Barnes Testimonial: Bringing Luxury Standards to Recruitment

Who is Barnes International ?

The leader in luxury real estate

Barnes International is a global benchmark in premium real estate. In France, the business combines a dense network (notably Paris, the Paris region and the French Riviera) and several lines of activity: high-end sales, rentals, exceptional properties, commercial real estate, and a new dynamic with the development of its Hospitality division (hotel / restaurant).

In terms of profiles, Barnes recruits both seasoned experts and professionals undergoing a career change: luxury, finance, legal, automotive, entrepreneurship, and more. The common thread is strong interpersonal excellence, discipline, work capacity and a strong sense of service.

« We really have very diverse, very rich backgrounds… people who value human contact and enjoy creating meaningful connections. »

Barnes’ recruitment challenges

#1. Structuring a historically “hands-on” recruitment approach  

When Olivia arrived, recruitment was mainly managed by branch directors, based on referrals and unsolicited applications.

« Before I arrived, there was no one in this role… recruitment was handled by the directors, partly through recommendations. Each team had its own way of tracking candidates, which led to inconsistencies in the information shared. We sometimes had duplicates or, worse, lost applications. There were instances where a manager discovered applications intended for them long after they had been received. This created frustration and unnecessary delays. »

The challenge: to professionalise and scale the process without losing Barnes’ human DNA.

« We received CVs by email, on job sites, and even by post. It created real confusion and we spent a huge amount of time sorting everything and updating our files. »

#2. Managing a steady hiring volume with a lean head office team  

Even with a strong focus on quality, Barnes still manages significant volumes (Olivia mentions an average of 60 to 80 hires per year) and recurring needs linked to growth and natural turnover.

« I recruit between sixty and eighty people per year, so it is a substantial volume. »

#3. Maintaining an impeccable candidate image aligned with the high-end positioning

In a very brand-sensitive environment, the quality of the candidate experience (acknowledgement of receipt, follow-up, responses, GDPR) is as critical as the selection itself.

« We must uphold an impeccable image. Our organisation is truly built around people. »

#4. Recruiting across multiple business areas including Hospitality  

Barnes needs to hire transaction/real estate profiles (often atypical, in career transition) as well as more “hospitality” profiles, which require specific sourcing channels.

« We are expanding our hospitality division: these recruitments are obviously very different from those related to transactions. »

Solutions provided by Flatchr

#1. Centralising recruitment and making it clear and manageable

Flatchr provides a clear view of applications, journeys and history, with an organisation that allows each process to be monitored in a structured way.

« Everything is now in one place. We can track every stage of the process at a glance, and it has really been a game changer for us. It allows us to be much more structured, more organised, to follow a candidate’s onboarding path and to keep detailed notes. »

#2. Automating the candidate experience (acknowledgement, GDPR, responses)

Automation secures candidate follow-up, prevents gaps in the process and strengthens the employer brand, notably through acknowledgements of receipt and automatic responses.

« Receiving a short email confirming that the application has been received is reassuring for the candidate. »

#3. Involving managers through targeted access, without adding complexity

Barnes can grant directors dedicated access to the roles that concern them. For technical positions (head office), they can pre-qualify candidates directly in the kanban (“to contact”), which streamlines collaboration.

« I manage recruitment by creating specific access per job for the relevant managers. They can move candidates into the right column, which allows me to see at a glance who I should contact first. »

#4. Multiposting across the right channels for each type of role

Barnes uses LinkedIn as a key channel to attract diverse profiles (including career changers), while adjusting job boards according to needs (volume vs. quality) and new roles (Hospitality).

« Posting a job has become incredibly simple. In just a few clicks, our vacancies are visible everywhere, and we immediately noticed the difference in terms of applications. »

✨ The benefits for Barnes

• A more professional recruitment function: structured process, clear tracking, centralised information.
• A strengthened candidate image: acknowledgements of receipt, GDPR compliance, more reliable responses.  
• Smoother collaboration: managers are involved when it is relevant, with the appropriate level of access.
• More effective volume management: up to 7 open roles simultaneously, without losing visibility.

« Implementing Flatchr has really helped us professionalise our recruitment and save a considerable amount of time. »