On this week's show, I'm joined by Jonathan Berry, the director of the Middle East region for Robert Walters Group.I’ve known him for five years and have been working with him for four years. Jonathan was the first staff member at Robert Walters to join my bootcamp. And I'm now working with over 700 recruiters across the Group. Jonathan came to Dubai after working for Robert Walters in Sydney, and is now running the business in the region. In this episode, he shares his journey from being a lawyer to transitioning into recruitment and building a successful recruitment desk in Dubai. Jonathan discusses the challenges and opportunities of working in the Middle East market and the impact of COVID-19 on recruitment. We also reflect on his leadership role and the importance of personal branding in his success so far. Jonathan explains how LinkedIn has translated into revenue and emphasises the need for a long-term strategy rather than a short-term focus. TakeawaysTransitioning from law to recruitment requires adaptability and a willingness to learn new skills.Building a successful recruitment desk in Dubai involves strategic hiring, building client relationships, and understanding the local market.The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted recruitment in Dubai, with many jobs being put on hold or canceled.Effective leadership involves trust, clear communication, and the ability to motivate and support team members.Personal branding is essential for recruiters to establish credibility and attract clients and candidates. LinkedIn provides value by building connections based on shared interests.Consistent messaging and content creation on LinkedIn can lead to revenue generation.A long-term strategy on LinkedIn is more effective than a short-term focus (Consistency is key) LinkedIn can help you get in the room with potential clients and candidates – and keep you there!Cultural inclusivity and motivation are important aspects of building and managing teams.The Middle East offers exciting growth opportunities for recruitment agencies.Consider the balance between personal and professional life when making career decisions.Being an intrapreneur within a company like RW can provide support and resources for growth.A great guy with a refreshing approach to recruitment – take notes, as this is super valuable! __________________________________________Episode Sponsor: UntappedSafe to say, last year was tricky for the recruitment sector globally. Many have had to operate through uncertain times, making tough calls and streamlining where possible.However, accessing lower-cost resources internationally has proven to be the 2023 cheat code for business performance. But anyone who has tried it knows it’s not easy to get right. That’s where Untapped comes in. Untapped is one of the hottest companies in the market right now, helping agencies in the UK, US, Middle East and Australia transition to the new world, leverage elite remote individuals and even build whole offshore sourcing and recruiting teams. They source from the most exciting talent pools on the planet for recruitment staff and embed elite talent into your company to improve diversity, productivity and the cost of your teams. Your UK team will also love the help with some of the repetitive, time-consuming work that lands on their desk, improving their job satisfaction. They put around 3000 candidates per month through an intense 4-stage interview and online testing process to find the top 1% and secure these people roles in UK agencies doing research,...

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