Talent, truth and a twist of lime

Norfolk’s business scene is buzzing and at the heart of that energy are people who champion collaboration, creativity, and community. One of them is Bex Headden: Co-Founder and Director of R13 Recruitment, board member of Norfolk Chambers Co.next, and newly appointed Norfolk Ambassador. With nearly 25 years in recruitment, Bex is passionate about helping businesses grow through people, supporting local talent, and flying the flag for Norfolk as a powerhouse of innovation and opportunity. We caught up with her to ask a few questions about local pride, creative talent, and why people will always be at the centre of what she does.

You’ve recently become a Norfolk Ambassador. What makes Norfolk such a strong place to do business and what misconceptions would you love to bust?

Norfolk is an absolute hive of activity across a raft of different sectors; quite the opposite of the olden days perception that it was sleepy and yocal. 2025 Norfolk is full to the brim of progressive, dynamic businesses; challenger brands; exciting entrepreneurs - and the nature of Norfolk’s community creates an empowering and supportive nucleus for people to test, grow, develop and pave the way.

Part of the beauty of Norfolk being small is that it brings everyone closer together, and for me there is power in proximity; from Science to Finance; from The Arts to Tech; from Food to Energy; from Leisure to Business; from Health to Hospitality - Norfolk truly has it all and it has the introductory infrastructure to help bring people together to achieve great things. The Norfolk Business Board is helping to make that even more “joined up” in terms of its thinking and accessibility.

R13 has grown up here in Norfolk. How important is that local connection when it comes to working with your clients and candidates?

As recruiters, we’re not just here to send clients CVs. We’re here to positively support and impact their hiring processes, and in doing so, we need to GET their business. Now then, call me old fashioned, but to truly understand a clients business, there is nothing quite like getting IN there. You can FEEL the energy, the atmosphere; you can see the environment and you can really understand what they do and how they do it. You can open up deeper conversations and understand their journey, their goals, their vision, their challenges and their future plans.

And that’s such important information to be able to impart to a candidate. A job spec doesn't tell the whole story - no matter how high the quality, it just simply cannot. By being in with clients, by embedding ourselves to their business and understanding their story, we can truly build the picture and impart that extra knowledge to candidates to help them to decide if the opportunity and company could be “the one” for them.

Are there any skills or qualities you’re seeing businesses ask for more and more in the creative and marketing spaces?

Like in recruitment, AI is SO divisive, but I think in the sector it has it’s “place”, and knowing HOW to use (not abuse) AI is a hot topic. As technology platforms become more aware of AI and reject that generative content, the need for authentic content will reign. Essentially, staying at the pointy end of changes and technological developments are top of the list.

The interior wall of the R13 Recruitment office featuring framed motivational prints including the words Do Epic Work

Bex Headden, Co-Founder of R13 Recruitment in Norfolk, pictured with another woman

Norfolk’s full of recruitment agencies. What makes R13 different, and why do you describe yourselves as “personality powered”?

Oh gosh - SO many recruiters! But that’s also testament to what we said earlier, about Norfolk being a hot bed for risk takers and new entrepreneurs - many agencies I know were born out of great recruiters growing their own brand - the same is true of R13. Our key differentiator is the ability to ask the right questions to get under the skin of a business, a brand, a job. That’s personality powered.

We’re client led, which means we don’t work in specific verticals or silos, we embed into that client, have a holistic view of the whole business and help them to structure their people strategy to align with their business strategy. It’s more consultancy than agency. We support on more than just finding CVs, we ask a lot of questions, we challenge and consult on the who, what, where, when, why and how. We build talent pipelines, we develop role profiles, we coach on interview, onboarding and retention techniques, we provide market intelligence to shape value added propositions; we seek out and secure people who truly make a difference at all levels.

In your view, what’s the current landscape for marketing, design and creative recruitment in Norfolk? Any big shifts, challenges, or exciting opportunities?

OK, so high level overview on a few points, to stop me boring people to tears!!

Those remote roles that came about during Covid are now becoming less remote. London companies are keen to have people in the office 1 day, 2 days, hedging into 3 or 4 a week. And candidates are saying the remote working life has its limitations. I think this will tip the balance and bring some of that “lost to London” talent back more locally, and with potentially more regionally realistic salary expectations.

Work:life balance is KEY. Creating a strategy which balances flexibility, workplace culture, inter-generational community, and learning and development opportunities is complicated; but nail it and you’ve got a winning combination.

Grow your own. We are SO lucky to have an absolute ocean of talent coming through Norwich University of the Arts. When I’ve been a part of Sync The City, the skill, knowledge, aptitude and capability of young people is IMMENSE. Invest in them.

Some players who started out small in Norfolk are going BIG Nationally and Internationally. Yes, Norfolk is a wonderful nucleus, but think BIGGER too. The level of skill and capability here is honestly world class. Take it there if you want to!

Lots of businesses try to recruit themselves. From your perspective, what’s the advantage of using an agency and how do you make sure it’s worth the investment?

Recruitment can be TOUGH. And time consuming. And disappointing. Less and less people are actively applying for jobs as they become dispirited with complex application processes, assessments, video presentations; all just to receive an automated response of “you have not been successful” with no context or feedback. Being in the job market can be TOUGH; to know what jobs maybe right, what companies will be a fit for you, what you should or shouldn't ask.

Engaging a great agency can fill those gaps. We can reach candidates you wouldn’t necessarily access from a job ad; we can qualify both aptitude, but also attitudinal fit; we can scope out longer term potential aligned to your strategy; we ensure traction with your process and engagement / mutual support throughout; we advocate for your brand and provide you with transparency and honesty, we support you post hire too. We get it right together. BUT that only happens if we respect one another mutually and communicate openly. It’s a 2 way thing, and the best return on your investment happens through working together to realise the potential of that hire.

What mistakes do businesses often make when hiring on their own that an agency can help them avoid?

1. Replacing a job like for like without taking stock. If someone has left a job role, consider why. Maybe the job has changed. Maybe the business has changed and you need to hire for a different skill set now. Maybe you don't need to hire at all right now. When we take on a new role from a client, we will ask questions, we will challenge, but we will help you to nail this down.

2. Out of date or non descript job spec. A poor job spec can legitimately equate to a poor hire. We help you to assure the job spec is aligned to the role you are actually hiring into. Investing n developing a good job spec assures clarity. You can use it to form your interview questions, your assessment criteria, as the basis of your performance reviews. It will pay you back in dividends.

3. Mis-aligned hiring team. Jane in HR thinks you want X. Jack, the hiring manager, wants Y. James the MD wants Z. They all contribute to the interview process but they all are looking for different things. Result - carnage, confusion, time wasted at best - at worst gaining a crappy employer brand rep which can impact your business moving forwards. We advocate meeting with all parties together, we can mediate (!), to gain that alignment up front, so everyone is on the same page.

Bex Headden, Co-Founder of R13 Recruitment, laughing at a Norfolk business event

What advice would you give to a business owner thinking about their next creative hire?

1. Plan it out. Invest in the pre-empt to the hire. That market analysis to ensure you are competitive in the market.

2. Be realistic about the level of expertise you want / need / can afford. Recruit accordingly: entry level role / entry level salary / must have 3 yrs experience etc.

3. If you are bringing in a trainee; expect to train them and have that infrastructure in place. If you are bringing in a senior; utilise their knowledge and exposure and give them some autonomy to add value.

4. Put yourself in your new hires shoes. Be considerate about what you would want / need when starting a new job. Communicate, openly, both ways. Create the opportunity to do so. Have clear and measurable expectations.

5. Call R13 for help!

And on the flip side, what’s the one piece of advice you’d give to a candidate looking to stand out in today’s market?

Be authentic. Don’t BS your way into a job. It’s going to be exhausting to keep up a facade. Be yourself and if it’s right, you will thrive in your natural environment.

Don’t underestimate yourself. You’re probably more awesome than you give yourself credit for. Chat to a colleague, a friend - get their take on your strengths.

Tailor your application. Do your research. Give tangible examples of why you’re awesome for that job. Why you love their brand. Make the effort.

Network. Norfolk is awesome for it’s community. Get your bad self out there, engage, talk, share. I promise it will only ever lead to good things.

You’ve worked with lots of different businesses and personalities. What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about people through your work?

What a fantastic question. I’ve spent nearly quarter of a century in recruitment (#old), and the thing I still love about this job is the people. Honestly, it’s fascinating. It’s a job I could never grow bored of. Frustrated, sometimes, yes, but never bored!

The most surprising thing I’ve learned about people through my years is we are all human, and we all have some level of shared experience. And when you can hone into that, we recognise one another on an empathetic level, even if we are incredibly different. That shared experience can create connections which bridge our polarities, and then we can share our differences to enable each other to learn and grow.

Bex's quick-fire round

Norfolk in three words?

Evolving, Open, Dynamic

Favourite spot for a work coffee?

Erm.. my new found fave tipple obsession is a Kiwi cocktail at TipsyJar… just one…

A book, podcast, or quote that inspires you?

I just finished SuperCommunicators on a recommendation and it was fascinating!

You can find out more about the brilliant R13 Recruitment here

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