In an ever-evolving recruitment landscape, uncertainty is reshaping how companies and consultants operate.
On one hand, organizations are becoming more cautious and precise in defining their talent needs; on the other, emerging technologies and new industries continue to expand the professional boundaries of recruitment consultants.

Against this backdrop, we want to ask a key question:
How can consultants continue growing amid change while consistently creating value for their clients?

To explore this topic, this edition of RGF Insights features Heather Zhang, Manager of RGF Professional Recruitment China's Supply Chain, Operations & Engineering team.

Q：What emerging trends do you see reshaping China's recruitment landscape?

"China's job market is undergoing a structural shift," Heather explains.

Demand in traditional manufacturing continues to contract, while automation, artificial intelligence, new materials, and the aviation industry are becoming major engines of growth.

"These sectors are typically technology-intensive," she adds. "They are defined by low labor density and high skill thresholds. As a result, the number of newly created roles may be limited, but the expectations for talent—particularly in technical depth and cross-functional capability—are significantly higher."

Against this backdrop, companies are adopting a more streamlined and efficiency-driven approach to hiring.
"They increasingly prioritize immediate impact, industry resource integration, and the candidate's ability to contribute business value quickly," Heather notes.

"To balance short-term cost control with long-term capability building, companies are raising the bar for core positions while incorporating more flexible workforce models to enhance agility and efficiency. Overall, the job market is shifting from scale expansion to quality improvement and performance optimization."

Q：How is your team adapting to the changing market?

In response to this market transition, Heather's team has chosen a path of deep specialization.

"Our team has been deeply rooted for years in aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and logistics supply chain," she shares. "We've built a core talent pool of senior experts and engineers. With refined talent assessment capabilities and long-standing trust with key candidates, we can respond rapidly and accurately to companies' critical hiring needs."

It is this long-term accumulation—of insight, industry knowledge, and trusted relationships—that enables her team to deliver consistently high-quality results.

She continues:
"On top of that, we are expanding our service offerings. This includes targeted technical collaboration projects, in-depth talent mapping, customized talent pool development, and industry market analysis. These diversified and forward-looking solutions allow us to support our clients' increasingly complex strategic workforce needs."

Q：What key piece of advice would you give to consultants aiming for excellence?

For Heather, professional growth in recruitment is ultimately a transformation in mindset.

"The most critical advice," she says, "is to develop a solution-oriented business-partner mentality, rather than positioning yourself merely as someone who fills roles."

She explains further:
"Excellence in recruitment goes far beyond matching candidates to job descriptions. It lies in aligning talent solutions with the client's core business needs. A consultant must first uncover the logic behind the hiring request:
What operational pain point is the company trying to solve?
What strategic objectives are they aiming to achieve?
What gaps in the existing team are they trying to fill?"

"For example, is the client hiring to support market expansion? To optimize inefficient processes? Or to close a skill gap in a critical project? By understanding the reason behind the need, consultants can move beyond rigid requirements around experience or technical skills—and propose alternative solutions when direct hiring is not the most effective option, such as project-based collaboration or internal upskilling."

Heather emphasizes that consultants should also expand their value beyond placements:
"This can include providing talent mapping reports, sharing salary trend insights, or advising on onboarding and retention strategies. By becoming a trusted advisor who understands the client’s business ecosystem, consultants can build long-term partnerships, differentiate themselves in the market, and sustain excellence over time."

Unleash Your Potential with RGF

Building bridges between people and the future

Heather's story reflects not only the professional philosophy of a top-performing consultant, but also the broader evolution of the recruitment industry itself.
In a rapidly changing world, the value of recruitment extends far beyond making matches—it lies in empowering organizations through talent.

With expertise and foresight, Heather and her team are building the bridge between talent and opportunity, unlocking new possibilities for the future of recruitment.

If you are exploring opportunities or have hiring needs in aerospace, advanced manufacturing, or logistics supply chain, feel free to contact:

heather.zhang@rgf-professional.com.cn

Discover your potential together with Heather.