Recruitment has never been short of rules. Some are written into processes, others have simply become accepted wisdom over time. But in a market shaped by changing candidate expectations, evolving technology, and growing operational complexity, many of those long-held assumptions are being challenged.
That’s why we launched The Recruitment Rule I’d Break, a series inviting industry experts to identify one recruitment “rule” they believe is holding agencies back. The result is a collection of thought-provoking perspectives that question conventional wisdom and encourage leaders to rethink how they operate.
Below is a summary of the insights shared across the series so far.
Tracker – Speed to Submit Isn’t the Ultimate Metric
Tracker challenges the belief that the fastest recruiter wins. While speed has its place, prioritising submission volume and turnaround times can come at the expense of quality, candidate experience, and long-term outcomes.
Their argument is simple: agencies should focus on making the right placements, not simply the quickest ones.
Wiggli – Stop Rewarding Call Volume
Wiggli questions one of recruitment’s oldest performance measures. Counting calls might be easy, but activity alone doesn’t guarantee results.
Their view is that meaningful conversations, stronger relationships, and measurable outcomes matter far more than dial counts.
Simplicity – Growth Doesn’t Start With Winning More Clients
Simplicity challenges the assumption that new business is always the biggest driver of growth. In reality, cash flow, funding, and operational efficiency often have a greater impact on an agency’s ability to scale.
The message is clear: sustainable growth requires strong financial foundations, not just more sales.
Shazamme – Ranking on Google Isn’t the Same as Being Visible
Shazamme argues that many agencies mistake search rankings for market visibility. Appearing in search results is only part of the equation.
True visibility means building authority, trust, and recognition across multiple channels where candidates and clients actually engage.
recLAW – Restrictive Covenants Matter More Than Many Think
recLAW takes aim at the belief that restrictive covenants are unenforceable and therefore not worth worrying about.
Their perspective is that well-drafted, regularly reviewed agreements can provide meaningful protection and should form part of a broader risk management strategy.
3R – There Is No Perfect Time to Build Operations Capability
3R challenges the idea that agencies should invest in internal operations only after reaching a certain size.
Instead, they argue that operational support should be introduced when it removes bottlenecks and enables growth, regardless of headcount.
Quba Solutions – Leaders Can’t Keep Wearing Every Hat
Quba highlights a common challenge among agency founders and directors: trying to do everything themselves.
Their advice is to move away from the hero mentality and focus on delegation, specialisation, and building a business that can operate effectively beyond one individual.
Private Investigators – Compliance Isn’t a One-Time Exercise
Private Investigators challenges the view that vetting ends once a DBS check has been completed.
Their message is that risk, circumstances, and information can change, making ongoing compliance and monitoring increasingly important.
Devyce – If it’s not in the CRM, it didn’t happen
Devyce questions the traditional mantra that “if it’s not in the CRM, it didn’t happen”.
Rather than focusing solely on manual data entry, they argue agencies should find better ways to capture and use the intelligence generated through recruiter conversations.
Just Recruit – Not Everything Belongs in the CRM
Just Recruit pushes back against the idea that every piece of information must be stored inside a CRM system.
Their viewpoint is that recruiters need streamlined processes and smarter information management, rather than creating additional administrative burdens.
Nexteam – Being Vetted Doesn’t Mean Being Chosen
Nexteam challenges the belief that completing a vetting process is enough to secure trust or opportunity.
Their message is that credibility, communication, and ongoing engagement remain essential long after verification has taken place.
Forma CV – Recruiters Shouldn’t Spend Hours Formatting CVs
Forma CV questions whether highly skilled consultants should still be dedicating valuable time to reformatting candidate CVs.
Their argument is that technology and automation can handle repetitive presentation tasks, allowing recruiters to focus on value-adding activities.
Anderson Recruiting – More Calls Isn’t Always the Answer
Anderson Recruiting takes on another long-standing recruitment assumption: when performance drops, simply increase activity levels.
Instead, they advocate diagnosing the real problem, whether that’s process, training, market conditions, positioning, or engagement, before demanding more outreach.
And Finally, What Is the Industry Really Saying?
Although each contributor approached the topic from a different angle, a clear theme has emerged.
Recruitment’s biggest opportunities don’t come from working harder within outdated rules. They come from questioning assumptions that no longer serve the industry.
Whether the discussion centres on sales activity, operations, compliance, marketing, financial management, technology, or recruiter productivity, the contributors all point in a similar direction:
The most successful agencies will be the ones willing to challenge accepted wisdom, rethink established processes, and replace outdated rules with smarter ways of working.
