I’ve worked in recruitment long enough to see one problem come up time and time again: the divide between internal HR teams and external recruiters.
Too often, agencies are only called in as a last resort—after internal teams have exhausted every avenue. The reason is simple: agencies are seen as too expensive. And HR teams are often judged by how little they rely on recruiters, which puts them under pressure to “do it all themselves.”
This creates a rift where there shouldn’t be one. HR professionals feel penalised if they use agencies, and recruiters feel like outsiders and in the middle of all that, businesses and candidates are the ones who lose.
To me, that just doesn’t make sense. We should be working together to get the best people for the business, not working against one another.
That belief is one of the main reasons I founded Sammen Group. I’m serious about changing the recruitment game—and I’m putting my money where my mouth is.
I don’t believe in the old model where agencies rely solely on large percentage-based fees that only make sense when you’re desperate. Instead, we offer flexibility that gives HR teams real options:
For me, it’s about creating partnerships—not transactions. I want HR leaders to see us as a strategic resource, not a necessary evil.
Internal HR teams know their culture, their strategy, and their people better than anyone. Recruiters bring reach, networks, and speed. Together, we can be so much more effective than if we’re forced into competing roles.
At Sammen, I’ve seen first-hand how perceptions change when HR professionals experience what true partnership looks like. One person at a time, we’re proving that agencies don’t have to be the enemy of HR—they can be their strongest ally.
The world of work is moving too fast for us to keep playing by outdated rules. Businesses need better. Candidates deserve better. And frankly, so do HR and recruiters.
I believe it’s time for a mindset shift: from HR versus agency, to HR with agency. Side by side. Aligned. Focused on building the right teams for the future.
That’s why I started Sammen Group—and that’s why I won’t stop pushing to change the way recruitment is done.