blog

As an experienced recruiter of almost 30 years I have had the privilege of building and managing teams across Australia, I've witnessed firsthand the challenges that many talented recruiters take as they transition into leadership roles. I have seen the highest billing recruiters struggle badly when trying to make the change and sometimes only to turn back to a pure billing role when they found the journey too hard. 

It is a path that is massively rewarding but also challenging, and nothing brings me more satisfaction than seeing those who I have contributed to their career and development, to go on to build their own successful recruitment companies or to be leading teams in other businesses. I believe there must be over 30 consultants that I have managed this transition with who are now business owners. This journey from recruiter to manager is a significant one, and it's essential to understand the shift in mindset and skills required to succeed.

The first and most crucial step in this transition is the shift in your role and the challenges of managing your time and new priorities. As a recruiter, your focus is on your individual performance—your billings, your placements, and your pipeline of jobs. You control your own results! 

As a leader, your focus must move from "recruiting" to "leading."

Your success is no longer purely in your control…. You now are the result of the collective performance of your team.

You must always remember though, that your success can and is still in your control, but you now must channel your energy through your team.

• Empowering: Your job is to enable your team to achieve their goals, not to do the work for them.
• Delegating: Trust your team members to take action and undertake their roles. Learning to let go is one of the hardest skills to develop.
• Mentoring: Your role is now to coach, mentor, and guide your team members, helping them grow their skills and their long term careers.

• Emotional Intelligence: Understanding and managing your own emotions, and recognising them in others, is crucial. This allows you to build rapport, handle conflicts effectively, and lead with empathy.

• Coaching and Mentoring: A great leader is a great coach. Learn how to ask great questions, provide constructive feedback, and guide your team members to find their own solutions. This is the skill that will help you develop the next generation of leaders. It is where your journey would actually have started. Think about the best mentors you had over your career and try to learn from them.

• Strategic Thinking: As a leader, you need to understand the company's broader goals and align your team's efforts to contribute to that strategy. This involves planning for the long-term, anticipating challenges, and identifying opportunities for growth.

• Performance Management: You'll need to set clear expectations, track progress, and provide both recognition for success and support for improvement. This includes conducting regular one-on-one meetings and performance reviews.

• Resilience and Adaptability: As ever in recruitment nothing is ever easy or straightforward. You need to be resilient in the face of setbacks and adaptable enough to pivot your team's strategy when necessary. It is okay to be wrong at times and being honest and owning up to that can be empowering for everyone.