OME Hospital Club

Wow - its our 10th event tonight (if you want to find out more go here) - it started off as an idea Kork had one day 4 years ago and its now become a proper thing. As ever equally worried about too many people turning up for capacity and simultaneously fearful - it will be just us and the speakers and a lot of food and drink.

Why does it work?
1. It is completely not a sales event (obvs we have picked up clients - but that's because we are great)
2. It has a small bit of content - but it really is about networking
3. People can drift in and stop for a beer - or end up in Covent Garden at 2am (I have done both)
4. Its kind of semi regular - 3 events one year, 2 the next and I quite like it that way.


Anyway - look forward to meeting some good folk tonight

A Seismic Event in History

OME are moving out of the Business Design Centre in Islington, We have been here (in ever expanding units) since we launched 9 years ago and I feel rather emotional about it all. we are heading to a beautiful location with crazy stuff like access to natural light, roof terrace and bar downstairs but it wont be the same as our lovely gloomy Stalag.

So does location affect culture?
1. I hope it marks a step up as we continue to grow and prosper
2. Maybe it will make us more professional as we will be in such a cool space.
3. But I hope it does not take away the fun and informal atmosphere that I think our staff and clients like.
4. Anyway - I think its a good excuse to have a summer party, so hopefully the landlord wont ask us to leave the next morning!

In Praise of 33

Not exactly breaking news but last month - ThirtyThree (rec ad agency/comms/rec marketing agency)- sold for loads of money an undisclosed sum to Capita. So congrats to the owners but I thought I would just state a few things I learnt from working there for a couple of years in early 2000s,knowing the owners quite well and as part of the wider industry over the last decade, and they are:

1. You can run a successful highly profitable business while simultaneously treating your staff, suppliers and clients with warmth, respect and honour. I had witnessed some successful businesses who treated staff appallingly, or overcharge clients or beat up suppliers - but it does not have to be that way.

2. You can grow and not lose your sense of identity. Now this point is more as an observer - but they maintained reputation of being creative, innovative and interesting as much as a 120 person company as a 20 person company.

3. Making money is vital but you can have a laugh along the way too. Despite what some of our more serious industry colleagues think - we are not curing cancer or saving the planet - we are creating/delivering campaigns for staff /employees/companies and that is really, really important but.....not that important


I like to think we have implemented much of this here at OME but let me know if you think I am wrong!

Welcome Back!

Welcome Back to Dom’s blog

Well when I retired my blog in April last year – I did not imagine it would only be dormant for about 11 months. So why are we re-launching

1. By popular demand of course. I have received 2 messages literally been flooded with requests to bring it back. It would be wrong of me not to give the people (my mum and auntie Pam) what they want.

2. We are doing something different – so interspersed with my comments on what is going on “out there” in recruitment marketing, candidate attraction, rec technology – will be other stuff. Such as -

3. Vlogging where appropriate (and probably when inappropriate too) we will be uploading some short clips of think pieces, events, comments

4. An insight into the wider OME – when I started the original blog we were a young, start-up with 4 staff – we now employ nearly 20 people and one of the biggest buyers of recruitment media in the UK – this vlog/insight/news section should reflect the many different voices that make up OME now.

5. Create an opportunity for suppliers/partners/clients to have some interactivity/conversations or just post abusive comments

Anyway – hope you find it useful and just for clarification and an amended legal disclaimer - The opinions expressed herein are mine alone but probably also do represent the opinions of most other people at OME too

Blogged Out

I saw that for first time ever (in 7 years of life) I had not blogged for a couple of months. And I was about to launch into a thinly veiled OME PR piece commentary on the trends in rec marketing industry when.......

its all a bit 2000s isn't it. Even though I was always amazed at the traffic figures for the blog - the users were definitely on the decline (yes - it could be the quality of the content too)

Twitter is quicker and easier and just better.

So long blog - it was nice knowing you

There is something in the air - launching a business

It may be a coincidence but in last month have had 3 separate conversations with people who are setting up/probably setting up/contemplating setting up a new business in our sector. Think it is a definite sign of increased optimism economically but bizarrely enough all three have asked me for my advice on launching something new/going alone.

First point is (before you think it) why on earth ask me/what do I know. And I agree but I guess there have been relatively few successful businesses launch in this sector over last 7 years - so they had a pretty short shortlist to seek counsel.


So here goes in very short form - my top tips

1. An amazing new business idea is a hugely over-rated thing. Most of us are not inventors or visionaries like James Dyson or Mark Zuckerberg, we are not going to invent a hover car or a teleport machine. There is nothing wrong with doing what other people do - just do it a lot better and with a new angle (maybe) And if you are waiting for the big idea. Its probably never going to come.

2. People who are setting up a business but also interviewing for jobs - don't tend to set up a business. If you are going to do it - you have to do it with 100% conviction and experience the paralysing fear exhilaration of going it alone.

3. Abuse your network - talk to everyone and anyone you have ever encountered socially or through business (or family!). This has many benefits - 1. you practise your pitch/business case 2. the people you may be relying on to help you may not/will not or cannot help you 3. but random people will surprise and get you an in to a client.

4. (Most) people will wish you well and will try to help. You have a window of good will and warmth before this new thing is just not new anymore. So....

5. Don't be proud. Accept all offers of help. We were offered virtually free office space by an old client and that was really, really helpful. Let people buy you lunch, pick up the tab. which links into....

6. Keep your costs to a minimum. get the tube not cabs, coffee for meetings not lunch. Don't spend a fortune on your logo and website. Interestingly - on this point I know people who have done the exact opposite to this and been incredibly successful. So I guess the better advice is decide what type of person, business you are. Do you need to walk the walk and act like the big company - if so - make sure you have some investment

7. Don't needlessly give away chunks of your business - for a small amount of seed capital. Surely you can access some funds (savings, house, bank) rather than risk affecting your future earnings for relatively small investment. As above - many would disagree and if you have invented the hover car - I will happily invest.

8. Don't wait to launch before your office, website, brochure is ready. It will never all be exactly ready

and that links to final point - if you are going to do it, do it today and execute the idea violently and repeat and repeat and repeat........until successful.


And

Good Luck!

No Crystal Balls Available

But these are the blindingly obvious things which will 100% definitely happen and affect us all this year........probably

1. Recruitment economy - this is moving and has moved. There is more going on - recruiter competition will increase and we will all have to work harder to achieve the results we want. I am not ignoring the big issues the UK faces or the fact that this upturn does not help everyone.

2. Just doing the same thing will not be enough. You will have to do what you do now significantly better just to stand still. So competitive advantage will come from exploiting new channels, reaping the rewards from the work that has been (hopefully) done over last 2 years to establish channels (social/mobile/community-local-sector) all supported by great tech.

3. Bigger investment in retention programmes

4. Lots of launches/spin offs in all supplier sectors - with exception of classic job board model (that is a mature, expensive and not so rewarding area to go into as a new entrant)

5. And finally - its all about content. Your adverts, your site, your ATS, your LI/FB/Twitter, your emails, your everything. This is where truly the battle for visibility, engagement, influence and action is going to be won this year and also 2015, 2016, 2017....

We have invested significantly last year in having the right product sets, service offering for these new challenges so feel incredibly excited by 2014 but never want to lose the core OME thing of offering simple straight talking best advice and saving our clients' money. These elements can definitely work in tandem!

Buckle up - its going to be a bumpy (and fun ride)