Matchsticks- Igniting Successful Futures

Women Mean Biz !!

Once you start blogging it sort of takes over your life and before you know it you start to dream about what you are going to write next...Hence the reason I don't do it as much as I used to. I still love writing and talking but of course, you know that however my real passion in life is recruitment. I can't seem to get away from it and when I finally think I have found the magic ingredient for yet another fantastic business idea, up pops a really great assignment just to tease me back into the fold.

 About 7 months ago, I took the brave step into networking and I say brave, as I am not that great at entering rooms full of complete strangers ( hard for some of you to believe that about me I know) however, I felt the fear and I did it anyway! luckily for me I was invited to an introduction meeting at The BNI Chapter for Wells, which is about 20 mins from where I live. The dark thirty start was a bit of a shock but after a nice big breakfast and few cups of coffee I eventually took the whole thing in my stride. Well, that was until I had to do my one minute pitch on what I do...oops I didn't know I had to prepare something, I was so nervous I didn't read all the information I was given !!
So what exactly do I do?...mmm....well....mmmm....Headhunting, Career Coaching, Interview Skills Coaching, Recruitment, HR, Profiling and of course I now co-own an online magazine, oh and I forgot to mention  "Cooking With Emma" !! Try putting that lot succinctly into a one minute pitch without confusing the audience. Focus woman, focus, as you won't get many referrals if you keep this up.
Luckily the audience could see I was a little perplexed and didn't ask me to go first so I had the benefit of about 20 mins in which to scribble something down in time for my slot.

I now love networking locally and have benefited from it hugely, I have met some of the most generous hearted and kind natured people in the South West. I have passed over £17,000 worth of leads that have closed and from the 17th of July I launch my own networking club just to add to the mix of everything else that I do.
So I am now recruiting new members for Women Mean Biz for The Bath Group...see I can't get away from it ?? 
So if any of you out there are in the slightest bit concerned about networking or how to get going then please don't hesitate to drop me a line and of course if you fancy coming along to my launch then please click on the link below.

How To Book: Reply in the first instance to this email to reserve your place.  We have a limit on numbers so please be quick to book! You can now book online :

Here’s the link ...  http://www.womenmeanbiz.co.uk/book_online/booking_form.htm

  

Mondays can be so much more

Tell me why I don’t like Mondays? Well the Boomtown Rats certainly hit a nerve for most of us who remember the song by Sir Bob in 1979!

 

Is it because we had so much fun at the weekend that we don’t look forward to the alarm going off to take us back to the daily grind? Is it because we just didn’t squeeze enough in to our weekends and if only it would last another day? Or is it because we can’t seem to see the good in Mondays?

 

For me it’s the latter, well that is all about to change!

 

As I sit here on my weathered but very comfy garden bench I look out at the view ahead and all I can see for miles is greenery and a few telegraph poles. The sun is high up in the sky and the wind is whooshing through the trees and blowing my hair in front of my eyes as I try to type without mis spelling the words.

I guess living and working in the country has huge plusses but it’s not for everyone but on days like today I can’t think of a place I would rather be.

So for me this Monday is a good one, well actually, a great one and so today I am grateful that it’s Monday.

 

So what’s your Monday like?  So far I have managed to hang 3 loads of washing out, book all my appointments for the week, have coffee and lunch on the patio and get up to date with all of my emails and that included my spam box! 

What a great starts to the week! Roll on Tuesday

 

So remind me again why I don’t like Mondays Sir Bob? And so with that in mind why not watch this guy as he Loves Monday ! 

http://www.thankgoodnessitsmonday.com/6mondays.html

http://www.scottstratten.com/

 

Emma

 

Pot Calling the Kettle

Since I started blogging in 2005 it has become apparent to my readers that I am really passionate about what I do and more importantly how I can help others. My passion, however, can sometimes coupled with my outrageous honesty get me into hot water especially when it comes to commenting on my own industry.

Over the last 12 months we have seen the world make a significant turn and although we know a job isn't for life anymore, most of us tend to believe we might be able to control it for at least 3 years. Well, at least we thought so...over the last few months I have heard from more people who are concerned about the next move and how to plan their career,  so I thought I would test the market for some real data and I did.

I have spent probably my entire working life recruiting teams of people in one guise or another and have had the pleasure now for the last 8 years to do it under my own company. Matchsticks has really enabled me to set in stone some core values which if you have read my website are not too daunting. In essence these values are " Integrity, caring, passion and fun. Backed up by 3 simple strategies, acquire great talent, manage great talent and develop great talent. After all most of my clients spend a minimum of £10k on a hiring campaign and to me it makes sense to keep the people they hire consistently delivering an ROI to the bottom line especially in the current climate.

Over the last 8 weeks with business development being my key focus right now I thought it might be good to see how I could develop Matchsticks. Testing my values in the marketplace with other recruiters who offer a service that is similar to mine...I had this wonderful idea that recruitment may have moved on and that maybe my principles were now common place when it came to engaging people. MMMMmmmm I think you know what's coming!! I was so wrong and actually disappointed that I was. I even stopped myself halfway through the process to comment on my own value clash and yet I still continued with the process, now that is a case of the pot calling the kettle black. 

So my question to you all out there is,  How can I help those recruiters develop their engagement offering to be more effective? How can I help recruiters build relationships with candidates that are based around 4 simple principles that really aren't that hard to achieve? After all we all deserve to be treated with a little bit of respect, and integrity and what's wrong with being passionate about what we do whilst having fun? we do spend more hours at work than anywhere else...

So yes I am having another rant but this time I would dearly love your feedback...please do drop me an email or even give me a call if there is a way that you think I can help change the way you are being engaged directly by a company or by a recruiter...

Hope you are all enjoying opening the first door on your advent calendars...of course in my house we have to get up early to get the chocolate.

Have a great week!!

Emma and the team at Matchsticks