Pawel Kukulka

Every recruiter promises the same thing. The biggest network The best talent The fastest results But the real question is: who can actually deliver? I’ve lasted almost seven years in this business through: • Pandemic • 5+ moves   • Bringing a baby into the world while navigating betrayal • Severe CPTSD until the flashbacks finally stopped How? Not by lowering my rates Not by chasing clients who don’t value me I lean into what makes me different I value relationships I root for my peers I stay in my lane I stay confident in what I bring, without changing who I am to fit a mold. Here’s what most companies miss when choosing a recruiter: It’s not about a flashy pitch or a long list of logos. It’s about trust. If you are evaluating recruiters, ask: 1. How do you balance speed with quality? 2. How do you learn our culture? 3. Can you share examples of similar searches? 4. How do you communicate progress? 5. How do you build trust with candidates?     The answers reveal more than any deck. And job seekers: lean into what makes you different. You cannot compete where you do not compare. Focus on yourself and the rest will follow.

74

60 Comments

🚫 “Any suitable vacancies?” 🚫 Recruiters don’t find vacancies for you. Recruiters match candidates to the vacancies their clients already have open. When you send a blanket email with your CV asking, “Please consider me for any suitable vacancies,” here’s what really happens: 🗂️ Your CV gets buried under hundreds of similar emails. 📌 You give the recruiter no context, no target, no direction. 🐦‍⬛ You end up lost in the noise. 👉 A smarter approach: 💡 Be specific. Tell recruiters what roles you’re targeting. 💡 Share your top skills and industries of interest. 💡 Keep it relevant to the roles they’re actually hiring for. Recruiters want to help, but they can only place you if you align with their current vacancies. Make it easy for them to see where you fit. Don’t spray and pray. Be clear and intentional, your CV will go much further.

57

5 Comments

A lot of recruiters jump straight into selling... “This candidate would be perfect for you!” “This role’s an amazing opportunity!”   And while we all want to move fast, speed without direction is useless.   We don’t open a search until we’ve listened - properly.   🔹 What are you really looking for? 🔹 What’s changed in the business recently? 🔹 Where have hires gone wrong before?   When you take the time to ask those questions up front, the rest moves quicker.   Because then it’s not about sending over a stack of resumes and hoping one sticks.   It’s targeted, thoughtful and it saves everyone time.   ❌ We don’t believe in compromising on quality just to check a box.    ❌ We’re not in this to hit volume, and submitting a stack of resumes that are not a good fit. That’s why we listen first. That’s how we move fast.   And that’s why we won’t ever flood your inbox with people who aren’t a fit.

35

3 Comments

🛑 Recruiter housekeeping: Check your Zoom display name before you hit "Join." 🛑 This week, a hiring manager sent me a screenshot of someone who had just accepted their interview invitation on Zoom. Their display name? "NakedMoleRat43." I wish I was joking with this one..🤣 Yes, it was their personal email. Yes, it was likely created during the depths of lockdown boredom. But it's also the first impression they made on a potential employer. In a competitive IT market, details matter. We all have that quarantine-era email or gamer handle floating around, but if you're using a personal Zoom account for interviews, take 30 seconds to update your display name to something professional. Even something boring is better than "NakedMoleRat43." 🔹 Your name = your brand. 🔹 Your Zoom presence = part of your interview. 🔹 Your recruiter = quietly cringing. Let's keep it professional, folks. The little stuff still counts. #RecruiterLife #ITRecruiting #JobSearchTips #RemoteInterviewing

46

4 Comments

💥 The hall of shame: interview feedback edition 💥 Let’s be honest — some of the feedback candidates get after interviews can be fairly insulting. It’s vague, lazy, and does nothing to help someone actually improve. Here are 5 of the worst offenders I hear all the time: 1. “It was a really close call.” Translation: We don’t want to tell you why we picked someone else. Zero substance, zero value. 2. “We promoted someone internally.” Fair enough — but why invite external candidates in the first place? 3. “You don’t have the right background.” Strange, considering my CV screamed that from the beginning — and you still dragged me through multiple rounds. 4. “You’re too experienced.” Ah yes, the classic crime of knowing too much. Since when is capability a liability? 5. “Another candidate was a stronger fit.” The most meaningless feedback of them all. It’s a polite way of saying nothing at all. 👉 If businesses actually want candidates to respect them (and maybe even reapply in future), feedback has to be constructive. Otherwise, it’s just hot air and wasted effort on both sides. #job #interview #candidatefeedback #business #recruitment #hiring

133

36 Comments

Hiring key functions in Malta's financial services sector is a unique challenge. With a tight labor market and a well-known talent shortage, simply posting a job description won't attract the best professionals. A common mistake is to focus the majority of the hiring process on the job description. A risk manager knows what a risk manager does; they have been doing it successfully for years. The conversation shouldn't revolve just around the job's duties, but on the following 3 critical areas: 1. The "Why": Why should they work for you? 2. The Impact: How does this specific role contribute to the business's goals? 3. The Differentiator: What makes your organization a better choice than your competitors? And their current employer? This approach doesn't mean you skip the assessment. It means balancing a rigorous evaluation with an equally compelling attraction strategy. Fail to do this, and you will struggle to access the best professionals in the market. Remember: you are not only competing with other firms that are looking for the same key functions as you. You are competing with their current employer and a 3rd, rising challenge: professionals setting up on their own. Yes, at this level, this has become an increasing occurrence. But you don't need to spend 10 years perfecting this approach. Or shouldn't. That's my job. If you are looking for a strategic partner to spearhead an in-depth and focused headhunting process, let's talk. I am currently planning for the end of Q3 and the start of Q4 assignments, so if you are a financial services firm looking to appoint key functions, reach out and let's talk. Don't leave it to the last minute. August may seem quiet, but as the saying goes, " Si vis pacem, para bellum."

24

20 years in recruitment. Thousands of CVs reviewed. Hundreds of hires made. Question - Who makes the best candidates? Answer -People that don’t just look good on paper. Its the people that make it easy to say yes. Their CV and LinkedIn profile show clear value and showcase relevant experience. 💥No waffle. 💥No buzzwords. 💥No second-guessing. If you’re not getting shortlisted, it’s not always about hammering home the qualifications. It’s often about clarity and giving clear and concise EXAMPLES showcasing your experience or the technologies/applications built relevant to the job you are applying for!

28

You’ve placed candidates. They’re doing well… for a while. But then, 12 months in, they’re gone. What went wrong? Here’s the thing: most recruiters stop at placement. They don’t check in. They don’t follow up. The result? Clients experience high turnover, and you’re left picking up the pieces. But here’s the secret: Retention isn’t just about salary. It's about alignment - matching candidates to roles that not only fit their skills but also meet their long-term goals. And it’s about continuing the conversation after the placement is made. Here’s how to fix it: ➡️ Post-placement check-ins: Make it a routine. 90 days, 6 months, and 12 months. These touchpoints allow you to spot potential issues early and align with the candidate’s evolving needs. ➡️ Gather feedback: Check how well the new hire is adjusting to the role, the culture, and their responsibilities. Is the role still a fit for them? ➡️ Client collaboration: Keep your client in the loop. Retention-focused partnerships are a win-win. Strong retention builds trust and fosters long-term relationships with clients. It turns your placements into long-lasting successes, not just quick wins. Focus on retention. Your candidates and clients will thank you. Follow Imaz Akif for more insights!

51

1 Comment

Recruitment business owners  If you want to win more business on LinkedIn  Then follow these 4 content pillars... 1. Pain  2. Expertise  3. Conversion  4. Personal As an agency, we've worked with dozens of recruiters  Posted 5000+ pieces of content  And racked up hundreds of millions of impressions If you follow these 4 pillars  You will increase your chances of winning business from the platform Let's quickly break down each pillar... Pain: • Pain forces people to take action. So you need to introduce some pain in your content. The best way to use pain is through stories. E.g "I spoke to a CFO who told me he was struggling to hire controllers, here's why" Expertise:  • People want to work with experts. (not average) So you need to demonstrate that you know your shit. So speak about your craft!  - What's the best way to interview candidates? - How do you get hold of the best candidates?  - How do I increase my chances to securing great candidates?  Share the gold with your audience Conversion:  • If you share results and wins, people will be more likely to trust you. Which will increase conversion rates. Share client wins, how you help a candidate land a fantastic job or how you managed to shift a client's mindset. Personal:  • People work with other people that they know, like, and trust. If you share a bit about yourself, you're more likely to build a deeper personal connection with your audience  - What Sports are you into?   - Daily habits?   - Upcoming events? If you're interested in putting the pillars to the test with your audience Let us write you x2 free posts Some owners have won 30K worth of business  Some have racked up hundreds of thousands of impressions  Some have engaged high-value candidates There's nothing to lose  and everything to gain Link in the comments below. 

26

2 Comments