There are many niches within the private staffing industry, and a lot of people probably don’t realise quite how lucrative it can be with so many options and avenues.
The topic of networking and befriending other agencies has always been hot in recruitment. It’s hard to trust that the intentions of those in the industry around you are good, but the relationship between our guest and host prove that you don’t need to be dubious of other recruiters’ motives when you’re all in the same boat. Or yacht, in this case.
For Elaine Braid, Founder of Poppy Lane Placements, not a huge amount changed during the pandemic for her business. A lot of people may say it came down to luck with what industry you recruit into, but after years of building relationships that were able to withstand a new way of working, this is more than likely the reason that business kept ticking over for her.
Here are a few key takeaways from this insightful episode:
Stop seeing other agencies as competition.
Phillipa and Elaine aren’t meeting for the first time in this episode, they’ve known each other for a while, and have collaborated on roles before. They’ve been able to identify that, whilst they’re in a competitive and often harsh industry, building professional relationships with those around you is important.
Recruitment is all about building relationships between candidates and clients, so shouldn’t you extend that approach to yourself and your business, too?. What another business lacks you might make up for and vice versa, so when they have a client looking for something that’s a little out of their remit, the outcome could be advantageous for your business.
Not only that, but the more you can learn from other agencies, the better your insights into the industry are. When you stop seeing other people as competition, you can all start working towards a common goal – and lend a hand along the way.
How to get more done with less.
After lockdown, it’s easy to see why candidates are shopping around for their roles more than they were before. Although the private staffing industry has a slightly different meaning of the phrase ‘work from home’, that doesn’t mean people aren’t considering the benefits and way of life it entails for them.
This stretches to the recruitment industry, too. Elaine has seen a number of agencies switch to the four-day week and the improvements these agencies claim it holds for them. If you know you’ve only got four days to get things done, chances are you’re going to bump up your productivity to do it. You’ll find more effective ways to do things and you feel like you get more back for yourself – what’s not to love?
Especially with both Phillipa and Elaine being parents, that comes with another layer of responsibility on top of running a business and keeping everything afloat. That extra time could be spent with the kids, catching up with friends, or just relaxing and doing nothing.
Let other people take the reins.
It’s so difficult as a business owner to let go and trust other people with what you’ve grown. The pandemic did a lot for business, both positive and negative. One of those things was forcing people to have to work from home and for people to trust that they’ll get the job done wherever they are.
Knowing when to take a step back is what makes you a good manager. Letting other people bring in their ideas and implement ways of doing things that you might not necessarily have thought or agreed with, but may be just what you need to grow.
We’re all in it together.
Recruitment can be a tough industry and it’s easy to feel like you’re alone, but to take on board some of the advice and learn from Phillipa and Elaine’s experiences, you’ll learn that we’re all navigating the same problems and feelings.
Watch the full episode
For more of their discussion, head over and listen to the full episode here: Spotify, Apple Podcasts.
And for help with your recruitment in the private sector, or if you’re looking for work yourself, contact Silver Swan to find out more.
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