The Importance of Discretion

 25th Jan 2024

Shhhhhh…………….

When looking to recruit or seek a new role, or hire for an upcoming role, picking a recruitment partner is not always straightforward.

Choice is good, but how do you cut through the noise to get to the best recruitment partner for you and your business.

Recruitment has evolved as a service and frankly, it needed to. Automation, customer engagement and industry competition have undoubtedly all helped evolve and shape recruitment into what it is today.

However, there are some more ‘traditional’ values that I believe should continue to underpin this service, ensuring it not only adds value but has a real benefit and impact to the customer it is designed to serve.

Recruiters and recruitment as a sector have become attuned to the benefits of marketing and employer and personal brand – all of which play an important part when selecting a recruitment partner and understanding the person you will be dealing with. A byproduct of this is it can be harder for those in the job/hiring markets to decipher what is an experienced and proven recruiter sharing valuable insights with their networks, versus what is simply good marketing and branding with a limited track record.

A gentle nod of the cap here to the importance of discretion (whispered) in a search, and in a recruiter. This is often indicative of the fact that they already know their audience well, have built a strong network and are quietly confident that their experience can generate great outcomes without all the fanfare and flags.

Warning, I may be slightly biased here!!!

So, wherever possible get on the front foot and select a good recruiter, get rid of a bad one, and when doing so keep some or all of the following in mind when considering who would be best to partner you:

Delivery – the best outcomes for the customer should always be the primary goal of the recruiter.

Integrity – professionalism, honesty and trust are at the heart of any good recruitment relationship.

Specialism – recruitment experience and expertise are important and can make a huge difference in adding value during the engagement.

Confidentiality – a job search should be confidential for candidates and often for clients too. It allows space, privacy and time for the right personal decisions to be made and the best outcomes reached.

Referrals – recommendations are hugely valuable, at W&A over 50% of everything we do is referred to us by those who have worked with us before.

Excellence – high-performing companies and candidates need high-performing recruiters. People make businesses and getting the best people is not always easy.

Track record – because a recruiter is advertising a role it does not mean they have filled it. Dig deep to understand the recruitment company's credentials around delivery and how those align with what you are looking for.  

Informative -  the best consultancies should offer ideas, solutions and information that help all parties and that have longevity.

Ordinary – heroes don’t all wear capes!! Beware the salespeople selling miracles. Nobody likes being sold to, and substance over style should win every time.

Network – all the above should help a good recruiter build a good network. It’s self-fulfilling and can really benefit both candidates and clients alike

Good luck and remember, as my dear old granny used to say - it’s often the quiet ones that you need to watch.

Thanks, Gran, I happen to think you were absolutely right!!!

Written by Guy Gracie.