STRAIGHT OUTTA BROMLEY!

Back in the day, in the early 90s, there was a street-wise gang that achieved a level of notoriety that the Cripps and Bloods could only dream of.

Guns weren't their weapon of choice... Phones were.

They didn't sell crack on street corners... They sold AS400 Programmers.

Their street colours weren't red and blue... They wore fat YSL ties, red socks and England cufflinks.

They didn't rap to gain street credibility... They overcame objections.

They didn't serve time in the penitentiary... They went to Ibiza.

Snitches didn't get stitches... Deals got new wheels.

They didn't do drive by’s... They car pooled.

They didn't go underground... They rebranded.

They didn't dream of getting out of the hell hole they'd been cursed to be born in... On the contrary, they were quite happy that notorious IT recruitment firms popped up in places like Bromley.

Make no mistake, these were rough, tough, dog eat dog, sink or swim, only-the-strong-survive days.

Back in the day, going to work every day as an IT Recruiter was like entering the gladiatorial amphitheatre. Sometimes you won, sometimes you died.

Bonds were made, that could never be broken. A code of honour existed that some old school Recruiters still follow today. An omerta code, if you will, except in Cockney slang.

These were the glory days of the legendary London IT Recruiter. Never to be seen again.

A decade of decadence in which “Wide Boys” gorged on champagne, Rolex's, Porsches, massive Nokias, and Millwall season tickets.

They had it good. Nay, they ‘ad it large! And they unapologetically enjoyed every second of it. 

They put the “hard” into “work” and “play”.
But this old school generation of hard knocks couldn't live forever.

Eventually, their reign of power had to come to an end. Their numbers started to dwindle as the industry witnessed the birth of party-pooping “boutiques” and “lifestyle businesses’.

But what became of these warriors?

Some moved to Kent. Some found God… Or booze. Some went Internal. Some even moved to Australia to start afresh. Some went back to selling double-glazing or second hand cars. Some retired (early).

But, I'm pleased to say, some still walk amongst us today. Tall and proud. Proud of who they once were.

And I for one, salute them.

They were the trail blazers. The original Gordon Gekkos. They inspired a whole generation of young, innocent minds who naively followed their lead (like money hungry little lemmings).

Today, their swagger might be gone. And the power dressing might be replaced with chinos and polo shirt.

(If you're over 35, you might even know one. They walk amongst us! It’s easy to spot them… They finish every sentence with a cheeky little wink!)

But their never accept “no” for an answer, and always get a good price for Grandma attitude lives on.

So, to all the Geezers and Barrow Boys still out there showing us how it's done after all these years, we salute you.

Legends never die.

Keep flying the flag.