There is a direct correlation between the amount recruiters invest in their own talent and the investment consultants will make in the candidates they place.

This is the conclusion of Jill Thornton, people and strategy director at catering, driving and industrial recruiter Blue Arrow.

Since 2013 the firm has embarked on a programme in which it has given consultants clearly defined career steps, while managing consultants are trained to help them achieve their career goals.

At the first day of the Recruiter Show in London today, Thornton told delegates Blue Arrow streamlined 100 job descriptions down to 10. Competencies and the firm's values of enhancing people's lives were fed into job descriptions as well as the expectation that managers have a personal responsibility for developing the firm's learning culture.

Thornton also explained the firm's internal recruitment team has credited the approach with playing a key role in helping Blue Arrow recruit an additional 100 new staff this year as part of growth plans.

The scores to which Blue Arrow measures quality of service across candidates, clients and consultants have also increased in line with investment in internal talent, she added.