Are you a recruitment business owner feeling stuck in a rut? In this episode of the Recruitment CEO’s Guide podcast, we sit down with Claire Tomlin, CEO of Clarion Search, who transformed her one-person band into a thriving enterprise. Claire shares her journey of tripling revenue and doubling her team size in just 12 months, offering a blueprint for scaling your recruitment firm.
In this episode, you will:
- Learn how Claire leveraged data transparency to motivate her team and drive unprecedented growth
- Discover the power of accountability and how it can push you to take bold actions in your business
- Explore the mindset shifts necessary to transition from a lifestyle business to a scalable enterprise
- Understand the importance of community support in overcoming common scaling obstacles
- Uncover the unexpected benefits of sharing financial information with your team
Listen to this episode and gain practical strategies to propel your recruitment business forward. Whether you’re a solo recruiter or managing a small team, Claire’s experiences and insights will inspire you to reimagine what’s possible for your agency. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from a CEO who’s been in your shoes and successfully scaled her business.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
► Want Help Scaling Your Recruitment Business to 7-Figures (and beyond)?
Great! I have plenty of FREE RESOURCES that you can check out to see if this is something that can work in your business.
Watch our free training and get a proven system that helps your team make 5, 10 or 20 extra placements a month reliably and predictably in next 30 days: Attract, Convert and Deliver. Watch now https://learn.centredexcellence.co.uk/vsl-youtube61658857
Join our Recruitment Business Accelerator Community on Facebook. Where smart Recruitment and Executive Search Business Owners come to level up their skills and knowledge to build 7+ figure recruitment businesses: https://www.facebook.com/groups/526435818123500
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
► WANT TO CHAT IT OUT?
Let’s have a chat to see IF or HOW this can work for your recruitment or executive search business, apply here and give me some details about your business: https://profitaccelerator.centredexcellence.co.uk/apply
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Background of Claire Tomlin’s Business
Claire Tomlin as CEO of Clarion Search
Claire Tomlin stands at the helm of Clarion Search, a specialised recruitment firm she founded and now leads as CEO. Her position is not merely a title, but a role she has grown into through dedication and strategic thinking. As the chief executive, Claire is responsible for steering the company’s overall direction, making key decisions about growth strategies, and ensuring the firm maintains its competitive edge in the challenging recruitment landscape. Her leadership style, shaped by her industry experience and personal growth, emphasises data-driven decision making and fostering a transparent, motivated team environment.
Claire’s Career Transition from Oil Trader to Recruiter
Claire’s journey to becoming a recruitment entrepreneur is rooted in her extensive background in the energy sector. Prior to founding Clarion Search, she carved out a successful career as an oil trader. This first-hand experience in the industry provided Claire with invaluable insights into the inner workings, challenges, and talent needs of energy companies. In 2009, Claire made a pivotal career shift, transitioning from trading to recruitment. This move, which she humorously described as “turning poacher”, allowed her to leverage her industry knowledge in a new and dynamic way. The transition wasn’t just a change of profession; it represented a shift in perspective, enabling Claire to view the energy sector through the lens of talent acquisition and human resources.
Business Start in 2015 Focusing on the Oil, Gas, LNG, Power, and Energy Commodities Industry
In 2015, Claire took the bold step of launching her own recruitment firm, Clarion Search. From its inception, the company carved out a niche in the oil, gas, LNG, power, and energy commodities sectors. This specialisation was a strategic choice, capitalising on Claire’s deep understanding of these industries. Clarion Search doesn’t just fill positions; it focuses on the commercial interface of these big businesses, handling predominantly expat moves across the globe. This international focus sets the firm apart, requiring a nuanced understanding of not just industry-specific skills, but also the complexities of global mobility and cross-cultural placements. By concentrating on these specific sectors, Claire has positioned her company as a go-to resource for energy firms seeking top-tier talent for their global operations.
Importance of Mindset and Data
Initial Struggles with Data Gathering and Interpretation
Claire Tomlin’s journey towards scaling her recruitment business began with a challenging task: gathering and interpreting data from her company’s operations. The process was not straightforward, as Claire initially found herself frustrated when trying to uncover patterns in the roles her firm had filled. She spent considerable time examining data from the past 12 months, looking at various factors such as function and seniority, but struggled to find any clear trends. This initial setback could have been discouraging, but it ultimately led to a crucial breakthrough in understanding her business.
Discovery That Team Size Was a Limiting Factor in Growth
The turning point came when Claire, with the help of her coach, Jane, took a step back from the minutiae of the data. Instead of focusing solely on the types of roles filled, they examined the broader picture of the business’s operations. This wider perspective revealed a startling insight: the problem wasn’t in the types of roles or sectors they were working with, but rather in the capacity of the team to handle the workload. Claire realised that her conversion ratios were under 20% not because of any inefficiency in their processes, but simply because they didn’t have enough people to manage the volume of work effectively.
Decision to Increase Team Size Based on Data Analysis
Armed with this new understanding, Claire made a bold decision to significantly expand her team. The data had shown that the business had more potential than could be realised with the current staffing levels. Claire doubled her team size, growing from just two people to five, including a virtual assistant based in Venezuela. This expansion was a direct result of the data analysis, which had revealed the true bottleneck in the business’s growth. The decision to hire more staff was not taken lightly, but the data provided Claire with the confidence to make this significant investment in her company’s future.
Implementation of Data-Driven Strategies
Introduction of a Role Tracker with Specific Metrics
Claire Tomlin implemented a crucial tool in her business: a role tracker accessible to the entire team. This tracker wasn’t just a simple list of jobs; it incorporated specific metrics for each role. Claire set clear targets, aiming for a minimum of three to four CVs to be submitted for each position. Additionally, the tracker monitored interview ratios and other key performance indicators. By establishing these concrete metrics, Claire provided her team with clear goals and expectations, creating a framework for measuring success and identifying areas for improvement.
Effects of Data Transparency on Team Motivation and Accountability
The introduction of the role tracker had a profound impact on team dynamics. By making this data visible to everyone, Claire fostered an environment of healthy motivation rather than cutthroat competition. Team members could see not only their own performance but also that of their colleagues, creating a sense of collective responsibility for the company’s success. This transparency extended beyond just the role tracker; Claire also began publishing company-wide results and financial data. This openness about the company’s performance and goals gave team members a sense of ownership and a clear understanding of how their individual efforts contributed to the bigger picture.
Using Data to Monitor New Hires’ Performance
With the rapid expansion of her team, Claire found the role tracker and other data points invaluable in monitoring the performance of new hires. The data provided an objective measure of how quickly new team members were integrating and contributing to the company’s goals. This approach allowed Claire to identify any potential issues early on, ensuring that new hires were on track and performing to expectations. The data-driven approach took some of the guesswork out of managing a growing team, providing Claire with concrete information to guide her decisions and interventions.
Early Detection of Issues and Providing Support Based on Data Insights
Perhaps one of the most significant benefits of Claire’s data-driven approach was the ability to detect potential issues early and provide targeted support. Rather than relying on gut feelings or waiting for problems to become severe, Claire could use the data to identify when a team member’s performance was dipping or when they might be struggling. This early warning system allowed her to step in proactively, offering support or guidance before small issues could escalate into larger problems. Moreover, it helped Claire distinguish between performance issues and temporary setbacks due to personal circumstances, enabling her to respond with empathy and appropriate support rather than hasty judgments.
Empowerment Through Data and Community
Discussion on the Empowering Aspect of Using Data in the Workplace
Claire Tomlin’s experience with implementing data-driven strategies in her recruitment business revealed the empowering nature of this approach. Far from being a tool for micromanagement, the use of data became a means of empowerment for her team. By having access to clear metrics and performance indicators, team members gained a deeper understanding of their role within the company and how their efforts contributed to overall success. This transparency fostered a sense of ownership and accountability among the staff. Claire found that when people could see the direct impact of their work through data, they became more motivated and engaged. The data served as a common language within the company, allowing for more objective discussions about performance and areas for improvement.
Importance of Sharing Experiences Within a Peer Community
One of the key factors in Claire’s successful transformation of her business was her involvement in a peer community. This community, part of the Rockit program, provided a platform for recruitment business owners to share their experiences, challenges, and successes. Claire found immense value in being able to discuss her journey with others who were facing similar situations. The peer community offered a safe space to ask questions, seek advice, and learn from the experiences of others. It was through this community that Claire gained insights into practices like financial transparency and team expansion, which she might not have considered otherwise. The shared wisdom of the group helped her navigate the complexities of scaling her business with more confidence and insight.
Claire’s Initial Reluctance and Eventual Active Involvement in the Community
Initially, Claire approached the idea of sharing with other recruitment business owners with some hesitation. There was a natural wariness about discussing her business challenges and strategies with potential competitors. However, as she began to engage with the community, Claire found that the benefits far outweighed any perceived risks. She started by quietly observing and asking occasional questions, gradually becoming more comfortable with the supportive environment. Over time, Claire’s involvement evolved, and she found herself not just asking questions but also offering advice and sharing her own experiences. This transition from a reluctant participant to an active contributor marked a significant shift in Claire’s approach to peer learning and collaboration. Her journey within the community mirrored her business’s growth – from cautious beginnings to confident engagement and leadership.
Mindset Shift and Its Impact
Belief in Success Before It Happens as a Crucial Factor
Claire Tomlin’s journey of transforming her recruitment business was underpinned by a profound shift in mindset. She discovered the power of believing in success before it materialised. Claire shared an illustrative example of this principle in action: she changed her email signature to include the title ‘CEO’ before she fully felt she had earned it. This simple act of projecting her desired future role into the present had a remarkable effect. Every time she saw that signature, it reinforced her vision of herself as a successful CEO, gradually aligning her self-perception with her aspirations. This practice of embodying her future success in small, everyday ways helped Claire bridge the gap between her current reality and her ambitious goals.
Personal and Professional Growth Due to Mindset Expansion
The impact of Claire’s mindset shift extended far beyond her professional life. As she embraced a more positive and growth-oriented outlook, she noticed changes in various aspects of her life. Professionally, this new mindset gave her the courage to make bold decisions, such as expanding her team and implementing new strategies. On a personal level, Claire found herself approaching challenges with greater resilience and creativity. She became more open to new ideas and opportunities, both in her business and personal life. This expansive mindset created a virtuous cycle: as Claire believed more in her potential for success, she took actions that led to actual success, which in turn reinforced her belief in her capabilities.
Importance of Viewing Setbacks as Learning Opportunities
A key component of Claire’s mindset shift was her approach to setbacks and challenges. Rather than viewing obstacles as insurmountable barriers or signs of failure, she began to see them as valuable learning opportunities. This perspective allowed her to maintain momentum even when faced with difficulties. Claire emphasised the importance of reframing setbacks as ‘gifts’ that provide crucial lessons, potentially preventing larger missteps down the road. This attitude fostered resilience and adaptability in her approach to business, enabling her to navigate the complexities of scaling her company with greater ease and confidence.
Achieving Greater Drive, Balance, and Optimism
The cumulative effect of Claire’s mindset transformation was a noticeable increase in her overall drive, balance, and optimism. She found herself more motivated to pursue her goals, yet this increased drive didn’t come at the expense of work-life balance. Instead, Claire achieved a more harmonious integration of her professional ambitions and personal life. Her newfound optimism wasn’t based on naive positivity, but on a grounded belief in her ability to overcome challenges and achieve her goals. This balanced approach to optimism allowed Claire to maintain her enthusiasm and energy, even when faced with the inevitable ups and downs of business growth. The ripple effects of this positive outlook extended to her team, her family, and other aspects of her life, creating a more fulfilling and successful overall experience.
