[Podcast] How to Grow your Recruitment Agency Sustainably


Ruth Forster, from Wagstaff Recruitment, joins us on the latest Firefish Podcast to talk about building and scaling a recruitment agency sustainably. With over 17 years of experience in recruitment plus seven running Wagstaff Recruitment, Ruth has plenty of insights, tips, and advice to share.

Ruth talks about the importance of hiring the right staff, alongside why you can’t do everything yourself. She discusses why you must employ people who are brilliant in the areas you’re not as strong in and she shares some insights into finding talent, and building a strong core team.

She talks through why you need to grow your business in a sustainable manner, with longevity in mind. Ruth wants clients to be able to call her business in 5 years time and for them to talk with the same people. To do so, she advises hiring for core skills and core values that are intrinsic to your agency.

Listen below, and as always, let us know what you think in the comments.

Show Notes

  • 00:00 Introduction
  • 3:00 How Ruth got to where she is today by appointing good people and staying patient.
  • 6:30 Why Ruth recruits based on core skills and values.
  • 7:10 The creation of a 'bitesize' Wagstaff training program that focuses on mentoring, and why you can't do one size fits all training.
  • 11:40 When and why Ruth decided to hire a business coach NOT a recruitment coach.
  • 15:05 Why Ruth has taken on four board positions and what the benefits are for her business. Plus, the importance of sending the elevator back down.
  • 19:50 How Ruth incentivises her recruiters to use the TEAM network and drive revenue growth.
  • 24:20 What's next for Wagstaff?

You can follow find Ruth on Twitter and on LinkedIn.

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Andy Mckendry

Andy Mckendry is a copywriter with an MA in Professional Writing. In the early mornings he is known to gravitate towards the nearest coffee pot.

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