WITH full employment in the island, the increasing number of recruitment consultants is forever busy with people moving jobs. But a tight market and strict housing laws have made senior placements increasingly challenging.

‘I really enjoy working at OSA and feel privileged that I enjoy it as clearly a lot of people I meet don’t enjoy their jobs,’ said OSA managing director Nick Graham.

‘But the industry is becoming increasingly testing for everyone.

‘During the past two years there has been more competition from new recruitment companies, which is great news, but coupled with that, the job market is getting tighter.

‘I don’t know how the economy is going to grow alongside the current population strategy. The whole situation is overheated and problematic – I can’t see there is anything in place to change this over the next couple of years.’

He said OSA strove to provide as friendly and efficient a service as possible to keep at the top of its game.

‘We try to offer the service that we ourselves would want if we were thinking about changing jobs,’ he said.

‘Despite market changes we are 30% up on last year, which is great.’

Mr Graham is the middle of five siblings with three sisters and one brother. Having all lived away at some stage, everyone is now locally based.

‘We have a big family with lots of grandchildren for my parents.’

He was educated at Amherst and Elizabeth College.

After school he had a gap year before taking up a soccer scholarship at Chapman University, Orange County, California.

‘I went out there when I was 19 and didn’t return permanently until I was 25. I had the time of my life out there. Now that ﾓThe OCﾔ is such a popular television programme, this part of my past has suddenly become cool!’

He said as a child he threw himself into any sport, particularly football.

He was captain of a Guernsey under-11s team that beat Jersey.

‘I had thought that I might be able to play professionally, but the dream ended when I was unsuccessful in a trial for West Brom.

‘I recognised that I wasn’t good enough and probably not hungry enough to make it.’

But he went on to enjoy four seasons playing for Chapman University and another couple for an amateur side after that.

He also found the time to hit the books and came out with a degree in public relations.

‘At 19 I had never travelled or been away before other than family holidays. It was amazing and I made some great friends that I am still in touch with today,’ he said.

‘I feel very fortunate and incredibly lucky to have had this opportunity and would encourage anyone who has the chance to do something similar to go for it.

‘I don’t know if the degree was as taxing as a British one, but all in all it was a great experience.’

Mr Graham returned to Guernsey in 1986 at a time when he was not allowed to work in the US and did not have any idea about what jobs he could do.

He worked as a stockbroker until the crash in 1987 and then went on to spend three years in a trust company before his career change into recruitment.

‘I was not the most committed student so, before my A-levels, my mum arranged for me to do a psychometric profile in London to help me with my decision.

‘Looking back at the results now the conclusions were absolutely spot on for the career choice of recruitment.’

When he joined in 1990 it was a two-man office. Four years later he became a director. In 1997 he was made managing director and a year later he bought into the business.

‘I was initially attracted to the advert which indicated there would be a lot of travel involved, as at that time OSA did more work overseas.’

He was initially involved with executive appointments in Cayman, Bermuda, Switzerland, Hong Kong and Monaco, but since then the firm has evolved to become almost exclusively Guernsey-orientated.

‘We want to be the prominent recruitment specialist in the island and living in a small island like Guernsey, reputation and integrity is the cornerstone of the business.’

OSA employs 10 staff and deals with recruitment across the board from senior appointments to school leavers. It also has The Temp Desk, which is growing at a rate of knots.

Mr Graham has been married to his wife, Debbie, for eight years. They have two children, Louis, nine, and Millie, six, who both attend La Houguette School.

They are following in their father’s footsteps by showing a keen interest in football. Louis plays for Rangers minis where Nick is the coach.

‘You get a great sense of satisfaction seeing how the young players develop over the season.’

In September the side is moving to Les Vauxbelets, which he said would be great for the youngsters.

He also plays a little golf and said he generally liked to spend as much time outside as possible.

‘In the summertime we do a lot of surfing and cycling. Millie and Louis are just learning to surf, which is great.

‘Guernsey is such a good place to live. It is a safe environment to bring up kids and offers an amazing quality of life that a lot of people seem to take for granted. Sure we have our problems, but we can leave work at 5.30 and be on the beach by 6.’