The recruiter’s guide to escaping the recruitment circus
- Career advice
- Recruitment
How to spot the signs your recruitment job has gone bad, and when to escape the circus
It was a normal Thursday afternoon when Jason got back to his desk. Before lunch, he’d been working hard to get two offers over the line.
About 20 minutes later, his manager was in his ear questioning why his calls were behind that day.
There’s a saying that death and taxes are life’s two certainties. Having every inch of your day scrutinised over KPIs arguably makes the third.
Fed up of being repeatedly watched, analysed and grilled, Jason felt he was no longer trusted to manage his work.
By 3.30pm, he’d packed up his things and walked.
Why do we still promote KPI burnout?
Good recruiters know recruitment. They know their calls to placements ratio. They’ve set their goals and are motivated by them.
They don’t need managers reciting their KPIs. Nobody needs to explain every gap in their day.
For Jason, screens around the office showing everyone’s KPIs were an unwelcome reminder that somebody upstairs was always watching. Because nothing says, ‘we trust you’ like feeling under the microscope, and one step away from being pulled up… or walked out.
But it’s the resulting dynamics that wear recruiters down.
Phantom CRM notes about calls that weren’t made. Phoning companies and wasting their time with, “Need a hand with your job vacancies?” Fighting over the same candidates and clients, all in pursuit of hitting some numbers.
The most frustrating part? Mediocre managers tolerating poor behaviour when the recruiters doing it bill well.
Broadcasting KPIs gives managers a system, which invariably manages those managers. For them, it’s much easier than sitting down with consultants and asking them what’s working and what they need help with.
For recruiters like Jason, they stop believing things will get better because they no longer feel they're given room to use their judgement. It’s easier to keep their heads down and suffer in silence.
Work that follows you home
Nobody should be in the position where they’re replaying the day’s events at 10pm. That’s not good for mind, body or soul. Nor are the Sunday scaries when they make their unwanted arrival.
Knowing you’ve got to walk back into an environment each Monday that’s been making you miserable all week can leave you feeling trapped. When metrics weigh more than achievements, it’s bound to leave recruiters feeling unappreciated, exhausted and fed up.
Sadly, many recruiters leave the industry when all they need is an opportunity to be treated as a capable adult.
How to find the greener grass
There are no hard and fast rules here. Each recruiter is different. However, from the qual and quant research MPI Recruitment regularly does, the wants and needs are usually consistent across the board.
The biggest signal that stands out is that recruiters want to feel themselves again. To work for a company that trusts them to run their desk without looking over their shoulder and second-guessing themselves.
An environment that isn’t some backstreet sweatshop, but one where managers shut down any circus acts. Where fellow recruiters have each other's backs, and everyone’s free of politics and theatre.
Most importantly, a place where they're given free rein to set their own KPIs and get on with the job they're good at, rather than feeling they need to step into a different industry to be successful.
To find those rolling pastures, recruiters need to see strong evidence that the structure, people and behaviour don’t allow the clowns to hold the keys, and that a move is worthwhile.
Without it, how will they know they’ll enjoy recruitment again somewhere else?
If you’re feeling undermined and underappreciated, or you know a recruiter who is, get in touch for an off-the-record chat. We can’t promise the distant hills will always be greener, but you’ll always leave the conversation with a clear picture.
Related articles
Why Most Resumes Fail: 5 Ways to Write Achievements That Get Read by Hiring Managers
-
Personal Development
-
Career advice
-
Free Resources
Why Most Resumes Fail: 5 Ways to Write Achievements That Get Read by Hiring Managers
- Personal Development
- Career advice
- Free Resources
