I've been offered a recruitment start-up, leads included, for zero initial outlay. Would you go for this or is it too good to be true?!

[Laconia]

I've been a specialist in my field (skilled manual labour) for years. I used to get some contract work from an agent who only dealt with temporary work. She and I had become quite pally over the years, she seems a good egg.

I'd mentioned to her that I wanted to do less of my current line of work and hankered after working flexibly from home. She asked me if I wanted to do some recruitment work, and offered to send all the enquiries for permanent work to me to deal with. She gets a lot of these enquiries from clients but really wants to stay temp only.

We've not discussed this in great detail yet, she's just said she'd want 25% of whatever percentage I'd charge a client for a successful placement.

I trust her, and am willing to train up and learn the permanent recruitment trade around my current work, but my "is this a shit idea" alarm is going off.

WWYD?

Nothing good is ever free, especially so when you're talking livelihoods and money.
Could you ask for a contract to be drawn up so that you can make a more educated decision?

I've spent almost 20 years in sales and sales management. I now train sales people but Recruitment is a but too hard core for me!!
It's very very tough, I have friends who do it and I find they are a certain breed.
It might suit you but it's really hard so think carefully about it. Not saying you shouldn't do it but don't think it will be easy.
If you go ahead good luck

If she has the contacts for temp work, I can't imagine why she wouldn't be looking to fill perm positions, which is usually at a much higher margin (albeit a one-off rather than constant repeat business). So it seems that she has problems filling the positions maybe? Which would mean you would too?

I'd suggest before you do anything that you suggest doing a week shadowing her in her business. See what it entails, see if you like it. As hopping says, recruitment is very salesy. I hated it. Of course, you may love it. But try it out first.

And then get a contract!

Think about things like: what happens if a placement goes wrong? (the big agencies have refund policies, what would you do? Would she refund you if you have to refund a client?)
What about your candidates? You'd have to interview them - would/could you do that from home?
Data protection - big issue in recruitment as you hold lots of personal data (obviously!) - what systems would you need?
How would you work together - if she is passing on perm leads from her temp clients, lots of potential for confusion there.

That's just for starters

Thanks all. The more I think about this the more I don't like the smell of it.

Wilson, that's what I wonder - why doesn't she want these leads, if they're so potentially lucrative?

Just because I know my trade inside out doesn't mean that I'd be the best choice to recruit for it. I've done a spot of sales before and was quite successful (cold calling telesales back in the day...) but I didn't love it.

I'm going to meet with her and go through exactly how she thinks it might work.

We're skint at the moment so I'm trying not to let her tales of easy money colour my judgement.

Whatever she is offering - might be a gold-plated opportunity, who knows? - recruitment is never easy money...