Tell us about your journey as a recruiter
This month, we’re proud to recognise a recruiter who’s consistently delivered top results through TalentVine – month after month.
Congratulations to Sam Wood, TalentVine’s Recruiter of the Month for February 2026!
Agency: Narrativ Recruitment Advisory
Location: Brisbane
Specialised Industries:
Accounting & Finance
Risk & Compliance
Employer Rating: 9/10
Recent Successes:
Financial Accountant
Finance and Commercial Manager
and many more…
Tell us about your journey as a recruiter
I started in IT recruitment in 2013 with a global US firm. As a 23-year-old, it was a great environment to learn in as I was surrounded by big personalities and top performers. After completing my double degree in Business and IT, I knew I was never going to be a talented IT professional, however, recruitment allowed me to stay connected to the industry I enjoyed while focusing on the people side of the work.
After some early success, I relocated to the UK with the same firm and moved into Accounting & Finance recruitment as that was the only division in the regional office. With studying accounting, I found the technical side easy to understand and was very interested in the business insight that comes from speaking with finance professionals.
After two years overseas, I returned to Australia and joined a boutique agency, where I was part of a unique start-up journey that saw the business grow from 5 employees to more than 70. It was a tremendous journey that provided significant personal and professional growth.
After leaving my role as Director and with a young family at home, I decided to launch Narrativ Recruitment Advisory in October 2024. Continuing to specialise in Accounting, Finance and Risk, I’ve really enjoyed the challenge of building a brand and running my own business; the only way I was going to have the chance of being an accountant and IT professional.
What changes do you see happening in the recruitment industry in the next 12 months?
Reading other ‘Recruiter of the Month’ blogs and a lot of content shared on LinkedIn. it’s impossible to ignore the growing impact of AI in recruitment. There’s no doubt it will continue to improve operational efficiency and streamline many administrative aspects of the job.
Although it isn’t necessarily a change in the industry, as the market becomes increasingly saturated with automated engagement and AI-generated content, I believe there will be an even greater emphasis on genuine human engagement. The recruiters who stand out will be those who continue to build real relationships, picking up the phone, having meaningful conversations and earning trust.
AI will help recruiters operate more efficiently but the differentiator will always be human connection.
What's one piece of advice you'd give to employers?
If a role comes with genuine challenges, whether it’s leadership, cultural, outdated systems or financial pressure, it’s best to be upfront about it from the start.
The reason I chose the name Narrativ (and dropping the ‘e’ to be edgy) is that every role has a story. That story will feature both positive and negative elements. Many organisations focus only on the positives to attract candidates, but in my experience, transparency builds far more trust.
Candidates respect honesty. I’ve received countless calls from people who say the role wasn’t what was sold to them or that they felt misled during the hiring process.
Candidates quickly discover the challenging aspects of a role once they start. When expectations are set early in the recruitment process, there’s less “new starter shock” and people are far more likely to succeed and stay long-term.
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