Whilst watching the boxing at the Olympics, my mind began to play with the ideas of comparison of the contenders within it to the recruitment industry.

Recruitment companies thrive off reputation, gained by delivering the best service, candidates and value. With performing at a high, consistent level, an agency will grow and benefit from repeat business as it proves itself to be worth consideration. Companies who use them will talk about them, to colleagues and friends, and their reputation will grow further. But how, I hear you ask, does that compare to boxing? Well, I’ll explain why I thought of it.

Yesterday I watched the entrance of two boxers, a Lithuanian named Evaldas Petrauskas, and his Hungarian opponent Miklós Varga. Miklós on first glance looked like the boxer you’d put your money on, with his furrowed brow, thickset features and generally intimidating presence. Evaldas on the other hand stood at a diminutive 5’5, blonde and almost baby-faced. He walked in barely noticeable between his trainers and calmly climbed in to the ring. The bet was well placed, I found myself thinking.

At 5’5 and a mere 60kg, Evaldas isn’t big enough to ride most roller coasters (probably), so I naturally expected the taller, more intense looking Miklós to dominate the match immediately. However, what occurred over the next three rounds took everyone who had judged Evaldas on his appearance, including myself, by complete surprise. In short (no pun intended) Evaldas annihilated Miklós from start to finish. His small size was made up by his sheer ferocity and unending combinations, which proved too much for the taller opponent, who found himself with his back on the ropes for most of the match. Without a single returned punch apparently affecting him, Evaldas dominated the match to such a point that there were two standing counts against Miklós. Evaldas won 20-12, and cruised through to the final 16. I couldn’t believe it, and I felt a little humbled by the plucky Lithuanian.

This was, although not a true David v. Goliath story, comparable to the world of recruitment. The larger company will often be favored, as their reputation has allowed them to become the most well known. Companies will offer contracts and exclusivity in the assumption that the larger company is best placed to do the best job. However, as I witnessed last night, it is often the smaller, less well known names that deliver the biggest surprises, and best performances. Evaldas was a small, relentless fighter who delivered 110% to achieve results. After the fight he shook hands with everyone, smiled and thanked them for the opportunity. A lot can be learned from examples such as this, and I’d say you need to know who you’re looking at before judging them on their appearance, as you never know what they are capable of delivering!