How one recruiter beat her fear of returning

After three years away from recruitment, Nikita wasn’t sure if she still had what it takes to step back in.

In 2023, Nikita left recruitment to travel the world. 

After three years of travelling, working, and experiencing different cultures many of us may only dream about, she returned to Australia.  

She was ready to think about work again. But returning to recruitment came with several questions. 

Had too much time passed? Would her skills still be relevant? More importantly, did she still have what it takes? 

Three years away from recruitment is a long time 

Understandably, Nikita was anxious about returning, particularly the prospect of stepping back into a team lead role. Her experience and career were there, but her confidence wasn’t quite where she wanted it to be. 

“Recruitment moves so quickly, so after three years away, I wondered how much had changed and what I could still bring to a company. And honestly, part of me thought starting again might not be a bad thing. I had a few recruitment opportunities, as well as the team lead role, and I was probably 90% sure I’d take one of the recruitment positions.  

But having someone fight for me and believe in what I could bring, even when I wasn’t completely sure of it myself, won me over. It made me think, why not back myself and give it a shot?” 

Then there was Australia’s job market 

Especially the hiring process.  

Let’s face it, Recruitment has never had the best reputation when it comes to candidate experience. We ask for a lot but give little back when it comes to keeping folks in the loop. 

Nikita wasn't that convinced she'd get much of a response, let alone an opportunity. 

She began her search and started applying to a few recruitment jobs. One role stood out to her. A team lead position that she nearly didn't apply to. But she threw her hat in the ring anyway.  

The following week, MPI invited her in. 

And with that, it brought another round of uncertainty. Would she be judged on the fact she'd spent three years away? Would her experience still count?  

Could she still do it? 

In a word, yes.

In her interview, Nikita quickly felt reassured that her experience was enough, and that she’d be backed as often as she needed, so she could get back up to speed again.  

“When the CEO called to arrange an interview, I was shocked. My first thought was, what are they seeing in me that I’m not seeing in myself? I expected to have to justify being away from recruitment for three years, but I never felt that way in the interview.  

We spoke about travelling, why I went and some of my favourite places, before talking about my recruitment experience. It made me realise those three years weren’t a gap I needed to explain. I feel travelling had made me more adaptable, a better communicator and ultimately given me more to bring to a company.” 

Since joining, one thing has made a particular difference. Feedback. 

“Since I've joined, my confidence is growing again. I think this is because I always receive feedback. When I ask for feedback, it's honest, constructive and it helps me.” 

Another thing that’s helped Nikita is the way people work together. 

She's found the relationship between managers and staff supportive. She's not judged or micromanaged. The management style gives her space and freedom to focus on what she’s good at. 

Somebody believed in her, and someone will believe in you 

“There are times when I question if I can do it. I take it day by day and hope that each little win builds me back towards my full potential. Getting feedback that my team feels supported and seeing the numbers improve has helped me realise that maybe I’m doing better than I give myself credit for.  

What I love most is how supportive the managers are. They’re willing to help, give constructive feedback and, most importantly believe in their people. I feel like every manager here sees potential in me, even when I sometimes struggle to see it myself, and that’s a really nice feeling.” 

One thing that’s clear here is that Nikita’s skills had never disappeared, nor had she lost her experience. She only needed an opportunity to put them back to work.

That's important for anyone thinking about a return to recruitment. You might feel a bit ring rusty. You might question whether your experience still counts. You might also look at the job market and decide there's no point throwing all your chips on the table. 

Three short words of advice…. Never doubt yourself.  

There are companies out there who’ll back you. Leaders who’ll recognise your potential and develop you. Managers who’ll have your back.  

It just takes a bit of belief in yourself to cross that line.  

Advice to anyone considering the same move 

“If you’ve been away, you can always step back into recruitment. Find a company where you can drive your own success. Where you can set your own KPIs, and where you can go as fast or as slow as you want to reach your goals.” 

Somebody will believe you still have what it takes. So why not take that chance like Nikita did? 

If you’ve been away from recruitment and you’re wondering whether there are companies willing to back you, why not get in touch for a chat.

You’ll always leave the conversation with a straight answer.  

 

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