People buy from people

With a 100% retention rate, it’s clear that Louise Hall-Strutt knows what she’s doing and how to stand out in the corporate world.

Louise Hall-Strutt, in her own words, fell into recruitment. Her background was in fashion, she then started in insurance recruitment. The global firm she was working for wanted someone confident within their walls to build a legal division; eight years later and after successfully building another legal division for another firm, she’s running her own recruitment business in Auckland, New Zealand – Altitude Recruitment.

It’s a different recruiting firm, but not just because they specialise in legal recruitment. Launched in April 2021, Louise’s business began when we all thought the lockdown was over, and then by August, we were shut in again. She quickly realised that it was quite impossible to continue growing the business with a three-year-old in the house, but Louise rose to the challenge and could keep going, crediting the support she had around her.

Some elements of Louise’s business make her firm exemplary. She insists on doing the right thing and outright refuses to be a ‘CV sender’. With a 100% retention rate, you know this is not just a line every recruiter uses.

Louise insists on finding the right fit and longevity and that her relationships with her candidates and networks are worthy of genuine care and support.

“I would never push someone into something wrong for them. I have been tested and made the difficult decision to walk away from some opportunities, but it has always been the right decision.”

Making time for people goes hand in hand with relationship building. She is in constant contact with candidates and has even helped them move from one practice area to another – not the easiest thing to do. But she has utilised her connections to open doors for people. Because that’s what it’s all about – real people with real lives.

Louise attributes her online success in part to the digital imagery she uses. You can see how with nearly 16,000 followers on LinkedIn and a scan of her website.

“My business coach recommended Nicoline. I didn’t want to bother with photos because they feel quite egotistical and uncomfortable. We’re not celebrities who are used to cameras.”

The business coach insisted, and Louise went along. She took with her some corporate clothes and some bright and colourful clothes. Fully expecting stuffy, corporate headshots – so common in the legal industry. But to her genuine surprise, Nicoline made her feel comfortable.

“Nicoline manages to draw out your personality and capture it in the photo. It actually looks like the real me and isn’t forced or stuffy.”

In her fourth photoshoot with Nicoline, Louise’s first was for her headshots, website and LinkedIn profile. The second one included videos that are used on her website currently. And the third was a photo shoot with her daughter Sofia – who happened to be going through a phase of not wanting her photo taken. But Nicoline’s skill to make anyone feel comfortable in front of a camera shone through yet again.

Altitude Recruitment constantly evolves, and Louise believes her brand is very important because a good image will portray who you are. Louise is on LinkedIn every day because it is where she finds many candidates – but it’s not just ‘here’s a job’, ‘here’s a job’; she does topical polls and writes about things going on in the market – interesting and relevant content.

“Quite often, when I get to the point of talking with a candidate, they feel like they’ve already met and spoken with me. That’s how valuable a good photo of yourself is. People buy from people – particularly in my industry, and people need to know, like, and trust me.”

Louise Hall-Strutt
Managing Director of Altitude Recruitment.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/legaljobsnz/