Recruitment is a competitive industry, no matter which services your company provides. There are a lot of both temporary and permanent recruitment agencies out there; some are fully focused on a specific sector; others are more general.  

To give your business an edge, you need to put yourself out there. Recruitment expos are the place to be for anyone working in the recruitment industry.  

 

What is a Recruitment Expo? 

A recruitment expo is similar to many finance and tech exhibitions that are becoming increasingly popular in large cities. They enable companies to show off their new products, give presentations, and network with their peers.  

These aren’t to be confused with job fairs, which are aimed at people looking for work, not the temporary recruitment agencies they can work for.  

Recruitment expos are great for businesses that both provide and support recruitment. This naturally includes temporary recruitment agencies, as well as companies like ours that help them to grow and succeed.  

 

What to do at a Recruitment Expo 

The people attending a recruitment expo can be split into two camps. You have the businesses who are pitching and presenting – usually industry leaders or innovators with new CRMs or AI models to show off – and the visitors, which are a blend of industry professionals and people just looking to learn more.  

No matter which lanyard is around your neck, these events are a great way to get a fresh insight into the industry. When you’re using the same tech day after day, you aren’t aware of the brand-new programs being developed. We’re always blown away every time we visit a recruitment expo and leave brimming with ideas on what we can use to continue growing. It isn’t just new tech either, you’ll see companies talking about sustainability, compliance, and even admin.   

Next, the presentations. Hearing the biggest names in the business share their success stories and their predictions for the future is a great way to improve as a recruitment agency owner. And once you’ve grown enough, you’ll be the one taking the stage, so it’s best to start taking notes now! 

Arguably the most important part of these events is the networking opportunities. When you imagine a room full of people working in the same industry, you might think it’s incredibly competitive, with every stand fighting over visitors. In actual fact, it’s very civilised. We might all have the same goals, but we also know that building connections with other companies is key to growth, and we’re always happy to hear how well they’re doing!  

Simply put, if you work in recruitment and aren’t going to these events: you’re missing out big time.  

 

Types of Recruitment Expo 

No two recruitment expos are the same. Some fill huge venues like the Excel in London or the Birmingham NEC, and some are smaller events that are focused on a specific type of recruitment or sector. There are also job fairs, like we mentioned, but these are only beneficial if you’re using these events to find new applicants.  

If your recruitment agency works in a particular sector such as driving, education, or healthcare, an event specifically for that industry is a great opportunity. You’ll be the exact type of company visitors are looking for, and you’ll be able stay up to date with the most relevant changes.  

 

What we do at Recruitment Expos 

We’ve been attending recruitment expos for a long time now, and they’ve been a key part of our development. Although we only work with temporary recruitment agencies, understanding more about the industry in general is what helps us plan for the future (and helps us write great blogs about recruitment too!).  

Our role within these events varies. Sometimes we give talks about the value of recruitment finance, and why it’s so crucial for any growing agency, no matter how long they’ve been trading for.  

We also attend just as visitors keen to check out all the new and improved tech, as well as see some familiar faces. Since we work with a lot of temporary recruitment agencies, it’s always an opportunity to catch up and see how they’re doing.  

Although we keep things fairly casual at recruitment expos, we always have business on the brain. Any new recruitment companies that are trying to get their foot in the door are the perfect clients for us, so it’s always a priority to have a chat and swap details.  

 

The Importance of Recruitment Expos 

For us, a recruitment expo is the best way to show off what we do differently. Case studies are great, and social media posts and referrals do bring in a lot of work, but nothing beats the opportunity to chat face-to-face with recruitment companies who need a service like ours.  

This is a mentality that we’re very proud of. The human-centric approach is why we’re so successful. By meeting with companies and showing a genuine interest in them and what they do, they understand how much we care about helping them – they’re not just an invoice to us.  

Speaking of invoices, that’s one of the many things our service helps with. Our credit controllers and payroll managers (who are fully focused on a single client) help with invoicing, payroll funding, recruitment funding, and correspondence, all making sure that your temporary workers are paid on time, every time.  

We can’t stress enough how important it is to attend these events. You might think you’re keeping up with your industry, but you’d be surprised how fast things can change. With the right knowledge, and plenty of connections, you’ll be able to soar past your competitors. And if you ever see someone from Back Office, be sure to say hi!