“Choose a job you love…..

and you will never have to work a day in your life” – Confucius. Now is the time of year when GCSE and A-Level students are sitting their exams and potentially life changing decisions are being made about onward studies and employment options. As the parent of an A-Level student our family has been going through the rounds of considering which routes to take. As a recruiter I have always encouraged applicants to embrace their strengths and to follow their instincts when it comes to choosing their next steps, regardless of whether that will end up as a placement. I applied the same logic when my daughter came to me for advice about her next steps. She is academic (unlike her mother 😂) but her passion lies in art. She has loved drawing, painting, and experimenting with all kinds of materials since she was small and always saw it as an escape. When she was choosing A-Levels, the colleges were pushing for Math, Science, Economics but I told her to follow her instincts, which she did. The same applied when picking Universities. The college pushing for academia, but she has settled on a pathway within Art. I was surprised how vocal friends, family and associates can be when it comes to making decisions, on what they think is best. I was met with “oh, you must be disappointed”, “I wouldn’t worry, she will change her mind” and “she can always go on to do something else” and she herself was sat down by a friends parent and told “she was making a mistake” and that she should consider the money she can make in Law, Accountancy or Medicine. I told her to ignore the advice and go with her gut. What did she want to do? What makes her happy? When asked if I am disappointed in her choice, which is irrelevant as I chose my own path, the answer will always be Au contraire! I am glowing with pride that she has passion, commitment, and a vision for what she wants to do, wherever it may lead. In the days of Math and Economics being hailed as King, there should still be a space for Artists, Musicians, Actors and Creatives and I will continue to encourage and support in everything she does. It made me think about how much we, as recruiters can responsibly influence others to take roles, join companies and embark on a certain career path. Industry training leans towards financial rewards, winning and converting the sale, but is your end goal resulting in the best advice for the candidate? If your targets were taken away, would you give the same advice? With the ever-advancing prospect of AI in recruitment, now is a better time than ever to put the “human” back into the process and to be the support everyone needs and would really appreciate when looking for a new role.

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