working in recruitment – Highfield Careers

In recruitment, having the right company behind you can transform everything. With the right support, mindset, team, and market, the sky’s the limit. For new consultants entering the industry, choosing where to work isn’t just about reputation or commission—it’s about joining a company that truly sets you up for long-term success.

So, what separates a good recruitment company from a great one?

A good recruiter fills jobs. They hit targets, make money for the business, and earn well themselves.

A great recruiter goes far beyond that. They become embedded in their sector, build deep relationships, develop a strong personal brand, and act as trusted advisors to both clients and candidates. They work collaboratively and contribute to the success of their colleagues too. Great recruiters make the job easier—not just for themselves, but for everyone around them.

This article breaks down the qualities that elevate a recruitment firm from competent to exceptional – so whether you’re new to the industry or re-evaluating where you work, you’ll know exactly what to look for.

1. Deep industry expertise

A good recruitment company trains its consultants to understand job titles, CV keywords, and basic qualification requirements. That’s the baseline.

A great recruitment company goes further. They equip their consultants with in-depth market knowledge—from niche technical skillsets to emerging industry trends. They provide resources like salary benchmarking reports, sector-specific insights, and detailed onboarding materials that help recruiters ask the right questions. Great firms encourage curiosity and continuous learning. They know that the more consultants understand their niche, the more value they can bring, and the stronger their personal brand.

2. Long-term relationships over quick wins

A good recruitment company cares about filling jobs quickly and meeting deadlines. Consultants are encouraged to be polite to both clients and candidates and get the job done.

A great recruitment company sees every new interaction as the start of a relationship. Recruiters work with clients and candidates over many years and multiple placements. The best recruitment firms train and reward consultants for relationship-building, not just deals. The KPIs set up by the company reflect this—measuring things like client retention, candidate satisfaction, and long-term engagement alongside revenue.

3. Proactive, not reactive

A good recruitment company values prompt responses to a client sending a vacancy, and works hard to find a great candidate for the role.

A great recruitment agency anticipates hiring needs before they arise. They’re aware of new projects, build talent pipelines, maintain warm candidate networks, and aren’t afraid to send speculative CVs if they believe there’s a match. Great recruitment companies foster a culture of proactivity, not passivity. They encourage consultants to be one step ahead, helping clients see the value of talent even if they’re not actively hiring.

4. Candidate experience as a priority

A good recruitment company teaches recruiters to keep candidates in the loop, sending them updates regularly and giving feedback promptly.

A great recruitment agency goes out of their way to make sure every candidate feels supported, valued, and informed. From helping with CV advice and interview prep to offering honest feedback and follow-ups, they treat candidates like long-term partners. Great companies train their consultants to anticipate questions, remove friction, and add value throughout the process. Even if a candidate isn’t placed, they should walk away with a positive experience of the brand.

5. Transparent, consultative approach

A good recruitment delivers exactly what the client asked for.

A great recruitment company encourages consultants to dig deeper—into the ‘why’ behind a brief, into team dynamics, into long-term business goals. They don’t just take orders; they offer advice, share market data, and aren’t afraid to challenge assumptions. Great companies support this approach by conducting research, generating insights, and training recruiters to lead consultative conversations with confidence.

6. Investment in tools, tech, and talent

A good recruitment firm uses a CRM, a few job boards, and LinkedIn licences.

A great recruitment firm invests in the full recruitment ecosystem: automation tools, AI-enabled search, marketing support, email campaigns, analytics dashboards, and ongoing learning and development. They don’t see tech as a threat—they see it as an enabler. And they invest just as much in their people, supporting career progression, cross-training, and internal mentoring.

The difference between a good and great recruitment company isn’t just in the numbers—it’s in the mindset, the culture, and the consistency of quality. Great recruitment companies go beyond transactions – they build futures. For their clients, their candidates, and their consultants.

If you’re a recruiter looking to grow your career don’t settle for good. Look for great.

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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.

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