After trading for less than a year, an Otley-based online recruitment firm has scooped a national industry award and was also a finalist in five categories.

Blue Octopus, which launched in January, gained the most-improved prize in the RecruitRank Awards, which are the only ones based entirely on candidate feedback.

The firm also competed in categories including best candidate communications, best understanding of candidates’ needs, best industry knowledge and best recruiter.

Chris Coleman, Blue Octopus co-director, said: “It is a tremendous achievement to be announced as finalists for all five categories, but to win our very first award is such an honour and means the world to us, particularly as it comes directly from our candidates’ feedback.

“We take all feedback seriously, firstly, as it helps us understand the parts of the recruitment process candidates find frustrating, which motivates us to concentrate on improving that area. Secondly, it is a real reminder of how our recruitment service is valued.”

Launched by online recruiter Jobsite in 2005, RecruitRank enables candidates to feed back anonymously on the quality of the service they receive after applying for a vacancy.