250 Lessons We Have Learnt with 250 Years of Experience

​empire group has more than 250 years of accumulated recruitment experience. Each of our consultants have added unique and valuable lessons and perspectives to the way we approach recruitment.

Here is a list of 250 things we have learnt about recruitment, one for every year of experience we have.

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1.      The market will always be changing.

2.      Your network is important to staying up to date with your industry.

3.      The recruitment industry and the industry you recruit for are different things – they have different processes.

4.      Sometimes it will be a candidate driven market.

5.      Sometimes it will be a client driven market.

6.      The right fit isn’t always the most obvious one.

7.      Recruiters aren’t always going to be valued by clients or candidates.

8.      Having a mentor can help you in your career.

9.      You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

10.   You need to find validation within yourself for your role, because you won’t always get it externally.

11.   No two days are the same.

12.   You largely get to decide what you get up to in a day.

13.   You can earn good money as a recruiter.

14.   But money is not the most valuable part of the job.

15.   Connecting the right person with the right role can be more satisfying than a high commission.

16.   The client will not always communicate what they need.

17.   The client will not always communicate what they want.

18.   The candidate will not always communicate what they need.

19.   The candidate will not always communicate what they want.

20.   Being a recruiter is finding the bridge between what a client needs and what they want.

21.   Being a recruiter is finding the bridge between what a candidate needs and what they want.

22.   Recruiting means looking at both candidate and client desires and finding the way they fit together.

23.   People don’t always think the way you want them to.

24.   Be prepared for people to change their mind.

25.   Be prepared for people to change their goals.

26.   You need to work with people, not against them.

27.   You cannot always take things personally.

28.   To succeed you need to be enthusiastic about recruitment.

29.   You need to advocate for your candidates.

30.   You need to advocate for your clients.

31.   The key to creating a strong client relationship is communication.

32.   The candidate experience will be influenced by your attitude.

33.   People are naturally drawn to those passionate about what they do.

34.   To succeed you should be the recruiter clients want to brief.

35.   To succeed you should be the person candidates want to refer their friends to.

36.   Relationships are forever.

37.   Clients and candidates are equally important.

38.   The market will change, and your role with evolve and shift with that.

39.   Candidate short markets do not last.

40.   Job short markets do not last.

41.   Learn to ride the wave, and weather the storm.

42.   It is easy to feel down if you aren’t getting the placements you want.

43.   Business development is important.

44.   You need to keep moving forward.

45.   Recruitment rewards those who are consistent.

46.   Personal branding is important.

47.   You need to set yourself apart from the competition.

48.   You need to be proactive.

49.   You are not just selling others, but yourself.

50.   It is important to consider how you look to your candidates.

51.   It is important to consider how you look to your clients.

52.   Just like influencers need to build followers on social media, you need to build a reputation.

53.   A strong reputation makes business development easier.

54.   There is always something new to learn.

55.   Your reputation helps build trust with new people.

56.   In 2022, your social media is key.

57.   You should always be trying to learn new processes.

58.   Technology is not the enemy.

59.   Social media and technology are now invaluable tools to build your reputation.

60.   Don’t let your bias get in the way.

61.   It is easy to be biased if you let yourself be.

62.   You shouldn’t assume things.

63.   Always clarify with candidates and clients.

64.   You are helping candidates find the right fit for them.

65.   You are helping the client find the right fit for them.

66.   Just because it’s not your right fit, doesn’t mean it’s not the right fit for them.

67.   Information is power.

68.   Always ask questions.

69.   Make sure you keep notes of your interactions.

70.   Always be gathering information.

71.   People look to you for advice.

72.   So, don’t be afraid to offer it.

73.   Not all candidates will do themselves justice.

74.   Some people are exceptional once you dig deeper.

75.   If you don’t dig deeper, you will miss out on exceptional opportunities.

76.   Lawyers will often shy away from selling themselves.

77.   Not everyone knows what they want.

78.   They don’t have to know what they want, that’s why they come to a recruiter.

79.   People are afraid of change.

80.   There is often a misconception about certain jobs.

81.   Not all top tier firms cause burn out.

82.   Not all boutique firms have a family culture.

83.   The culture of a business is important.

84.   It’s important to learn and be able to report on the culture of a firm to candidates.

85.   Be adaptable – things change, be prepared for this.

86.   Candidates won’t wait for you.

87.   Speed to market is important.

88.   Sometimes a labour shortage, is a skills shortage.

89.   Always offer clients feedback.

90.   Always offer candidates feedback.

91.   Be quick to follow up with clients through the application process.

92.   First impressions count.

93.   COVID changed the industry and how we recruit.

94.   Being self-aware is important.

95.   Being proactive is better than being reactive.

96.   Give your 100% in all parts of recruitment.

97.   Some candidates will follow your lead, others won’t.

98.   Be prepared to fail.

99.   You learn more from failure than you do from success.

100. Be dependable.

101. You need to be organised.

102.Do your own research.

103. Be prepared for as much as you can.

104.Don’t be too hard on yourself when things go wrong.

105.Recruitment is about problem solving.

106. Recruitment is communication underpinned by data.

107. Just because you know what something means, doesn’t mean someone else does too.

108. Subheadings are important on a resume.

109.Candidates resume should look different depending on which job they are applying for.

110. References are important.

111. Resumes should include things like hobbies to set candidates apart more.

112. Some people are too afraid to look for work on their own, this is okay.

113. Job interviews are not an employer driven process.

114. Candidates should use an interview to find out information from the company.

115. Preparation is key for everyone in the recruitment process.

116. Recruiters will take longer than 10 seconds to read a resume.

117.  The internet has made the industry more data driven.

118.  We no longer advertise in newspapers.

119.  Success comes from your ability to perfect the little things.

120.  Ad chasing is a part of the role.

121. Many recruiters are stubborn, this helps them in their role.

122.Even a rejection can be turned into a relationship.

123. Some people really need feedback.

124.  Some people don’t like getting feedback.

125. People read reviews.

126. Your candidates won’t always trust your opinion.

127.Your clients won’t always trust your opinion.

128. Some people work best in an office.

129.Some people work best from home.

130.Some people need to have a variation of work from home and in the office.

131. Sometimes things are out of your control.

132. Replacing an employee costs a company more than retaining them does.

133.Be prepared for the process to move quickly right now.

134.Candidates and clients will be chased by other recruiters.

135. Education is not always the most important thing on a resume – sometimes it’s experience.

136. Be open minded about different types of people.

137. Diversity should be celebrated.

138. The company a job is coming from is just as important as the role for a candidate.

139. Technical skills are getting more important.

140. The people around you have different experiences- you can learn from everyone.

141. You need to teach candidates how to sell themselves.

142.Soft skills are becoming more important for candidates.

143. You need to be marketing at all times.

144. People are often desperate.

145. People won’t always want to be honest.

146.Asking for help is okay.

147. There is a difference between ‘culture add’ and ‘culture fit’.

148.If you have respect from a client, they will listen to you.

149. If a client trusts you, they will listen to you.

150.It’s important to manage expectations.

151. Don’t leave people guessing.

152. Be flexible to a client’s different ideas.

153. Be flexible to a candidate’s different ideas.

154.Be open to learning new technology.

155. Someone will always want to break the rules.

156. Empathy is a underrated skill.

157. You can’t recruit for a role you don’t understand.

158. Marketing is important.

159. Recruiters need to be able to turn challenges into opportunities.

160. Recruiters need to be able to turn failures into examples to avoid.

161. There are laws that impact recruitment- you have to know them.

162. Different interview processes work for different candidates.

163. Candidates deserve respect and professionalism.

164. You can interview people online now.

165. Mental health is important to success.

166.Emotional health is important to success.

167. Physical health is important to success.

168. The peaks are very high, and the lows can be very low.

169. It is important to be balanced.

170. Gratitude is important for balance.

171. You shouldn’t quit when things go wrong.

172. Don’t just move on from mistakes, learn from them.

173. Learn from your peers’ mistakes too.

174. Working with other recruiters is a good thing.

175. Helping others will make you want to plan your career.

176. You need to know about a job’s manager and managerial style for a candidate.

177. Be realistic with people.

178. Learn your capabilities, and let others know.

179.Recruitment is a service.

180. You work, even in jobs you love.

181. Friends and family are important.

182.Recruitment can be unforgiving.

183.Sometimes you have seconds to change lives.

184. Giving a candidate an offer is rewarding.

185. No two roles will be the same.

186. No two candidates will be the same.

187.  No two HR departments will be the same.

188. Sometimes you won’t have the right answer.

189.  The market is different in each location.

190. Recruiting will allow you to grow as a person.

191. Recruiting allows you to become a better communicator.

192. Recruiters like to talk.

193. Creative thinking is crucial.

194. Recruitment is a sales driven business.

195. Being personable is important.

196. Being conversational is important.

197. Getting referrals is important.

198. Enthusiasm is contagious.

199. It can be repetitive sometimes.

200.People like good people.

201. Changing jobs is not something people do lightly.

202. You need to have people’s best interests at heart.

203. There are lots of opportunities, you just need to know where to find them.

204. The best candidates aren’t always going to be ambitious.

205. You don’t always need to reinvent the wheel.

206. Accountability is important.

207. In recruitment there are KPIs.

208. Making the right recruitment decisions are important.

209. Recruiters add value to businesses, they know this too.

210. KPIs can be overwhelming, but they are important.

211. You can have different mentors, at different points in your career.

212. Authenticity is crucial for success.

213. Some days you will feel more motivated than others.

214. Be aware of technology, not distracted by it.

215. Over time, your processes will get faster.

216. Candidate care is crucial.

217. Everyone has the right to privacy.

218. Be confident in your skills.

219.Not all recruiters are driven by commissions.

220. Recruiters need to be flexible with their time. Sometimes candidates and clients can’t talk during normal work hours.

221. Recruiters need to be skilled at negotiation.

222. There are lots of places to learn new things.

223. Posting an ad won’t always find you the best candidate.

224.Your employer brand is important for success.

225. Play the long game.

226. You need to have a people first approach.

227. Not everyone is invested in the recruitment cycle, so you need to do the extra work for them.

228.The product recruiters sell are people.

229. Sometimes your candidate will be counteroffered.

230.Sometimes your candidate will ghost you.

231.Sometimes your client will ghost you.

232. Being ghosted isn’t the worse thing that can happen to a recruiter.

233.Sometimes candidates are complacent.

234. Sometimes clients are complacent.

235. As a recruiter, you need to show how things can be better to both the candidate and client.

236.Prepping candidates for their interviews is crucial to the process.

237. Never make assumptions about a role.

238. You will always have another job to fill or another candidate to place.

239.The market always fluctuates, but the competition is currently tougher than ever.

240. Whilst first impressions matter, long term consistency is important.

241.Dealing with people all the time can teach you about life.

242.If you speak to a candidate, they deserve a follow up.

243.Sometimes things can be overwhelming, perseverance is key.

244. You aren’t expected to know everything.

245. Check in with candidates, even after they have been placed.

246. You are helping people secure their futures- be sensitive of that.

247. Never make assumptions about candidates.

248. Put everything in the database.

249.You will never be able to satisfy everyone.

250. You need to be resilient.

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If you want to learn more about the industry, you can download empire group’s 2022 Salary Guide!

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