OUR PROCESS

Don’t do It

There are a multitude of dubious clichés about starting & running a business – but our particular favourite is the belief that...

“It’s just business. Nothing personal”. Which, as we are sure will come as no surprise to you, is something that Isotope simply can not accept. Business should be personal, heck – business is personal.

When we launched Isotope, we knew that modern day recruitment support & investment required ‘people’ to be at the very forefront of the offering. We felt that supplying recruiters with all the tools, foundations & infrastructure to physically ‘launch & support’ their business was important, but what would really add unsurpassable value to our ventures was the understanding & appreciation that we are a people focused business. That in order to successfully support aspiring Entrepreneurs in their own ventures, we must offer something slightly different, slightly more tailored & slightly more personal in the hope of being truly successful. A philosophy every member of the Isotope team shares & continues to embrace.

So, as we sit here & bash away to create the website that you read today, it’s with that very philosophy at the forefront of our thoughts when we say – please, don’t do it. Please do not contact Isotope about the idea of starting your own recruitment venture & please do not leave the ‘security’ of your employed role for the promise of a more fulfilled way of working. Of course, that is only true if you feel there is an element of you that is still unsure about the idea.

Look, while we value & appreciate you reading all about what Isotope has to offer, our fantastic clients & our history; we would hate for you to feel wrapped up in their entrepreneurial jargon & expectation & to make the wrong decision for you, your career & your family and start this business when you are not ready.

So, despite Isotope believing that if you have got to this section of the website (the middle earth equivalent of the Internet!)

you know what you want & you’re committed to the exciting prospect of starting your own business – perhaps Isotope can be with you as we ask you to review things just one more time?

Honestly though, Isotope have made a lot of mistakes over the years & in hindsight, some of our clients perhaps weren’t 100% ready to start their own businesses. Looking back it is fair to say that, in the spirit of mutual respect & supposed transparency, Isotope were once or twice, too quick to work with individuals who wanted everything done yesterday & seemed strangely rushed to hit the ground running, & who’s pressured, rushed & coercive nature we mistook for genuine enthusiasm.

We strongly recommend that you do not allow yourself to be rushed, pressured or obligated to another trying to rush your conversations, meetings & any Paperwork with Isotope. We hope that when you decide to start your own recruitment business, you look to Isotope for support & we also hope you will start your own recruitment business just once.So, why not take you time, dot the i’s & cross the t’s & ensure that NOW really is the right time.

Ready, steady, go?
5 Key Questions

Why do you want this?

Do you really know why you want to do this? Why you want to start your own recruitment venture? Look, having been fortunate enough to have worked with entrepreneurial recruiters for a long time, Isotope know that everyone has their own unique motivations. So what is it for you?

Are you attracted to the financial freedom that comes with running a successful business? The opportunity to have control over your finances, earning a greater income while building a valuable asset? Or perhaps it’s the acknowledgement of running your own business that drives you, the pride attached to being “Managing Director” of your own business. Calling the shots, driving the business in the direction you want to go & ‘proudly’ display your successes to the naysayers that wrote you off. Or perhaps for you it’s deeper than that? Perhaps for you your motivations are rooted in ensuring the ideal work/life integration for you & your family.

Running your own recruitment business is tough. So, can you say, with absolute authority & passion, why you want to do this?

Can you do it?

Professionally. Personally. Is now really the right time for you?

Look, this is what it boils down to. A large majority of Isotope clients cite that they were professionally ready to start their own business before they felt personally ready. That they have the knowledge of the market, the awareness of their sector & the recruitment capabilities to make ‘it’ a success & that it was just a case of ensuring personally they were ready to make the leap.

How about you? Are you ready to start all over again? To go back to a blank week, month, year & build something from the ground up. Heck you might feel you can do it, but do you want to do it? If the answer is a resounding yes then are personally ready? Are you & your family ready for the realities of self-employment. If you are like the majority of our clients, you will initially trade from home. Making calls out of the kitchen, searching for candidates in the dining room & making the odd client enquiry on the front steps – the decision to start your own business does not just impact you, but your family as well. Are they ready for this?

What support do you need?

During your meetings & conversations with us, Isotope is really trying to understand what support is going to be important to you in your new business. Some recruiters will have a very good idea of what is important to them before they talk with Isotope, while others will be looking to Isotope for some direction & assistance in this.

You don’t necessarily need to know that full extent of what actual support you & your new business will need from Isotope before you talk with us. We’ve done this for a very long time & therefore we know that if we have an open & honest conversation with a recruiter & allow them to talk through their thoughts, concerns & worries about their new business; we will begin to understand what is important to them.

It might be the accounting & back office provisions; the creative & marketing support; the legal & HR advice; or perhaps access to the right job boards & sector-specific tools.

Whatever is needed, if you required literally everything that Isotope could offer, every tool, every facility & every platform then, & only then, would the Success Charge be at its highest in Year 1 – the elusive 30%. In all honesty, it is almost inconceivable that you would require literally everything that Isotope could offer but if you do (you won’t!) then you will be charged 30% in Year 1 & be the first venture to ever require everything we do.

Your challenges?

Now, we all know about the misleading perception that employment provides unrivalled security & stability for any recruiter, in any market; & while of course Isotope could use just a proportion of the overwhelming & obvious evidence to disprove this, for many in the recruitment world that lure of ‘security’ means they will never explore the idea of business ownership.

& therefore, Isotope know that through our half-baked attempts to dissuade a recruiter from owning a recruitment business, we are simply reaffirming the obvious realities – running a business is not for everyone. But if you are one of the few that feel ready, what challenges will you face?

1) It never gets easier
Business is tough & you’ll either quit before it gets easier or you’ll hang around long enough to realise the honest realities of running a business. That it doesn’t get easier – you just get more equipped.

2) You & you…
This is down to you. You’re picking up the phone, you’re finding the candidate, you’re arranging the interviews, you’re liaising with the client, you’re dealing with the counter offers, you’re managing the process & you’re responsible for the direction of this business. No one else, just you. Isotope are there to help, of course we are, & we’ll do everything we can to truly help you. But you know that the difference between baked beans & Fillet steak is… you.

3) Island syndrome Are you ready to work alone?
Not only personally, but professionally are you prepared, willing & eager? The biggest fears that “our guys” always seem to have around working alone are the ability to keep in touch with the wider market, keeping up with compliance changes & the introduction of new systems. Our response is always the same – this is one the many areas you would look for Isotope for support in. After all, the easiest way to not become an Island is to build some bridges!

Your next move?

During your meetings & conversations with Isotope, Isotope will be looking to understand what your requirements are. It’ll be our job to produce a detailed list & explanation of the tools & expertise you require to both trade successfully & grow your business in the way you desire. This list is specific to you & your business & is a direct reflection of your conversations with Isotope.

But please, let Isotope be categorically clear on this one – the whole point of working together is to ensure that Isotope understand what tools & what expertise you require to be successful & that it is with that understanding that, if we fail to provide you with the tools you need, we are seriously compromising your ability to make placements, grow your business & ultimately be successful.

So, your next move is simple – talk to Isotope, chat with us & remember that Isotope will, categorically & unequivocally, always aim to over deliver during every stage of our relationship. After all, with all our teams’ capability, experience & humility, we know that it’s just part of our DNA.