When money becomes your only motivation, the longevity of a recruitment career might not be as long as you expected.
The perception of a recruiter, for many people, is an appetite just to make money. However, this assumption is not necessarily true. The financial reward always has a role to play, but may not be the prime motivator.
Jason Drinkwater, Director, points to how a recruiter evolves, “When I started, I was that person where money was my main incentive. My recruitment career began with a mortgage and a child and with responsibilities I hadn’t had before.”
“Over the years, the driving force to make money is there, but you need other motivators. For instance, the time we spend with our work colleagues is probably more than the time with our families. You have to enjoy the environment you are a part and the connections you have with others around you. If you are a lone wolf, with blinkers on, rather than wanting to be a part of something with others, it can be an isolating and solitary existence. You also become burned out too, you can’t work 13-hour days where all your attention is on the next invoice. It takes more than wanting to make money to make a career out of recruitment.”
Behavioural research highlights that money and financial incentives are short-lived. The values people have are much more varied.
Russel Drinkwater, Director, continues the thought that a guns blazing approach for a significant return doesn’t work, “When people start, they can make that common mistake of financial reward as the place to aspire to. You get to a point where other career ambitions take over. This could be creating connections where you build a genuine rapport. It could be personal progression such as responsibility and leadership of others. It could be a real attachment to be a part of a team and for everyone to progress. The longer you are invested in your career and yourself, you start to make better decisions and motivation heads in new directions.”
“We even do this in our own interviews. We ask new team members, ‘what motivates you’? People might think it’s just money, but it is not always the case. It could be the goal to own a home, it could be further responsibility in their work.”
Jack Bond, Director, points to the longer-term rewards that become a reality. “When it comes to recruitment, you have to have an appetite to earn, let’s not ignore that. As you build your presence and respect as a recruiter, more opportunities arise. Alongside this, you can also see the difference you can make for other people. You can change the lives and careers of others, there is immense self-satisfaction in that. It all comes down to wanting to do better over the long term and not looking at the immediate return for what you can take in the moment. It means a lot when you recognise those around you and see how far you can go with them, rather than individual incentives.”
“When you stick with something you are good at and want to develop, the end result is that you enjoy the financial success.”
A recruiter who looks at their aspirations by the size of their pay check can end up doing themselves a disservice. The effects of burnout and a transactional approach when it comes to recruitment is not sustainable.
Reward both financially and personally happens when people feel a part of something and recognise the potential of others. The trust and relationships we all build can be far healthier than a focus on one lone prize.