21 laws of recruitment
I have a big milestone coming up in a few weeks: 20 years working in talent.
I've learnt more than I could've ever imagined through this work — about people, business, the world and myself.
Here are 21 laws of recruitment which I've learned while:
✔️ supporting 1000s of leaders and hiring teams
✔️ having more than 25,000 conversations with people looking for a new job
✔️ successfully filling 98% of roles (and people stayed)
✔️ writing 50,000 words about recruitment which will become my first book.
If you know me, you know I don't do fluff.
This isn't theory or hype, this is two decades of truth and learnings.
Recruitment is more than a process.
People aren’t looking for a job — they’re looking for a different future.
Hiring can be complex — humans are more emotional than rational.
It’s a two way street — hiring teams aren't the only ones with selection criteria.
Behind every CV is a person expressing optimism (they’re looking for something better or different). Treat candidates as people, not applicants.
You can’t recruit effectively from a job description alone.
Assumptions are dangerous — always confirm and reconfirm.
Hire for potential, contribution and alignment — not just skills.
You want people to apply because they want your job — not a job.
Communication is the core of good recruitment.
The best insights come from the second or third question you ask.
A good job ad is a brand story, not a bullet point list.
Well-crafted, audience-centric content will connect and inspire people to act.
How you recruit sends a message about your culture and how you do business.
Salary transparency builds trust — and saves time.
Your employee value proposition isn’t what you say — it’s what people experience.
Effective recruitment is engaging hearts and minds — not getting bums on seats.
The concept of talent acquisition is ridiculous — people aren't for sale.
Recruitment is a marketing challenge — and opportunity.
The talent you want to attract is the consumer and the job you want them to choose is the product.
Effective talent attraction with sustainable results doesn’t happen by accident.
If you’re keen to read more about what I’ve learned so you can apply it to your own recruitment, grab a copy of my book.