVs, we send you people,” is something you hear Blue Recruiting founder and director, James Hobson, saying often.

“People do business with people they like and trust,” says Blue Recruiting MD, Graeme Marais. “Relationships are core to every business, especially Blue Recruiting. Candidates trust us to help them mould their careers. We need to know you, not just your CV, and we want you to like and trust us enough with these material decisions.”

Referring to the get-together at Katy’s Palace Bar, Graeme says events like these help to build relationships with the talented SAICA trainees.

“Importantly, such events also provide an environment for trainees to form relationships and networks amongst themselves, which will be a HUGE asset in their careers. This is an aspect that I am desperately sad to say Covid has wrenched away from these professionals in the past three years.”

According to James and Graeme, Blue Recruiting strives to establish a relationship with SAICA trainees for three reasons:

1. To provide career advice so that once they finish their articles, they are in a position to find the most suitable jobs
2. To provide a platform for networking with their peers, and also with the Blue Recruiting team so that we know who they are
3. To provide them with an opportunity to give back through the Bokamoso Education Trust

“Blue Recruiting wants to build lasting relationships with trainees,” says James. “We want to assist them in their careers, whether it be finding them a job straight after their articles (either in SA or abroad), later on in their careers or even finding staff for their teams when they are in hiring positions.

“The event we held recently was an opportunity for trainees to network with each other, with Blue Recruiting and just to have fun.”