(Editor’s note: The information from this article by Top Echelon Recruiting Software has been taken from an Expert Recruiter Coaching Series webinar by Barb Bruno, CPC/CTS of Good as Gold Training titled, “Build Trust, Influence Outcomes, and Reduce Surprises” Click HERE to watch the video of that training webinar for free.)
The recruiting industry is changing faster than it ever has before.
What worked six months ago may not work today. Candidate expectations have shifted. Hiring managers are overwhelmed. Technology is evolving rapidly. And recruiters who continue using outdated approaches are finding it harder to gain traction with both clients and candidates.
According to, one of the biggest mistakes recruiters make is assuming the market still responds the way it did in the past.
“I have never seen our business change as rapidly as it’s been changing in the last 12 months,” Bruno says. “What even worked six months ago is not working right now.”
That realization led her to do something unusual. Instead of speaking only at staffing and recruiting conferences, she intentionally spent the past year speaking at conferences attended by recruiters’ customers: IT conferences, accounting conferences, healthcare conferences, construction conferences, and more.
She wanted to hear directly from hiring managers and business leaders.
What she learned revealed why many recruiters are struggling and what top producers are doing differently.
At the center of it all are three critical concepts: building trust, influencing outcomes, and reducing surprises.
The Two Perceptions Costing Recruiters Money
Before recruiters can improve trust and influence, Bruno says they first have to confront two damaging perceptions that exist in the marketplace.
The first perception is on the candidate side.
“Candidates don’t think we care about them,” Bruno explains. “They believe all we care about is filling jobs.”
Candidates often feel recruiters are more interested in pushing openings than understanding long-term career goals. When recruiters immediately start pitching jobs before learning what a candidate actually wants, they reinforce that perception.
The second perception exists on the client side.
Clients frequently feel recruiters see them only as a source of revenue. Worse, many hiring managers complain recruiters are unprepared when they call.
Bruno recalls hearing repeatedly from end users that they hate receiving recruiter calls immediately after posting ads online.
“They told me, ‘Why didn’t you call us before we spent thousands of dollars running ads?’”
Some companies even keep lists of recruiting firms that only call after jobs are advertised.
The message from clients is clear: they want proactive strategic partners, not reactive vendors.
That distinction changes everything.
Stop Trying to Control People
Many recruiters believe success comes from controlling the process by controlling people.
They chase responses.
Push decisions.
Apply pressure.
Escalate urgency.
But according to Bruno, this approach creates resistance.
“Top producers don’t try to control people,” she says. “They control the process.”
That difference is critical.
When recruiters attempt to control candidates or hiring managers, candidates ghost, clients disengage, and searches stall. But when recruiters focus on creating structure, clarity, and confidence, people remain engaged.
The goal is not manipulation. The goal is alignment.
Candidates want career growth, stability, flexibility, and advancement. Hiring managers want business outcomes, productivity, and stronger teams. When recruiters consistently frame conversations around those objectives, people feel supported instead of pressured.
Bruno emphasizes that recruiters must stop talking about jobs and start talking about outcomes.
“With candidates, talk about career advancement. With hiring managers, talk about helping them achieve business outcomes and KPIs.”
That shift positions recruiters differently in the market. Instead of looking transactional, recruiters become consultative partners.
Recruiting Is Still a Relationship Business
Despite advances in AI and automation, recruiting remains fundamentally relationship-driven.
Bruno notes that recent staffing conferences heavily emphasized AI and technology, but the conversation has started shifting again.
“The focus now is pick up the phone and have conversations.”
Technology can support recruiting, but it cannot replace trust.
Candidates and hiring managers still want to work with professionals who understand them, listen carefully, and guide them through important decisions.
That means recruiters need to spend less time trying to automate relationships and more time strengthening communication skills.
Why Trust Accelerates Hiring
Trust is not about being overly nice or avoiding difficult conversations.
In fact, Bruno argues that top producers are often the most direct people in the business.
“The difference is how and when those conversations happen,” she explains.
Strong recruiters ask better questions earlier. They clarify expectations before problems arise. They identify roadblocks before deals begin to stall.
This approach creates confidence.
Candidates become more honest about competing opportunities, concerns, and timelines. Hiring managers share internal pressure, approval challenges, and obstacles sooner.
That transparency reduces surprises.
And surprises are often what destroy placements.
“I used to love surprises until I entered the recruiting profession,” Bruno jokes. “Now I hate surprises.”
Ask Better Questions
One of the most important ways recruiters build trust is by asking deeper questions than their competitors.
Too many recruiters still focus on surface-level information:
- Skills
- Compensation
- Availability
- Location
But trust-based recruiting goes further.
Bruno strongly advocates using performance objectives when taking job orders.
“What does this candidate need to accomplish in the first six to twelve months for you to tell me this was the best hire you ever made?”
That question changes the conversation entirely.
Instead of collecting a generic list of requirements, the recruiter begins understanding business outcomes.
Often, hiring managers discover many of the “requirements” they originally listed are not actually tied to success in the role.
Performance objectives help recruiters:
- Clarify priorities
- Better assess candidates
- Reduce misalignment
- Improve retention
- Increase placement ratios
Bruno notes that when her firm implemented performance objectives, their ratios improved dramatically.
“Our ratios went down by 40% the minute we started asking for performance objectives.”
Candidates Care About Career Growth, Not Your Job Order
One of the biggest mindset shifts recruiters must make is recognizing candidates do not care about filling jobs.
They care about improving their lives.
That means recruiters should stop leading with job descriptions and start leading with career conversations.
- “What do you want to do next?”
- “How do you want to advance your career?”
- “What would make your next move meaningful?”
These questions create engagement because they focus on the candidate’s goals—not the recruiter’s needs.
Bruno warns recruiters against pitching jobs too early.
“Candidates are tired of recruiters pitching jobs,” she says. “They hate it.”
Instead, recruiters should position themselves as career advisors who help professionals navigate long-term growth.
Preparation Matters More Than Ever
Another major complaint Bruno heard repeatedly from hiring managers was lack of recruiter preparation.
Recruiters are still making cold calls without doing basic research.
Bruno even shared that she recently received calls from recruiters marketing candidates completely unrelated to her business.
“If they had even Googled my name, they would have known not to call me.”
That lack of preparation destroys credibility instantly.
Recruiters should never contact a prospect without:
- Reviewing LinkedIn profiles
- Researching the company
- Understanding the industry
- Looking for common connections
- Knowing recent business developments
“Stop making cold calls,” Bruno says. “Make warm informed calls.”
Preparation demonstrates professionalism. And professionalism builds trust.
Consistency Builds Confidence
One of the fastest ways to lose trust is inconsistency.
If recruiters:
- Overpromise
- Fail to follow up
- React emotionally
- Change expectations mid-process
they damage credibility.
Candidates and clients are already making high-stakes decisions under pressure. They need stability and clarity from the recruiter.
“When a recruiter brings calm structure to the process, it creates a psychological safety net,” Bruno explains.
That consistency keeps everyone engaged.
It also helps recruiters stand out because many recruiters fail to provide clear expectations.
Written Expectations Are a Competitive Advantage
One of Bruno’s strongest recommendations is giving both clients and candidates written expectations upfront.
Most recruiters assume people understand the process. They do not.
Candidates and clients are often confused about:
- Timelines
- Communication expectations
- Feedback requirements
- Interview scheduling
- Decision-making steps
Written expectations immediately differentiate recruiters because they demonstrate professionalism and organization.
Bruno says clients are often shocked when they see everything recruiters actually do.
“I’ve had clients say, ‘We had no idea what you do.’”
The key is framing expectations around benefits.
Instead of saying:
“This is our process.”
Say:
“This is what we need from you to only present candidates you’ll hire without hesitation.”
That framing positions the recruiter as a partner rather than someone imposing rules.
The Importance of Process Leadership
Top recruiters are process leaders.
They do not wait for problems to emerge before addressing them.
They proactively discuss:
- Communication preferences
- Response times
- Counteroffers
- Interview availability
- Decision timelines
- Potential obstacles
For example, Bruno recommends asking candidates:
- “What would cause you to pause this process?”
- “Would you consider a counteroffer?”
- “What five things would you change about your current job?”
Those questions uncover motivations early and reduce late-stage surprises.
Similarly, recruiters should confirm alignment with hiring managers rather than assuming it exists.
One technique Bruno recommends is sending the written job order to everyone involved in interviewing and requiring approval.
This often uncovers major disconnects before recruiting even begins.
Stop Acting Like a Vendor
One of the biggest dangers in recruiting is becoming viewed as a transactional vendor.
When that happens, conversations revolve only around:
- Speed
- Fees
- Margins
That is a race recruiters rarely want to win.
Instead, recruiters must elevate conversations toward strategy and outcomes.
“When you position yourself as a strategic partner,” Bruno says, “you stop getting dragged into fee conversations.”
Strategic partners discuss:
- Business impact
- Team performance
- KPIs
- Productivity
- Retention
- Culture
- Leadership
Transactional vendors discuss rates.
The difference is enormous.
Trust Speeds Up the Hiring Process
Trust impacts time-to-fill more than recruiters realize.
When candidates trust recruiters:
- They disclose competing offers
- Share real concerns
- Respond faster
- Stay engaged longer
When hiring managers trust recruiters:
- They share internal challenges
- Clarify true priorities
- Communicate openly
- Move faster
This transparency prevents delays and allows recruiters to anticipate issues instead of reacting to them.
The process becomes smoother because fewer surprises derail momentum.
Learn Your ATS Instead of Chasing New Tools
Bruno also challenged recruiters to stop constantly searching for new technology while failing to fully use the tools they already have.
“Nobody likes their ATS system,” she jokes. “And it’s not the system—it’s you.”
Most recruiters never fully learn:
- CRM functionality
- Workflow automation
- Reporting features
- Candidate tracking
- Communication tools
As a result, they create inefficiency and inconsistency.
Recruiters who fully understand their systems create stronger structure, better follow-up, and improved organization.
And organization supports trust.
Follow-Up Is Still a Massive Opportunity
Toward the end of the presentation, Bruno highlighted another major weakness in the recruiting industry: poor follow-up.
“Clients say if there’s a problem, recruiters disappear.”
Many recruiters stop communicating after placements are made.
That is a mistake.
Consistent post-placement follow-up:
- Strengthens relationships
- Improves retention
- Creates referrals
- Generates repeat business
- Uncovers additional hiring needs
“When you call and check in,” Bruno says, “often you write additional business.”
Follow-up is not optional. It is part of relationship building.
Leadership Is the Real Difference
Ultimately, Bruno believes top producers succeed because they see themselves as leaders, and this is what leaders do:
- Guide conversations
- Set standards
- Create clarity
- Establish confidence
- Help people make better decisions more quickly.
“You are the creator of your lifestyle,” Bruno says. “You are the leader of your life.”
That mindset changes how recruiters:
- Work their desks
- Conduct interviews
- Handle objections
- Manage clients
- Build trust
And according to Bruno, that leadership mindset is what separates recruiters who merely survive from recruiters who consistently thrive.
The Bottom Line
The recruiting industry has changed dramatically, but the fundamentals still matter. Those fundamentals include:
- Trust
- Preparation
- Consistency
- Communication
- Leadership
Candidates want recruiters who care about their careers.
Clients want strategic partners who understand business outcomes.
Recruiters who stop trying to control people and start leading the process create:
- Stronger relationships
- Faster placements
- Better retention
- Higher trust
- Fewer surprises
And in today’s recruiting environment, those advantages matter more than ever.
As Bruno reminds recruiters, “Top producers don’t work harder. They work smarter.”
The recruiters who adapt to this new environment by becoming consultative, prepared, structured, and relationship-driven will not just survive the changes happening in the industry.
They will also lead it.
