When consultants look back on their move to IDEX, there’s a general feeling they’ve taken their careers up a gear. Because working for IDEX is the recruitment equivalent of “playing in the Premier League.”
There are many reasons for this. Like the fact that there truly is a team culture. And that people see their earnings jump significantly (our top biller did £600,000 last year, and 20% of consultants did £200,000+).
As someone thinking about joining us, you get the best sense of this experience by hearing from consultants. So here, we sit down with 2 of them – Ashlea and Paul.
Q: Please introduce yourself to the prospective colleagues out there.
Paul: I’m Paul. I specialise in general insurance and am also the director of IDEX’s Manchester office. I joined IDEX 18 months ago after more than 15 years at a corporate recruitment firm.
Ashlea: I’m Ashlea. I specialise in employee benefits. My story is a bit different to Paul’s because when I interviewed at IDEX, I wasn’t actually sure I wanted to stay in recruitment. I was at another firm and didn’t have a great experience, so I was looking at roles both in and outside of recruitment. But after meeting with the IDEX directors, I knew I really wanted the job – and here I am, 5 years later!
Q: What attracted you to IDEX?
Ashlea: The people, definitely. As I said, I was 95% sure I was going to leave recruitment after my last job, but the entire interview process at IDEX was lovely. Everyone I met – from the directors to the consultants – made me think: “These are people I want to work with.”
Paul: I agree with Ashlea. In my previous role, I was leading the insurance and financial services team, so I knew IDEX from the market and viewed them as one of my fiercest competitors. But they aren’t actually fierce, competitive people. The great reputation in the industry is well deserved, and everyone is ambitious – but the culture itself isn’t competitive in the traditional recruitment agency sense.
Q: What support have you received since joining IDEX?
Ashlea: The culture as a whole is based around helping you achieve everything you’re capable of. We’re a team – we celebrate the highs and support each other through the lows. It’s like a family. Plus there’s an onboarding process. I didn’t specialise in employee benefits at my old firm, and they gave me the training I needed to understand the market. There’s a career development framework, so you know what you have to do to progress. I also got my Certificate in Recruitment Practice from the Institute of Recruitment Professionals.
Paul: Everyone genuinely wants to get the best out of every working day, and IDEX are great at giving structures for making that happen. The business has invested lots in technology and tools that make processes easier and help you do your job better. There’s a data specialist who helps identify areas where you’re succeeding and areas where you need support. This is great because it means you get targeted help based on what you personally need, which helps you succeed as an individual. And then there’s lots of mentoring and coaching as well.
Ashlea: That’s all really helped me. And there’s definitely a macro-management structure, too. No one’s standing over you or criticising you about your figures. You have complete autonomy over your own desk – you essentially treat it like it’s your own business. They trust you to do what’s best, but the support is always there whenever you need it.
Q: What are the clients and candidates like?
Paul: Insurance, financial services and legal are great industries to work in. IDEX has a well-deserved reputation for having close client relationships. It used to annoy me when I was a competitor, but it was great coming into the business and being part of that. The approach is based on relationships, trust and values rather than chasing short-term results. This chimed with my own approach (which is one reason why I joined the business).
Ashlea: They’re genuinely nice people to work with. Everyone in the industry knows IDEX, which is great as someone coming in fresh because you have established relationships to work with. And there are lots of opportunities to entertain clients and take them out, like going to the races.
Q: Of the people reading this article, who should take the next step and apply?
Ashlea: People who want to build their careers for the long term. The business is built on long-term relationships and wants consultants to grow with it. If you’re looking to build a successful career as a recruiter, you’ll get all the support in the world to make that happen. I never thought I’d be billing what I’m billing today based on what I was doing at my last job.
Paul: Definitely. And I’d add – people willing to work hard for great results. This isn’t the sort of place where people rest on their laurels or imagine they’re better than everyone else. It’s for people who want to invest in their careers – because if you have that mindset, IDEX will do everything it can to take you to new levels.
Want to learn more about life at IDEX?
Contact Richard on richard.martin@idexconsulting.co.uk or call 0333 700 4339 for a confidential chat about opportunities in Birmingham, Manchester, London and Scotland.
