Setting up a recruitment agency

[mobi]

For a change, I'm thinking of opening a recruitment agency

But how do I get client get candidates from my agency? I may approach to clients where I had gigs before but how do I win new clients??

And how difficult of running this business? I'm a technical person - never ran true business (contracting thru own ltd company doesn't really count as a business because if I don't go to work I won't get paid).

My unique selling point may be charging less fee than other recruiters yet supplying quality candidates.

My aim is to initially devote my full time on this and once things are working I may employ 2-3 staffs to expand the business.

Thoughts please?

[d000hg]

Thoughts please?

Your writing skills are perfectly suited to a job as a recruitment agent.

[Zippy]

Start by finding out what your costs will be. You'll have to allow a percentage for factoring the invoices (one agency I worked through didn't get paid for six months, but I did )
Hire some rottweiler sales person to get your leads.
Prepare to take some time out of your paying job to interview and tee up your quality candidates.

Oh no, I really can't do it. Where is the drinks cabinet?

[wantacontract]

Your writing skills are perfectly suited to a job as a recruitment agent.

good one...

[nomadd]

For a change, I'm thinking of opening a recruitment agency

But how do I get client get candidates from my agency? I may approach to clients where I had gigs before but how do I win new clients??

And how difficult of running this business? I'm a technical person - never ran true business (contracting thru own ltd company doesn't really count as a business because if I don't go to work I won't get paid).

My unique selling point may be charging less fee than other recruiters yet supplying quality candidates.

My aim is to initially devote my full time on this and once things are working I may employ 2-3 staffs to expand the business.

Thoughts please?

My only thought was that your post was hilarious.

EDIT: And that you are the smarter, older brother of The Agents View.

[Wanderer]

But how do I get client get candidates from my agency? I may approach to clients where I had gigs before but how do I win new clients??

I've watched how these folks operate for long enough, I couldn't do that job. It takes a special type of person, I don't mean this in a negative way but most of them would be just as at home working as a barrow boy in an East London street market...

• Find a load of jobs on Jobserve and repost them as if the end client had engaged Your Agency.
• When contractors send their CV, try to get them to agree to be represented exclusively by your agency for the job.
• Ring up about the target job and give a bogus name, find out who the client is then send some of your contractor's CVs to the client.
• If that doesn't work then put your contractors forward to the agency that advertised the job in the first place and claim your finders fee because the contractor has agreed to go exclusive with you.
• All the time, harvest CVs and set off on a phishing exercise along the lines of the tried and tested I just need to get two references
• Once you get references chat them up, they may be recruiting - tell them you have a load of people on your books.
• Remember, networking is everything too, keep close tabs on all your contacts, buy the beers when you are out etc.

Take no prisoners, it's a cut throat business but once you've placed a few people in contracts it's money for old rope.

[Dearnla]

For a change, I'm thinking of opening a recruitment agency

But how do I get client get candidates from my agency? I may approach to clients where I had gigs before but how do I win new clients??

And how difficult of running this business? I'm a technical person - never ran true business (contracting thru own ltd company doesn't really count as a business because if I don't go to work I won't get paid).

My unique selling point may be charging less fee than other recruiters yet supplying quality candidates.

My aim is to initially devote my full time on this and once things are working I may employ 2-3 staffs to expand the business.

Thoughts please?

You have the must stunning business plan I have ever seen.

1/ Set up a business in a market you know nothing about.
2/ Do market research with end-users, not Customers.
3/ Plan for semi-retirement.

You were bored today, right?

[Scary]

If you want client leads, send out emails like this one:

Dear Scary,

Your CV has been recently updated on our database.

If you are looking for a new contract role please answer these quick questions to help start new applications.

1) What is your ideal role in contract or perm?

2) What are your rate/salary expectations?

3) When was your last full-time role?

4) Where do you have outstanding applications?

This will allow us to contact you about the relevant opportunities and avoid duplicating anything you have going at the moment.

Regards

Rick Meese

Progressive UK ICT

Funnily enough the same company called me with something at a big name Telecomms co. but they didn't take any candidates without references being checked in advance...

See also:
http://forums.contractoruk.com/gener...cruitment.html

[Wanderer]

4) Where do you have outstanding applications?

Oh yeah, I forgot that one. Good work!