Being a Mother and still working as an agency side recruiter… Why is it so rare?

29 Mar 2023

“I feel that working flexibly really has improved my role as a recruiter and as a Mother. I feel I now have the perfect balance between my career and my personal life”

 

I was thinking about the fact that in recruitment, as soon as you have children or reach a certain age where this is likely to be in your life plans… it seems most women are influenced to think that working the role of a 360, agency recruiter is no longer the right career path for them. That it will no longer fit into their lifestyle outside of work.

After working over ten years in recruitment and for two different agencies, I’ve worked with hundreds of people along the way (retention levels really are wild in recruitment) and of all the females colleagues I have worked with (kids or no kids), they’ve all ended up working in-house or client side.

Whilst there is no negative to making this shift, it has left me wondering… why? it it because:

  • The demands of agency side seem too much?
  • There aren’t many other known female role models who do it, therefore it seems more daunting without examples being shown.
  • Or is it the industry is automatically programmed to push females who make certain life choices or those who reach a certain age this way?

I may be one of few, but if I can be an example for just one other woman out there who decides to have children or make plans to have them at some point during their career, my advice would be to try not make the shift so swiftly. Find an agency who support you and your situation (I was extremely lucky with Propel to find that) and trust that your ability hasn’t changed now you’re a parent. In fact, it’s probably made you a better recruiter without you even realising.

Having said that, you need the support from your employer and the trust in that whilst working flexibly you are actually working. I have various school and nursery runs that fall into my working day but I always make sure that it has minimal impact and treat them as short, well needed breaks. I feel that working flexibly really has improved my role as a recruiter and as a Mother. I feel I now have the perfect balance between my career and my personal life. I get to chat with my son on the way home from school (it’s the small things) instead of running around like a headless chicken as I’m getting home from the commute at 7pm. I also feel like I’m more relaxed in general, with how I approach work but also how I approach home life. And I have Propel to thank for that.

Anyway, enough preaching from me, just give it a go… you may surprise yourself, I certainly did!

 


Amy Somers – Managing Consultant 

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