Is a career in recruitment right for you?

by Annie Tang in Blog

DatePosted on April 16, 2015 at 06:15 PM
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Photo credit: Saulo Mohana

Ask any recruiter about what they feel are the benefits to a career in recruitment and phrases such as the ability to interact with many people (HR, senior managers and candidates), taking a consultative approach to your work, the freedom to express yourself, the sense of achievement, the use of core soft skills, the feeling of running your own business, and stable hours, amongst others, are likely to be mentioned in some form.  

If you are in 'career switch' mode and taking the first steps to considering recruitment as a serious career option, there are certain key attributes needed to determine if you are the right "fit". It is not uncommon for lawyers, accountants and other professionals to move into recruitment. After all, the founders of Star Anise were seasoned lawyers before joining the recruitment industry.  

However, recruitment is not, nor should it ever be seen as, an 'easy' alternative to your original profession. Some challenges are quite different from your existing profession, some challenges are similar, and you're certainly using your brain, albeit a different part, the EQ/peoples part of your brain, to far greater levels than you ever imagined.

In deciding whether a career in recruitment is suitable for you in the long term, you need to assess your own strengths to see if you have freely transferable skills and qualities.  As a qualified professional, your experience and, just as importantly, your passion for business development and marketing,  the level of your persuasive, listening and application skills and a strong, yet flexible, commercial mind-set are all crucial to success in recruitment. 

If the answer to the following questions are in the affirmative then, you could potentially be a strong fit for recruitment:

  • Do you have a positive attitude and are results and solutions driven?
  • Are you persistent in your goals?
  • Are you adaptable and able to tune-in to your target audience?
  • Are you highly organised, quick on your toes and good at multi-tasking?
  • Are you professional and a trusted consultant for both the employer and the potential employee?
  • Can you laterally and provide practical, long last solutions?
  • Can you work in a fast paced and dynamic environment?
  • Are you entrepreneurial and self-motivated?
  • Can you take on board and implement advice and suggestions from your peers and be flexible in your approach?
  • Do you have excellent communication and inter-personal skills?
  • Do you get things done efficiently?
  • Are you pro-active rather than re-active? 
  • Are you outgoing, persuasive (without being annoying), get on with people and enjoy networking?
  • Have you considered what type of organisation you would like to join

What next?

Approached the right way, there is an abundance of upsides to a career in recruitment, one that can be fulfilling and combines the ability to build solid, long term relationships with excellent upward career mobility. Recruitment offers a truly meritocratic environment where clients absolutely demand from you results balanced with trust and integrity. 

For a confidential discussion on recruitment as an alternative, viable and fulfilling long term career, contact Chris Tang or Annie Tang on +852 3460 3531.

About the Author

Annie Tang

Annie is a co-Managing Director of Star Anise, focusing on in-house legal roles. She is a former practising Hong Kong lawyer and a mother of two.

Connect with Annie on LinkedIn: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-tang-0374892/

 

 

 

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