Is now the time to start your own recruitment business?
We live in strange times and the monoliths of business are starting to show cracks. Few of us can feel entirely secure in our employment so perhaps now is the time to start your own recruitment business. Sound insane? Well, these are the reasons we think it may be the sensible, safe option.
You’re in control
It takes a leap of faith, especially if you’re accustomed to the security of a high salary popping into your bank account every month, but once your mindset is in place, this could be the best thing you’ve ever done. When you own your own business you feel much better about taking small hits for future gains. You don’t need to be constantly impressing the boss to fill their pockets, you can decide whether a client is worth pursuing and you can set your hours, your fees and your workload. Unless you’re in the luxurious position of having a fully formed relationship with potential clients there will be a lot of anxious meetings in the first stages and you may have to tighten the purse strings but it’s down to you, not the whim of your boss, whether you bring home the bread.
The economy looks grim but the tide will turn
It’s pretty bad right now and redundancies are on everyone’s lips. People will lose their jobs, bonuses won’t happen and pay will be frozen. However, for the recruitment industry, this signals a future contract/temp surge. Companies will implement the redundancies and then rehire on a temporary or contract basis. As larger firms are dealing with their internal finances, you could position yourself as the agile, responsive consultant they need. Be ahead of the curve, look for opportunities, and get networking. The rules of business have been thrown up in the air and companies that wouldn’t work with a freelancer or start-up may well be changing their priorities. Be competitive, be keen, and over a personal service and you may land contracts that seemed impossible a year ago.
Do business your way
Things have changed. Lockdown has shifted how people live, how they work, how they communicate, and perhaps how they see the future. When you own your own business you can choose how your career looks. If you want to work from home, no problem. If you want to work a four-day week, go for it. Remote working has been around for ages but lots of companies were slow to adopt it. COVID has changed that. It has proved that virtually all office workers don’t need an office at all. Suddenly the prestigious city centre office has lost its shine and clients are more impressed by a smooth at home set up. If you can really impress in an online meeting that is organised, tech-savvy, and professional you can win the hearts of hiring managers still working from home. When you start your own recruitment business you can create a model from scratch. Make it suit you, and with hard work and a good dose of resilience, you will make it succeed.