4Way Recruitment is a UK recruitment agency specialising in permanent placements across the fire and security industry, connecting engineers, technicians, and installers with employers nationwide. Below, Managing Director Pete Batson answers the questions candidates and clients raise most often.
For Candidates: Three Things to Ask Before Accepting an Offer
Travel pay after 30 minutes each way is the industry norm — door-to-door is a bonus, not a right.
If an employer offers door-to-door travel pay, check it isn’t offsetting a lower basic salary elsewhere in the package. A bonus that’s been quietly funded by cutting your base pay isn’t a bonus at all.
If your patch expands, does that trigger a salary review — or just more workload for the same pay?
Get this agreed at the start, in writing, so there’s no ambiguity later: does a bigger patch mean a pay conversation, or simply more miles for the same money?
If your employer pays for a course, is there a payback clause if you leave?
Training funded by your employer — an FIA course, for example — sometimes comes with a repayment clause if you leave within a set period. Ask before you start, not after you’ve handed in your notice.
For Clients: Three Things That Determine Whether You Keep the Engineer You Hire
Site access and tools sorted before day one.
Engineers turning up without site access or the right kit is one of the top reasons new hires disengage in their first month. Confirm this before their start date, not after.
Match engineers to jobs by proximity, not just availability.
Sending an engineer across the region when a closer one was free damages retention and costs you in fuel and time. A recruiter who understands your patch structure will flag this.
Fixed patch and pay terms, communicated once — not adjusted quietly.
The single biggest driver of early attrition we see is a mismatch between what was promised at offer stage and what happens in month three.
Quick Answers
How long does it typically take to fill a fire & security engineer role?
For most permanent fire and security roles, a focused search should return a shortlist within 1–2 weeks, depending on qualification level and location.
What’s the difference between a generalist recruiter and a specialist fire & security recruiter?
4Way Recruitment has specialised exclusively in fire and security since 2015. That depth of market knowledge means knowing who to approach — and just as importantly, who not to. A generalist recruiter simply doesn’t have that market intelligence.
Is door-to-door travel pay standard in fire and security roles?
No — the industry norm is travel pay after the first 30 minutes each way. Door-to-door pay is a bonus some employers offer, but candidates should check it isn’t being offset by a reduced basic salary.