GIRLS WHO RECRUIT – OR DO THEY?

Not a day goes by that some media outlet doesn’t talk about the inequality between men and women, both economically and socially. Which got me thinking about women in recruitment.

Like many in the game, you probably didn’t grow up dreaming about becoming a recruiter. Unlike many career paths, recruitment is not something you can traditionally study for at university, or attend vocational training for – nor does it seem to be a career people typically aspire to pursue! The industry has a calling to many a graduate, however research shows with more young men and women embarking on this career path still a higher proportion of women leave the sector before they reach the heady heights of recruitment greatness.

Women in Recruitment who most recently in June of this year, have become a part of the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSC) are an initiative that exists to help empower women to achieve their full potential in the world of recruitment. However, the fact that this initiative exists leads us to believe that their presence must be necessary – that there must be truth behind the claim that women in recruitment often leave the profession before they realise their potential. If it isn’t equality that is an issue, then what is it that makes women walk away from what potentially could be a successful and fulfilling career.

Is lack of confidence a recurring theme? Something that both genders can be equally affected by but recent research has shown that women more so. Confidence in their own ability and competency, confidence to create significant impact in their organisation, confidence to achieve what is needed to get to the top of the tree.

Or are recruitment organisations missing out on top female talent reaching the upper echelons of their businesses by not investing in training, mentorship programmes and clearly defined career paths early on? Recruitment is no catwalk. It can be a highly pressured, intense environments and sometimes the work/life balance isn’t possible but the world is a different place, and the industry is no longer the misogynistic boys’ club mentality that populated the 80s and 90s. I do believe that businesses are actively investing in recruitment to attain not just better talent, but to hire individuals who can bring in a new wave of change. And the role of women in this is massive.

Recruitment is definitely taking steps in the right direction to encourage and maintain female careers in the industry and businesses are seeing the benefits. More recruitment companies are focusing on a work-life balance and a desire to create a healthier mindset and environment, In fact, businesses which are showing more equality in their hiring processes are thriving as a result:

• Employees who work for a female manager are six times more engaged, on average, than those who work for a male manager
• On average, having women in leadership positions have aligned with a 15% increase in profitability
• Unleashing the full potential of women in the workplace could be worth £23 billion to the economy

What is clear is we (as individuals and organisations) need to raise the confidence of graduates, midlevel management and those beyond if we want to ensure they reach their full potential. If you are an ambitious female then becoming a recruiter is something to seriously consider. It is a thriving industry to be a part of, there is fantastic opportunities to earn really good money and progress in your career. Seeing yourself progress both in terms of salary, mindset and intellectually is something that everybody desires.

As the saying goes, “Be the change you want to see.” And this is why we love the dynamic side to the recruitment industry. It has often been an industry that is a force for change, not just increasing diversity in hiring, but also increasing equality for women recruiters. So the world of recruitment is changing, and women are a driving force of this change.