the top 15% of employers.

As a recruiter, I have a reputation I did nothing to earn. It’s the reputation of all recruiters, and it’s not necessarily a good one. It’s been earned for me by others, who behave in a way I never would. 

I’m not here to name and shame. I understand why some recruiters work the way they do; I worked in large recruitment businesses years ago, so I’m very familiar with the salesy approach, unethical practices and cutting of corners.  

But one of the reasons I share my thoughts openly is to showcase that recruitment can and should be different. 

recruitment as a partnership. 

Recruiters can be seen and treated as order-takers, processors, people who throw CVs around, hoping ‘something will stick’. At times, they can operate in ways that disregard the people and focus only on filling a role ASAP before moving on to the next. 

But recruitment should be about partnership. It’s about understanding a company’s culture and vision, then having the skill and network to find them the right people to help deliver it. It’s about shaping the future success of a business. 

Sadly, because of the reputation and actions of some recruiters, many employers are therefore missing out on that opportunity. 

I would even say that based on conversations I have had with business leaders and hiring managers, only about 15% of employers truly understand what a great recruiter can do for them. And they tend to be the ones with inspiring leaders with vision, and the ones creating workplaces that really stand out. 

the ones who see things differently. 

The 15% are the companies that excite me. They’re the ones building something special in hospitality. They care deeply about their people and culture, and want to create workplaces that people are drawn to and will succeed in. 

They don’t see working with a recruiter as a process or a necessary ‘evil’. They see it as an opportunity. 

what great looks like. 

When I recruit for clients, I am never just filling roles. I’m: 

• Sharing insights that help them make sharper decisions  

• Introducing only candidates who exceed the brief and will enhance the team. 

• Streamlining the process to remove glitches and protect the brand 

• Approaching recruiting as a growth strategy 

• Remaining resolutely humancentric in my approach 

Working with the 15% of employers who want this approach is collaborative, energising, and genuinely enjoyable. Everyone is pulling in the same direction, and the results speak for themselves. 

the other 85% 

Of course, there’s the other side of the coin. Most companies still see recruiters as a cost to be minimised, a process to be tolerated. They focus on transactions, not partnership. 

That’s not the kind of relationship I can operate with. I work with employers who want to achieve something outstanding, are happy to ask tough questions, and invest in the future of their people as part of building excellent businesses. 

choose your approach. 

If you’re an organisation that values your people and has a vision for your workplace, be selective in who you partner with. Find a recruiter who will act as a strategic ally, mirror your own values and approach and be an extension of your brand. 

If you recognise yourself in the 85%, still viewing recruitment as a painful process…ask what could be achieved if you worked a different way. 

And if you’re in the 15%, I’d love to chat!