The recruitment world often glorifies the idea of being a “subject matter expert” (SME). Build a niche, stick to it, and you’ll thrive. Easy. Recruitment, completed it. Except, the reality isn’t so straightforward. Specialising in one tiny area might help you speed up the process, but it limits your ability to adapt and truly recruit in the way a businesses business needs, adding real value to their talent strategies. Recruitment isn’t about staying in one narrow lane, it’s about knowing how to drive well, no matter the terrain.
The secret to winning in recruitment
Success doesn’t come from sticking to a niche. It comes from knowing how to recruit. Ask the right questions, dig deep into your client’s challenges, and offer talent strategies that genuinely help. “knowing what to do is not the major challenge faced by executives, it’s knowing who to do it” as Geoff Smart puts it in one of my favourite recruitment books! Mastering the craft of recruitment—understanding business goals, helping companies define what “good looks like” to enable their business to solve problems and grow, helping companies predicting on the job success and deciphering talent motivations—is what sets you apart.
When you can swiftly identify needs, frame a recruitment strategy, and add value, you’re not just filling roles—you’re transforming partnerships. That’s a skillset that can be applied across industries, functions, and markets.
Are subject matter experts really better for clients?
It’s easy to assume that an has an edge because they can access or deliver profiles quicker. But it’s important to note, those profiles are often being sent to multiple other clients simultaneously. If candidates are interviewing with four or five other businesses, how much of a partner is that SME, really?
True recruitment partnership is about more than speed. It’s about providing tailored advice, focusing on quality, and finding candidates who align closely with a client’s goals. That’s what businesses need—and it’s what generalists, or rather recruitment experts, excel at.
What can recruitment experts achieve?
Proof that being generalist works, we have grown every single year since 2019 and our “power stats” I believe would stand up against any business;
- 96% retention rate 12 months plus
- Fill rate of 1 in 1.12
- 21 working days average fill rate of roles
- 7 client interview to placement ratio
And this covers a variety of roles from CEOs, Marketing Directors, Customer Services Executives, Project Managers, Cyber Security Managers, Account Managers and Executive Assistants for a plethora of organisations from FTSE 100 companies, PE backed tech firms to government owned bodies.
These stats are not shared to boast (albeit Simon does like to call me a “boaster”). They’re shared because if you truly focus on being a recruitment partner (an actual partner, not the word used on 90% of recruitment company websites that means sod all) and focus on being great at recruitment not building a network.. you can really add value to clients and build long term relationships.
We’re Recruiters, not “generalists”
I dislike the word “generalist.” It implies a lack of focus or expertise when the reality couldn’t be further from the truth. At Nobul, we aren’t generalists—we’re Recruiters, talent acquisition experts! We’ve honed our craft to work across fields, industries, and challenges. We know how to truly recruit and can help companies build business defining talent strategies; and that transcends any label or niche.
Stop obsessing over subject matter expertise and start focusing on recruitment expertise. That’s where the real magic lies.
