Recruitment FOMO: Overcoming Fear of Missing Out and Finding Career Meaning as a Recruiter
As many recruiters progress beyond the initial stages of their careers, they often find themselves grappling with a lack of meaning in their work and a persistent sense of missing out. Recruitment can sometimes feel less meaningful compared to other professions. This article delves deeper into this issue.
Doctors help patients, police officers prevent crime, accountants keep businesses running, builders create homes, and politicians...well, they keep brown paper bag merchants in business. Each profession contributes significantly to society, providing its practitioners with a sense of purpose and motivation.
But here’s a secret many people won't tell you: every career loses its shine eventually. Every job has its downsides, routine moments, and stresses that can lead to feelings of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) from time to time.
This happens because we "live" within our jobs and only see the external positives of other professions. All careers, even those that seem glamorous—like being a porn star, a footballer, or a member of a crime syndicate—can become mundane.
Recruitment is no different. Let’s explore "Recruitment FOMO" and how to find meaning in your career as a recruiter.
What Do Recruiters Struggle With?
Recruiters have a unique perspective: we're involved in people’s careers, we learn about various jobs, and we see the types of companies people work for. This can sometimes spark envy and trigger feelings of FOMO.
Here’s how this often manifests:
1. The Grass Seems Greener:
We see all these exciting jobs, the salaries they offer, and the perks that come with them, and it's easy to feel like the grass is greener elsewhere. Life often makes what’s over the hill, across the river, or down the road seem better.
2. The Call Treadmill:
Making constant calls to candidates and clients can become exhausting over time. During long stretches of trying to win business, FOMO can hit hard.
3. The Emotional Energy Drain:
Recruitment is an emotional journey for everyone involved. You’re constantly dealing with people navigating one of the most challenging periods of their lives—finding a new job. Add to that hiring managers who are stressed about filling positions, plus your own need for fee income and commission checks, and the result can be an emotionally draining experience. This can make other careers seem more appealing.
4. Fee Income Pressure:
The need for consistent monthly billing to keep “the wolves from the door” (or avoid a P45) can be overwhelming. Sales pressure can strip meaning from the job and make less stressful roles seem more desirable.
Why Do Recruiters Experience FOMO and a Lack of Meaning?
Many recruiters face these challenges between the 18-month and 5-year mark, and sometimes even longer—I know I did, and still do occasionally.
Recruitment places you in a unique position, constantly giving you insights into other people’s jobs, perks, pay, conditions, career outcomes, and lifestyles. Although we also see the downsides of these roles, we often ignore them and only focus on the positives.
Recruitment is essentially career window shopping; we see the best "goods" every day, which naturally leads to FOMO.
Meaning in a job comes from two sources: what we value and what motivates us. Understanding what drives us and what we value in life can help sustain our desire and motivation at work. Being driven is a powerful way to dispel FOMO in all its forms.
How Can Recruiters Reduce FOMO and Find Meaning?
In this article, we’ve intentionally linked FOMO and finding meaning as two sides of the same career coin. The reason is simple: finding meaning in your work reduces FOMO.
Discovering and sustaining personal meaning in your role can help fend off FOMO. However, it’s essential to be realistic and acknowledge that these feelings might still surface from time to time.
What If You Can't Find Meaning?
This is a complex issue influenced by various factors. One factor that can strip away meaning is the KPI-driven culture prevalent in the recruitment industry. While key performance indicators (KPIs) can help new recruiters at the start of their careers, they can feel restrictive and demotivated as they gain experience and confidence.
For some, it's about losing sight of what truly matters in their careers.
Ultimately, these feelings may signal the need for a change. This change could mean moving to an in-house recruitment role (I have written a book about this) or even changing careers entirely.
While this is a topic for another time, it’s important to remember that the desire for a fresh start often arises during months with poor billings, on Mondays, or in January.
My Personal Journey
My journey in recruitment is still ongoing. It’s okay to acknowledge that your career, like life, is a work in progress.
I’ve always found that recruitment tends to trigger FOMO for me. Part of it comes from “falling in love” with the jobs and companies I recruit for, which brings a real sense of loss when I successfully fill a role.
When it comes to meaning, I’ve realized that I find purpose in being a “dream maker.” Helping people move into new roles allows me to contribute to their personal and professional dreams, both big and small.
Sometimes, I need a reminder that this is what I do—and have done for a long time. The search for meaning in one’s life and career is constantly evolving, requiring regular reflection and refreshment.
Action Points
- Ask yourself what gives you meaning in life. Set a timer and write down everything that comes to mind.
- Ask yourself what motivates you. Set another timer (for ten minutes) and write down everything that drives you.
- Review your lists. Rewrite them neatly so you can read them clearly.
- Prioritize your reasons. Number each reason in order of importance.
- Identify how recruitment aligns with your top three reasons. Consider how your job as a recruiter can fulfill these sources of meaning and motivation.
- Create a daily reminder. Set up an email to be delivered to you every day at 8 a.m. with your top three reasons for meaning. Read them and say them out loud before starting your day.
- Repeat this process every day. Over time, the power of your subconscious mind will reinforce these thoughts. This is no quick fix but a gradual change.
- Set a calendar reminder for one year from now to repeat this exercise.
- If you're a team leader, consider setting a meeting for your team to go through this process together.
If you follow this routine for 90 days, you should find yourself with less FOMO and a greater sense of meaning.
####TL;DR
- Many recruiters experience "Fear of Missing Out" (FOMO) due to constant exposure to other careers and their perceived benefits.
- This can lead to dissatisfaction and a sense of meaninglessness.
- However, every job has its downsides, and FOMO is a normal feeling in any career. To combat FOMO, recruiters should identify what gives them personal meaning and motivation.
- This involves regularly reflecting on their values, setting reminders to stay focused on their purpose, and recognizing that meaning is dynamic and requires ongoing effort.
- If meaning can't be found, it may be time to consider a career change.
####Call to Action
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