Question for Agency Recruiters: Would You Consider Returning to a KPI-Driven Environment?
As an agency recruiter, I wanted to get your perspective on this topic. I’ve spent the first part of my career in a lucrative niche, primarily working with global specialists earning a minimum of £90,000 per year. In contrast, my current role focuses on placing a high volume of unskilled workers at lower pay. Overall, I enjoy my current company, although I occasionally have ethical concerns, which is part of the recruitment landscape.
One of the most significant advantages of my current position is that we operate with zero KPIs. We have short-term, achievable targets set daily and reasonably manageable monthly goals. While the commission is modest (as expected), and my salary is under £30k, the workdays are long but relatively stress-free.
In my previous recruitment role, the first few years were incredibly challenging. Depending on the specific roles, there were often fewer than 50 suitable candidates worldwide. This made it tough to consistently meet daily, weekly, and monthly KPIs. Each placement was worth between £200 and £800, but they were hard to come by.
Recently, I’ve been approached by an agency that offers a significant salary increase, but their job description heavily emphasizes their reliance on KPIs. Additionally, reviews on Glassdoor mention negative experiences related to their KPI-driven culture. The salaries I would be placing are somewhere between the ranges I’ve worked with in the past. This would mean diving into a new industry and leaving behind the more relaxed target approach, although I would gain a better base salary.
I’m reaching out for your thoughts and advice. Would you make a similar move?
