A Decade in Recruitment.....1 Company and a lot of CHANGE!

Mike Bott speaks on his 10 years as part of LHi Group and what it means to him.

"I didn’t ever think I would be writing about how I have spent 10 years in recruitment, let alone achieving that with just one company!

So, my 10 year anniversary at LHi Group got me thinking; what does a decade in the recruitment industry look like?

Well, in a nut shell, for me it’s been; 7 different offices, 4 new brand launches, 3 new country openings, 1 new group name, Virgin Fast Track 100, 250+ new faces, 7 promotions, couple of MVP awards, 1 Director of the Year and a few ups and downs along the way.  

Like many, I knew very little about recruitment when I started applying for jobs in the “big smoke”. It’s strange to think LinkedIn wasn’t even “a thing” when I started!

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I had heard all the glamour stories around huge pay cheques and a lifestyle of ‘entertaining’ clients. However, I wasn’t told (or warned) about the hard work, total dedication and the need to be extremely thick skinned. All valuable lessons you learn along the way.

Despite my complete lack of recruitment knowledge, I secured 3 offers through an amazing Rec to Rec, Anne-Marie Butts who is now Head of People at LHi Group. (She sold the company so well she ended up joining herself!)

With 3 offers on the table, you would think I would have deliberated over where to go but it was easy to make the decision to join Lawrence Harvey, as LHi Group was known then.

Tom Glanfield (CEO) had a clear vision and he was (and still is) super motivated and that’s what made my decision so simple. I totally believed in what he was telling me. He demonstrated to me 3 traits that I now look for in all leaders/managers; honesty, vision and motivation. I expect no less from myself and my team.

The vision that Tom had back in 2007 is now reality. I joined a company of 5/6 people based in a little flat in Clapham, South London. 10 years later we have 120+ people all over the world, offices in London, Manchester, Munich, Paris, LA and New York. I have had the chance to be part of something totally unique and it’s given me more opportunity than I ever thought possible from a job both professionally and personally.

People have asked me on a number of occasions; “what’s the biggest lesson you have learnt over the last 10 years?” For me, it has to be the ability to cope with change!

Year after year the company has grown, faced new challenges, implemented new ideas and new methods all the while building new teams and new markets... it has never stopped.

This is the exciting part and a key reason why I have never looked to move, we have constantly evolved as a business and I have enjoyed the rollercoaster. Inevitably, with growth comes change.   It’s amazing how many people see change as a huge threat. But, in my time here at LHi, I have learnt to embrace it, to dive right in and drive the change that we as a business are looking for.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not always easy, but change is inevitable so I believe it’s better to go with it than fight against it in most cases.

Lastly, I think it’s important to mention, culture is key to any successful business in my opinion.

Having a clear identity, a clear vision and creating an environment where all different types of people can excel is vital and I truly believe this leads to performance (I actually wrote a blog on it - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/culture-loyalty-performance-mike-bott).

It’s no fluke that many of our Management / Leadership positions within LHi Group are filled with home grown talent, people who have worked their way up, like me, from junior positions and played a key role in the growth of the business.

This drives our culture of promoting from within, having a clear and attainable career path, from graduate to Director, I am proof of that.

LHi employees are unique, we hear it a lot. We work hard, we are passionate about our markets, we believe we are the best at what we do… and why not? That’s why candidates come to us and our clients expect to partner with motivated consultants that offer the best service possible.

But, it’s not just about work. We are inclusive, we work as a team, and we look out for each other… a LHi family if you like… too corny????? Maybe, but it’s true.

And so what next for me? Hopefully more of the same!

Learn from a few mistakes, probably make a few more, but continue on this path. Help and encourage others in the business to achieve their goals, from that first deal, to that key promotion. The vision may have changed a little, but the same words come to mind; success, growth, inclusion, new challenges and CHANGE.

Now in the US, the opportunity seems endless and my motivation has never been higher. The team we have in place is incredibly exciting and we’re growing month to month. There has never been a better time to join the LHi Group.

I have had an amazing first 10 years, thanks to all those colleagues, candidates and clients that have helped me enjoy it along the way.

I’m looking forward to the next 10 years with LHi Group… but first, Tom Glanfield, I believe you owe me my ‘Gift Of Time’! One of the amazing things about LHi is our many loyalty incentives one of which is the 10 year ‘Gift of Time’; a month’s paid sabbatical or a nice new watch! Tom, I’ve got the Rolex catalogue… See you in December!"

#LHiTiD