In my 25+ years as a recruiter, I've witnessed a dramatic shift in the industry. Gone are the days when recruitment was primarily a sales job. Today, I believe that successful recruiters are those who have transformed into trusted advisors.
Historically, recruitment often resembled a numbers game:
Cold calling potential candidates
Pushing resumes to clients
Focusing on quantity over quality
Prioritising internal KPI’s, over doing the right thing
Now, the landscape has dramatically changed:
Deep Industry Knowledge: We're expected to understand not just job descriptions, but entire industries and their trends.
Career Counselling: We guide candidates through career decisions, not just job changes.
Employer Branding Consultants: We advise companies on how to attract and retain top talent.
Long-Term Relationship Building: Our success is measured by the longevity and success of our placements.
Why This Matters
By shifting from a sales-centric approach, to a truly consultative one, we:
Build stronger, lasting relationships with both candidates and clients
Contribute more meaningfully to organisations' long-term success
Elevate the perception and value of our profession
From a personal perspective, I’m delighted to say I still have several relationships from my earliest days in recruitment, that are now now well into their third decade. But the last ten years at Hybridge, where I’ve not had any metrics to consider other than producing great customer outcomes, have been the most rewarding.