A very good TA convo with... S3-E1. Martijn Isager-Smit

A Very Good TA Convo S3-E1 with Martijn Isager-Smit: Why Recruitment is a Calling

Episode 1 of Season 3 features Martijn Isager-Smit, the "godfather" of recruitment in the Netherlands and the founder of the community platform Recruitment Life. With 30 years of experience, he believes the industry needs to focus less on trendy tech solutions and more on essential soft skills, human connection, and investing in recruiters.

Recruitment is a calling, not a job

Martijn's core thesis is that too many new-generation recruiters view talent acquisition merely as a job that pays the bills, rather than a true profession or passion. Because they are overly focused on speed over skill, many fail to invest in themselves. Martijn argues that the best thing you can do is help somebody find a job, and that requires treating the work with seriousness and passion.

"I see a lot of new recruiters coming into the field that don't invest in themselves. Maybe they need to search actually for another job. Please do... I've always seen recruitment as a calling."

AI will replace "crappy" recruiters

When asked if AI will take over recruitment, Martijn is direct: it will, but only if you are a bad recruiter. While he embraces AI himself—using conversational AI for event ticket outreach and celebrating tools like into dialogue that provide instant feedback to interviewers—he stresses that automation should handle the administrative burden so recruiters can focus on the human touch. A recruiter's true value comes from advising candidates and managing hiring managers, things AI cannot fully replicate.

"If you're a shitty recruiter, why would I pay you 4,000, 5,000 a month to do a crappy job if I can automate you?"

Building community over pushing products

Frustrated by standard corporate TA events that focus too much on expensive tools and big budgets, Martijn founded Recruitment Life to foster genuine connections. He is currently organizing "Summer Camp" in Bunnik, an event that blends his love for festivals—featuring DJs and reggae music—with serious conversations about the future of TA, accountability, and the psychology of candidates. He believes the industry desperately needs spaces where professionals talk openly about their values and their failures, rather than just their successes.

"The focus is much more on connecting you know not only the talks but also just connecting that's why I started recruitment life because I think we should be talking about connecting with each other and learning from each other and especially in a time like this where so much is changing in our industry."

The missing investment in soft skills

One of the biggest problems Martijn identifies is a lack of training for recruiters. According to research conducted by Recruitment Life and the Hogeschool of Rotterdam, 85% of TA managers make absolutely no investment in the schooling or training of their teams. Even when there is a budget, it tends to go toward hard skills like sourcing, while crucial soft skills—like how to conduct an intake, properly interview a candidate, or stand up to a hiring manager—are ignored.

"85% of all TA managers does not invest in schooling or training of their recruiters. 85% no investment whatsoever."

From aspiring musician to TA grandfather

Martijn never planned to end up in talent acquisition. He originally wanted to be a full-time musician and played in a reggae band. After his father convinced him that music was an "education to unemployment," he pivoted to studying HR. At 18, during his studies, he and a friend started their own recruitment agency purely to fund their beer-drinking habits. Three decades later, he has managed corporate recruitment for major Dutch companies and is now a full-time entrepreneur.

"We never had money for enough money for beer in our in our student house. So uh we started recruitment agencies just to pay our beer habits... and I've never looked back."

The takeaway

Martijn’s message is a wake-up call for the talent acquisition industry: stop accepting mediocrity and start investing in yourself. With AI preparing to automate the basic functions of recruitment, the professionals who survive will be those who view TA as a way of life rather than just a 9-to-5. Use technology to reduce costs and streamline candidate experiences, but double down on the human elements: pushing back on hiring managers, providing candidate feedback, and connecting deeply with your community. If you aren't passionate about making the industry better, as Martijn bluntly puts it, go find another job.