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FROM SAUDI TO SAUCHIEHALL STREET: LIFE IN THE FAST LANE

28 May 2015

After spending over 20 years working in HR, half of which was based in the Middle East, Eddie Finnigan returned to his native Glasgow to start an exciting new venture. As someone who is used to taking control of his own destiny, he decided that the time was right to become his own boss.

After considering many different options Eddie felt that a franchise would offer him the best chance of success, with a considerably lower level of risk than setting up a new business from scratch. Eddie found several business franchise models he liked but there was one franchise business that stood out from the crowd from an early stage, namely Select Appointments, the UK’s leading white collar recruitment consultancy franchise.

Eddie was instantly struck by the professionalism of the Select team and the quality of the business model, which offered excellent marketing, training and support. This included the fact that Select takes care of all the back office functions such as Payroll, Finance, IT and HR, allowing him to focus on sales and business development. This gave him the confidence to make the transition from a safe well paid career to business owner and employer in his own right.

After careful consideration, he decided to take the plunge at the end of last year and started his new venture in January 2015.

Here he describes a typical working day.

6.00am

Every morning I go for a 30 minute run to get the brain cells working.  Shower, change and leave for the office in Glasgow city centre.  We have a great office that can grow with the business and I wanted to be within easy reach of clients and candidates.

8.00am

This morning I have a breakfast meeting with the University of Strathclyde to discuss the employability of future graduates and specifically to discuss what opportunities might be available for MBA students, who will graduate in the summer.  The Strathclyde MBA is recognised globally and the standard of graduates is very high internationally, therefore these kinds of relationships are really important.   The link between business and academia is really important because it ensures graduates reach the employment market with the right mix of skills and for us, it can lead to great candidates and clients!

9.00am

Meeting with my recruitment team: This is all about us working together; understanding what each of us is working on that day and our plans for the week. What clients are we trying to connect with? Which candidates are coming in to see us? Where are we at with live vacancies? What events and visits are planned and what have been the outcomes of any tasks since we last talked?

10.00am

I’m on the phone to prospective clients and organising some more networking events.

11.00am

Have meeting with the youth leader of Glasgow City women’s football team.  Agree to attend a parent’s evening in which we will give advice on careers, CV preparation and interview techniques to under 17’s.  It’s great to get the brand out there with candidates of the future!

12.00pm

I attend a Networking Lunch hosted by Glasgow Chamber of Commerce at the Hard Rock Café.  It is an opportunity to pitch our business and meet new contacts in a relaxed, fun environment.  Wine is on offer but I have interviews and meetings in the afternoon so I resist the temptation!

2.00pm

Back to the office: I have an Interview with a candidate for a senior legal role in the renewable energy sector. We always meet candidates face to face before putting them in-front of a client. This allows us to really put every candidate through their paces so that we only ever present a candidate to the client who has the potential to be a great fit on every level. It’s very much part of the ‘Select Way’.

3.00pm

Visit a new client: This is a marketing solutions and design company in Glasgow and I have been invited to discuss their resourcing requirements for the coming year.  Great result – three vacancies posted on our website within two hours of the meeting!

Some days you pretty much have your phone glued to your ear, but nothing gets results quite like getting out there and sitting in-front of a client and asking the right questions.

5.00pm

Leave the office for a Director’s Dinner networking event at the Corinthian in Glasgow hosted by Thrive. These types of events are crucial for building a strong network of referral partners; in fact sometimes you can actually pick up vacancies there and then! Not tonight however but met several employers and have meetings booked in with them over the coming weeks.

8.00pm

Grab a taxi home and spend a bit of time going through business cards collected tonight and prepare for another busy day tomorrow!


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