Sure, you might have big goals for yourself this year. You might have even set a certain amount that you want to bill in 2020. That’s all fine and good. However, setting big goals without a plan for achieving them won’t get you very far. And the best way to achieve such big goals is to focus on your daily recruitment efforts.
And how can you do that, pray tell? Well, we’re going to draw upon the wisdom of recruiting industry trainer Scott Love to help answer that question.
Steps for daily recruitment success
Below are eight steps for creating daily recruitment success as a search consultant:
#1—Be realistic.
Let’s go back to that certain amount you want to bill in 2020. How realistic is it? Once again, big goals (or “reach goals”) are fine, but what if you don’t achieve them? Are you going to be disappointed? Or even despondent? How much fun is that?
According to Love, you should set three separate goals for yourself in terms of your billings: gold, silver, and bronze.
“For example, if last year was an average year for you, a bronze goal might be 20% more billings than last year’s number,” said Love. “If you believe that the market negatively influenced your billings, and you believe that positive economic forces may contribute to a better year for you, then 20% plus another digit or two might be more appropriate.”
#2—Create a “thermometer measure.”
These are like the thermometer measures that you see for United Way fundraisers. It’s rather simple to set up. Have each goal listed on the thermometer, and each time you close a deal, color in red ink the rising “temperature” as it reaches your recruiter goals. What’s most important, though, is that you can see the thermometer all the time. After all, “out of sight, out of mind.”
#3—Figure out and focus on your recruitment ratios.
Here are some questions to ask about your daily recruitment efforts:
- What is your interview-to-placement ratios?
What is your candidate presentation-to-interview ratios?
How many candidates does it take for you to get an interview?
How many interviews need to take place to close a deal?
“Remember, anything that can be measured can be improved, so start focusing on how you can improve on these ratios over the course of the year,” said Love.
#4—Focus on monthly goals and forget about everything else.
In order to achieve big goals, you have to break those goals down into smaller, more focused goals. That’s why setting 90-day and six-month goals are a waste of time. So at the beginning of each month, ask yourself this question: “What are the two or three most important things I must accomplish this month?”
“We’re recruiters, for crying out loud, not scientists,” said Love. “Make it easy and focus on the actions of achievement on a monthly basis rather than a complex system.”
#5—Ask yourself that same question at the beginning of the week.
That question is “What are the two or three most important things I must accomplish this week?”
Of course, you should consider your monthly goals as you set your weekly goals. For example, this could be setting up five interviews this week or consistently talking with 30 new prospects each day. Other achievement goals might be to limit the time it takes for you to make your first phone call of the day from 40 minutes to four minutes.
“Shake it up and make it fun, because if it’s fun, you’ll be more inclined to hit your targets,” said Love.
#6—Get away from material rewards because they don’t work.
There are two types of motivation: extrinsic (from without) and intrinsic (from within). Material rewards fall into the category of extrinsic. Sure, they may provide a short-term boost, but they’re not as effective in the long run. Intrinsic motivation is much better.
“Get all of your senses involved,” said Love. “Imagine what your lifestyle will be like when you hit your targets. Paint the picture of what life will be like when you hit your gold goal for the year. But understand that this won’t really motivate you.”
#7—Accept that you deserve to enjoy success.
Love recommends two books that recruiters and search consultants should read:
- Success is a Choice by Rick Pitino
- Your Own Worst Enemy: Overcoming the Habits of Adult Underachievement by Ken Christian
“There is no silver bullet to boost your staff’s motivation,” said Love. “If anything, it is a very slow-moving bitter pill. But start every day to read books like this and, you and your colleagues will see an increase in your focus and energy at work.
8—Set goals not related to your recruiting desk.
What kind of goals, specifically? We’re talking about family goals, recreational goals, physical fitness goals, and spiritual goals, among others. What’s important to remember here is balance. The key to achieving your professional goals is to achieve and maintain a measure of balance in your personal life. Recruiter burnout is a real thing.
Daily recruitment success and continuous education
Scott Love, guest writer for the Top Echelon Recruiter Training Blog and owner of The Attorney Search Group, trains, motivates, and inspires recruiters to achieve greatness in the profession. Bartos has served as a keynote speaker at Top Echelon conferences and is also a regular contributor to the Top Echelon Expert Recruiter Coaching Series of webinars.
Speaking of which, if you’re looking to enjoy more daily recruitment success, then engaging in continuous training and education is an excellent way to do so. And it just so happens that Top Echelon has an extensive training library of free recruitment and selection training courses. These courses are recorded versions of Top Echelon’s Expert Recruiter Coaching Series of webinars.
These webinars touch upon a variety of recruiter-related topics. These topics deal with both candidates and clients. As always, our goal with these webinars (and corresponding videos) is to help recruiters make more placements.
In addition to training and webinars, Top Echelon offers other recruitment solutions. These solutions include the following:
For out more about the recruiting resources Top Echelon offers to agency recruiters and search consultants!