Zandy Houghton became a recruiter just as job boards were beginning to take off, partly out of curiosity, but mainly as an act of revenge. Having been treated badly as a candidate herself, she had seen first-hand how transactional and careless the recruitment experience could be, and decided early on that it could, and should, be done better. What she walked into only confirmed it. There was no real training, just a 'dog-eat-dog', fastest-finger-first environment where speed often trumped understanding, and trust was in short supply. Recruitment was widely seen as a necessary evil rather than a respected profession, and much of the behaviour within it did little to challenge that perception. So, she made a decision. She saw something broken and chose not to play along. Instead, Zandy focused on building trust, forming genuine relationships, and asking better questions; the kind that help people think more clearly rather than pushing them towards quick decisions. Over time, it became a way of working that proved ethics and results don't have to be in competition. With 25 years on a permanent desk placing mid to senior-level operational and sales talent across technical sectors, her success came through long-term returns and consistency over quick wins, no matter which way the market was swinging. Recruiting with a Clean Soul is the result of that journey, offering a practical and refreshingly honest alternative to the traditional model. She now shares her approach with a clear goal: to raise the industry's reputation so we can all win.