5 Key Lessons from My Journey in Recruitment

It has been nearly 3 years since I started my journey in recruitment, and what a rollercoaster it has been. From my first day as an intern during my summer placement in university in 2021 to managing my own desk on a national level in 2024.

So far, it’s been an amazing experience but definitely a challenging one. Throughout my time in recruitment, there have been many obstacles along the way, from having offers falling through and clients ghosting you but every cloud has a silver lining and when you get a big win, it is the best feeling in the world.

It’s evident, that I’ve gained valuable insights and experience during my journey in recruitment. As I reflect on the past few years in my current role, I thought back on the 5 key lessons I’ve learned so far.

1. Mindset Determines Your Success

Developing your career, it is vital to embrace the right mindset. When you have a positive mindset, you commit to consistently improving yourself and gaining more opportunities.

Working within recruitment can be stressful and frustrating at times, it is so important to take a breather and clear your mind when needed.

Look at challenges as opportunities – when something feels difficult, it doesn’t mean its not worth trying, it’s crucial we remain positive and put our best foot forward when faced with challenges.

2. Understanding the Realities of Recruitment

My first experience in recruitment came with a steep learning curve. Over time I had to grow a thick skin as being a successful recruiter requires patience and resilience.

You need to be motivated and work hard consistently to succeed. You will make mistakes along the day but having the ability to learn from these mistakes and constantly strive to improve makes the difference between a good recruiter and a great recruiter.

3. Importance of Being Resilient and Accepting Failure

Recruitment can be demanding, it’s not for the faint hearted. There will be days when everything seems to be going wrong. Between candidates dropping out interviews, clients ghosting you or struggling to fill a role that you’ve been working on for months.

We, as humans fear failure – accept you may not achieve all of your goals immediately, and remember every failure is a new opportunity to learn. Taking breaks, managing stress, and fostering a supportive team culture contribute to long-term satisfaction and success in your career.

Never be afraid to reach out to a colleague for help when struggling, it is so important having a strong team behind you, to give you the help and support you need.

4. Every Day Presents New Opportunities & Challenges

Recruitment is a thriving industry. Recruiters across the board are working with clients and candidates in multiple different industries. No two days are the same, and you never know what challenges or opportunities you will face on a daily basis.

This can be both exciting and daunting, but it keeps things interesting and helps you grow and develop your adaptability and flexibility. Continuous learning is a key driver of long-term success.

5. Recruitment Isn’t Just a Job: It’s a Fantastic Career Choice

Recruitment isn’t just a 9-5 job – it improves your skills, increases your confidence, and helps you to grow as an individual. As a result of hours of conversations with candidates and clients, you will become more confident.

When I first started working in recruitment, I had no idea what to expect, I was afraid of not being good enough, surrounded by intelligent and charismatic people but over the years I’ve developed into one of those people.

The person I was in 2021 and the person I am today are two completely different people. I’ve developed my ability to build relationships, increased my confidence levels, learned to bounce back from tough situations and to connect with people on a personal and human level.

Recruitment, like life, is a rollercoaster with many ups and downs however, you can choose to enjoy the ride.

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