Starting from solid foundations

An aspiring recruiter recently asked me what it takes to be successful in recruitment and how best to approach the early days in your career.

In the context of the current market, I thought this was a really interesting question. Of course, I’ve been asked similar questions before and usually spoken about passion and hunger to be successful, but the truth is these will only get you so far.

If I think back on the success that I’ve had in my career, and the relationships that I’ve built over a decade, in engineering, there are a number of things that have been contributing factors to not just short-term success but sustained relationships in the industry. I think these can be boiled down to five main areas.

Empathy

Not always the first thing that comes to mind when you think about recruiters. That being said, I truly believe this is one of the most important foundations to be able to grow your career from. A lot of people will say listening is a key skill, and that is undoubtedly true, but it goes beyond this. Listening is not enough. It has to be coupled with a genuine desire to understand and empathize with someone’s current situation, their frustrations, and their hopes and aspirations for the future. Everyone’s situation is different, and understanding what is important to people is absolutely imperative in establishing a long-term fit for both candidates and clients.

Curiosity

Many recruiters will start working in a sector or an industry they have no prior experience or knowledge of. You can spend weeks or even months researching your industry and you’ll only be scratching the surface. It’s important to realize that most of your candidates and clients will not only have spent four years studying in their given fields but also years practicing in the industry. It is simply impossible to catch up and think that research online will prepare you for the market that you work within. 

That being said, industry knowledge is like making a cake; you don’t start with the icing. The first step is asking questions about what your candidates do on a day-to-day basis and really strive to understand the nature of their roles. The more candidates you speak to, the more you will understand how responsibilities differ from company to company. This incremental acquisition of knowledge will begin to build a clear picture of what candidates do on a day-to-day basis; their career path will vary, depending on the company that they work with and which businesses they are most likely to find the change they are looking for at.

Step-by-step, call by call, knowledge builds; but only if you are curious enough to ask the right questions.

Integrity

Reputations take years to build, and just seconds to destroy. Working with honest intentions and integrity are the foundations from which your career will flourish. Never sacrifice your values and integrity chasing short-term wins. Do what you say you are going to do, work with pure intentions, and focus on what is best for your candidates and your clients.

If you can stand behind your actions, and know that you worked with pure intentions, it is much easier to resolve disputes or conflicts when they arise as you can talk openly about how you have arrived at that moment and focus on how you move forwards, rather than trying to cover your tracks.

Lack of integrity is one of people's biggest bugbears with recruitment. While you can’t control the actions of others, you will always have power over your own actions.

How you show up and how you treat those you come in contact with, will shape your reputation and ultimately decide whether people will work with you.

Drive

I remember reading a quote by David Brooks in my first month of recruitment:

“Almost every successful person begins with two beliefs: the future can be better than the present, and I have the power to make it so.”

This quote has always stuck with me. Recruitment is an industry that can provide an earning potential that is hard to find elsewhere, but also a level of job satisfaction that is nearly unparalleled; but only if you’re willing to show up every day seize the opportunity.

As you navigate your recruitment career, you will undoubtedly come across those who are happy to do as little as possible, and yet surprised at (sometimes resentful of) the success of others.

You will also work with people who never settle; they always want to do more and be more successful than they were yesterday. Every placement not only impacts their earnings, but they also represent someone landing their dream job or a client filling a role that will allow them to achieve their goals. Every one of these placements is a hit of dopamine and a boost in self-worth and satisfaction.

Drive feeds success, success feeds confidence and self-worth, confidence and self-worth drive engagement, and those people who feel engaged and empowered almost always strive to be better... But it starts with drive

Resilience

Anything meaningful takes time to achieve. There will be countless times where things don't go your way. You will be competing with recruiters with more experience, knowledge and deeper networks, the first year is the hardest. Recruitment can be a dark place when you are not getting the results you want. Just as success can impact you're self worth and confidence so too can a lack of success.

Having the resilience to show up everyday, work with empathy, curiosity, integrity and drive and belief that tomorrow can be better than today; will be crucial in getting you through the first 12 months and establishing your presence in your given field.