Niche recruiter working from home

Small and medium employers in your chosen field who lack time or an HR team to hire.

A placement fee, usually a percentage of the new hire's first-year salary, paid when a candidate you introduced starts. Income can be lumpy, with a few big months and some quiet ones.

• Sales and relationship building
• Good judgement about people
• Organised follow-up with clients and candidates
• Knowledge of your chosen industry

• Public liability and professional indemnity insurance, check what cover suits recruiters
• Privacy obligations when holding candidates' personal information, check the Privacy Act and what applies to you
• Anti-discrimination and Fair Work rules when advertising and screening
• Council approval for running a business from home, check with your local council
• Fee disputes if a client hires a candidate directly, make sure your terms are clear and signed

Startup costs are typically around $1,500 to $6,000, depending on your website, software, insurance and marketing. These are estimates only, so check them against quotes for the tools you plan to use.

Monthly revenue is typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on how many placements you make and the fees you agree with employers. That is revenue before costs, and these figures are estimates only.

Check insurance such as public liability and professional indemnity, and privacy obligations for candidates' personal information under the Privacy Act. Also check anti-discrimination and Fair Work rules, council approval for a home business, and clear signed fee terms.