It’s officially been two months since Julien and I launched Forward talent, and making the leap from running my own music PR and event business to recruitment has been one of the most eye-opening experiences of my career - it’s truly been the steepest learning curve I've had since becoming a parent! 🎢 🧗🏽
If you think recruitment is just about “connecting people to jobs/making placements, etc”, think again: I’ve learned recruiters are some of the hardest working, most resilient people out there. This role demands constant energy, empathy and adaptability. It's a full-on test of resilience and tenacity all while staying positive and moving forward.
Before I launched myself into recruitment, I was all set to help people land their dream jobs, assemble star teams, and maybe even spread a little joy along the way. In my head, I was essentially a “job-matchmaking fairy,” spreading career magic... or so I thought. 🧚🏻✨
Reality check: not everyone greets a recruiter’s call with enthusiasm and glee! As I discovered, some people approach recruiters with the same enthusiasm reserved for telemarketers. I was admittedly very naive, but after hearing some people’s experiences of ghosting, rushing candidates, overpromising and underdelivering, lack of transparency and beyond - I get it.
But I’m here, and I’m determined to prove that recruitment can be genuine, respectful, and even enjoyable. A little patience, a lot of listening, empathy, and a healthy dose of persistence go a long way. I’m finding purpose in helping people in small ways and finding joy in making meaningful and genuine connections. I’m actually loving what I do. I love people. And learning about what makes them tick. So, I've started to find my people. 🤝
PR taught me to always be adaptable, to trust my gut, how to handle fast-paced, sometimes chaotic situations (literally putting out fires - just ask me), and creating meaningful connections. This toolkit has proven to be powerful here in this new recruitment frontier, too. In fact, the need for adaptability inspired my new catchphrase, “Engage Tardigrade Mode™.” I only wish I’d come up with it back in my music days; I’d have used it so often, it probably would’ve caught on!
This learning curve has been a reminder that instincts and skills can often adapt better than we give them credit for, and that a willingness to learn can open unexpected doors.
I’ll admit, this career pivot hasn’t come without its challenges. After over 15 years in an industry where I felt like I knew the ropes intuitively, it’s humbling to find myself navigating this unfamiliar landscape. Imposter syndrome shadows me daily - there’s so much new lingo, new systems, tech trends to absorb, and networks to build. But every day I dust myself off, show up, put myself out there and give it my all. 💪🏼
As an introverted extrovert, it has been a time, dear readers. 😅
So, if you’re navigating a career pivot or just having one of those days/weeks/months, I hope this little voice from the depths of my learning curve helps:
✨ It’s okay to feel out of your depth. That’s where the magic happens.
🌱 It’s okay to be a work in progress. Because everyone else is, too.
Keep learning, be curious and always receptive, trust yourself, don’t be afraid to put a little faith in others too and know that your rhythm will find you.
I can’t wait to see where these next few months lead me (or how this post ages over the next few months)!
