Pros
Independence to recruit and gain clientele
Cons
I was hired into this role during a period of significant internal dysfunction and immediately had to take on damage control. Upon starting, I was responsible for repairing client relationships and operational issues left behind by a prior recruiter who, in my experience, had been permitted to neglect responsibilities entirely, engage in unprofessional behavior during work hours, and use illegal substances on the job—conduct that ownership was well aware of at the time. Despite this, no corrective action had been taken before my hire.
With no real tools, systems, or support provided, I worked independently to resolve long-standing issues, rebuild trust with clients, and stabilize recruiting operations. As a result of these efforts, many previously ignored problems were corrected and the business saw improved performance and profitability.
Later, a business development representative was hired. Following this hire, overall numbers declined significantly. New clients brought in frequently failed to pay for services or dropped us after only a few weeks—often after I had already invested extensive time interviewing, screening, and recruiting candidates. Anticipating reduced placement numbers due to a lack of viable new job orders, I proactively began assisting with business development by going into the field and doing drops, despite this being outside my recruiter title.
Ultimately, because my official role was recruiter and placements slowed due to the lack of sustainable new business, I was terminated instead of addressing the ongoing issues within business development. This occurred despite continued concerns, including misuse of company time, lack of engagement with businesses during networking events, and a negative online review generated during that period—which I was later expected to help correct.
My termination felt less like a performance-based decision and more like a misplacement of accountability. While I gained valuable experience operating under pressure and repairing broken systems, leadership repeatedly ignored warning signs and failed to hold the appropriate roles accountable.
