Sydney · since 2018 Australia & NZ Sourcr, 3× Best Agency Rec2Rec NSW Industry standing →

Australia's most connected
rec-to-rec agency.

Coming up on ten years placing recruiters into agencies, from first desks through to GMs, across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. We know who's hiring this quarter, who's quietly about to grow, and which agencies you're better off avoiding. Three-time NSW Rec2Rec Agency of the Year.

NSW Rec2Rec AOY · 22/23/24
10 yrs
placing recruiters
4.98★
82 verified reviews
ANZ
generalist coverage
02 · The four focuses

Australian recruitment-to-recruitment. That's what we do.

Nearly a decade doing rec-to-rec and nothing but rec-to-rec, across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and everywhere in between. Four focuses, one team, one straight answer: rookie desks through to GMs, UK and Irish billers relocating, and agency owners hiring on retainer.

View live rec-to-rec jobs →
28 open roles · updated weekly
Within each focus

The desks we actually know.

Rec-to-rec is too often a CV shovel. It's specialist work, every one of these markets has a rhythm, a salary curve, and a short list of agencies worth joining.

Tech & SaaS
Contract, perm, sales & engineering desks. Sydney, Melbourne, remote AU.
Finance & Banking
Front-office, risk, compliance, accounting. ASX-listed and boutique.
Legal
Private practice, in-house, partner moves. Specialist desks only.
Executive search
GM, Director and Partner-level moves. Boutique and PE-backed.
Construction & Property
White-collar desks, PM, QS, development. Tier-1 through boutique.
Healthcare & Life Sci
Clinical recruitment, nursing, allied health, pharma commercial.
Government & Public Sector
Panel-listed agencies and the recruiters who work them well.
New Business / 360 desks
Pure hunters, warm desks, account-managed seats. We know which is which.
What is rec-to-rec?

Recruitment to recruitment is a recruiter placing another recruiter.

A rec-to-rec consultancy (rec2rec) specialises in moving recruitment professionals between agencies. That means consultants, billers, team leads, managers, GMs and agency directors, not the candidates they place.

Good rec-to-rec is less about sending CVs and more about knowing the market cold: which desks are warm, which comp plans actually pay out, and which agencies are about to grow or quietly contract across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. We've spent nearly a decade learning it.

If you're breaking into recruitment, start here. If you're relocating from the UK or Ireland, read the Australia guide. If you're an agency owner who wants every seat filled, the market mapped, and your team trained, ask about a Start Training retainer.

James Dolan
From James · Director

"Nearly ten years in, we've got a clear read on which desks are worth your time and which ones quietly burn good recruiters out. Telling you the difference is the whole job. Most rec-to-recs won't tell you where not to go. We will."

Reviews · Verified on SEEK

Recruiters rate us 4.98 out of 5.

82 verified reviews on SEEK, left by the recruiters and career-changers we actually placed. Not testimonials we wrote; ratings the people we worked with left themselves.

4.98
82 reviews on SEEK
James was easy to deal with and communication was always excellent. Never pushy like some R2Rs, whole process from start to finish was smooth.
Cameron Candidate · Mar 2026
Excellent experience with James, super communicative at all stages, faster than I could have ever imagined having a contract signed in just over a week. Very consultative at all stages and always kept me in the loop of conversations and feedback. Would definitely recommend for those looking to get into recruitment!
Ellen Alicia Candidate · Sep 2025
I got the pleasure of working with Claudia, James & John, all three are absolutely amazing. The team works together beautifully and I'm so thrilled with my new role! As a former Rec2Rec consultant myself, I understand how challenging this industry is, and they make it look easy!
Emma Candidate · Sep 2025
James was an absolute pleasure to work with, he was understanding and eager to find the best possible position for me. I would work with James again in a heartbeat.
Lincoln Candidate · Aug 2025
Steve was a legend to deal with and took me through easily the most professional process I have seen in rec2rec/rookie2rec space. If you want a job Steve is your man.
John Candidate · Oct 2024
FAQ · Rec-to-rec explained

Questions recruiters ask us before the first call.

What is a rec-to-rec agency?
A rec-to-rec (recruitment to recruitment) agency places recruitment professionals into other recruitment agencies, consultants, billers, team leads, managers and GMs. Start Group is Sydney's established rec-to-rec consultancy, operating across Australia and New Zealand.
Who does Start Group place?
Recruiters at every level, first desks, consultants, senior billers, team leads, managers and GMs, into agencies across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. Experienced placements run under the Start Group master brand; Start In Recruitment is our landing page for people breaking into the industry.
Do you help UK and Irish recruiters move to Australia?
Yes, that’s our Start In Australia focus. We don’t recruit into UK or Irish roles; we move UK and Irish recruiters to Australian agencies. We have a migration lawyer associated with the business who handles the visa side (482/186/189), plus sponsor-ready agency shortlists and suburb and salary guidance for the first 90 days in Sydney.
What is Start Training?
A 6 or 12 month retainer for agency owners. We do all your hiring with no success fees (ever, for the life of the engagement), map every billing team in your space, and we personally train your team. The retainer is the only fee.
How is Start Group different from other rec-to-recs?
We've won NSW Rec2Rec Agency of the Year three years running (2022, 2023, 2024), we're direct about which agencies to swerve, and we run under one brand with four specialist focuses rather than a single generalist team.
How do I get in touch?
Send us a message through the site, email hello@startinrecruitment.com.au, or call +61 2 9538 7987. We’ll tell you on the first call whether we can help.
The next step

Send one message. Get a straight answer.

On the first call we'll tell you whether we can actually help. No CV blasts, no mass mailouts, no "just thought I'd reach out."