Employers should take advantage of the recession to hire people now, says James Caan, serial entrepreneur and recruiter.

Speaking to employers in the charity sector at a London event yesterday evening (18 June), Caan said that his own organisation, private equity business Hamilton Bradshaw, was doing just that - even when there was no specific vacancy.

“We have never been able to compete for the best people,” he said. “But now is the time you can get people you would never otherwise have.

“You won’t find these people 18 months from now,” he said.

“There is a surfeit of talent today,“ he added, “but organisations don’t know how to deal with it”.

Caan spoke at the ‘Evening With A Dragon’ event referring to his role on BBC2 TV show Dragons’ Den.  Held at the Andaz Hotel, it was attended by clients and prospective clients of multi-sector recruiter Eden Brown. Eden Brown is part of the Hamilton Bradshaw portfolio of businesses.