The Go-Giver Recruiter!
- Matthew Cossens
- Apr 29
- 3 min read
The Go-Giver Recruiter - How Giving Unlocks Growth and Greatness
I'm a huge believer that the secret to success is giving. One of my favourite books of all time is the Go-Giver.
The philosophy, explored in Bob Burg and John David Mann’s book holds profound lessons for recruiters who want to build not just a pipeline, but a legacy.
Here’s how The Go-Giver’s Five Laws of Stratospheric Success translate into the world of recruitment
1. The Law of Value - Your True Worth is Determined by How Much More You Give in Value Than You Take in Payment
In recruitment, it's tempting to focus on the fee. But the recruiters who win, truly win, focus on outcome and impact.
Are you delivering candidates who transform businesses, not just fill seats? (are you measuring this?)
Are you coaching clients on market realities and hiring strategies, not just taking orders?
Are you helping candidates make life-changing moves, not just chasing commission?
Value is everything. The best recruiters create an experience so good that clients and candidates want to tell others about them.
At every step, ask yourself "Am I giving more value than they expect?"
2. The Law of Compensation - Your Income is Determined by How Many People You Serve and How Well You Serve Them
Want to grow your billings? Serve more people. Solve more problems. Be known for showing up with solutions, not sales pitches. Personally, I’ve never seen myself as a salesperson, I serve people and the sale is a byproduct of this.
The best recruiters build communities, not just databases. They become trusted advisors to hundreds of candidates and hiring managers and opportunities flow back to them.
Make it a goal to add value and serve in every conversation. Reputation compounds.
3. The Law of Influence - Your Influence is Determined by How Abundantly You Place Other People's Interests First
Clients and candidates can smell self-interest from a mile away. Influence, true influence, comes from genuinely caring about the other person’s success.
The Go-Giver recruiter knows that sometimes the best placement... is advising someone not to take a job. Or telling a client the tough truth about why their hiring process is broken or better yet embedding yourself in their process to serve more effectively.
Seek first to understand, then to serve. Be the recruiter they trust even when the news isn’t easy.
4. The Law of Authenticity - The Most Valuable Gift You Have to Offer is Yourself
Recruitment is a people business. Your greatest asset isn’t your candidate pool, your CRM, or even your brand, it’s you.
People crave realness. They want to work with recruiters who are honest, human, and who genuinely care. Vulnerability and authenticity build trust faster than any polished pitch ever could.
Let people see the real you. Be proud to be genuine it’s your ultimate differentiator.
5. The Law of Receptivity - The Key to Effective Giving is to Stay Open to Receiving
Many recruiters are great givers but they struggle to receive. They downplay compliments, shy away from asking for referrals, or feel guilty about their success.
Remember - giving and receiving are two sides of the same coin. When you serve generously, it's not just okay to receive abundance it’s necessary to keep the cycle of impact moving.
Stay humble, hungry, smart and stay open. Say thank you when opportunities and praise come your way. You’ve earned them.
The Go-Giver Recruiter
To be a Go-Giver in recruitment is to play the long game.
It’s to prioritise people over placements, relationships over transactions, service over self.
It’s to know that true success isn’t taken, it’s given... and then given back a hundredfold.
When you give more than you get, you’ll always have more than you need. When you focus on others' success, your own success becomes inevitable. When you lead with heart, you'll build a career and a life you can be proud of.
In the end, the only real secret to success... is giving!
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