You’re starting a recruitment agency? Are you kidding???

bmadmin • February 28, 2017

No it wasn’t a joke and while it was something I never thought I’d do, Jo and I decided to start our business for a few reasons;

Out of necessity [my position was being made redundant]
Neither of us wanted to work for another recruitment agency [different name but generally the same approach and rarely client focused]
We both love what we do and believed we had something different to offer our clients

So with very little planning but a lot of belief Jo and I formed Blackman Mansfield Recruitment in 2016 and we couldn’t be happier!

Whilst I was nervous about starting a recruitment business in such an average market [Will people want to work with a small agency? Will we get the types of roles we want to work on? Will we get any work at all?? Yes, I’m a worrier], I have been pleasantly surprised [not that Jo expected anything else – she’s the cool, calm one].

With consistent, quality positions coming our way from both new and old clients, it certainly seems that our personal approach and commitment to putting our client’s interests first is something that has been missing from the recruitment process, as is understanding that you can’t be an expert in everything. We know our limitations and we focus on the areas we know best – whether that’s the role type or industry.

Whilst I do believe there’s absolutely a place for the multi-nationals and larger agencies [I had some fantastic experiences during my time with a global agency], and realistically we’re not set up to service high volume Preferred Supplier Agreements, there certainly seems to be a trend towards the smaller boutique agency where you can form lasting relationships with your consultant – or in our case Consultant/Director and know that when you phone again in 12 months you’ll be dealing with the same person who knows you, and your business.

So who would have thought Adelaide needed another recruitment agency? When I told some of my friends [a few of whom are ex recruiters] they thought I’d completely lost the plot. We work in one of the most competitive industries but it just goes to show that when you’re doing something you love and you genuinely believe you have something to offer, people respond.

While recruitment isn’t exactly the most exciting topic for everyone, I hope our little story has helped you to understand how we came to be, and what Jo and I are trying to achieve.