In my previous blog post, I addressed the real source of motivation for recruiters. Below are three tips to increase motivation for recruiters and become more disciplined on your desk:
#1—Build on your successes.
Are you setting your goals high because some hyped-up motivational speaker who has never had been beaten up in this business told you to shoot for the moon? Forget about it. Shoot for a target that you know that you can hit. Set your goals low. That’s right. Set your goals so that you actually achieve them. Forget about having 50 conversations in a day. Start with 20, then go to 21 . . . 25 . . . 30 . . . 35. Do it progressively.
And then shoot for the moon once you have a realistic shot at hitting it. Setting goals beyond your realistic reach causes apathy and a “why even try” performance model, resulting in low billings and recruiters leaving the business. If you end up not giving it your all every day, this is probably why. Scale it back, dude. Give yourself a break. Get some success under your belt and then raise your goals. It’s okay to do this. Start with small successes and go from there.
#2—Focus on the fun of the business.
Every time I talk with a hot candidate who says they want to interview with my client, I become elated . . . I just get a rush. Okay, so it’s like a bad gambling habit. But it’s contagiously fun, and you just can’t help it. Focus on the fun part of the business. Sure, it’s drudgery making all of those calls, but take those experiences that thrill you and dwell on them. Make the association of a placement or a client/candidate interview so insatiably pleasurable that you just can’t wait to set up another one.
#3—Change your attitude.
“But nobody’s hiring right now.” “My market is all dried up.” “My city’s economic conditions are in a negative growth pattern right now.” Here’s a news flash, champ. Nobody ever won a gold medal on the ice because they said the Russians were bigger than they were. David never doubted his ability to overcome Goliath. Yeah, you’ve got challenges. We all do. So suck it up and change your self-talk.
If you keep telling yourself the market stinks, then it’ll stink. If you tell yourself that everyone you talk to wants to do business with you, then you will get more business. Tell yourself that “Today is going to be the most exciting day of my life” on the way to work, and watch it become just that. Expect to win. Expect to get the business every time. Become surprised when clients tell you no.
Your attitude colors your perspective and paints your opportunities. You have more control over your desk than you realize, and if you change your attitude, you will attract opportunities to you. I spend at least two hours on this single concept in my day-long training programs because it is so critically important.
Performance improvement through authentic motivation really is that simple. Occasionally, I will have a recruiter email me a note telling me that my methods are overly simplistic. I usually respond by saying, “Thank you for noticing. Try it for 30 days and tell me it doesn’t work.”
Remember, if you are going to hit the next level, it has to be fun, easy, and simple . . . otherwise the status quo will burrow a nice little home in your head. Authentic and lasting change comes from minor improvements made in major areas, so follow these three steps and improve your motivation forever.
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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. Visit his online recruiter training center for tips, downloads, videos, and articles that can help you increase your recruiter billings.