Behind Resolve with Saffat Hossain
Meet Saffat Hossain – Director, co-founder and the team’s ray of sunshine at Resolve Recruit.
In this instalment of our Behind Resolve series, Saffat shares the twists and turns of her career, her passions and the life experiences that have shaped her approach to both work and life. Through the valuable lessons and challenges she’s navigated, you’ll get to know what drives her and how those experiences continue to shape the way she leads her life and impacts others today.
By the end of this read, you’ll come to see that Saffat is deeply motivated by her passion for building authentic, meaningful relationships – something she achieves everyday by staying true to her warm, empathetic self.
Meet Saffat Hossain
Who is Saffat Hossain?
I'm a business owner, talent acquisition specialist and an absolute sucker for Canberra.
I co-founded Resolve Recruit in April 2024 with Greg Lally and David Harvey, to build the kind of recruitment firm we'd want to work with – one grounded in authentic relationships and making a real impact in our clients’ and candidates’ lives.
My approach is relationship‑based, and here’s what that means. With candidates, it’s getting to know each person — their goals, what drives them and what holds them back. That deeper understanding allows me to support their entire career journey, not just their next role. With clients, it's understanding strategic goals and delivering talent solutions that help them drive real outcomes.
What ultimately drives me is service. Whether it was my early days in retail or now in recruitment, it's always been about connecting with people, helping them solve challenges and creating memorable experiences.
What drew you to your current role and field? Tell us your origin story.
Like many in recruitment, I didn't plan to work in this space. It ultimately came down to being in the right place at the right time – and being open to opportunities presented by people who saw something in me.
When I was at university, I thought I'd become an anthropologist, but my career took a turn when I chose not to pursue postgraduate studies. I wanted to work and experience corporate life. I was deeply curious about ICT and technology; it was a completely different world to how I’d learned to think, and quite frankly, it was unnerving – which is exactly why I was drawn to it.
So, after university, I started a job in first level support at a telecommunications company. There, I learnt the foundations of various technologies and further developed my passion for client services. Having worked across products spanning networking, security, software and AI, I came to an unexpected crossroad in my career in 2021. That’s when I moved into recruitment.
Here, I found myself able to stay connected to technology – but my focus shifted from product-based solutions to people-based solutions. It was the perfect mix between all the areas I was fascinated in and the skills I'd developed over time – customer service, relationship building and technology. Recruitment allows me to bring together my love for connecting with people, helping solve business problems and remain connected to technology.
Let’s get personal
What do you do outside of work that brings you joy?
I love exploring the beautiful nature surrounding Canberra! While I'd love to say that I enjoy hiking, the reality is that it's usually closer to a fast-paced walk through the local nature reserves. Yoga is my sanctuary; it's where I reset and recharge.
Spending time with my beautiful niece and nephew brings me so much joy, and I've actually just started gardening! There's something really grounding about these quieter moments.
I'm also an avid reader with ridiculously eclectic taste – one week I'm deep in psychology or politics, the next I'm devouring a trashy romance novel or crime thriller. I never know what I'll be in the mood for next.
What decision has had the greatest influence on who you are today?
Knowing when to walk away – and trusting that it's not starting over, just choosing a new path.
That sounds counterintuitive in a world that glorifies "pushing through," but learning when to step away from what no longer serves you has been one of the most transformative skills I've developed.
Professionally, I've walked away from what felt stable, where the stakes felt high and the path forward wasn't clear. Those decisions created space for what came next – including, eventually, co-founding Resolve Recruit.
But the most pivotal example, however, was at 26, after I burnt out. I made the decision to leave Sydney – where I'd built a life and career – and move back to Canberra. It was completely unexpected and quite a shock. At the time, it felt like I was starting over – and in someways, I was. But what I learned is that it's never really starting again – it's just choosing a different path and trusting yourself enough to take it, even when it feels uncertain.
That’s why sometimes the bravest thing you can do is recognise when it's time to move on – and trust yourself enough to take that step, even when it creates discomfort and the path ahead isn't entirely clear. Often, that’s when the most growth happens, and when new, beautiful chapters can begin.
On a professional note
For those considering your field, what’s your favourite part of what you do?
My favourite part about what I do is being part of someone's career journey. Supporting them through challenging moments, coaching them through fears and doubts, and walking beside them as they navigate something that’s usually a really big part of their life is greatly fulfilling. What makes it even more meaningful is the relationships that form along the way. I've worked with people who've come back to work with me years later, or who've referred friends because they trusted the process we shared together.
Recruitment offers you the opportunity to make a real difference in someone’s life – and that is truly a gift.
On the contrary, what’s a challenging part of your role that most people wouldn’t expect?
As humans, we are unpredictable, and recruitment is at the centre of it. Recruitment means balancing expectations between two very human sides of the process. You're navigating a deeply complex relationship where both candidates and hiring teams both have hopes, fears and needs that don't always align perfectly.
There's a common misconception that recruitment is "easy" – that all it takes is finding the person, filling the role and that’s that. But the reality is far more nuanced. You're managing emotions, expectations, time pressures and serving as the bridge between what someone or an organisation wants and what's realistically possible.
The weight of knowing your work genuinely impacts people's livelihoods and life decisions is something I take seriously. It's not always easy when things don't go to plan, despite your best efforts – but it’s incredibly rewarding when they do!
What's something you believed about work five years ago that you'd completely disagree with now?
I used to believe that the “hustle” was the pathway to success. I thought working overtime and doing extra hours on weekends were what ambitious people did. Then I burnt out at 26, and I was forced to completely pivot: to recharge, build healthier habits and create support structures that prioritised my wellbeing.
Now, I'm much more aware of when work is getting too much, and I'm better at asking for help or stepping back when I need to. I’m also incredibly grateful for my husband, who's learned to spot the warning signs and isn’t afraid to interrupt my day with a “right, you need a break” – often with lunch in hand!
Finally…
If you could give your 18-year-old self a single piece of advice, what would it be?
"Enjoy the process."
At 18, I was hyper-focused on outcomes: getting the grades, landing the right job, ticking boxes. I thought "success" followed a straight line, and that if I wasn't hitting certain milestones by certain ages, I was failing.
What I've learned since – especially building Resolve with Greg and David – is that the journey is where the real value is. Greg reminded me early on: "Don't forget to enjoy the process."
It sounds simple, but it was a powerful reminder for someone who'd spent years feeling like things needed to be “perfect”. His advice was the permission I think many people I know would love to receive as well – appreciate the learning, the growth and the messy middle bits, rather than just the milestones.
At 18, I wish I'd known that being laser-focused on just the end results can mean missing out on the most valuable part of all: the joy that comes along the way.
From an aspiring anthropologist to co-founder of Resolve Recruit, and everything in between, Saffat’s journey, experiences and lessons along the way have shaped her approach to her work. Now, she brings a hard-won wisdom to every candidate and client interaction.
Whether she's coaching a candidate through a career transition or partnering with clients to find the right talent, Saffat's driving purpose remains the same: making a real and lasting difference in people's lives.
To connect with Saffat, find her on LinkedIn.