Recruitment is often framed as a numbers game: CVs in, interviews booked, roles filled. But anyone who’s done it well and for the long haul knows that’s only a fraction of the story.
This is emotional work.
At Park, we’ve been in the Jersey market for over 45 years. A LOT has changed in that time. Job titles have gotten fancier, “hybrid” used to just mean a car and the fax machine has thankfully retired.
But our approach to people? That hasn’t changed one bit. Empathy. Trust. Integrity. Always.
Behind every CV is someone facing change. Someone weighing up whether to leave security for potential. A parent thinking about work-life balance. A professional wondering if this move will finally bring meaning or recognition. And on the client side? Leaders betting on the future of their business hoping that this hire won’t just tick boxes but actually fit and stay.
We’re in the middle of all of that.
We carry the unspoken fears, the what-ifs, the unfiltered doubts. We recognise the hesitation in the candidate’s tone, the frustration in a hiring manager’s feedback and the burnout in someone who doesn’t even realise they’re ready to move yet.
Our work takes empathy. Judgement. Resilience. Timing.
The best recruiters lead with empathy, not just to understand people, but to earn their trust. It’s not admin, it’s real, human connection with a side of coffee and gin (disclaimer: only at weekends 😉)
And here’s the part that often gets overlooked: We’re human too!
We invest emotionally in people that we may never place. We build trust over months, sometimes years, only for someone to take a different path. We get ghosted (and yes, it still stings). We give tough feedback. We celebrate the wins hard and absorb the losses quietly and move on quickly- because that’s part of the job.
And still- our team shows up. Every day. Giving 100%.
Not because it’s easy. But because we know how much it matters. To the client. To the candidate. To us and to the outcome.
We’re not just filling roles, we’re helping people make life-changing decisions. We’re finding first jobs for people taking their very first step into the world of work. We’re helping students discover their skill sets and see what’s possible, We’re supporting professionals ready to make the leap into something new. We’re guiding people back into the workplace after redundancy, when confidence may have been knocked. We’re there when someone wants more balance, more growth, more meaning. We’re shaping teams. We’re helping companies grow.
So yes, recruitment is emotional work.
And honestly? That’s exactly why it matters and why we’re still here, shaping careers 45 years on, because people will always matter more than process.