Stop Following the Script, Strike a Real Conversation – Grace Clancy

“Recruitment is all about understanding people, adapting to their stories, and finding real connections. The moment you stop seeing it as a script and start treating it as a conversation, that’s when you truly succeed.” 

– Grace Clancy, Recruitment Consultant

In the fifth episode of Humans of Recruiterflow, meet Grace Clancy, Recruitment Consultant – Procurement U.S at Cogs! 

Originally from County Clare, Ireland, Grace grew up in a small village where she hungered to explore “bigger things in the world.”

Grace’s Journey Into Recruitment

“From childhood, like when I was seven years old, I wanted to be a flower, but it wasn’t practical. I had to go into something I thought would make me money.”

Grace began working at The Nineteenth Bar because, in Ireland, “there weren’t many jobs except in bars or restaurants.” She learned interpersonal and management skills here, ensuring customer satisfaction and smooth team operations. It helped her understand how to communicate, manage different personalities, and handle high-pressure situations. 

After earning her business degree in Galway, Grace realized she not only enjoyed but thrived in sales and marketing. During this degree, she was nominated for and received an award for a sales pitch she created, which further solidified her urge “to move out and do something big.” 

She landed her first recruitment job at Cogs Global only through a chance recommendation from another recruiter. 

Within her first three months at Cogs, she set the company record for the fastest deal closed, which still makes her proud.

What does Success mean to Grace?

For Grace, success isn’t just about the paycheck—although she admits she’s very money-motivated. It’s about recognition, independence, and accountability. 

“If people can recommend me, that’ll be a dream come true,” she says. 

More than anything, she measures success by her ability to connect, adapt, and keep moving forward, whether it’s within her current company or in new ventures.

Lessons Learned and Challenges Overcome

Recruitment, for Grace, wasn’t a smooth ride from the start. She admits that it took nearly nine months to find her footing. 

One of the most significant challenges was the unpredictability of human behavior. 

Clients who don’t respond, candidates who change their minds, and competition from other recruiters—all add complexity to the role.

“You see, 100% of our work is 2% of the client’s. When you follow up and get no answer, that brings frustration.”

Grace’s Approach to Differentiating Herself

Many recruiters find it challenging to stand out in a crowded market, and Grace was no different.

“Trying to differentiate yourself from other recruiters in your niche is tough.”

What helped? Authenticity!

“I don’t really go by the book, script for the script. I try to make it conversational and crack some jokes. I talk to people as if I genuinely want to fix their problems. Helping them comes first rather than looking for the deal.” 

Grace’s candid outlook on the nature of recruitment sets her apart. 

“If you’re doing recruitment only because you love the people, you’re going to hate it here because people don’t love you back,” she says. 

The Success Mantra: 3 Core Qualities Every Recruiter Must Have

Grace believes that some traits are non-negotiable for success in recruitment:

1. Open-Mindedness and Adaptability

One of the first lessons Grace learned in recruitment was to remain open-minded. “You need to be very open to taking on opinions. If you think, ‘I am going to do it my way anyway,’ you are basically shooting yourself in the foot.” 

Adaptability is the key to success in literally any professional field!

2. Emotional Endurance

Recruitment is challenging, and setbacks are inevitable. Grace’s advice? “Go cry for 10 minutes, let it all out, and then bounce back.” 

She says that there are both nice and not-nice people out there, and recruiters shouldn’t let them get into their heads. It is crucial to be able to embrace both the good and bad aspects of the job and run with it. 

3. Active Listening

Listening isn’t passive; it’s a skill. “Write down everything they are saying, and then try to understand where they are coming from. Grace advises that it will help you speak confidently and seize better opportunities,” Grace advises. 

The AI Debate: Friend or Foe?

Despite the “fear pandemic in the market” of whether AI will replace recruiters [and other roles], Grace views it as an ally, not an adversary. 

She acknowledges the value of ChatGPT and AI recruiting tools like Recruiterflow, particularly in speeding up tasks like drafting job descriptions, recommending perfect matches, and suggesting interview questions. 

“AI isn’t here to replace recruiters—it’s here to help us do what we do best, faster and smarter,” Grace says.

She believes that no matter how much intelligence it is fed on, AI can’t replicate the empathy and trust that recruiters bring to the table. 

Advice for Rookies: Dial It Up!

Grace’s advice for newcomers is simple but profound:

“Don’t be scared to get on the phone. At the end of the day, they’re either going to hang up on you or they’ll be interested. They are just people, after all. Use your personality to your advantage, and don’t sound robotic.” 

She emphasizes that confidence sets good recruiters apart from great ones.

Conclusion

Recruitment is indeed challenging—no one denies that! But with the right mindset, it’s also incredibly rewarding. Grace Clancy’s journey illustrates that “real” success is built on open-mindedness, continuous learning, and genuine human connection.

In her own words, “The moment you stop seeing it as a script and start treating it as a conversation, that’s when magic happens.”