PLEASE spare a thought for Recruiters who are doing it tough! 🤣

And it also sets me up for a full day of power meetings with really important Recruiters.

But yesterday, something happened that shook me to my core.

As I sipped my latte, I responded to some incredibly important emails about, you know, heavy duty recruitment shit.

I noticed a young man in the coffee line who looked like he needed his coffee hit more than I did.

I watched him, curiously.

He ordered a “jumbo cappuccino”, so I instantly knew he maybe wasn’t as sophisticated as somebody who might order an almond latte.

But I certainly didn’t judge him.

He also had “that Recruiter” vibe going on, so I knew he was one of my own.

He ordered his jumbo cap, and the Cafe Dude said “$6.40 please, Mate!”

My Recruiter friend looked awkward.

It was obvious that he couldn’t cover the cost of his oversized caffeine hit.

To spare his blushes, I stepped forward and proffered a crisp $100 note.

I said to the Cafe Dude “And chuck in a blueberry muffin too! He looks like he needs it!”

I might’ve winked as I said it. I can’t remember. I probably did. I’m classy like that.

The young Recruiter was embarrassed, but grateful.

We sat down and we chatted.

He instantly opened up about the fact that things just weren’t going his way at work at the moment.

He’d had an awful run of luck.

Some “definite” deals hadn’t dropped in, and his pipeline was rubbish.

He’d been forced to pause his gym membership, restock his fridge with non organic produce, and downsize from a 3 bed apartment with ocean view to a measly 2 bedder with river views.

The kid welled up as he told me his story.

He told me he had a $40k bonus landing in about 3 weeks, and that he knew that “everything will be OK eventually”, but he just didn’t know how he was going to get through the next 21 days.

I gave him some advice. Some bollocks about building his network and “Always Be Closing!” Standard stuff.

Most importantly, I gave him the address of a really decently priced organic supermarket.

He looked into my eyes, and thanked me.

I said “It’s OK, Buddy. I’ve been there! You’ll get through this!”

As he left the cafe, I quickly pointed out that the advice I gave him wasn’t for free, but that he didn’t have to worry about paying me for it till his $40k bonus dropped in.

He thanked me again, and walked away.

I wondered if I’d ever see him again.

But I knew I’d done a good thing.

I don’t tell you this story, publicly, on social media, for all to see, because I want you to think I’m a total legend.

No. Not at all.

I just ask you to be alert.

Next time you’re in a top-end-of-town cafe, and you notice somebody ordering a coffee with normal milk instead of almond milk, please look deeper. I beg you.

They might be a Recruiter waiting for their next bonus.

Please be alert, People. 🙏