Are you playing recruitment roulette?

If you are, here’s how to stop losing and GUARANTEE yourself a winning hand.

Recently, I had a client approach me with a challenge. They were looking for a senior treasury professional—a complex role with international responsibilities, technical expertise, and the leadership to manage a global team.

Their situation? They’d already worked with two recruiters, reviewed over 100 applications, and still… nothing. No viable candidates. No closer to a solution.

So, they came to me.

But here’s the problem…

Treasury recruitment is a small pond.?

The best candidates aren’t actively applying to jobs—they’re thriving in their current roles, waiting for the right opportunity to come their way.

And to find them, you need a specialist approach. That means

• Understanding the role's nuances (because not all treasury jobs are created equally).
• Knowing the market (and what the salary needs to be to attract top talent).
• Tapping into the hidden talent pool (the people who aren’t actively looking—yet).

You don’t get that from a contingent recruiter juggling a dozen roles across different industries. And you definitely don’t get it by lowballing fees and hoping someone bites.

So, when this client came to me and said,

“Can you find us someone?”

I actually had to tell them:

“Sorry, but the answer’s no.”

After two failed attempts with generalist recruiters, this client wanted me to replicate the same process—but for the same cut-rate fee they were offering for the position.?

Here’s why that doesn’t work:

1. Exhaustion of talent pool: If you’ve already combed through the active job market and come up empty, why expect a different result from another “post-and-pray” type search?
2. Mismatched expectations: They wanted to pay $135k for a role that required a $165k skill set. That’s not recruitment—that’s fishing with no bait.
3. No upfront commitment: A contingent model means I take on all the risk. But for a role this challenging, it’s not about casting the net wide to catch as much as possible - it’s about precision. That takes time, effort, and focus…

Yes, it has an upfront cost. But it saves you the headaches of sifting through unqualified candidates, dragging out the process, and ultimately starting over when it doesn’t work.?

You are simply paying for our time and not having the headache of doing it yourself…

So, if you’re struggling to hire the right person, you’ve got to try smarter, not harder…

That starts with partnering with someone who knows your industry, understands the talent landscape, and is willing to tell you what you need to hear—not just what you want to hear.

Best regards,

Mike

??? Treasury Career Corner: Taking Strategic Risks to Build a World-Class Treasury Career

What happens when you take a chance on a newspaper ad—and it leads to a thriving career in treasury? This week, I sit down with Meredith Vance, SVP & Treasurer at NTT Data Americas, to explore how calculated risks, strategic career moves, and a passion for continuous learning shaped her journey to the top.

With 25+ years of treasury experience across global organizations like Siemens, eBay, and PayPal, Meredith shares insights on:

? Navigating career transitions across industries

? Building a treasury function from the ground up

? Leveraging networking and mentorship for long-term success

? The role of AI in optimizing treasury operations

If you’re looking for real-world treasury career inspiration, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways.

?? Listen now: https://treasuryrecruitment.com/podcast/ep-366-how-taking-calculated-risks-and-strategic-moves-created-a-world-class-treasury-career/

??If you’re enjoying the podcast please rate and review us on whatever podcast app you listen to us on, for Apple Podcasts?click here!

Looking to take the next step in your Treasury career—or build your Treasury team?

Whether you're exploring new opportunities or searching for top Treasury talent, we’re here to help.

At The Treasury Recruitment Company, we connect Treasury professionals from Treasury Analyst to Global Treasurer and help you in your search for the perfect job.?Find out more here. Or?send us your CV?and let us help you in your next career move!

Or, if you’re recruiting, get in touch with Mike Richards the CEO of The Treasury Recruitment Company. With 28 years of experience as a specialist Treasury recruiter, Mike works directly with clients to find the best talent for their needs.

Since 2002, we’ve been the trusted partner for Treasury recruitment worldwide.

Get in touch at https://treasuryrecruitment.com