It's November, and this month at Camino Partners we're celebrating all the recruitment MDs and CEOs that keep the ship sailing straight and keep us motivated and inspired, even through the tough times.
Recruitment is like the heartbeat of the job market—always pumping, always lively. And it takes a particular kind of person to cultivate a culture that can keep up with that kind of energy. At Camino, we're lucky to have
Sachin Ruparelia
at our helm, a great example of how experience, passion and personality all play such important roles in building a successful recruitment company.
So, what does it take to run one of these dynamic entities? Buckle up; this isn't your average "5 Tips to Success" listicle.
First off, as we know, a recruitment company is a bit like being a matchmaker in an over-caffeinated dating scene. You've got eager candidates on one end and discerning employers on the other, and the job of a good recruiter is to play Cupid with a briefcase. But instead of love, you're matching skills, culture fit, and career aspirations. Easy, right? As easy as herding cats with a laser pointer.
So building a company full of people with these skills isn't easy. It doesn't happen overnight, and no-one gets it right every time. So a recruitment MD needs "a certain set of skills" - equal parts sales guru, psychologist, and soothsayer. It's not enough to have a sharp suit and a sharper LinkedIn profile; you need the kind of qualities that would make a Swiss Army knife look under-equipped.
- Visionary Yet Grounded: The top brass in recruitment needs the vision to see where the industry's going (and it's going at warp speed, thanks to tech). But they also need to keep their shoes firmly planted on the ground, because at the end of the day, recruitment is about people, not just trends and data.
- Communication King/Queen: Talking is your trade, but communication is your currency. You've got to be able to chat up a storm with clients and whisper sweet nothings of encouragement to your team when the going gets tough. And it will get tough—like, 'why-did-I-choose-this-career' tough. A great recruitment leader can keep the team motivated through thick and thin.
- Empathy with a Capital 'E': You're dealing with people's livelihoods here, not selling used cars. Understanding the hopes, fears, and motivations of both clients and candidates is crucial. Your company is building the bridge between candidates and clients. You hold a lot in your hands. So creating a culture where people really care about the success of their candidates and clients is crucial.
- Resilience of a Bouncy Ball: You'll get knocked down. A lot. Deals will fall through, candidates will flake, and clients will change their minds faster than a chameleon on a disco floor. You need to bounce back, every time, with a smile.
So, how do you build a team of recruiters and supporting staff with this kind of drive and madness? Well, you don't find them under the 'Expert Recruiters' section on Vinted, that's for sure.
- Hire for Attitude, Train for Skill: Find people who have the DNA of a recruiter—natural communicators, problem solvers, and those who thrive on human interaction. You can teach someone about the recruitment cycle, but you can't teach them to be fundamentally curious about people.
- Diversity is Your New Best Friend: I'm not just talking about backgrounds and demographics here (which are super important, don't get me wrong). I'm talking about a diversity of thought, experience, and approach. A team that can tackle a role from every angle imaginable is a team that fills that role faster than you can say "you're hired."
- Culture Isn't Just a Buzzword: Create an environment where people actually want to show up to work. This isn't about ping-pong tables and beer Fridays (though those are nice). It's about fostering a supportive atmosphere where success is celebrated, failure is a learning experience, wellbeing is prioritised and everyone's got each other's backs.
- Continuous Learning is the Jam: The recruitment game changes more often than a chameleon—well, you know. So, a successful team stays on top of trends, learns new tech, and adapts. Keep the training wheels on at all times, and make sure your team's skill set is as cutting-edge as a Japanese chef's knife.
- Empowerment is Key: Micromanaging in recruitment is about as effective as using a single fishing rod in the ocean. Empower your team to make decisions, take ownership, and drive their own desk. You hired them for a reason, right?
Running a recruitment company is not for the faint of heart. It's a rollercoaster ride where the highs are stratospheric, and the lows can see you scraping the barrel of your emotional resilience. But get it right, and you're not just filling jobs. You're building careers, shaping companies, and maybe, just maybe, having a good time while you're at it.
So grab that metaphorical bullhorn (see what we did there 😉) and get your team pumped. You've got matches to make, and the matchmaking industry waits for no one.
If your MD is a superstar, why not head over to our website and nominate them for an Unsung Heroes Award? (We promise we'll tell them it was you!)
