Greg Schneider: Challenging talent acquisition

“The challenge is ensuring you always getting the basics done, while following up on the exciting new leads.” - Greg Schneider
 
Where on the planet are you currently located? Cape Town, South Africa  
 
You have started a business model that offers rewards for the recruitment industry, tell us more? Prior to starting Hiring Bounty I was working at newly formed company, I had joined the business as their first employee and as we grew the business - a large portion of the recruitment fell to me. While I don't have a background in recruitment my experience both as a potential employer and employee highlighted to me that there was something fundamentally flawed with how traditional recruitment was being executed.  

Whilst trying to hire I found that by in large traditional recruiters didn't understand the job they were recruiting for and simply sent through CVs with even the most tentative skill matches. As a perspective employee I also received numerous contacts for jobs that I was clearly not suited for or simply didn't match my desired working environment.  
 
The idea for Hiring Bounty was finally inspired when one job offer, that sounded very much like it could be at my current employer, was offered to me through a recruitment agent. This ridiculous situation convinced me that the market could do with some alternatives. (FirstStep.me says nicely done!)
 
In terms of the recruitment industry what do you feel is missing regarding talent acquisition? An understanding of job requirements. As jobs become more niche this flaw is going to become even more exaggerated as we turn to people who have never worked in the industry and don't understand a company’s culture.  
 
Was starting your own business always your career goal? While at university I started a dog walking business and then a surfboard trading business. So yes, being an entrepreneur was always the goal.
 
Are your work days systematic or extremely dynamic? Everyday is different, just as I think I've got a routine an opportunity surfaces that diverts the day down a completely different path. The challenge is ensuring you always getting the basics done, while following up on the exciting new leads. The risk is always that you might get drawn into this exciting new opportunity at the expense of the key day to day tasks that ultimately build the solid foundation for the business. (FirstStep.me says wisdom beyond his years…)
 
Do you kick start your day with a cup of coffee? Is there any other way. I'm a bit of a coffee snob. Double flat white not sugar, if you taking orders.  
 
What are the challenges you face in terms of running your own business and has the current global economic environment been an obstacle in your productivity as a business? The current global climate hasn't really affected the launch of Hiring Bounty. Our business model, which sees clients propose their own recruitment fee, means we immediately become a very cost effective form of recruitment. Coupled with our contingent model, which sees a client only pay on successful hire and there by reducing risk, has again helped our attractiveness to clients; especially in a changing global economic climate.
 
The biggest challenge facing me as MD of Hiring Bounty has definitely been getting to speed on the complexity of the recruitment industry. While the general running of the business called on past experience my relatively little experience in recruitment represented the steepest learning curve, but also one of the most interesting parts of launching this new business.
 
If you could name your own planet what would it be called? Bob (FirstStep.me team raises eyebrows!)
 
Your advice for the youth of the planet? Nothing is an over night success, what appears to have sprung up out of no where was built on years of hard graft. If you ensure you always taking small continuous steps in the correct direction you'll ultimately get to your goal.
 
Greg Schneider Tweets here @greg_dale.