Potentia (an Auckland based ‘search and select’ IT recruitment firm) recently scooped the Fastest Growing Business Services Company in the country and 10th overall at the 7th Annual Deloitte Fast50 awards. Managing Director Josh Comrie said “Ours is an industry void of ‘real’ awards and this is validation of the hard work by the team in building the business over the last four years”

Potentia was established in 2004 to fill the gap of quality IT&T recruitment businesses in the Auckland market who seek to provide some compelling points of difference and a unique and high quality experience to clients and candidates alike. “The recruitment industry is reasonably homogenous and I hear from our clients that some of our competitors continue to peddle the same story of quality databases and effective advertising” says Comrie. “To me they are living in the 90’s, since recruitment went online there have been no real innovations in the industry and to me that’s just boring. Any other industry that doesn’t innovate and becomes complacent can expect to get overrun by competitors, yet recruiters seem impervious to this fact”. Strong words…

So what does Potentia do differently? “We examined the relationship that is formed between a recruitment business and its stakeholders, in this instance Candidates, the recruiter is uniquely placed in working through one of the most challenging occurrences in a person’s life – changing jobs. We develop such a knowledge of this individual, their drivers, capability and fit, yet the traditional extent of interaction post placement is a cursory phone call to hope the candidate has outlasted the guarantee period. This is madness!” Combining the coaching with thorough, yet streamlined high quality processes has allowed Potentia to shine and be recognised by this award.

Combining the best elements of personal development and leadership coaching, Potentia has created a program that candidates tap into to allow them to develop their skills further and get more of what they want out of their new roles. “It’s a win-win situation really” says Comrie, The candidate gets to experience a program that is geared around their needs (coaching is a one-on-one program) and how best to meet them, and the client sees a productive and happy employee during the most challenging time of employment – the beginning. We have numerous examples of empirical evidence of people who run into some challenges with their new role, and how coaching helps move them beyond that challenge. Further, this is a skill they get to keep as they reach the conclusion themselves rather than someone telling them the solution or how it is.

Comrie believes that the Deloitte award is a demonstration of the fact that the market is really craving a different service and one with mutual success as an objective. “I am inspired by the team and their determination in working with people towards building great businesses and fulfilling careers”. This industry can be very challenging and is highly competitive, the guys are a testament to the fact that if you believe in what you do and know where you’re going, anything’s possible!” He adds that the Potentia team is actively engaged in an ongoing personal coaching program which kicks off when they walk into the Potentia Offices. Stirring stuff.