Intro

You are probably here for one of three reasons.

1. You know that I recruit into top trading and technology companies
2. You know me personally
3. You are lost

Regardless of which one, it’s good to have you.

I recently launched my new venture, Meddon Talent. At the one-month mark, I wanted to put some thoughts down.

My aim is to continue the past decade’s work on my terms.

Everyone is inundated on social media with bland AI-generated content, so they recommend you should post authentic insights.

Rather than pretending I frequently reinvent the wheel, I felt it made more sense to share insights into how I think, not just about recruiting but about life in general. I do a lot of it.

My stream of consciousness may help to humanise the random guy on LinkedIn (me) or help somebody in a similar situation.

Who knows, maybe even generate some new business? (don’t worry, one plug per blog, max).

Launch

I am back to the grind, and it feels good. Being in charge of your own destiny is as scary as it is exciting.

Fortunately, this isn’t my first rodeo, so I have plenty of learning to draw from.

Working for yourself is the ultimate test of motivation. Will you do it when nobody is watching? It is easy when you are winning but a lot more challenging when you take a punch to the gut (sometimes several).

You’ve got to dream big but also give yourself some slack. The balance is tough.

Starting the day strong is key. Get early wins in before you even open the laptop. Go to the gym, take a walk or do whatever it is that works for you. Even if you have an absolute howler, you have achieved something. Tomorrow is a new day.

Pace yourself, it’s a long game. If you can hit 7.5/10 daily for a year, you’ll be much better off than a rollercoaster of 10s and 3s.

Focus on you. Everyone else is going to seem like they are crushing it. Whether they are or not doesn’t matter. Stick to the plan and aim to end the day knowing you did all you could.

In between

I spent most of the year on gardening leave after selling my stake in my last business. Last year was a turbulent one personally, and let’s be honest, the market was pretty brutal. I assumed taking some time out would be good for me. The only problem was that I ended up hating it.

Don’t get me wrong, it was punctuated with some lovely moments, and I saw more of my family than I otherwise would have. But fundamentally, it confirmed that my career was a massive part of my identity, and without it, I was lost.

I began to feel guilty as being a husband and a father should have been enough to fulfil that sense of purpose. It took a while, but I eventually learned to reframe the situation. I felt lost and frustrated because I wasn’t able to impact outcomes to improve their lives as much as I used to, and that was okay. I needed to enjoy the time with them that I had. What’s the point of it all if you can’t?

For the first time in over 10 years, I found myself a candidate. This experience gave me a much-needed different perspective and increased empathy.

If I am honest, I was too blinkered on delivering previously and look back with some regrets. Feedback, a kind word and even a simple communication to reject an application all go a long way. Yeah, I was often slammed, but I could have and should have done better at certain points. Lesson learned.

Network

I have done more successful networking in 2024 than in the past 10 years combined. Throughout my career, I have been too passive on this front, a nasty mix of complacency and laziness.

If done with genuine intentions, it’s a rewarding exercise that pays dividends.

Most people are good eggs, willing to help, share advice, or make an introduction if you ask.

Don’t wait until you need to do it; be proactive. That grad engineer might be the next big thing out of Y Combinator and a huge client one day.

In the blink of an eye, you’re on the other side of 30 and wondering how many opportunities and pathways have been closed off by being closed off.

Have the conversation, exchange knowledge and do something kind. At the very least, you’ll feel a lot more fulfilled.

Looking forward

I’m committing to one of these a month for a year. If something resonates with you, I’d love to hear about it.

If you found yourself here for reason 3, fair play to you for sticking it out to the end.

P.S. – If it sounded like I was pulling out the world’s smallest violin at any point, that wasn’t my intention. I know how fortunate I am.

P.P.S. – I have and will probably again use AI to help create content, just not here.