Tired, undervalued, frustrated, stressed… drinking enough Sauvignon Blanc to keep a New Zealand vineyard in business and then some. This was me 6 years ago, and 7 years ago and 8 years ago… The recruitment business was hard, I worked hard, I cared about my clients and my candidates and I got results.
One month I billed £26k and was carried on the shoulders of my peers until I billed £10k the next month and had a bag placed over my head before being thrown to the lions. I’m using artistic license, but the fact remains, I was on the roller coaster!
Having made the decision to leave, I set up Human. Human was my push back to an industry I loved but frustrated me. Recruitment didn’t have to be frantic and transactional. We could treat people like Humans not products and make money to keep the wolves …and lions from the door.
In the 5 years since I started Human, there are so many things that have changed. I’ve chosen to share the 3 that had the most impact on me below.
Since I was used to working from 8am until 6pm Monday to Friday, hard work was not something I was afraid of.
When I first sat at my desk with a phone and a laptop, I thought I had to sit there for 10 hours, like I always had. And for the first few years, I did, working for clients and candidates and developing my systems and processes. I was always looking for ways to work smarter not harder. It became clear that I could hit the targets (I’d set myself) early in the day and take the rest of the day to work on the business, take a walk and see daylight.
Once I’d set up the recruitment business, invested in software, developed my brand and offering, I learnt that I could spend less time and make more money. I also discovered that there are ways to automate and systematise a business which meant I could spend more time on the parts of the job I love.
I started looking for a better way to work. Why did I need to sit searching for CVs all day when I could outsource this and spend more time with my clients and candidates? Could automation increase my sales outreach without sacrificing the quality? I used the extra time to develop systems and processes that meant I could drop a day a week. Even working 4 days per week I maintained results better than I achieved in employment.
This was the big one for me. There are many things you sacrifice in going it alone, a team, a pension, an expense account, a marketing, legal and training department. Not forgetting an excuse to drink Sauvignon Blanc nightly. But there is also no end game.
That pension that you’re paying in to is all you have when you leave, you’re not building any equity. You’re working hard for someone else, which though admirable will rarely help you achieve your dreams.
Now I’m building a business I could sell or implant a management team and disappear for 3 months at a time or take a step back and work 2-3 days per week. You can (eventually) relax, safe in the knowledge you and your recruitment business are still working towards your goals.
If you’re interested in changing your life and career and working hard for yourself but not by yourself, why not give us a call today at 01709 717212 or schedule a Chemistry session