We took part in a really interesting training session last week. There were about 20 people in the room, and the question was What makes a great hire? You’d expect a mix of answers, technical skills, experience, qualifications. But that’s not what came up. Almost every answer focused on traits, not skills: No one said […]
We talk a lot about “360 recruiters”. But not all 360s are built the same. There’s a big difference between: A true search operator will: Whereas others are more process-driven: Neither is “bad” – but they are very different profiles. The issue is when businesses think they’re hiring one… and get the other. Clarity on […]
The last few years have been tough. Markets have shifted, hiring has slowed, roles have become harder to fill and it’s very easy to fall into a negative tailspin without even realising it. It usually starts small. You begin focusing on what’s not working. Then when something goes wrong (a candidate drops out, a role […]
If there was one thing we’d get every recruiter to layer into their process tomorrow, it’s this: Slow down on the brief. Not for hours… just enough to actually understand what you’re working on. Most people take a job, say yes a lot, and go straight to market. Then wonder why candidates or clients aren’t […]
One of the biggest mistakes we see in recruitment is confusing a good quarter with being “the finished product”. We often see consultants getting promoted quickly through billing but often it’s through one good account and not the actual strength of their consulting. Billing well for 3 months doesn’t mean the foundations are strong. It […]
Stuck in the mid-career madness? In this market it’s very easy to get stuck chasing your tail, trying to turn over whatever business you can find just to keep things moving. That “mid-career no man’s land” is feeling it the most. If that’s you, it’s probably time to change the plan. Method beats madness. High-quality […]
Most of the time when people tell us they are “not good at business development”, that’s not necessarily true. More often, they simply don’t enjoy doing it because they’ve never been given the right tools, structure, or support to succeed. In many cases, when people are given a clearer framework, better market insight, and the […]
The last two years have been… unpredictable. Varying results, fewer hiring mandates, tighter margins. Many leadership teams have quietly shifted focus – less about growth at all costs, more about profit, stability, and leverage. If you’re a Director, that matters. Your role today likely looks very different from when your package was first agreed. More […]
TRADITIONAL APPROACH: WHY IT FAILS: THE MODERN APPROACH: KEY TAKEAWAY:Salary is necessary but never sufficient to close. The deals you “lose” despite hitting the target often fail because the other dynamics were invisible or ignored.
Recruiters who reach Senior or Principal Consultant level usually get there because they’re very good at what they do. That’s where leadership can get tricky. They may be outbilling you, highly confident, and in some cases carrying a bit of ego. Monthly one-to-ones can start to feel forced or transactional. This is where leaders need […]
From Jan – Sept 2025, 80+ new recruitment agencies were established in Singapore under Non-FDW Comprehensive and Select licences. 40 of these were Select licences, signalling a sharp increase in solo and boutique consultancies. Many of these founders are experienced recruiters breaking away from traditional agencies, either because they couldn’t find a role that suited […]
Recruitment in 2026 won’t look like recruitment in 2025. AI has moved from experimentation to full-scale adoption and the industry will split between recruiters who evolve and recruiters who get left behind. Here are the shifts recruiters must make before 2026 if they want to stay relevant: 1. Move From Activity to AdvisoryClients don’t want […]