Last Friday marked the 2nd anniversary of JP Recruitment.  Time has flown by!  It has been great and we are looking forward to many more years doing Engineering & Manufacturing recruitment.  Doing technical jobs in the GTA, Ontario or even Canada wide can always be a challenge but in the end – it isn’t the biggest challenge of starting your own recruitment agency.  I’ve listed the three main challenges of starting your own engineering recruitment firm below.

1. Database – Coming from working for large recruitment company’s, I always had the luxury of a good database.  Do not underestimate the power of that!  When I first started, it was the main priority.  Sure, I am a good headhunter and can find people the old fashioned way but having that active database of people ready to go makes life a lot easier and ensures you are giving your client the best candidate on the market.  2 years on, we have a solid database of qualified candidates to help fill our clients needs.
2. Administrative Crap – Yes, crap!  Working for someone else, I am sure you have to do a little administrative work that you probably complain about.  Starting out on your own?  Multiply it by thousands!  Ranging from incorporation, website, email, accounts payable/receivable, social media to SEO…the list keeps going.  Be prepared to like doing this stuff!  This can/will consumes a lot of time!!
3. Time Management – This is something we are all taught in the sales world right from the get go.  However, usually we still have constraints on our “freedom” and the way we work because we report to someone else.  Going from working in manufacturing recruitment to being your own boss is/can be black and white.  Be prepared NOT to take 10 weeks of vacation a year.  Remember, you aren’t getting a paycheck whilst you are away.  Someone has to be working to pay the bills!

In the end, its been great!  I love learning new things everyday and being able to help people get to that next step in their career.  I am so glad I made the leap!  I am looking forward to continue growing this recruitment firm as the best team of engineering & manufacturing recruiters across Canada.