On a recent business trip to the States, I had a fascinating chat with Hanna Sanford – an American recruiter who works in the UK – who shared her thoughts on the differences she’s observed between American recruiters and their British counterparts. The conversation was such an eye-opener that I asked if she’d mind providing a quote to form the basis of a blog on the subject. She kindly obliged, and this is that blog.
Recruitment is one of the few careers where ambition, talent and hard work can directly translate into financial success and upward mobility. This applies on both sides of the Atlantic, and yet, according to American recruiter Hanna Sanford, the way recruiters perceive themselves varies significantly between the US and the UK:
“As an American recruiter working in Britain, I’ve always found it curious – and a little sad – how the profession is often downplayed here. In the US, success and high earnings are openly celebrated, no matter the field. If you’re good at what you do and work hard, there’s no shame in making great money. But in Britain, there seems to be a reluctance to embrace recruitment for what it is: a career that offers immense earning potential and social mobility, regardless of background.
Instead, job titles are often engineered to imply prestige – suggesting high levels of education or exclusivity – rather than openly acknowledging commercial success. Yet, recruitment remains one of the few modern professions where talent and drive can propel someone beyond even the highest-paid city jobs. Yes, like many fields, it follows a power-law distribution – the top performers earn disproportionately more – but for those who excel, the financial rewards and flexibility often outstrip most traditional career paths.
Rather than shying away from the term ‘recruiter’, perhaps it’s time to embrace it. After all, it’s not just a job – it’s a meritocratic path to real success.”
I hadn’t really thought about this before, but her words hit home, and I recognised myself and my fellow British recruiters in her observation. In the US, recruitment is seen as a high-energy, sales-driven profession where earnings are celebrated and status is defined by performance. In the UK, however, we are often reluctant to embrace the commercial nature of the industry. In this blog, I discuss what I think are the reasons for this mindset, and I explain why we should start reframing our self-perception as recruiters in the UK. First, let’s look at the American view of recruitment.
The American mindset: Success without apology
In the US, recruitment is perceived as a high-stakes, high-reward industry. There is no embarrassment in discussing commissions, bonuses or top performers. The culture of the American Dream – where success is viewed as the rightful outcome of effort and ambition – aligns naturally with the recruitment profession.
Generally speaking (as we’re all individuals and there are always exceptions), recruiters in the US are not afraid to embrace their identity as sales professionals. In fact, it comes naturally to them. The best recruiters are celebrated for their ability to close deals, bring in new business and match top talent with the right companies. At this point, it should be pointed out that this perspective is not unique to recruitment but mirrors a broader cultural acceptance of commercial success in the States. Making a lot of money isn’t seen as inherently suspect to Americans – it’s just a sign that someone is doing something well. In the UK, we can be a little more complex when it comes to money!
The British approach: Prestige over profit?
In contrast to our American peers, British recruiters often downplay the financial aspects of the job. Even though many recruiters in the UK do command high salaries, we are more subdued and almost apologetic about our success. I can think of two possible reasons for this: first, there’s the typical British attitude towards money that’s fed to us from a young age, where we’re taught not to brag about or even discuss our earnings with others; and then there’s the British general public’s traditional view of salespeople, where we lump everyone from double-glazing salesmen through to recruiters into the same category. And while the old-school sales tactic of ‘selling ice to Eskimos’ is largely a thing of the past, ingrained perceptions and stigmas can be hard to shift.
Then we come to the next point that Hanna made: job titles. A lot of UK recruitment firms use newfangled job titles like Talent Acquisition Partner or Executive Search Consultant, whereas American firms tend to stick to the title of Recruiter. Is the use of new job titles an attempt by British firms to rebrand recruitment roles – and if so, why?
Perhaps it’s an attempt to move away from the traditional image of a salesperson, or perhaps these fancy titles are a way to suggest exclusivity or prestige, to make jobs sound attractive without focusing on the financial gains to be had. Whatever the reason, I feel that while this approach can lend an air of professionalism to the industry, it may also limit the ability to attract the most ambitious individuals. If recruitment were more openly recognised as a lucrative and accessible career path, it could potentially draw in even higher-calibre talent – especially those from backgrounds where social mobility is a key driver.
Meritocracy in recruitment: A missed opportunity?
On both sides of the pond, recruitment is still one of the few industries where an individual’s background is far less important than their desire, resilience and ability to deliver results. Whereas sectors such as law, finance and medicine require you to hold specific degrees and qualifications, recruitment offers a direct path to financial success without the red tape.
As I’ve already stated, recruitment offers immense earnings and social mobility, which is particularly important in the UK where we’re far more hung up on class distinctions. Recruitment has the potential to be a great equaliser, offering opportunities to individuals regardless of where they went to school or who they know. Yet, there is a hesitancy to fully embrace the profession for what it is – a results-driven career that rewards performance over pedigree. Again, this hesitation may stem from our general cultural discomfort with self-promotion in the UK. However, we are not so shy to self-promote in other aspects of our business, as I will discuss in my conclusion below.
Embracing Recruitment for What It Is
I think the differences that I’ve spoken about above between US and UK recruiters can be applied more broadly to a cultural difference between the two nations. Americans are not held back by the deeply ingrained reservations about money that we have in the UK, and the American Dream gives them a more meritocratic world view, where abilities, achievements and effort are rewarded over social class, wealth, or personal connections. Recruitment is more meritocratic than most industries, so we should be openly proud of this fact.
We should also be proud of other aspects of our roles as recruiters. Aside from the high earning potential, we also help firms find the perfect talent to fill their roles, and vice versa. At OXBO, we do this in both tech and renewables, two of the fastest-evolving spaces, which means we are literally playing a part in helping to shape the future. And on an individual level, when a recruiter uses their skills and knowledge to place a candidate in their dream role, that is a hugely rewarding achievement, so why not shout it from the rooftops – or on one’s LinkedIn page, at least?
Companies in the UK are quick to talk about their green credentials, or their charity work, and rightly so. Talking about positive actions openly is not showing off or virtue signalling – it’s leadership. It’s encouraging other companies to do the same. I see no reason why we can’t be equally proud of, and vocal about, the part we play in moving companies forward, placing candidates in life-changing roles and helping, on a collective level, to shape the future of industries as a whole.
Dominic Brown is the Co-Founder of OXBO and Headhunter and Recruitment Partner for Tech.
April 8, 2025
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