recruiter blog Archives - Howard James Recruitment

Easter Sunday Reflection: Switching Off… Properly (Almost)

Easter Sunday. One of the few days where things genuinely slow down. No inbox pressure. No “just a quick call.” No last-minute surprises. Just a bit of breathing space. And if you’re in recruitment, you learn to appreciate that. Because most weeks, it’s go, go, go. Calls, candidates, clients, targets. Always something moving, always something…

Good Friday… But the Phone Still Rings

Good Friday. Supposed to be a day off. offee in hand, feet up, telling myself I’ll properly switch off. Then the phone goes. A candidate I’ve been working with all week. “Just wanted to check in…” And that’s it. You’re back in. Not fully. Not sat at a desk. But mentally, you’re there. Because recruitment…

The Pre-Bank Holiday Push

Thursday before a bank holiday. You can feel it in the air. There’s a different kind of urgency today. Clients want updates before they log off for a long weekend. Candidates suddenly become very responsive… or completely disappear. Interviews need confirming. Offers need chasing. Decisions need making. And all of it feels like it has…

The Friday Offer That Finally Lands

Friday afternoon. The week has been… mixed. A candidate dropped out on Tuesday. A client delayed feedback on Wednesday. Yesterday’s counteroffer nearly derailed everything. And then, finally, the email lands. “Offer accepted.” It’s a small sentence, but it carries a lot. Calls made, CVs screened, interviews arranged, expectations managed… all leading to this moment. You…

The Counteroffer Curveball

Howard James Recruitment The Counteroffer Curveball Thursday afternoons often look calm from the outside. On paper, everything’s aligned. Offer accepted, start date agreed, references in progress. Then the phone rings. “Hi… I’ve had a chat with my current employer.” You already know what’s coming. The counteroffer. Suddenly, the role that ticked every box this morning…