Business Details
27 Years
experience
Award-Winning Recruitment Experts in London
Tay Associates has been a leader in business support staff recruitment for over two decades, specialising in personal assistant, executive assistant, and administrative roles across London. Our commitment to ethical practices, combined with a deep understanding of candidate and client needs, has earned us six consecutive awards as London's top PA/Secretarial recruiter. As the only independent secretarial agency accredited with the REC Gold Standard in Risk & Compliance, we maintain rigorous industry benchmarks while fostering a culture of creativity, integrity, and excellence. Our team of operational recruiters, trained internally by CEO Susanna Tait, delivers tailored solutions that consistently exceed client expectations. With a 100-day guarantee on placements and a focus on long-term relationships, we ensure candidates and employers achieve mutually beneficial matches.Our expertise spans sectors including finance, media, and professional services, supporting organisations from start-ups to FTSE 100 companies. Through continuous investment in staff development and industry partnerships, we remain at the forefront of London's evolving recruitment landscape. Our success is evidenced by our high retention rates, with temps frequently transitioning to permanent roles and clients returning for repeat placements. By prioritising candidate skills, personalities, and values alongside client requirements, we deliver placements that drive organisational success. This dedication to quality and service has cemented our reputation as a trusted partner in recruitment excellence.
Services
Executive Assistant Recruitment
Temporary Staffing Solutions
Office Manager Placements
HR Support Recruitment
Marketing Support Roles
Receptionist Recruitment
Virtual Assistant Matching
Board-Level Appointments
Trainee Administrator Programs
Creative Industry Staffing
Details
- Year established: 1999
Highlights and features
- 20+ years' experience in PA and business support recruitment
- Only independent secretarial agency with REC Gold Standard accreditation
- 100-day guarantee on all placements
- Operational recruiters trained by industry-recognised CEO Susanna Tait
- Six consecutive wins as London's best PA/Secretarial recruiter
Associations and certifications
- REC Gold Standard
What people say
Enthusiastic support
Transparent communication
Post-placement follow-up
Exceeded expectations
10/10 communication
Services
Executive Assistant Recruitment
We specialise in placing experienced executive assistants with high-profile clients across London. Our candidates support CEOs, board members, and senior executives in demanding roles requiring exceptional organisational skills and discretion. With deep industry knowledge and a rigorous vetting process, we match professionals who combine technical expertise with cultural fit. Our placements consistently exceed client expectations through ongoing support and performance monitoring.
Temporary Staffing Solutions
Our temp recruitment service connects businesses with qualified professionals for short-term assignments. From event support to maternity cover, we provide adaptable solutions that maintain operational continuity. Candidates undergo comprehensive skills assessments and reference checks to ensure immediate productivity. Clients benefit from seamless transitions to permanent roles when required, with our 100-day guarantee providing additional security.
Office Manager Placements
We source office managers who combine administrative expertise with strategic oversight capabilities. Our candidates excel at streamlining operations, managing multidisciplinary teams, and implementing efficient business processes. Through targeted interviews and scenario-based assessments, we identify professionals who align with each organisation's specific requirements and corporate culture, ensuring long-term success in these critical roles.
HR Support Recruitment
Our HR support specialists deliver recruitment solutions for human resources functions across all business sizes. From payroll administration to employee relations, we identify candidates with both technical HR knowledge and strong interpersonal skills. Our consultants maintain up-to-date understanding of employment law and best practices to ensure compliance and effective workforce management for our clients.
Creative Industry Staffing
We provide tailored recruitment for creative sectors including advertising, media, and design firms. Our candidates possess the specific skills required in fast-paced creative environments, from project coordination to client liaison. Understanding the unique demands of these industries, we match professionals who thrive in dynamic settings while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and reliability.
People
Susanna Tait
Chief Executive
With over 20 years in recruitment, Susanna Tait leads Tay Associates' strategic direction. A REC Gold Standard expert, she developed the agency's unique training programme and maintains operational involvement in key client relationships while championing industry innovation.
Caroline Tay
Founder
As Tay Associates' founder, Caroline Tay established the agency's core values of excellence and integrity. Her focus on relationship-building and attention to detail continues to shape the company's approach to client partnerships and candidate development.
Questions
What recruitment services do you specialise in?
We specialise in personal assistant, executive assistant, virtual assistant, receptionist, office manager, HR support, marketing support, and board-level administrative roles across London.
How do you ensure quality placements?
Through rigorous candidate vetting, skills assessment, personality matching, and our 100-day guarantee that ensures client satisfaction with every placement.
Do you work with international companies?
Yes, we place candidates in global financial institutions, media companies, and professional services firms alongside London-based start-ups.
What makes you different from other agencies?
We combine 20+ years' experience, REC Gold Standard accreditation, and a unique training programme led by our CEO to deliver superior recruitment outcomes.
Can you help with temporary roles?
Yes, we offer temporary placements with competitive rates, including six-month contracts in sectors like investment banking.
Videos
Reviews (7)
Magdalene Rusin
May 20, 2022
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Fantastic experience form start to finish! They took time to know me and my experience and been along side me through every interview and feedback. the best agency i have worked with by far!
Lexie Howard
Mar 24, 2022
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Tay really are fantastic at what they do. Compared to other recruitment agencies, Tay really do take the time to get to know their candidates and find the perfect job for them. Within a couple of days of signing up I was booked in for an interview. Jemma was on the ball from start to finish constantly updating me and letting me know how things were going and before I knew it I was offered the job. Thanks for all the amazing support from Tay! I'd recommend to everyone looking for a new role. They may not be the biggest, but definitely the most personal and efficient.
Lacey Bishop
Jun 17, 2020
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Simply FANTASTIC! I have been to a number of recruitment agencies in London, but none have compared to Tay. Everyone is so professional, friendly and knowledgeable. After meeting with the team, I left the office feeling really excited about what the next step in my career would be and I'm happy to say that the team have since found me the perfect job! Thank you Tay!
Lee David Phillips
Mar 29, 2019
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Tay Associates I had the pleasure of working with Jemma Grimes, She is one of the best recruitment consultants I have worked with. Super professional and put me in front of some of the best companies in London. After our first meeting, she completely understood what sort of career and job role I was looking for and went up and above with securing interviews. I will definitely come back to Tay Associates and hope to work with Jemma once again!
Mim Higginson
Jan 31, 2019
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Called them asking for help with finding employment and they seemed helpful and very informative. Soon as I put down the phone, all those promises made on the phone for helping me just didn't get seen through. No call back, no email response. I actively kept applying for jobs on their site but never got a single word back. Thoroughly disappointed really as they got recommended to me. Will not attempt to use them again.
Jessica Turner
Jan 27, 2019
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Fantastic recruitment agency! My consultant was very thorough and really listened to what I wanted in my next job. Within 3 weeks of registering with Tay I accepted an offer for my dream job! I highly recommend Tay and I'm so thankful I found an agency who actually listened and cared about what was important to me and my career - THE BEST! THANK YOU!
Rac P.
Feb 23, 2017
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Not sure why there are so many bad reviews about this agency, I think they are the best in London. They are the only agency that I know that will actively call me when there is a good job match, I don't have to chase them, they are very organised, proactive and have found me nearly all of my jobs for the past 5 years. They are my Go-to agency when I need one. Highly recommend them. They deal with secretarial and office workers, so perhaps the negative posts are from people who work in other industries and Tay haven't been able to help them because of that.
