Along with another Covid lockdown, 2021 saw me turn 50 years old, yes, I know what you are all thinking I don’t look a day over 40! As with any milestone in your life, it starts to get you thinking and along with that came the realisation that I can hand on my heart say, that I have now been recruiting for over half my life now. In fact, in 2022 it will be 26 years.

So, what has it taught me? Well, it’s taught me a lot about people, business and numerous different industries.

1. Absorb all the knowledge you can – I have gained invaluable knowledge from hiring managers for various roles and businesses which has helped me to be able to communicate position descriptions and requirements to job seekers. 

2.Relationships are everything – Building relationships is so important and it’s important to follow through on your commitments. Not sticking to your commitments is the easiest way to damage a relationship. It’s these long-term relationships and the referrals that are way more valuable that any short-term win. This is applicable for both hiring managers and job seekers. 

3. Interviews are more than just learning about the job seeker’s technical experience – a job seeker’s people skills and general attitude are just as important as their technical skills and in some cases, more important. Technical skills can be taught, someone’s personality and general attitude can’t. Hiring managers are assessing this too in an interview. 

4. Sales experience will serve you well – In recruiting I’m always selling. I’m selling job seekers to potential employers and vice versa and I’m selling myself as well. I’m selling myself to hiring managers, that I will find the employee for them, that I’m an expert in my field and to the job seekers, that I will find them that dream job. 

5. Dealing with human emotions – Jobseekers are human, and like me, they have problems to deal with from time to time. Working with people is unpredictable, I can recall so many stories of where things have gone wrong because of human behaviour; but that’s for another time and blog! You get pretty good at dealing with people’s problems from both sides.

Many recruiters will know the saying “champagne and razor blades” and one last thing that being a recruiter has taught me is that there are lots of highs and lows in this job. Job seekers ghost you, or are counter offered. We’ve all been there. However, the highs really do outweigh the lows. I’ve met so many different and great people, learnt so much about industries I would never have been exposed to and really have had heaps of fun along the way.

Not forgetting the opportunity travel, live and work on the other side of the world! And I know that there will be lots more to learn, so I look forward to continuing to learn and grow for at least another 26 years.