There's a good reason why I don't attend trade events, writes Clive Jefferys of telecoms recruiter JMA Network. Lots of people know me, but they don't necessarily want to advertise our relationship to their peers. That's because our key attribute is discretion.
Like the apocryphal story about the swan, all our clients or candidates should see in us is a scene of serene calm. What's actually going on below the surface is always hidden from view.
Of course, what drives our success is the huge amount of activity that's taking place in our back office - hundreds of phone conversations every week, social networking, lunch dates, scanning our databases and reading the news.
In many ways, a better job title for what we do would be Market Analyst. Our doors and our ears are always open to anyone that wants straightforward, up-to-date advice about their career and hiring prospects.
It's no accident that 75 per cent of business comes from referrals and a majority of those candidates have never officially looked for a job or registered on a jobsite.
The perfect agent takes time to understand what drives you and presents opportunities without you having to ask.
The second most important facet to our method is time
You can't buy contacts or build relationships overnight. We started in earnest in 2003 and so many of our candidates are now the managers and directors of today's telecoms businesses.
Recruitment has always been a tough, at times frustrating, activity for everyone, but when the right factors are aligned properly, success is only ever a few phone calls away.
So do I think I'm James Bond? No, I'm Moneypenny. I am always there, making sure that everything is ready and in place.