Sometimes the Best Career Move Is to Stay Put…

A recruitment consultant with 12 months experience and a billing history consistently hitting between £8k and £10k pcm, approached me looking for their next career move.

Their words were “I am ambitious, hitting all my targets, ready for progression and my next move”.

After a dig deep into what they wanted and what they had achieved, coupled with their longer-term career goals, we gave them advice they probably weren't expecting:

“You need to stay where you are for another 12 months.”

Why?

Because we genuinely believed that moving at that point wouldn't deliver the best outcome for their career. They needed more time to build their recruitment experience, strengthen their track record and demonstrate greater responsibility. Another 12 months in their current position could potentially put them in a much stronger position when approaching the market.

So, instead of trying to secure a quick placement, we advised them to stay put, gain more experience, and come back to us in 12 months.

12 months later...

They did exactly that.

We put a plan together; they’d gained another year of valuable experience, developed professionally, and strengthened their CV.

Then…

This time, the opportunities available to them were very different. They had more credibility and a stronger billing history and an all-round, much better recruiter.

We successfully placed them into:

✅ A more senior recruitment position
✅ A role offering greater responsibility and career progression
✅ An £8,000 increase in basic salary

Same consultant.

Just 12 months more experience.

A completely different outcome.

Why Does This Matter?

At The Job Office Ltd, we don't believe a Rec2Rec should simply be about filling vacancies. It should be about placing people in the right position, rather than just chasing the fee.

Sometimes the right advice is: Move now.

Sometimes it's: Don't take that job.

And occasionally it's:

• Stay exactly where you are, build your experience and let's talk again when the timing is right.
• We may have delayed a placement by 12 months, but for that individual, it resulted in a more senior opportunity and an £8,000 salary uplift.
• That's what we believe good recruitment should look like.
• Your career. Your timescale. The right move.
• If you're working in recruitment and wondering whether now really is the right time to move, speak to The Job Office Ltd.
• We won't promise to tell you what you want to hear.
• We'll tell you what we genuinely believe is best for your recruitment career.
• And sometimes, “not yet” can turn out to be the best career advice you receive.