I recently had one of those calls that genuinely made my day...
I’d come across someone’s profile while recruiting for a role and decided to give her a call. Completely cold outreach. No prior conversations, no introductions.
As it turned out, the role itself wasn’t quite right for her. She’s currently looking for a position within industry, so on paper, it probably should have been a very quick conversation.
Instead, we ended up having a really lovely chat about her career, what she’s looking for next, and how she’s approaching her job search.
Then she said something that really stuck with me.
She mentioned that she hasn’t actually made any direct applications yet and that she prefers working with a recruiter.
Her reasoning was simple, but powerful.
She said that when you apply directly, you’re often just one CV in a large pile. But when you work with a recruiter, someone can actually speak to the hiring manager on your behalf. They can explain the person behind the CV and why you’d be worth meeting, even if you don’t tick every single box on paper.
Now, obviously, as a recruiter, I know that’s the value we can bring. But hearing a candidate articulate it so clearly made me pause for a moment.
It made me wonder whether we, as recruiters, actually do a good enough job explaining what we do. Because recruitment should never be just about forwarding a CV or sending someone a job description.
At its best, recruitment is about providing genuine insight into the market:
- Who is hiring right now
- Which firms are growing
- Which teams are building something exciting
- Where your experience might realistically land best
Many candidates only see the job adverts that are publicly visible. Recruiters often have a broader view of the market, including opportunities that haven’t yet been widely advertised or roles that are still being shaped internally.
Then, when there is a role or a firm that genuinely aligns with someone’s background and ambitions, that’s where a recruiter can really add value.
We can advocate for you.
We can speak directly to hiring managers and explain why you would be worth meeting, adding context to your experience and highlighting strengths that might not be obvious from a CV alone. That advocacy can be the difference between your CV sitting in a pile of applications or actually landing you a conversation with the decision-maker.
Of course, applying directly will always have its place. Many people secure fantastic roles that way. But working with a recruiter can add another layer to your search, someone who understands the market, can guide you through it, and open doors that might otherwise remain closed.
That short conversation yesterday was a reminder of something important: recruitment, when done well, is not just about filling jobs. It’s about understanding people, advocating for them, and helping them access opportunities they might not have found on their own.
Which leads to an interesting question:
As a candidate, do you fully understand the value a recruiter can bring to your job search?
And as recruiters, are we doing enough to explain it?
