Recruitment is fast-paced, people-oriented, and is a genuinely rewarding career for people with the right mindset. Whether you’re fresh out of education or considering a career switch, recruitment offers a dynamic environment where no two days are the same.
But before stepping into the world of candidate calls and client meetings, many people encounter a wave of misconceptions: “It’s too much cold calling,” “You’ve got to be super pushy,” “Anyone can do it.”
This article sets the record straight. We’re breaking down five of the most common myths about working in recruitment – and showing you what the job is really like in 2025.
Myth 1: “Working in recruitment is just cold calling all day”
Debunked: While phone calls are part of the job, recruitment in 2025 is a far cry from sitting at a desk hammering through a list of numbers.
Modern recruiters use a blend of tools and channels to find and engage candidates – think LinkedIn sourcing, email marketing campaigns, ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems), CRMs, and job boards.
It’s a role that blends sales with marketing and consultancy. Our team also regularly travel to meet clients and candidates on-site – often internationally – building real-world relationships and gaining first-hand knowledge of the industries they work in.
Myth 2: “You have to be a super pushy salesperson to succeed in recruitment”
Debunked: The image of the fast-talking, target-obsessed salesperson is outdated. The best recruiters today act more like consultants and problem-solvers.
Working in recruitment is all about people. It requires empathy, listening, and the ability to understand a client’s needs and a candidate’s motivations. The top performers at Highfield are trusted advisors – they’re individuals who can build long-term relationships, not just close quick deals.
Being persistent and proactive is important, but so is emotional intelligence. Great recruiters listen as much as they talk. They guide people through important career decisions with confidence, honesty, and care.
Myth 3: “It’s an easy job – anyone can do it”
Debunked: On the surface, working in recruitment might look simple – match a candidate with a job and move on. But in reality, it’s a role that demands resilience, adaptability, and a wide skillset.
You’ll need strong organisational skills to juggle multiple roles, interviews, and client expectations. You need deep knowledge of your market to speak credibly with senior professionals. For us, that’s critical infrastructure like Data Centres, Highways, Nuclear & Defence Infrastructure, and Water. Above all, you need the emotional resilience to navigate rejection, shifting priorities, and the unpredictable nature of people.
Great recruiters are competitive, driven, optimistic, and customer-focused. It’s not an easy job – but for the right kind of person, it’s an incredibly rewarding one.
Myth 4: “Recruiters only care about hitting targets”
Debunked: Yes, recruitment is a results-driven industry, and targets are part of the job, as they are with most sales-focussed roles. But to suggest that’s all recruiters care about couldn’t be further from the truth.
Good recruiters care deeply about their reputation, especially in specialist sectors where word travels fast. They know that placing the wrong candidate just to hit a number can damage client trust—and cost them in the long run… big time.
Many recruiters take pride in long-term relationships with both clients and candidates, often helping individuals multiple times throughout their careers. Those relationships are built on trust, not just transactions.
Myth 5: “Recruitment is a dead-end job”
Debunked: Working in recruitment offers clear, achievable career progression – and plenty of opportunity to specialise.
Most recruiters start as trainee consultants or resourcers and can progress into senior consultant, team leader, manager, and director roles. Some move into internal recruitment, business development, or even start their own agencies.
The skills you learn while working in recruitment – sales, communication, marketing, negotiation, resilience – are highly transferable across many industries. Plus, you can specialise in exciting sectors like technology, finance, construction, or the fast-growing data centre industry. Recruitment is anything but a dead end.
Working in recruitment is full of potential, despite being widely misunderstood. Far from being just about cold calls or quick wins, it’s a strategic, people-first profession that rewards those who are driven, curious, and emotionally intelligent.
If you’re considering a career in recruitment, don’t let the myths put you off. Look behind the stereotypes and see it for what it really is: a fast-moving, fulfilling, and growth-oriented path.
Thinking about taking the next step? We’ve got a number of opportunities available for positions in Southampton/Portsmouth. Submit your CV or drop us a message on WhatsApp.