What advice would I give my 10-years younger self?

Earlier this year I celebrated my 10th working anniversary at Bakker & Partners. Needless to say that time flies when you are enjoying your job. I enjoyed a holiday last week, relishing family time and challenging myself climbing the Drome mountains on my bike. While I was wandering off during some intense uphill climbs, I was asking myself which piece of advice I would give myself if I could meet the 10-years younger Anthony. Here are a couple of options worth taking into consideration.?

1/ Don’t think that you’re “there” yet because you were successful in the past. You’ll never get “there”!

When you are working in such a dynamic and challenging industry as headhunting or niche recruitment, there is no way to reach the level of perfection. You can do your utmost to be excellent in everything you do, but there will always be room for improvement or (marginal) gains to chase. It is a common concern experienced recruiters have. Many feel that, after a few (successful) years, they saw it all and a career reorientation is needed in order to continue their development. They often feel the urge for a new type of role and new impulses. Although I agree that gaining experience in e.g. an internal role as Talent Acquisition Manager or HR Manager can be very enriching, I believe that continuing to master the craft of headhunting can be as rewarding. Every new candidate, every new client, every new assignment and every new colleague is a potential source of new insights, knowledge or wisdom. If you are a natural born recruiter, you’ll never get bored of it?

2/ Look actively for mentors and other sources of inspiration

I’m also convinced that a continuous development is directly linked to the quality of the mentors you will encounter during your professional journey. The importance of mentors is, in general, way underestimated in my opinion. A mentor can be a direct manager, but as well an N+2, a peer or even an outsider. I believe that actively looking for the right mentors and/or other sources of inspiration should be everybody’s priority. The right mentors will help you think differently help you find different angles. Learning from others and their experience will continuously help you developing a better version of yourself. ?

3/ Trustworthy relationships are the most important asset in a people business

You might think that this one speaks for itself, but it surely isn’t for everyone in the business. Even today there still are recruiters and agencies that treat their candidates like a commodity, their clients as something else than a priority and their co-workers as just a replaceable asset. Yes, it is true, developing strong and trustworthy relationships take time and effort. But this investment will turn out to be more than worthwhile on the longer run. Not that I do business with every single one of my contacts, but a recruiter’s worth is also defined by the ability to give advice or ask for help when the time is right. Trust is the base for a healthy business relationship. It will give you an indirect access to knowledge and expand your network exponentially. Managers and directors generally reflect about their careers on a regular basis. Exchanging points of view with an experienced headhunter can yield valuable information and make the self-assessment more solid. On the other hand, clients are often not fully connected with the trends on the labor market. The equation between what you can expect from a candidate and what he/she will expect form his/her future employer, is constantly evolving and sometimes changing rapidly. ?

4/ You will get nowhere if you are not candid, disciplined and hard-working ?

Some people still believe in the urban legend of the recruiter that just needs to open a drawer to find a whole bunch of qualified CV's of interested candidates. Unfortunately, reality is a whole different story. Mapping an industry, sourcing qualified candidates and shortlisting the best of the best is a process that takes time, effort and hard work. A sound time management, a balanced agenda setting and active listening skills are key. Also, a candid and transparent communication with all stakeholders is critical for a timely progress and quality results. And yes, sometimes a timing can be fortunate. It will happen that you get a mandate for a new search assignment just a week after you spoke to the ideal candidate. But the reason you engaged with that very candidate is because you work hard in building and developing a quality network over the years.?

5/ Look for complementarity when composing a team

This is a piece of advice that counts for your own team as well as for your clients’ teams. Even though one might be tempted to recruit similar personalities and skills in order to find “the right fit”, the longer run often reveals that a mixed skill set and varied personal qualities offer a richer array of competencies. The key is to find a heterogeneous team that shares the same values, vision and ambition. As a recruiter it is important to gather information about the team in place that needs to be completed with the new hire. Recruiting is more than matching a CV and a job description. It is also about cultural fit, personality, leadership style, vision and so much more. As a headhunter it is your job to find the right piece of the puzzle. Who will fit in this team? Who will have the right leadership for this group of people? Who will complete this board by bringing the missing competencies and soft skills? If you take time to master the craft of recruitment and to develop the right skills to make the correct matches, it will be your prerogative to orient careers in the right direction and to have a positive influence on people’s lives.?