> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.trentcotton.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Why Recruiters Want OUT of Recruiting - URL: https://www.trentcotton.com/why-recruiters-want-out-of-recruiting/ - Published: 2024-06-27T12:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-13T23:54:58.000Z - Author: Trent Cotton Many in the recruiting industry are asking themselves why recruiters want out of recruiting, a question that has become increasingly relevant in today’s challenging job market. The high pressure, constant demands for quick results, and the often thankless nature of the job are leading many to reconsider their career paths. Leaders and partners may not understand why recruiters want out of recruiting. On the outside, it seems like a great gig. You have the opportunity to find people their dream career, work with senior leaders in the company, and be the fun part of HR. What’s not to like right? Well, sit back and let me pull the curtain back and help you understand why so many recruiters want out of recruiting. ## It’s a brutal cycle ![](https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/content.podia.com/4zwh1iw96g6ms3fuum0sxvln6kte) I got into recruiting after spending the first part of my career in financial sales and sales leadership. Every month the clock would start over and your goals would reset. You were only as good as your last deal and any change in the market made it that much more difficult. So why in the hell did I choose recruiting as my pivot? Recruiters are constantly pushing the rock up the hill. You fill 15 jobs in a week and get 20 the next week. It is a constant game of treading water as the tide rises and a storm moves in. You have to have tenacity and grit to survive in recruiting, especially now. Even those of us with an enormous amount of grit are being worn down by the market changes. Why? The impacts of technology, rising-often unrealistic demands of hiring managers, and the feeling that the company’s performance rides solely on our ability to fill roles takes a toll. Many recruiters have little support in management to help provide air cover considering these factors. It can be a very lonely job unless you have a leader who truly values what you do and helps give you the perspective and energy to push forward. ## “Recruiting is easy” I love hearing this from leaders. I almost got fired once for responding to an executive who uttered those words with “if it’s so easy, why do we have to have an entire department to do it?” He didn’t like my answer. Looking back, it probably was not one of my best moments. Etiquette aside, there is some truth there. Entire departments of recruiters work tirelessly to source and develop talent only to have the most common obstacles of any search: - Manager who want the role filled yesterday take forever to provide [feedback](https://sprintrecruiting.com/hiring-manager-feedback-a-key-driver-in-recruitment-success/?ref=trentcotton.com). - There us a fury to get roles sourced and filled only to have them closed with little to no warning. - Everything is a priority which by logic means nothing is priority. - Recruiters face a decision: [Sacrifice speed for quality or quality for speed](https://sprintrecruiting.com/speed-its-either-your-strength-or-your-weakness-in-recruiting/?ref=trentcotton.com). Perhaps if some of these items were addressed by senior leadership in companies, recruiting departments could be more efficient and recruiters could once again do what they love, recruit top talent. Bonus: [The 3 Hardest Types of Managers to Recruit For](https://sprintrecruiting.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=2645&action=edit&calypsoify=1&ref=trentcotton.com) ## Recruiters are layoff targets One of my more popular posts was “[Stop laying recruiters off FIRST](https://sprintrecruiting.com/stop-laying-off-recruiters-first/?ref=trentcotton.com)“. If you want to point to one reason why recruiters want out of recruiting, this is it. Unfortunately, recruiters tend to be the first to be laid off when the economy shrinks. It makes sense because if you’re not hiring in the organization, you do not need a lot of recruiters. Unfortunately, so many companies could benefit by moving recruiters, temporarily, to other parts of the organization. There are so many transferrable skills that are just wasted by letting go of recruiters. It’s the easy thing to do but it isn’t always the smartest move. So can imagine a recruiter who is working – now shorthanded- in a thankless job that never really achieves a moment of calm and success. If you felt like the next target for layoffs sat on your back, wouldn’t you become one of the recruiters who want out of recruiting? ## Conclusion It’s clear that the reasons recruiters are looking for exits span from the high-stress nature of the job to feeling under-appreciated. This shift signals a wake-up call for the industry to rethink how it supports and values its recruiters. By addressing these issues, companies can not only make the recruiting role more enjoyable but also more effective. After all, making the recruiting experience better for those at its heart is not just good for morale; it’s smart business.