Leadership journeys rarely follow a straight line, especially in recruiting, where discipline, adaptability, and influence often matter more than tenure alone. For Will Hayes, COO of IDR, the path from entry-level recruiter to executive leadership wasn’t defined by experience; it was built through intentional growth, strong habits, and a commitment to learning at every stage.
In this Q&A, Will shares how he navigated early career uncertainty, why discipline became his biggest competitive advantage, and how recruiting shaped the way he leads today. Whether you’re new to staffing or working toward your next leadership role, his perspective offers practical lessons recruiters can apply starting now.
Before diving into the full conversation, here’s a quick snapshot of the principles that shaped Will’s journey:
Now, let’s hear directly from Will about how his career evolved, and what recruiters can learn from his path.
A: I graduated in 2007, and then the housing market crash happened. There weren’t many jobs available to those right out of college. There wasn’t anything specific that drew me to the staffing industry. I didn’t even really understand what staffing was.
What stood out to me about IDR compared to my other offers was the opportunity to get into outside sales. I was considering other positions, but none of them could really commit to a timeframe for my transition into B2B sales.
Whereas IDR said, if you do A, B, and C, you can get an outside sales role. I knew that’s what I wanted to do, and the process was fastest with IDR. I also saw the potential to move into leadership in the future, which inspired me to pursue the role.
A: When I was a recruiter in 2008, the next leadership role was the outside sales role. It was different from the account manager role today; it carried more management responsibilities. There were very few account managers in the organization at that time, so the step up was bigger in terms of growth opportunities.
What helped me transition into that role primarily came from a focus on self-improvement. One of the things we did very early at IDR was to require everyone to receive mentorship. We were required to read books, to journal every day, take notes from the prior week, and reflect on lessons learned.
Although aspects of this approach we’ve found more challenging to scale as we’ve grown, it defined my personal development early on. Mentorship taught me a lot about discipline, getting comfortable with failure, and the value of reflecting on what could be improved in the day-to-day.
The reports were shared with the entire company, which taught me a lot about humility and empathy for the journey each person is going through. This really prepared me to be more open to talking with my peers, which later helped me to become a better leader.
At that time in the company’s history, if you wanted to move into sales, you had to be one of the best recruiters in the company. I loved recruiting, but I saw it as a stepping stone to growth and advancement.
I stayed focused on where I was, showing up fully every day. I hit my metrics, goals, and weekly targets, and tracked everything I could control. Doing that strengthened my commitment and helped the upward trajectory of my career.
A: My background in recruiting shaped a lot of who I am in business today. As a smaller company, you have significant influence over your day-to-day actions. Things like revenue and gross profit margins, as well as what really matters within the organization.
I still feel that same level of influence today. We used to talk a lot about that perspective in terms of my personal habits, my discipline, my work ethic. To this day, when I get overwhelmed or anxious, I go back to a very simple, fundamental formula for managing myself first.
When I look at different leaders, I think about how they manage themselves. Can they lead themselves? Are they disciplined? Do they take care of themselves?
I felt like leaders who answered ‘yes’ to all of these questions were the type of individuals whom I ultimately aspired to be. By silencing the noise of comparison and doubt, I was able to focus on becoming the best version of myself.
Many COOs at companies our size may have more experience. When I started recruiting straight l out of college, I was always focused on improving.
I consistently looked for ways to gain a competitive edge through work and discipline, which I believe have been central to my growth.
A: The first thing I always tell people is that to become a great leader, you must first be a great follower. Leadership is about influence, and influence is hard to earn.
If you’re not willing to do the work yourself, you can’t expect others to do it. If you want to be a great leader, you have to know what it takes to be a great follower. The habits you want to build in your people have to start with you.
In every leadership role I’ve held, my influence has come through my actions. Anyone can talk big or rely on a title for authority, but in my experience, the most effective way to influence people is by setting the example.
If you want to inspire hard workers, be one. If you want to inspire integrity, live it. Those choices show up in how you develop, hire, attract, and retain people.
It sounds simple, but it’s hard in practice. Many people step into leadership before they’ve done the work on themselves, which makes the transition difficult.
If you want not just to move into leadership but to lead well, start with your own habits. Focus on your discipline, your work ethic, and your commitment to growth. When it’s genuine and consistent, people notice, and they follow.
A: One of the things I really struggled with was understanding different personality types. You might call it emotional intelligence, but I believe it really comes down to maturity. Early on, I tried to force “experience” before I had earned it.
I used to force habit development, but there’s really no substitute for time and experience. It takes people time to grow individually and professionally, especially when hiring those who are fresh out of college and beginning their careers.
One thing I see in many young managers is a sense of control. You want to make sure everything’s done in a very specific way in every single step. You view your team’s success as a reflection of your management and leadership skills.
A big part of developing leaders and top performers is recognizing that there are many ways to achieve the same outcome. While the values you want to instill should be clear, giving people room to be creative in how they get there is a strength, not a risk.
This isn’t about losing control; it’s about leveraging the power of feedback. Having regular one-on-one meetings and thoughtful, constructive feedback helps people understand how their decisions will impact both their work and their personal growth.
Early on, I focused too much on our company’s metrics. But people are more than numbers, and the quantifiable numbers don’t make up the person across the table from you. Real progress happens when you connect expectations to what matters to the individual and where they are in their life and career.
Standards still matter, but motivation comes in waves. The key is to lean into people’s momentum when their energy is high and to be patient as they navigate other seasons of life.
Patience, emotional maturity, and the perspective gained through experience were lessons I learned over time. Once I truly understood that, I saw my effectiveness grow and my leadership tenure strengthen.
Interested in charting your own path to leadership? Explore open positions in Sales or Recruiting, and learn more about the “Best and Brightest” culture and benefits offered at IDR.