Do you dream about working from home?

What appealed to you about going into the recruitment industry?

It’s quite a lucrative industry; I know a couple of people who work in recruitment who do well for themselves. Also, I’ve got a background of training and developing people from my previous work, and always enjoyed recruitment because I had to do a bit of that in my previous role too. So I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to give it a go myself.

Why did you choose to partner with Prima Hatfield Associates?

I initially just applied for the job on Reed, as you do, and was invited down to a seminar session, which was really good as I got to meet a lot of other Prima Hatfield people: Martin, Bonita, some of the girls in the office, and a couple of other associate partners. I think that’s what really attracted me to it, because I got to meet other people that have done it. It was really good speaking to them as they’re real advocates of what Prima Hatfield do and stand for, which sold it to me - it made me realise I’ll be well looked after here. It was a safe place to try something new, and I knew I’d get the support I needed.

What was the training and mentoring support like?

Really, really good. I’ve been doing it now for four weeks on my own but before that I had one week’s training with Martin at Head Office. It was initially meant to be three days but they were really open and invited me down for the final two so I could sit in with the office and see it all happening, live, which put the training I’d learnt into a practical sense, I could see it in real life. Then I had a week’s training where Martin came to me in my office to set me up. He supported me with everything, from setting up my computer and setting up my desk, to registering candidates and business development. Martin has also come down two or three times while I’ve been on my own to support me through the business development and answer any questions I’ve got. I speak to Martin and Bonita at least twice a day. The support’s been fantastic, to be honest.

How quickly did you get your business up and running?

Really quickly. Being quite new to recruitment, I guess, after the initial training with Martin in Head Office and at home, I felt like I knew what I was doing and how to do it. If you follow the process it’s actually quite simple. Within the first couple of weeks I felt confident that I knew what to do and I’d say that last week and this week I’ve really started to see it happen full circle. I’ve had my first job offer, and I’m getting regular interviews now, five or six each week, which Martin says is really good for the stage I’m at. It’s really quick and easy to get up and running as long as you follow the guidelines and the structure.

What is your vacancy opportunity value (in pounds £) and how long did that take to obtain?

In my full month of trading, I’m up to £41k in just around 4 weeks!

What made you decide to take the Associate Partner option?

I have to be honest, I’ve always wanted to be self employed, I’ve always liked the idea of working for myself and being in control of my income. The Associate Partner programme seemed financially achievable, not super expensive and seemed like the right thing to do. Working from home, it gives me everything I want in terms of my work/life balance as well as giving me that real opportunity to earn a really good salary.

How has your lifestyle changed? (work, life balance)  

It’s really changed for the better. Prior to this I was in a field based training and developing role putting in a twelve hour day, travelling 300 miles a day. It’s given me back my free time, my evening and weekends are mine now. It gives me the opportunity to do things I really like: keeping fit, going to the gym and playing football. I play at quite a high level for Crawley, so I’ve been able to get some focus back on that. It’s taken a back seat for the last few years. I’ve been playing since I was 8, and have come up through the system, I’ve been there 20 years now. This job enables me to look at getting into the youth coaching, which I just haven’t had time to do before, so that’s a real bonus.

How easy was it to make the transition from employed to self-employed?

To be honest, quite simple. The support that Martin’s given has been really good, with advice on setting up bank accounts, how to go about the VAT, tax and all that jazz that goes with being self employed. I have worked from home before, so I’m ok with motivating myself to get up for work. So that side of it wasn’t too tricky. But I’ve certainly had support every step of the way where I’ve needed it, from Martin and Bonita, on all those aspects that I was initially worried about.

What traits do you need to be successful with in this business?

You need to be tenacious. You need to be competitive. You need to go out there with a competitive attitude that you want to get the most candidates registered, you want to make the most phone calls every day, because that’s going to make you the money. You need to deal with rejection quite well and not take it to heart. People might not want to speak to you right now but they might tomorrow or the next day so you have to be persistent, resilient and motivated. It’s all in your hands, how much money you want to make.

What would your advice be to anyone considering a Prima Hatfield business opportunity? 

If you’re competitive, if you’re tenacious and you want to achieve a real good work life balance, I think it’s a fantastic opportunity. I can honestly say the support that I’ve received has been really, really good and I know that’s the support they provide to everyone who comes on board. You are kind of hand held a little bit to get you started, so you’re not just dumped and thrown in the deep end. The key thing is, if you like helping people get what they want, then it really is a good opportunity.

Are you interested in a "white collar" business opportunity? Simply call Bonita on 0845 899 0007 for a FREE guide on getting started in business.