I am Macstaff founding consultant and Managing Director, Anthony McCormack. This is something I have been getting used to the sound of, just this last week, since waving goodbye to my PLC agency career and taking the plunge as a ‘recruitment entrepreneur’.

I have learned a lot through 15+ years’ experience in the recruitment industry.  I have witnessed much industry change in this time and a variety of different styles and standards in my industry peer group.  Some may say the good, the bad and the ugly!  My conviction had been deepening that I could make it on my own in recent years.  Not only that, but that I could develop a better client and candidate offering and experience, via a high quality ’boutique’ recruitment consultancy, that can deal with people on an individual basis versus a ‘recruitment by numbers’ type MO.    Work-life balance was also a motivator as I also want to ‘give more’ to family, friends and personal groups.  Taking the plunge was not an easy decision though, and I went round and round the pros and cons before deciding to commit, and handing in my notice was something I dreaded.

This is my potted history:  I graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 1996 and, in truth, ‘fell’ in to recruitment which has been my passion and profession ever since. I cut my teeth in driving and industrial recruitment with Securicor Recruitment Services now Randstad, where I learned to work hard, act quickly and give great customer service.  I moved for career development in 1999 into specialist recruitment with Synergy, majoring in Facilities Management, where I developed skills in contingency permanent recruitment and executive search. From 2002 – 2016 I worked with Hays PLC in UK & Canada, where I honed my leadership skills; fulfilling roles of Business Manager, Division Manager & Branch Manager, without ever leaving the ‘sharp-end’ as a Recruitment Consultant, successfully filling jobs and placing candidates which is in my mind the ‘magic’ in recruitment.

Since conceiving Macstaff in my mind, and committing to the name which I think is bang on, the nuts and bolts of start up have created a ‘jobs list’ a mile long!  From setting up company registration, bank accounts, insurance, office, website, logo, marketing material, contracts, processes & procedures, REC membership, LinkedIN, Twitter, job boards, pricing, terms of business etc. etc. all not my favorite!  So if you are thinking of doing it yourself, do think about it properly and ask trusted contacts for help and advice!

One week in, my thoughts are flipping from grandiose fantasies of uber success to fear of abject failure!  I’ll send out a quarterly update for those who are interested to find out which it will be :-).   Logical me knows to take it one day at a time, one candidate at a time, one job at a time and crucially to enjoy the journey.  I have faith that as I continue to work diligently, honestly and enthusiastically that great things will happen!

Founding MacStaff, a high impact recruitment consultancy in construction and property, in 2016 makes the dream a reality and opens the next chapter of my career.  As I continue my recruitment adventure, I am driven to make great things happen through provision of first class recruitment solutions and look forward to sharing the journey with industry professionals such as yourself going forward.

To find out more about myself and Macstaff  feel free to touch base anytime!