Business Details
34 Years
experience
Your Trusted Recruitment Partner in Wakefield
Established over 32 years ago, First Choice has built a reputation as a trusted recruitment partner in Wakefield, Leeds, and surrounding areas. Our co-owners, Anne Lockwood and Andy Turner, lead a dedicated team committed to creating three-way partnerships between clients, candidates, and our agency. With deep local knowledge and industry expertise, we specialise in temporary, temp-to-perm, permanent, and contract recruitment across office, industrial, and technical sectors. Our approach prioritises understanding both business needs and candidate aspirations, ensuring precise matches that deliver long-term success.Recognised for our community involvement and innovative initiatives like Wakefield Works, we combine professional excellence with genuine care for people. Our proven track record serving major employers and our focus on quality over quantity set us apart in an industry often characterised by impersonal transactions. This heritage of trust and tailored service continues to drive our mission to positively change lives through meaningful employment.
Services
Temporary Recruitment
Temp to Perm
Permanent Placement
Contract Staffing
Office Roles
Industrial Recruitment
Technical Recruitment
Customer Service
Administration
Engineering
Details
- Year established: 1992
Highlights and features
- We have over 32 years of recruitment expertise in the Wakefield region
- Our three-way partnership approach prioritises both client and candidate needs
- We maintain long-standing relationships with leading local employers
- Our team conducts face-to-face consultations to understand specific requirements
- We combine industry knowledge with community-focused values
What people say
Exceptional service
Understand business needs
Successful placements
Professional team
Community-focused
Services
Office Recruitment
Specialist recruitment for office-based positions including customer service, administration, HR, sales, legal, and financial roles. We match candidates with employers seeking temporary, contract, or permanent staff across small businesses to large PLCs. Our consultants provide tailored support throughout the recruitment process.
Industrial Recruitment
Comprehensive staffing solutions for warehousing, logistics, manufacturing, and distribution sectors. We supply skilled workers from entry-level positions to senior roles, including forklift truck drivers, pickers, and production staff. Our local market knowledge ensures precise candidate matching for businesses in Wakefield's transport hub.
Technical Recruitment
Specialist placement services for engineering, telecoms, utilities, and trades roles. We connect employers with skilled professionals ranging from apprentices to senior technical experts. Our sector-specific knowledge ensures candidates meet both technical requirements and company culture fit.
Temporary Staffing
Flexible workforce solutions for short-term needs, seasonal peaks, or project-based requirements. We supply vetted temporary staff across office, industrial, and technical sectors, with rapid response times and candidates pre-screened for required competencies.
Permanent Placement
End-to-end recruitment for permanent positions, combining in-depth candidate assessment with business needs analysis. Our process includes CV shortlisting, interviews, and reference checks to ensure long-term matches that benefit both employers and employees.
People
Anne Lockwood
Co-Owner
With over three decades in recruitment, Anne co-founded First Choice to create meaningful employment connections. Her leadership focuses on candidate care and maintaining industry standards through ethical practices.
Andy Turner
Co-Owner
Andy drives business development and community initiatives at First Choice. His 30+ years in the sector focus on understanding employer needs while championing local workforce development programs.
Questions
How does First Choice Recruitment differ from other agencies?
We prioritise face-to-face consultations and long-term relationships over transactional interactions, with deep local market knowledge and a proven track record of successful placements since 1992.
Which sectors do you specialise in?
We focus on office, industrial, and technical sectors, covering roles from entry-level to senior positions across temporary, contract, and permanent employment.
How do you support job seekers?
We offer CV advice, interview preparation, and match candidates with roles suiting their skills and career goals, with ongoing support throughout the employment journey.
What areas do you cover?
Our primary focus is Wakefield and Leeds, with recruitment solutions extending to surrounding areas across West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire.
How quickly can you fill urgent vacancies?
Our established candidate network allows rapid response times, with temporary roles often filled within 48 hours and permanent placements accelerated through pre-screened talent pools.
What community initiatives do you support?
We co-founded Wakefield Works to improve youth employability and actively participate in local charity events, reflecting our commitment to regional economic and social development.
Reviews (4)
Megan Lockwood
Nov 23, 2020
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I went with this agency a few months back. I worked at NewCold as a cleaner, temporarily until I went back to uni. They said after a week of working days I could go onto nights (can’t remember the name of the woman I spoke to) so I took the job as I told her I preferred a night time position. After covering the woman on days for a week I was told I… couldn’t go onto nights because I was a temp, and as soon as this woman came back I had to leave. This is absurd because they promised me work until I went to uni, not for one week until the woman came back or I would have never took
Richie Wilson
Dec 01, 2019
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Gave me some work was good on going work then all of a sudden nothing and still nothing no after 5 week just before Christmas aswell piss take
Jp Glover
Apr 16, 2019
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Absolutely fantastic team. Put me at a client in Cleckheaton now been taken on by them. Thank you guys.
Helena Butler
Mar 10, 2019
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I found First Choice Recruitment to be very supportive during the temporary assignment they placed me in. I was always paid on time and communication was excellent. Thanks to Megan, Clare and all the team. A very positive experience.
