Helping new recruiters quickly get off the ground

Making the decision to start your own recruitment agency is a big step, so congratulations for taking that leap. Now the decision is made, you’ll need to make decisions quickly and decisively.

The choices you make now will have a bearing on your agency for years to come, so whilst decisiveness is required you’ll need to stand by your choices. There’s no looking back now!

Some conclusions will be easy to reach, others will need a little more consideration. At Access, we have written the Ultimate Start-Up Recruitment Guide aimed at those professionals considering opening their doors and also those who have started operations in the last 12 months. In this guide, you’ll find a wealth of information, practical advice and reminders for items you’d hadn’t even considered. Below is a handful of just some of the items included in the Guide and will get you off the ground efficiently and quickly:

• Find your niche
  Will you be focusing on certain sectors and do you know enough about them? If not, research the trends, understand specific regulations, identify the right trade bodies and start swotting up.
  
  
• What’s your business model
  Most agencies work on a contingency basis (success only) and charge a percentage of the candidate’s starting salary on a sliding scale, or you may want to charge a flat fee for successful candidate placements.
  
  
• Know your target audience
  Many agencies begin by focusing on perm and contract recruitment, before expanding into temp placements as they grow. Be absolutely clear about the persona of your target clients - their size and potentially how many hires they may make. If you are transitioning from being employed, this could be one of the simpler decisions presented to you.
  
  
• What are your values?
  These are what you want to live by, your principles, what matters to your new agency. These will be your guide for many years, even the entirety of your establishment.
  
  
• Business insurance
  Whilst legal action against your business may seem far-fetched it’s better to be protected, as you’ll no doubt be watching every penny.
  
  
• Naming it right
  It might not seem like a big deal but first impressions count and your name is a crucial part of your agency’s identity. Will you go down the road of naming your agency after your own name, like Michael Page, or will you combine names with your partners or something completely off the wall. This is an important step.
  
  
• Your recruitment technology
  Your website should do more than tell the story of who you are. It should be helping to attract candidates to apply for your vacancies to reduce your job board spend. Investing in the right platform from day one will help you make more placements and should be integrated with your chosen CRM for better efficiencies. Investing in the right tech from day one will save time, effort and budget.
  
  

For the full list and the stages of growth, please download our Ultimate guide.