How McManus found their perfect hire, in a nice rice pudding

Passive hiring made easy, through Candid

For more than half a century, McManus Pubs has been a staple of Northamptonshire hospitality. Their venues span everything from energetic late-night spots to relaxed destination dining, and that breadth has been a defining advantage.

That range has kept the group adaptable and appealing to generations of guests. But with growth comes complexity – especially when it comes to hiring.

We sat down with Operations Director, Tom McManus for a Candid Conversation.

💡 The recruitment challenge

Operating almost 20 sites within a tight geography means talent pools are naturally limited.

“We’re generally fishing for a lot of people in a small pool.”

“We’re generally fishing for a lot of people in a small pool. I don’t think we’ve been good in the past at clarifying what we offer and what the McManus culture is all about, which is something I’m spending a huge amount of time on at the moment.”
Tom, Operations Director @ McManus Pub Co.
Against this backdrop, the team started exploring smarter, more values-aligned ways to find the right people.

👀 Why Candid stood out

Traditional platforms had become a drain on time and energy.

“With other recruitment platforms, you receive a tonne of applications from unqualified, or frankly uninterested, candidates who are just applying to everything and seeing what sticks. Candid stood out as a way to recruit a higher quality of candidate who is actually right for the business & role.”
Tom, Operations Director @ McManus Pub Co.

Even as a regional operator, McManus saw the long-term potential:

“Over time I expect this to become a pretty ubiquitous platform for hospitality job searchers which is why I wanted to get involved from the start.”

🤝 The match – A nice rice pudding

McManus uploaded a Deputy Manager role to Candid – not urgently, but intentionally.

“I had actually been recruiting for this role passively for some time… I knew that if we found the right person it would have a big impact on the business.”

Tom, Operations Director @ McManus Pub Co.

Then came Beth – known on Candid as ‘A Nice Rice Pudding’.

“Beth wasn’t up against anyone else as by this point we were just waiting for the right person. We knew that whoever came onboard would need to be a ‘no brainer’… With Beth, we felt exactly that.”

Tom, Operations Director @ McManus Pub Co.

⭐️ The impact: A Hospitality Superstar

“Beth has been a superstar since she joined.

The General Manager was doing a lot himself and was unable to fully delegate… Since Beth joined, she has taken this pressure off and shown that she can clearly lead a team and manage a busy bar.”

Her passion and energy are already transforming the venue:

“She has a clear passion for what she does. Things like social media are improving and I feel confident that she’s going to continue to smash it!”

❌ Beyond the CV

For McManus, the move away from traditional CVs aligns perfectly with Candid’s ethos.

“What I love about Candid is that there is no CV.”

They’re now hiring based on evidence of mindset, culture, and capability:

“I have done away with CV based recruiting and started using a more STAR model style of interview based on the EOS People Analyser tool.

I’m looking for clear evidence that this person is ‘Right Person, Right Seat’… that they understand what the job entails, that they want to do it and that they are capable of doing it.”

Candid’s conversation-first format supports that shift:

“Rather than going in with a CV… you can have a conversation that is much broader and more personal.”

Tom, Operations Director @ McManus Pub Co.

✨Looking ahead for McManus

“We have a big focus on inward investment, both in our venues but also in our structure, processes and ways of working. We’re always interested in new sites and have a couple of potential things in the pipeline.”

For McManus, hiring isn’t about volume – it’s about finding people who match their values, energy, and ambition.

Candid helped them do exactly that.

Beth’s journey is proof that when the right person meets the right culture, the impact is immediate and undeniable.

👉 Ready to find your next culture match?

#Hospitality, #MatchMade, #Recruitment

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