Meet Workonomics
Q: How is Workonomics different to other recruitment companies?
J: Tony and I are experienced and fortunate enough to work completely independently, so are free of all burdens but to deliver an exceptional end-to-end recruitment service. We don't have sales targets to hit, promotions to chase, or staff to look after. It's literally just us two, so as a candidate or client you really do get our full attention, and we're totally accountable.
Q: What kind of companies does Workonomics recruit for?
J: We recruit for companies of all shapes and sizes, across a range of industries. We understand the nuances of helping a start-up hire their first engineer, to the challenges of modernising the recruitment mindset and practices of an evolving corporate.
T: For companies, if you put your people and tech first, we're interested in collaborating. For candidates, we work with a number of places who positively contribute to society in some way.
Q: What kind of roles does Workonomics recruit for?
J: We each specialise in slightly different domains. I mainly recruit software engineers - all experience levels and tech stacks.
T: DevOps and Data is my thing, from entry-level up to ‘Head of’.
Q: What are Workonomics company values?
T: The why connects more than the what. Only make promises you intend to keep. Work together to go further.
Q: What’s been Workonomics most enjoyable recruitment project to date?
J: Helping Prudential build a cross-functional product engineering outfit from scratch in Edinburgh was great fun. This was a brand new business vertical modelled on the ‘Enterprise Startup’, delivering in to a wider transformation programme. We worked off a totally blank canvas, from defining the vision, taking the message to market, and getting new hires happily onboarded.
T: We both look back fondly on this gig as we met some brilliant individuals and built a pretty unique and diverse team. In 12 months we introduced 21 people across Leadership, Engineering, Data, Design, QA, and Delivery.
Q: What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced as Workonomics?
J: Probably coming up with a company name we were both OK with…I think that set us back about 3-months!
T: Learning to say 'no' more often.
Q: How do you see the future of recruitment?
J: More experienced agency recruiters will hopefully follow a similar path to us and realise they can be happy working independently. This’ll mean less competition, more collaboration, and a better industry all round.
T: I think recruiters who aren’t attuned to the continued challenges of hiring with diversity and inclusion in mind will struggle. We aren’t perfect by any means, but we’re trying to get better!
Q: What’s been your most unexpected moments in recruitment?
T: I've some great stories about candidates making very odd decisions. Here’s my top 3:
Turned up to an interview at 9pm rather than 9am...didn’t realise it might be during normal working hours!
Arrived a week late for their start date after opting to relocate to the UK from Russia by car instead of plane.
Software Engineer quit on the first day of their new job to start a business building solar energy parks in Cyprus.
Q: What would you both be doing if you weren't in recruitment?
J: I've always been interested in property, so maybe something in that world. I'd also definitely be OK with someone paying me to stay in and review luxury hotels!
Q: Are Workonomics hiring?
J: No, and happily so. The world doesn’t need another big tech recruitment agency. You get what you see with us - just Tony and I!