Recruiters need to form consortia to bid for 2012 Olympic contracts, the latest meeting of the Recruitment Society has heard.

The advice came from Tim Campbell, winner of cult television series The Apprentice and former graduate recruitment manager at London Underground. "The Olympics is too big an opportunity to miss," he said.

Campbell told the assembled audience at the Kings Cross offices of the Hodes Group about his time at London Underground, and "the constant battles" between managers "who wanted to employ people they liked" and people in HR "who needed to ensure there was a level playing field for everyone."

Campbell said that recruitment was a balancing act. "Sometimes you have to go on gut feel, but then you have to protect yourself from an Employment Tribunal.

"You have got to be careful," he warned, "because we are moving to the American thing, where they will sue your ass."