3650 days later… and still enjoying it.

I recently hit my 10-year work anniversary in the recruitment industry. I can honestly say that when I started my role as a recruitment consultant a decade ago, I never in a million years thought I would still be here 87,600 hours later. It was just a job back then, something to do at a time when I was a little lost regarding my career direction.

In the golden age of social media narcissism and after hitting a career milestone, I thought I would offer my two cents on what I believe has been important to keeping myself motivated, focussed and most importantly; enjoying what I do! If you are still reading this and not thinking “who is the self-righteous little LinkedIn like hoarder?” these are my thoughts on what I have always tried to adhere to;

1, Being positive. I’ve seen negative people spread their bad vibes to others far to many times and you must do your best to steer clear of them. A negative recruitment consultant is no good for anyone!

2, Not taking things personally. Business is business and sometimes things just don't go your way. You must have the ability and self-realisation to understand that it’s not the world vs you. Dust yourself off and keep going.

3, Trying different approaches to work. Variety is the spice of life. There is no set rule for anything. Write advertisements imaginatively, make calls outside of the office, mix up your work routine… just do things differently. Remember; “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results” 

4, Celebrating mini wins and setting daily goals. Walking away each day with a sense of success is imperative to keeping you engaged . Wins are not just filling roles. They can be as small as getting through to someone for the first time or connecting with a good candidate. Celebrating mini wins are incredibly important for keeping you self-motivated in a recruitment role.

5, Being grateful. Thank people for their time and business. Don’t expect business and appreciate it when it comes your way.

6, Recruiting and managing as yourself. Don’t pretend to be someone you are not. Your personality is usually your key selling point.

7, Being proactive. Make things happen and don’t wait for business to come to you. You must shape your own success and not rely on anyone else to do it for you.

8, Partnering with people that appreciate what you do. Work with people that value your service and your hard work. Anyone that doesn't isn't worth spending your time on.

9, Realising its a numbers game. I’m not talking about KPI’s but you need to be aware of the basic activity levels needed to be successful in a recruitment role.    

10, Understanding that social media is a great additional tool in recruitment but should not be the primary tool for interacting with clients and candidates.

I was once told that “email is the death of a salesman” and I’m a firm believer in this. Without networking on the phone and more importantly face to face you won’t be effective in your role and you certainly wont enjoy it as much. Social Media and email have their place in the recruitment process but they should not be a substitute for good old fashioned calls and meetings. The most successful people in any of the businesses I have worked in are always those that prioritise making calls and meeting people above all else. This by far is the most enjoyable part of a recruitment role - interacting with people and not staring at useless social media posts all day long :)

Additionally, a key ingredient is, of course, the company you work for. I’ve been extremely fortunate to have worked for a fantastic business over the last 10 years and I’ve been fully supported both personally and professionally. I was trained and mentored well and have been given endless opportunities to grow at every stage of my career. It’s great to see most recruitment businesses these days are providing a great environment and culture for their staff to thrive. I’m extremely grateful to Constructive Recruitment for everything they have done for me and the environment they have created over my time with the business. The people I work with and the company I work for have been critical in keeping me engaged, motivated and most of all happy in recruitment. For this I will be forever grateful! If you don't work for a company providing you with a great environment and career opportunities where you are not valued - please go and find one - there are plenty of them out there.

If you are still this far down the article.... get on the phone......joking.......but seriously thank you for taking the time to read it, and I hope 1 or more of the points raised is helpful in your pursuit of a long and enjoyable career in the recruitment industry.