Recruitment – A Young Man’s Game?

I can’t tell you the number of recruiters I heard this from. Previously there was an idea that a successful office has “layers”, that being layers of age and layers of experience.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand the logic of both these statements, particularly the “office layers”. Actually the idea of recruitment being a “young man’s game” is often the case as you are a young man when you start at the coal face. The grunts, the infantry, the front row of the recruitment business are often young, vibrant and energetic.

The reason? Recruitment requires you to be energetic, enthused, driven, and dynamic – characteristics that naturally wane over time. This is understandable to an extent, as time progresses it is the grind of “old mother time” all these attributes become less intrinsic.

An example that easily comes to mind for me is that when I started in recruitment the morning sales meeting and subsequent morning of cold calling came with an intense passion and drive that was just there from being awake. I continue to have the same passion but to really attain the same level I will need to do sprints on my bike, getting the heart rate up to a minimum of 140bpm, a strong espresso and a freezing cold shower, something I ensure I do at least 3 times a week. Praying I don’t need to use the nearest de-fib.

There is no lacklustre approach in the way you engage with the recruitment process after 1 year, 5 years or 10 years. The thrill remains in placing and securing that candidate or engaging with that hard to secure client. Of course the surge of dopamine, adrenalin and serotonin is not going to be quite the same as that very first placement, a bit like the first time you drive, first time you go to the pub, first time you travel abroad on your own etc., like many first’s the thrill will inevitably wane slightly, however as the engagement of that hard to reach client or placement of that worker is linked inexplicably to your career, income and livelihood there is always a thrill. Not to mention that due to the nature of recruitment and sales, those deals and placements are not always consistent. When you have a lull or a slump for a couple of months, getting that candidate over the line can create as much passion as the early years of the placements.

Furthermore, if you start with an energy and passion in a particular career it tends to stick around regardless of your tenure. Along with tenure comes experience and skill – something the “young man” will never have. This armoury of skill, knowledge and experience equips the more seasoned salespersons game and will create a vigour that perhaps a younger employee would not have. Whereas a challenge that may be daunting and overwhelming, the knowledge that this challenge can be overcome creates an excitement and drive that may not necessarily be in the new employee.

You only have to look at the articles and engagement of Greg Savage.

This is a recruiter who exudes enthusiasm and excitement in every aspect of career and business with energy and passion.

Perhaps he always had that. I feel I mostly had that, but for now and the next 10 years I will ensure I aim to have the same energy, passion and excitement as that day in August 2006 when I first picked up the recruitment phone!