Fundamentals First

January 2025

It was great to be on APSCO’s Legal Sector webinar expert panel , focused on the challenges and opportunities facing recruiters in 2025. I was very keen on the importance of staying true to the fundamentals.

Here are some of my takeaways:

✅ Invest in Relationships: Prioritise meaningful partnerships with clients who value your expertise and view recruitment as a collaborative effort. Be memorable, not transactional.

✅ Fundamentals First: Always follow structured processes—confirm terms of business, record everything in your CRM, and ensure transparency in communication. If it’s not written down, it didn’t happen!

✅ Renegotiate, Don’t Negotiate: Nail down terms at the get-go and protect them. Frame discussions around revisiting or fine-tuning agreements on those terms, don't start over. And monitor client health as a matter of course, not just in times of difficulty.

✅ Leaders Lead: the SLT must set the standards for the company and be role models. Encourage communications, collaboration, accountability and empowerment. Investing in the team is vital - at all levels - everyone benefits.

Going “back to fundamentals” doesn’t mean going back to basics—it’s about focusing on the strategies and processes that make recruitment businesses thrive. It’s about tangibles, especially in today’s tough market. A cliche, maybe, but always bring a solution and accept it's always about selling.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined the session and contributed to the discussion. Special thanks to Kathryn Riley MBA and Barry Cullen, and to the team at APSCo, especially Maxine Hart, for sharing their expertise and insights.