Has Recruitment Turned Into A 9 To 5 Job?Posted over 2 years ago by Nick Boulton

In 2021, so much of the recruitment industry has changed, but does working long hours give you more success? Client Server Director Nick Boulton answers the pressing question: Has recruitment turned into a 9 to 5 job?

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Our trainee scheme is in full swing, with the second cohort now on the phones in earnest. The office is bubbling with activity, and a feeling of normality is seeping back into our bones. The vibe is of optimism and excitement.

Sales records continue to tumble, and things will only get busier. Reports in the UK state that the IT sector is on course for a record year of investment, with £13.5 billion venture capital coming into the country during the first six months of 2021.

As recruitment becomes more popular, it is no longer considered a stopgap, but a viable long-term career path.

With opportunity aplenty, I took a moment to catch my breath and answer a question asked before but came up a few times in the last few weeks.

“Is recruitment a 9-to-5 job, or is it still that you will only find success when working longer hours?”

So, before I answer this question, I figured I would dispel a few stigmas and myths about recruitment.

Most technology-related recruitment companies are not “boiler room” pits of demolition, straight out of a scene of Wolf of Wall Street, sorry to disappoint.

Yes, as in any industry, a few firms think they are the next Oak Mont Capital by dragging their newly successful recruits to the Watch Exchange to spend their latest commission cheque on a Rolex they can't afford.

Even the shiniest, three-piece suit-wearing cowboys are urbanising their wardrobes, frantically attempting to rebrand and reposition themselves as “recruiters of the people, for the people”.……

Recruitment has been going through sweeping changes for some time now. More and more recruiters can balance work, life, and families, while still having success at their job. I believe the key to this is understanding that no matter what industry you work in, those who work the hardest earn the most, progress faster, and ultimately are the most successful. A career in recruitment has no shortcuts.

And no, I don’t buy that BS that mediocre people peddle. I could throttle the next one that tells me, “Work smarter, not harder”!

Show me one successful person who has this as their mantra?!

What you’ll find is that all smart people work hard. That doesn’t mean they are in the office 24/7, but they are always working. They surround themselves with even smarter people and facilitate them to be equally successful, usually getting a bit of credit themselves along the way.

Back to the matter, is recruitment a 9-to-5 job? I think recruitment in today’s world can be whatever you want it to be. That’s one of the admirable things about it. You are the master of your destiny. If you want to work 8 am-10 pm, you can, and you will make a ton of money and be successful. You can also choose to work 9-to-5 and be equally successful, but this is where being “smart” is key….

The most successful people don’t work 9-to-5, and it might not look like that from the outside. But when they are not in the office, they find any opportunity to make themselves better at their job. They find these opportunities by absorbing information, broadening their knowledge base, networking, and engaging with leaders and peers.

At this point, I need to add a sort of disclaimer:

When you start your recruitment career, you will never be successful, only working 9-to-5—too much to learn. But this is the same for any industry, without exception. The best people in any business will be the ones that work the longest and hardest.

Don’t kid yourself. Although recruitment is not rocket science, laziness and ill-discipline are the biggest reasons for failure in our industry. And some “smart” people I know have fallen into these traps.

Embrace the fun that accompanies working in recruitment. But don’t think nursing your hangover by skimming through The Daily Mail online, shopping on ASOS, checking your Cryptocurrency account, or organising where you’re meeting your mates later, will have any other result than failure. Show more respect to your employers, the industry, and yourself.

Now, more than ever, is the best time to give recruitment a go, but don’t half-arse it—go all in!

Throw every fibre of your being into it. You need to work, learn, absorb knowledge, and then you will reap the rewards. It could even change your life. After all that we have endured the last 18 months, why wouldn’t you?