Being a great recruiter isn't about taking sides. It's about understanding both.
Recruitment is a people business. And where there are people, there are personalities, expectations, emotions and, occasionally, some rather uncomfortable conversations.
As recruiterswe occupy a unique position. We're trusted by businesses to find exceptional talent, while candidates rely on us to represent their experience, ambitions and career aspirations with integrity.
Two parties. Two perspectives. And expectations that don't always align.
Somewhere in the middle? Us.
It's a balancing act that I believe is one of the most underestimated skills in recruitment.
The Fine Line Between Advocacy and Impartiality
There's a misconception that because a client engages a recruiter, our loyalty should sit exclusively with them.
Of course, we have a commercial responsibility to our clients. They've entrusted us with decisions that can significantly impact their businesses.
Does that mean we should agree with everything they say?
Absolutely not.
Equally, candidates trust us to guide them through career decisions that can affect far more than their next pay cheque.
Does that mean we should automatically support every expectation or negotiation?
Again, no.
Being impartial doesn't mean being passive. It means advocating for both parties without compromising your professional judgement.
Sometimes that involves telling someone something they don't particularly want to hear.
The Conversations That Really Matter
Anyone can deliver good news.
An offer has been made. Expectations have been met. Everyone's happy.
What happens when things aren't quite so straightforward?
A candidate wants to negotiate an offer the client already considers generous.
A client questions someone's experience when you can see potential beyond their CV.
An interview hasn't gone as expected, or circumstances have shifted midway through a process.
These are the moments when recruitment becomes less about filling a vacancy and more about the quality of your judgement.
It's easy to tell a candidate what they want to hear to maintain a positive relationship. Equally, it's tempting to agree with a client to protect the commercial partnership.
Neither necessarily serves anyone well.
Sometimes our responsibility is to challenge a candidate's expectations with a realistic understanding of the market. Other times, it's helping a client reconsider what truly matters in their next hire.
It's about being constructive rather than confrontational, honest without being abrasive, and confident enough to navigate uncomfortable conversations.
Understanding Doesn't Always Mean Agreeing
One of the greatest lessons recruitment teaches you is that two people can experience exactly the same situation and walk away with entirely different interpretations.
Both perspectives can be perfectly reasonable.
A client might interpret a salary negotiation as an indication of a candidate's priorities. The candidate might simply be seeking clarity before making a significant career move.
A candidate might view delayed feedback as a lack of interest, while the client could be navigating internal approvals or competing business priorities.
Neither necessarily has the full picture.
That's where a good recruiter adds value.
Our job isn't to amplify frustration or become emotionally invested in one person's version of events. It's to understand what's driving each perspective and communicate it in a way that moves things forward.
You can understand someone's position without agreeing with it. And you can respectfully challenge their thinking without damaging the relationship.
In fact, I'd argue that's where the strongest professional relationships are built.
Reputation Over Transaction
Recruitment is commercial. There's no pretending otherwise.
We have targets, budgets, deadlines and expectations. Naturally, we want successful outcomes and to see our work translate into placements.
A placement at any cost isn't necessarily a successful placement.
If we're encouraging a candidate to accept an opportunity that doesn't genuinely align with their ambitions, or persuading a client to overlook legitimate concerns, are we really doing our job?
Short term, perhaps we've achieved an outcome.
Long term, we've potentially compromised the trust that makes our role valuable.
Particularly in industries like fashion, retail and lifestyle, where professional networks are closely connected and reputations travel quickly.
The candidate you represent today may become the hiring manager you partner with tomorrow.
The client you respectfully challenge today may be the one who values your advice most in years to come.
People remember how you conduct yourself, especially when things don't go to plan.
The Art Is in the Balance
For me, impartiality isn't about sitting on the fence.
It's about knowing when to push, when to listen, when to challenge and when to recognise that sometimes the right outcome is for both parties to walk away.
Businesses have commercial pressures and responsibilities. Candidates have livelihoods, ambitions and personal circumstances influencing their decisions.
Both deserve transparency, consideration and honest advice.
While we can't always deliver the outcome everyone wants, we can ensure the process is handled with integrity.
Ultimately, Trust Is the Real Currency
The longer I work in recruitment, the more I appreciate that our value isn't simply measured by how quickly we fill a role or how many candidates we introduce.
It's measured by the confidence people have in our judgement.
Whether a client trusts us to provide an honest assessment, even when it challenges their thinking.
Whether a candidate trusts us to offer realistic advice, even when it's not what they hoped to hear.
The best recruiters aren't necessarily the ones who always agree, always say yes or manage to keep everyone happy.
They're the ones who can have the difficult conversations, maintain the relationships and still earn the respect of everyone involved.
For me, that's the real art of being impartial in recruitment.
If you’d like to connect with Jordan, please email Jordan@thetalentmill.com.au today.
By Jordan McLeod // Edited By Shannon Parsons