Recruitment :Lessons Learned from mistakes made

Lessons Learned: Recruitment Mistakes and Investing in Homegrown Talent

Running a dive business is an amazing adventure filled with highs and lows. One of the most significant challenges we’ve faced has been recruitment. Over the years, we’ve made our fair share of mistakes, particularly when it comes to hiring the wrong people. Today, we want to share some of these experiences—not just to reflect, but to highlight the valuable lessons we've learned along the way.

Our Recruitment Mistakes

One of the most painful lessons came from hiring friends. We thought we understood them, but it turned out that some were more interested in attempting to sabotage our success to pursue their own ventures. These individuals attempted to undermine our business in hopes of setting up their own operations. Ironically, their efforts didn’t pan out well for them, and we learned the hard way that friendship doesn’t always translate into a trustworthy professional relationship.This is a common theme in the diving industry, especially in the UK.

Hiring shouldn't look any different, regardless of if someone is your friend or not.

Another challenge we faced involved hiring individuals who, rather than being honest, chose to be dishonest to undermine the hard work Clare and I put into building our business. Their attempts to spread misinformation only served to highlight their own insecurities and dishonesty. This occurred after they joined us, where they complained about the previous places of where they used to dive. The common denominator seemed to be these individuals. Those who truly mattered—our loyal team members, students and members—saw through the facade, proving that integrity always shines through in the end.

We also encountered employees who, due to misconduct issues, had to be let go. In some cases, these individuals attempted to extort money from the business post-termination. Their efforts were unsuccessful, but these situations reinforced the importance of having proper paperwork for disciplinary meetings and maintaining a strong ethical framework in our hiring practices.

It’s almost comical to observe how some former employees became fixated on our activities after they left the company. Instead of focusing on their own paths, they seemed more concerned with our success. While it’s amusing in retrospect, it also highlighted how important it is to foster a positive work environment where team members genuinely support each other rather than compete or undermine.

Funnily enough, a number of the above issues can be rolled into a handful of people who ticked all of the boxes above, and were all proven to their lack of integrity repeatedly. We do not let this take away from the number of amazing instructors we have had such as, recently the instructors we had with our North West operations - both amazing instructors.

Recruiting for Success

Investing in Homegrown Talent

Despite these challenges, we don’t regret our past recruiting mistakes. Each experience has equipped us with invaluable knowledge about recruitment and team dynamics. Our current team consists of home developed talent—support divers and dive masters who have grown into the talented divers they are today. It's been a joy to watch their progression, and we believe they have the potential to become fantastic instructors if they choose to pursue that path. These individuals have come up through the diving ranks, embodying the same passion and commitment we have towards our students.

New Faces and Fresh Perspectives

We’re excited to welcome new members to our team at Vivian Quarry. One individual, our new Operations manager, comes from outside the diving industry and is someone who, in certain circles, may be readily recognised. We see this as a fantastic opportunity to bring fresh perspectives to our business. We are committed to training her in diving, from SSI Open Water up to SSI Assistant Manager, although this wont be the Operation Managers role (diving) its a key activity going forward for the 2025 plans for the business. This comprehensive approach ensures she will have a solid grasp of diving practices alongside every other aspect of our operations.

Additionally, our Assistant Manager and Dive Team Leader is someone we taught during the instructor course several years ago. After briefly leaving the area to pursue other outdoor adventure activities, he has returned as a knowledgeable instructor and leader in various outdoor fields. His diverse skill set enriches our team and enhances our overall service offering.

Investing in Our Team

We are fully invested in our team members. While it may appear that we dedicate significant time and resources to their development (which we are!), we genuinely believe it’s worth it. The investment we make today will yield long-term benefits for our business, our teams development and personal / professional growth and for our students.

We wouldn’t have it any other way, after learning from numerous recruitment mistakes in the past. Our commitment to nurturing talent from within and training new team members ensures that we provide the highest quality experience for our divers.

By fostering a culture of growth and continuous learning, we’re not just building a team; we’re creating a family of passionate individuals dedicated to making every dive memorable. Here’s to the bright future ahead, filled with amazing dives and fantastic adventures!