Your Reputation Is Already Doing the Talking

Let’s talk about something that’s defining your success behind the scenes…

Reputation.

It’s one of those things that gets thrown around a lot in recruitment.

“She’s got a great rep in the market.”

“Heard mixed things about that agency…”

But what does it really mean?

Reputation is more than being known. 

It’s how you're perceived - by clients, candidates, peers, even competitors. 

And in a saturated UK recruitment market, where every consultant claims to be the “go-to,” your reputation can either open doors or quietly shut them behind your back.

It’s not about what you say. It’s about what they say when you’re not in the room.

That’s the real test.

You might deliver great results. You might have a cracking LinkedIn game. 

But reputation runs deeper. It lives in:

• WhatsApp chats between candidates.

• Side comments at networking events.

• Internal referrals between hiring managers.

• Quiet DMs between peers asking, “Have you worked with them before?”

It’s often invisible, but incredibly powerful.

So, What Is a Strong Reputation in Recruitment?

It’s not just being “known.”

It’s being trusted. Respected. Remembered for the right reasons.

• You’re considered someone who genuinely knows your niche.

• Candidates say you treated them well, even if they didn’t get the job.

• Clients say working with you is straightforward and effective.

• Other recruiters in your firm want to work with you, not poach opportunities from you.

The consultants with the best reputations don’t just chase short-term wins. 

They play the long game.

5 Simple (But Powerful) Ways to Build Your Reputation

We’re not talking about overnight fixes. This is about daily habits and consistent actions that build a reputation brick by brick.

1. Deliver on what you say

Sounds obvious—but too many overpromise and underdeliver.

Don’t say “I’ll send over CVs this week” if you won’t. 

Don’t book calls and ghost. People remember when you don’t follow through, even if they don’t call it out.

Trust is built in the small stuff!

2. Give more than you take

This one gets overlooked, especially when you're under pressure to bill. 

But the best reputations are built on what you give, not just what you get.

Being generous with value means offering something useful without immediately expecting a return.

Some examples:

• The candidate didn’t get the job? Send over a quick voice note with tailored feedback. Better yet, suggest one or two companies currently hiring with similar criteria. Those five minutes could earn you a long-term advocate.
  

• Client isn’t hiring yet? Share a pulse check on the market or flag an emerging salary trend they might not be across. Position yourself as the person who helps, not just the person who chases roles.
  

• Someone in your niche is struggling with visibility? Introduce them to someone in your network or reshare their post. People remember who had their back, whether it’s a candidate or even a consultant who works the same desk as you.
  

These small actions stick. You become known as someone who cares, and the ‘good karma’ will be repaid in the future.

3. Stop treating candidates like transactions

Now, you might be thinking, “But I don’t treat people like a number.”

And maybe that’s true. But ask yourself honestly:

What do you actually do for your candidates beyond either progressing them… or rejecting them?

• Do you only call when you’ve got a role?

• Do you take the time to check in on how their interview went?

• Do you offer interview prep, mindset support, or just a space to vent?

Human interactions > process steps.

Think about the moments that make you feel seen when you were looking for a role.

It’s the recruiter who remembered your kid’s name, or the one who called just to say, “No update yet, but I haven’t forgotten you.”

It’s those moments that build a reputation of trust.

So, be that person for others. 

4. Show your work

Most recruiters still post like it’s 2017:
💼 “Just placed a Marketing Director in London!”
👏 “We’re hiring! Apply now!”
🎯 “Q3 off to a flying start!”

That stuff’s fine. But it’s surface-level. 

If you want to build a reputation for excellence, you need to talk about your process, the how, the challenges, the strategy behind the outcome.

Here’s what that could look like:

“We just placed a Product Manager in a startup that previously struggled to hire for 9 months. Here’s what we did differently:

1. Reworked the job brief to focus on outcomes over laundry lists.

2. Targeted candidates who’d previously scaled in adjacent industries.

3. Built a short, 2-stage process to get offers out faster.

It’s not always about ‘the best candidate’, it’s about the best fit.”

That post shows your thinking, not just your result.

It positions you as a strategic partner, not a CV pusher.

When you show your work consistently, you become the recruiter people want to learn from, refer to, and work with.

5. Operate with integrity (even when no one’s watching)

Don’t badmouth clients. Don’t poach candidates you placed six months ago. Don’t mislead people for a quick fee.

Your peers might not say anything, but they see everything. And they talk to the same networks you do.

The UK Market Is Crowded, but That’s a Good Thing

The fact that recruitment is saturated means that reputation matters even more.

It’s what separates the “just another agency” consultants from the ones whose names come up first when a hiring manager says, “We need someone good to represent our business.”

So ask yourself:

• Are you seen as the best of the best in your market?

• Do people say you go above and beyond?

• Would someone stake their reputation by recommending you?

If the answer’s not a confident yes, it’s time to get intentional about building that perception. 

It’s not about faking it, it’s about consistently showing up as the kind of recruiter you’d want to work with.

P.S. Whenever you're ready, there are 2 ways I can help you:

#1: Do you listen to my podcast? I release a weekly episode with either a top-performing recruiter or recruitment entrepreneur to find out how they achieved their success so you can learn directly from their journey Check out my latest episode and subscribe to the show.

#2: Want to win more business, book more meetings, and level up your billings? Our Hector certified courses are built by top billers who’ve been where you are and cracked it. No fluff. Just real, proven strategies you can use immediately >>>> Browse Courses – Start Closing More Deals Today (Use code Limitless_Learning at checkout for 15% off: exclusive to newsletter readers)