In this month's edition of our consultant spotlight, we spoke to Christopher Wright about his work in contract and interim recruitment, a fast-moving area where timelines are short, expectations are high, and finding the right fit quickly is critical. He shares how he got into recruitment, what makes a placement successful, and how the contract market is evolving for both clients and candidates.

What drew you to recruitment, and how did you end up at Core-Asset?

After finishing my degree in business and marketing, I moved into hospitality and sales. It was fast-paced, target-driven, and people-focused, which gave me a solid foundation and helped me understand what I enjoyed. A few friends had moved into recruitment and spoke about how varied and rewarding it could be, so I started exploring it seriously.

The interview felt more like a genuine conversation than an overly formal process. I could be myself, and it felt like the kind of place where I could do meaningful work and build something long-term. I’ve been here ever since.

What do you enjoy most about working in the contract space?

It's the pace and variety. Contract recruitment moves fast. You’re matching the right people to shifting priorities, often with tight timelines and high expectations. It’s constantly changing and demands quick, informed decisions, which suits the energy I bring and how I like to operate.

Contractors are often brought in to lead change, solve problems, or stabilise teams. To enable this, you need to move quickly in recruitment, but get it right. When a candidate fits the brief and delivers for the client, and you get positive feedback from both sides, that’s a real win.

How have expectations changed in the contract market recently?

IR35 was one of the first big shifts. It changed how contractors could operate, especially around limited company status, and that led to higher rate expectations. Initially, clients adjusted. But as market activity slowed, those rates levelled off, in a typical part of the recruitment cycle.

Clients have also raised the bar. It’s no longer enough to just have the right technical skillset.

Understanding those shifts, and helping both sides navigate them, is now a big part of what we do.

Tech and digital move fast. How do you stay in sync and spot the right fit quickly?

It’s a combination of experience, tools, and ongoing learning. I use a mix of CRM data and market insights to stay current, but a lot also comes from regular conversations with clients and contractors. They’re the ones experiencing the changes first-hand.

The more time you spend recruiting in a specialist area, the sharper your instinct becomes. That said, I always take time to properly understand each brief. I stay across coding languages, delivery models, and tech stacks to understand what they do, and see how they contribute to outcomes.

That final step matters. When you understand what success looks like in the real world, it’s much easier to find the people who can deliver it.

What does a successful placement look like to you?

Success is about creating value on both sides. It’s when a contractor steps into a project and makes an immediate difference, and when the role gives them the opportunity to use their strengths and develop their experience. That might mean a project moves forward faster, a blocker is resolved, or a team gains much-needed stability during a critical phase. When someone integrates quickly and builds trust, that’s a sign of a strong match.

It also lasts beyond the placement itself. The best outcomes are when the person adds something to the team dynamic, and leaves a lasting impact. That's what I aim for in every placement.

Can you share a placement or project that really stuck with you?

I really enjoyed working on a recruitment project centered on a full-scale systems transition, as our client, a global asset manager, adopted BlackRock’s Aladdin platform and moved their investment operations back in-house. They needed to build out specialist teams quickly, with roles spanning business analysis, trade operations, reconciliations, and derivatives.

It was a complex brief with tight timelines and high expectations. I supported recruitment across multiple functions, working closely with the client to build out full teams to match the technical skills they needed, as well as the kind of culture they wanted to create: high-performing, agile, and collaborative.

We placed over 120 contractors onto the programme. Many were extended or rehired for follow-on projects, and the feedback was consistently strong; not only on their capability, but on how well they integrated into the teams.

What stuck with me with this project was the level of collaboration. Being involved from the early stages, advising on scope, and staying close to the contractors throughout meant I could see the full picture. It was a clear example of what works when recruitment is properly embedded in a delivery process.

Core-Asset focuses on values-based service. How does that influence the way you work day to day?

It sets the tone for everything, from how I speak to candidates to how I represent clients. For me, values-based service means being honest, consistent, and focused on long-term outcomes rather than quick wins.

It shows up in how I qualify roles, manage expectations, and give feedback, even when it’s not what someone wants to hear. I take the time to understand what’s right for both sides, and if something isn’t a fit, I’ll say so. That approach builds trust, and over time, it builds relationships that last.

It also helps when things don’t go to plan. When you're working with pace and pressure, people notice if you stay clear, reliable, and professional. We’ve worked with our clients for years because of that approach.

Looking ahead, what’s changing in temp and interim recruitment for tech and digital?

There’s growing demand for niche skills, especially in areas like data, AI, and cybersecurity. We’re also seeing shorter hiring cycles and more outcome-focused roles. Contractors with proven delivery and adaptability are in high demand.