Not All Recruitment Sectors Are The Same

“It’s not you, this sector has never been easy”. We’ve all heard it. In this case though, it might just be true. It’s very possible that your current recruiting difficulties aren’t about you at all.

If you’re finding yourself struggling to find quality candidates or are regularly putting forward candidates that pull out at the last minute, there’s an excellent chance that….

It’s not you, it’s the sector.

Too often recruiters plough on, thinking their bad run is something they’re doing wrong, and don’t realise until the fifth or sixth time a candidate has jumped ship at the last minute that it has nothing to do with their skill as a recruiter: It is problem with the market they are in.

So how do you know whether your recruiting sector is getting in the way of your success? And how can you confidently and successfully move between sectors?

Ask yourself:

-Have you had an uncharacteristically bad run, where candidates keep pulling out at the last minute? This is one of the biggest signals that there’s a problem with the sector, and we recommend if it happens consistently it could be time to consider a transition to a different sector.

-Is your sector facing challenges that you now realise are filtering down to your billing numbers? Oil and gas are just one of the sectors that have been hit with troubles over the last few years, and it’s very possible that your current difficulties are the result of global market forces impacting on recruitment.

-Have you lost enthusiasm for your sector lately? It might just be that you’re in the wrong sector to make the best of your potential. You might even want to work for a certain employer that doesn’t operate in your current market, or think that executive search is just the right change for you after years of filling admin/ temp roles.

Whichever one (or several) applies to your situation, it’s could definitely be time to consider switching sectors.

How do you switch sectors?

It’s true that recruiters have traditionally used their sector experience as a selling point for their insider knowledge and contacts. However, it’s not quite that simple, and there’s a great deal of movement between sectors as it’s becoming apparent that a great recruiter is a great recruiter- no matter what sector you put them in!

Great recruiters have a specific set of skills that serve them well across industries. The ability to network, multitask, work towards targets, and be resilient are the vital characteristics of any recruiter, and they will be appreciated in any sector.

As for the sector-specific knowledge and contacts that you worry about having to start building from scratch? The Truth? Those can be built very quickly- and you’ll probably find that you have the fire and enthusiasm in you again to make rapid inroads and early billing success. Many recruiters also fear losing their years of contacts and experience by making the transition, but much of that knowledge base will still come in useful in some way. And remember, you almost always have to risk something to achieve something!

Some hints:

a. Find a recruiting company that is supportive of sector switches (some are not- often after having a poor experience with a ‘sector switcher’ who didn’t work out.)

b. Look for a collaborative company culture where information is shared, which will make your switch (and your learning curve) a bit smoother.

c. Be very proactive about learning as much as you can about the industry before you make the switch. Make friends in that sector, find yourself a mentor if you can, and above all- learn the terminology #jargon

Many recruiters have successfully switched sectors- there’s no reason you can’t do it too! With the right attitude and a bit of hard work you could find yourself in a very different industry before long- and loving it. If things aren’t going well in your sector now, what have you got to lose?

Until next time

Cheryl

P.S. Ready to switch sectors now? Need some advice. Give us a call on 0203 696 1215