Welcome to the first in our monthly interview series called 10×10. Ten questions presented to ten specialist recruiters. Our first interview is with recent UK import Jon Isaac.

Based in our Melbourne office, Jon Isaac recently moved to Australia after a successful recruitment career within London’s highly competitive financial services market. Jon took time to sit down with us as part of our 10×10 Series to discuss recruitment, his career, personal insights and future industry trends.

1. How did you get started in the recruitment industry?
I started my career working in IT Sales. It was financially rewarding, but I knew I wasn’t being challenged in the role. I needed a career that was sales focused, but at the same time would enable me to develop new skills and offer opportunity for progression.  A good friend of mine who understood the situation introduced me to a contact working within Recruitment and after he explained the industry to me, it sounded exactly like the type of career I was looking for.  I did my own research and started my first recruiting role just a couple of months later.

2. How has the recruiting process changed since those early days?

It’s very different now, especially with more and more companies using online portals to upload candidate applications. With this increased digitisation of the recruitment process, it’s becoming very important to offer a value add service, over and above simply supplying CVs. 
Consultation, market information and salary benchmarking are all services an agency needs to be able to offer to both clients and candidates alike.

3. What is the latest recruitment trend that’s made you take notice?

In a drive to cut costs, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in the number of companies seeking to recruit roles themselves. In many cases those organsiations advertise positions via generic digital platforms and then attempt to field the responses internally. Though these talent acquisition/Internal recruitment teams are becoming more prevalent, the results are at best time consuming and at worst unsuccessful. I believe there is opportunity for motivated recruiters to provide specialist and cost effective recruitment solutions, both now and into the future.

4. Based on your international experience, what do you think will happen within recruitment over the next five years?

Increasingly technology is playing a bigger part in the recruitment process. We’re already seeing an increase in the number of candidates accessing recruitment content via mobile applications. Whether it’s searching social media sites (such as LinkedIn), accessing job boards, downloading role specs and uploading CVs, technology has allowed the recruitment process to be conducted on the move and at pace. I also believe that in future, social media profiles and video resumes could go a long way in potentially replacing the traditional CV.

5. Not all recruitment companies are the same, so what questions should a client ask when choosing one?

It’s very important that you are fully informed about the recruitment firm you are about to engage. Primarily you need to ask whether their values, methodology and culture aligns with your own. If not it could be an uphill battle even on the most basic interactions. I always think it’s telling how the recruitment firm goes about hiring and attracting their own staff, and what training and or ongoing support they offer them. Knowing about the recruitment company’s own hiring and retention process gives an indication of the type and level of service you can expect them to supply their clients.

6. How do you source candidates, and do you have any advice for those seeking to further their careers?

I use a variety of mediums when seeking to fill a role including; social media sites (to target both active and passive job seekers), our internal database (which is vast and current), job boards when appropriate, but most of all it’s about our network. A good recruiter builds a network of contacts within their area of specialisation. That network includes job seekers, clients, industry associations, colleagues and effectively anyone within the industry they recruit for. I’ve already established a good network around me, but its something that I’m always seeking to grow.

Those seeking to further their careers should employ a variety of different methods, but perhaps most effective is to make contact with a reputable recruiter and/or agency and ensure they’re aware of who you are and what type of opportunities would interest you.

7. How do you measure success?

It’s a good question! I ask myself three key questions, and ultimately the answer needs to be yes for all of them.

8. What do you consider the most rewarding aspect about your job?

That’s easy.  The most rewarding calls to make are the ones where I get to tell a candidate they have received an offer for a role they are genuinely excited about. When I’ve helped a client successfully build their team and/or a talented individual further their career goals, for me that’s a job well done.

9. Tell us about someone you admire.

Richard Branson. When you’re actively involved in hundreds of different companies, organisations and charities across the world, but still look like you’re having more fun than anyone else on the planet, then you’re doing a lot of things right and that’s definitely something to aspire to.

10. Tell us about your move to Australia, what have been the highs and the challenges?

It’s been an incredible past few months and there’s been a lot to learn, but luckily I have great support from the Capstone team and a good network of friends and colleagues around me.  It’s been great getting to know this city and the best bit is that I know there is so much yet to discover.  The lows? My newly adopted AFL team not making it to the Finals!

Jon Isaac is a Melbourne based specialist recruiter within the Property and Development sector. Get to know Jon by connecting with him by email or via LinkedIn.

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