Right, I’m just going to come out and say it – because it needs to be said:
Recruitment is not all about sales.
Recruitment is not all about marketing.
Recruitment is a professional service.
Now, I know some might disagree – and that’s fine. But I stand by this.
Yes, there are undeniable sales and marketing elements involved in recruitment. Of course, you need to sell your service, promote your brand, and build a pipeline. That’s business. But the foundation of what we do – the real core of recruitment – is providing a professional service to our customers: both clients and candidates.
And that’s where many in the industry are missing the mark.
In too many recruitment businesses, the emphasis is on business development, selling services, and driving brand awareness. But often, there’s no documented customer journey. No real focus on making that journey seamless, valuable, or even pleasant. In some cases, customers – particularly clients – are treated like awkward obstacles who just “don’t get it.”
I see it every day, here on LinkedIn and in my inbox – endless talk about closing more deals, generating leads, building personal brands, or scaling BD functions. All useful things in their place, absolutely. But none of it replaces the need for an outstanding, efficient, and people-first service.
Because let’s be honest – doing recruitment isn’t hard. But doing recruitment well? That’s a different story.
It requires dedication. It takes time. It needs process excellence, a relentless focus on client and candidate experience, and a commitment to evolving your service so it genuinely adds value. It means building a culture where delivery, trust, and inclusivity aren’t afterthoughts – they’re the starting point.
When you put creating and delivering a brilliant professional recruitment service at the heart of your business, everything changes. You stop living hand-to-mouth with sales. You start building meaningful, long-term relationships. You reduce churn. You grow sustainably.
Recruitment, when done right, is an incredible industry. It helps businesses grow. It helps people shape their careers. It drives economic momentum. But to really make an impact, we have to stop thinking like salespeople first and start thinking like service providers.
Sales and marketing are vital – no question. But what are you selling if not a great service?
Anyway, I’ve said it now – no turning back
Matt Knowles – Sales Enablement Evangelist - With 24+ years in recruitment and sales, Matt Knowles helps founder-led businesses scale through sales enablement best practices. He builds scalable processes that boost performance, engagement, and customer satisfaction, offering services from audits and tech reviews to coaching and L&D—all focused on optimised business growth. Talent Enabled