Recruitment Consultants – The Secret Entrepreneurs?

By Recruit Ventures

Recruitment, as a sector, will always be a barometer for the nation’s economy. At its simplest, in bad times there are fewer jobs around, and in boom times companies hire. Differences in seasonality, geography and individual markets will always make the picture more complex than that, but through it all there is one constant. Rain or shine the recruitment consultants, in agencies of all sizes, are out there finding companies they can help and candidates they can place.
 

It takes tenacity, business acumen and the ability to spot opportunities to survive in such a demanding arena, and that’s why I believe that inside most recruitment consultants is an entrepreneur just waiting to come out.
 

Think about it. Working as a recruitment consultant you need to be aware of market conditions and where they fit within the overall economy. You need to know your own geographical patch inside out, having total awareness of the companies who operate there, and what drives the local economy.
 

Then comes the classic CV clincher of ‘self-starter’. The reality is that if you can’t ‘work on your own initiative’ you’re not going to cut it in recruitment. Constantly adding to your portfolio of clients at the same time as developing the relationships with existing ones is like running your own business anyway.
 

It’s hardly surprising then that after gaining four or five years’ experience many recruitment consultants want to break away and start their own agencies. They’re natural entrepreneurs; business focussed and ambitious to reap the rewards of their own endeavours.
 

The trick comes with how they make the transition. It’s a big step from employee to employer. The route that seems to work best is building an environment where the consultant turned entrepreneur can concentrate on what they do best. Which is bringing in the business. That means having the freedom to not worry about the money, the marketing and the micro management.
 

In short, lots of recruitment consultants can and do realise their inner entrepreneur. The natural ability is there. What’s needed is backing, back-up systems and a strong brand. But then every entrepreneur knows that.
 

About The Author
David Simons has extensive recruitment knowledge and experience having worked in the industry for over 20 years. He is currently Managing Director of Recruit Ventures where he works closely with joint venture partners, assisting and advising them on their start-up businesses. You can contact David or find out more about Recruit Ventures via:
[email protected]
01362 8825 85 | 0790026 30 43
www.recruitventures.com