Joseph Wheatley’s Post

🗣️ "Great week last week but there's more to be done" Direct quote from an education recruiter we're lucky enough to be working with. For context, since opening their doors less than 12 months ago this business has grown to 4 heads & is producing a steady GP of around 6-7k p/w. Now I know it's not always about that & that the definition of success for every business is going to be different but, knowing them in the way that I do, if they'd been offered a business in that position just shy of 12 months into trading when they first opened their doors - I know they'd have bitten their future selves hand off. & rightfully so 💯 But it's amazing once you get used to certain levels of business & billings, the most successful recruiters redefine the "new norm". & I suppose I tend to agree 📈 In my eyes (& in our experience over the years) it's the agencies that constantly are re-defining what the "new norm" is within their business that have the hallmarks of a successful business: ✔️ Sustainability across a varied & loyal client base ✔️ Longevity - no flash-in-the-pan agency that fizzles you as quickly as it came on the scene ✔️ A happy workforce - after all, you're only as good as the team you're lucky enough to attract & retain. Just an observation for all of those recruiters out there who have taken the bullish, risky & admirable step & launched their own agencies over the years 👏🏻 #recruitmentstartup #recruitmentinvestment #recruitmentbusinesssupport #recruitmentbusinesssetup #businesstips #recruitmentstartuptips

The first year post-COVID, we placed 600+ candidates—but here’s what it really took. 3 years ago → I took the leap and took over my husband’s recruitment business. Lesson 1:  You can’t give your best when you’re stretched too thin. Focus is growth. I thought I could juggle both my job and the business. Reality check? Trying to be everywhere at once drained me. So, I made the hard choice: → Quit my job → Fully commit to leading the business That choice changed everything: → It allowed me to network more with clients. → It helped me build deeper connections with my team. → And finally, it gave the business the attention it needed.                                                             Lesson 2:  Surviving business while dealing with loss and uncertainty, was a reminder that sometimes simply moving forward is the victory itself. Managing the business while grieving my husband was overwhelming. I learned that strength isn’t being unshaken—it’s living it and still moving forward through the fear. What helped: → Leaning on my team and celebrating our small wins → Upskilling myself to lead and run every part of the business Our first post-COVID recruitment drives were very hard and test of our resilience. But we placed over 600 candidates in a year—a new record for our boutique firm. Life doesn’t stop, and neither should you. Tough times build your toughest skills. More insights on navigating challenges coming soon! Please share if you too have faced unexpected transitions.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜’𝗱 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗣𝗲𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗹 𝗢𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿’𝘀 𝗠𝗩𝗣🏆 Back in the day, I was a basketball MVP 🏀. Loved the competition, the thrill of victory, the whole shebang. But running Arches has taught me that in business, the real MVPs aren’t always who you think. Sure, we hire top talent at Arches. But we look beyond the usual suspects. You know, the ones with all the right buzzwords on their resumes from the “right” companies. We value passion, drive, and a unique perspective over just industry experience. In fact, some of our biggest wins have come from people you’d least expect. Take Paul (aka Supakorn A.), for example. He used to run a pet hotel – not exactly the typical expert network background. But his ability to connect with people, understand their needs, and build rapport? Off the charts 📈. He's now one of our top performers. So, here’s why we avoid hiring from competitors: • 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲: Hiring from the competition can feel like cloning their ideas and strategies. It’s like bringing in a player from a rival team and expecting them to forget everything they’ve learned. We seek fresh perspectives that challenge us and drive innovation. • 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: Experienced professionals can sometimes lose their drive. We value those who are eager and hungry for success. • 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲: Sure, experience is great, but give me someone hungry to learn and eager to prove themselves any day. That spark is what fuels innovation, not a laundry list of past employers. • 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗺𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Teams with diverse backgrounds and experiences are more likely to come up with creative solutions. We want people who bring something new to the table, not just more of the same. Now, I’m not saying there’s NEVER a good reason to hire from a competitor. If someone is truly exceptional and would be an amazing fit regardless of their past employer, I’m all ears. So, here’s to the underdogs, the ones with unexpected backgrounds and a fire in their belly. You’re the ones who truly shake things up and drive innovation. Have you ever hired from a competitor? Did it work out as expected? Share your stories in the comments 👇 P.s. Shoutout to Paul for the design, really cute! #Leadership #TeamDiversity #Startups

🌟 Seize the moment, but don't undersell it! 🌟 Imagine this: You're on the hunt for the ideal team member. After a meticulous search, you find a gem 💎 - someone who ticks all the boxes, surpassing your expectations. The excitement builds, you're ready to welcome them aboard... but then, the offer falls short. 📉 Why offer less than what they're already earning? Value is a two-way street. 🛣️ If you're looking to attract top talent, it's essential to recognize their worth. Offering a competitive package isn't just about numbers; it's a message that says, "We value you and what you bring to the table." Remember, it's not just a role you're filling; it's a partnership you're building. 🤝 Investing in your team is investing in the future of your business. When you align your offer with their expertise, you're setting the stage for loyalty, motivation, and a shared vision for success. 🚀 Let's not forget, a happy team member is your best advocate in the market. 😁 So, let's make it count. Offer what they're worth, and watch your team - and business - thrive. 💼✨ #HiringWisdom #ValueYourTeam #InvestInPeople

When I left a 60,000 person organization during a global pandemic in 2020, I gave up: - Brand recognition - Stable benefits and salary - Clear roles and responsibilities - Mature investors or board directors - Bigger teams with group work - Strong structure and leadership I joined a startup and gained: - Broad scope of work - More access to equity - Fluctuating benefits and salary to best serve employees - A clear line of sight of impact - Smaller teams and lots of individual work - True sense of entrepreneurship and business autonomy My family questioned my decision and even asked "Why would you leave a company everyone knows for a company no one has heard of?" A lot of different reasons come to mind but the reason that resonates with me most, is the unique opportunity a startup allows for you to make a direct impact. Growing and developing a business strategy, seeking and fostering meaningful relationships with my peers, leaders, prospects, and customers, and generating every failure into a lesson, has surpassed the value of stability and structure I once had. Each organization both big and small has served such an invaluable purpose in both my career and personal life. As always there are pros and cons to consider in what works best for your learning type, lifestyle, and trajectory. I have found that setting the intention of being where you feel you can use your strengths best and work towards minimizing your weaknesses, creates a clear balance of work-life fulfillment. I learned the same amount of lessons in both spaces, regardless of how different they looked. If you are at a crossroads as to what is next for you in your career, the last few years and likely the next few months have leveled the playing field for big corp vs startup in equal risk. As I reflect on the changes and struggles that have occurred throughout my career, the learning opportunities always outweighed the stable salary. Resilience has been at the forefront of lessons learned and today, it feels especially opportune to leverage those learnings in my day-to-day, with an entrepreneurial mentality. Your career is one of the few areas you get to 'choose your hard".

Last week I shared the full decision making process on how I work out what clients align to FORM careers. I had spoken to a Health-Tech employer who needed to hire a Business Development Manager. Not my usual bag but there was a lot of factors that aligned them to the business. 1. Health-Tech - i've worked in partnership with some of the largest growing health-tech clients in Scotland including Phlo, Simple Online Healthcare and brought Planet DDS to Scotland 2. The company have flexibility, diversity of hiring and culture baked into their business from a really early stage. 3. They were looking to hire for ability over "specific industry experience" always a massive tick in the box when it comes to building the right culture. 4. They are a scaling startup with a really interesting product/service. 5. Glasgow based with a hybrid appraoch to team building. The list could go on and on - I asked them for 24 hours to do some research on the business development hire to ensure I was 100% confident I could find them the best person for the job. I eventually went back with a full proposal, terms and threw my hat into the ring to partner with them for the role. They came back to me today. I didnt win the business. They were already poised to partner with another agency on this position but from their feedback: "your set up and offer is quite different and it did make us pause and consider how we should proceed." They also went on to say they have significant growth plans and would be keen to come back to me to discuss working with them to build their technical teams. Am I gutted? Absolutely not. I made a new contact, I made a calculated pitch to a business hat aligned with the way I and FORM careers works and I made a new contact and potential future client. You cant win them all - but you can continue to make progress and put yourself out there. Thats a win in my books?

I started working at age 10. Armed with nothing but a stack of newspapers and boundless enthusiasm, I navigated the streets of my neighborhood, delivering not just the daily news but also picking up a set of life skills that still serve me today. 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝘆 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝘁 Rain or shine, I was the kid making sure the news landed on your doorstep on time. This gig taught me to adapt swiftly—raincoat, snow boots, or sunscreen, I was ready, showing me the power of pivoting with grace under pressure. 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲𝗿 School, homework, and then some—managing my newspaper route forced me to get real with time management, a skill that's kept my professional life on track ever since. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝘅𝗲𝗿 Missed papers? Angry dogs? I tackled them all, sharpening my problem-solving skills early on. These daily hurdles taught me to think quickly and creatively, a knack that's saved the day more than once in my career. 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 Every customer chat was a step in building my network before I even knew what networking was. Connecting with my neighborhood taught me the value of relationships in business, turning handshakes into lasting bonds. 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘇 Handling money from a young age, I developed a foundational understanding of financial literacy. Collecting, saving, spending—I got a headstart on managing finances, making every dollar count. 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗼 This job didn't just give me independence; it ignited a drive in me to set goals and chase them down, a fire that fuels my ambitions to this day. From rain-soaked sprints to sunny morning jaunts, my newspaper route was more than a job; it was the training ground for the skills that have shaped my success story. P.S. What did you learn from your first job? (Yes, that's me in the picture - Photo Credit: Lester Levy) #lifelessons --- - Follow me for random thoughts about leadership, motivation, Accountability, CX strategy, and digital transformation (as well as anything else I wind up saying). - Click the 🔔 in my profile to get notified of my posts…

Careers undoubtedly look more like a portfolio than a path in the future. Today we are seeing the supply and demand for fractional talent engagements – particularly for executives – continue to grow. But is a portfolio-based career right for you? Read my latest Ask Zoe column for Sifted which explores the pros and cons. https://lnkd.in/e8U-tpGc

A word of wisdom for job seekers! As you navigate your careers, it's essential to remember that everyone's journey is unique. We are at different stages of growth, and our experiences won't be identical. The price for success isn't always obvious. Yours may be in the form of long hours, limited resources or even splotching your funds to get results, challenging projects, or tough feedback that makes you feel under-valued. Please learn to embrace your journey, even when it gets tough. The price you pay today will be worth it tomorrow. Don't compare your chapter 1 to someone else's chapter 15. Focus on your own growth, learn from your mistakes, and keep pushing forward. And here is where some of us get it wrong: the workplace system, culture, and benefits would vary greatly depending on the business life cycle of the organization. In a startup, you might wear multiple hats and work closely with the founder. In a scaling business, you might experience rapid growth and changing priorities. In an established organization, you might enjoy robust benefits and a stable work environment. Understand the stage of the organization you are applying to or joining and be prepared to adapt. The culture, systems, benefits, and expectations will evolve as the company grows. I remember the first Beacongate employee, she kept appealing for a Corper so they could be two and I told her we couldn't afford it. What she said next, moved me to tears, "Can you take out of my salary and let's share the cost" At this point, I understood her need as she was willing to pay a price. Ask yourself this question, "what price are you willing to pay to achieve your dream? " Don’t give up! Keep going! Your hard work will pay off and your journey will be worth it. #careergrowth #jobsearch #professionaldevelopment #embraceyourjourney #workplaceculture

How I Approached Finding a New Role Taking a step back to deliberately decide “what’s next” is rare. But this career transition came at the perfect time—right in the middle of my “working lifetime.” It was a chance to reflect on previous years of professional experience and assess where I could add the most value for future employers, while doing something I like in an environment I can strive in. Here’s how I approached it: 1. Analytical Phase 🧩 Gathering Data: Over the last four months, I completed/refreshed three personality assessments (Harrison, Hogan & MBTI) to gain unbiased insights. I also created a Google spreadsheet, weighting what really matters to me in a job. This spreadsheet made evaluating opportunities straightforward and helped me compare each role objectively. 📊 2. External Views 🤔 I worked with a coach who didn’t hold back on challenging my assumptions, asking uncomfortable questions, and even suggested creating a mind map of my ideal life setup (shoutout to Carsten!). I also met with people from outside my usual network for fresh perspectives over lunches and coffee chats. Especially those in similar situations were super helpful (shoutout to Joe & Goetz) ☕ 3. Disconnect 🌲 To gain perspective, I spent time hiking & running (perfect for deep thinking) and playing soccer & ninetees fantasy board games (great to stop thinking entirely). Family trips and other travel also helped me step out of my usual context, refresh, and avoid overthinking. From all of this, I reached a crucial insight: I wanted a role where I can be close to my family in Hamburg. With my kids at home for only a few more years, commuting to Berlin, London, or Stockholm wasn’t ideal. After this process, I also knew what my ideal next step looked like job wise. Now, it was just about finding the right opportunity—and I’m happy to say, I think I did! (More on that next week 😉) Have you ever had the chance to pause and reevaluate? How did you approach it? P.S. I recognize that it is incredibly privileged to think you can design a dream job scenario and then hope to find it. P.P.S. The journey had ups and downs. Some weeks felt unstoppable, while others left me wondering if anyone would even reply and my imposter was triggered.