When I generally talk about working to boost recruiter productivity, I don’t usually need to apply this to myself. But even though I’d consider myself generally motivated, disciplined and on the game, I will confess that last week I wasn’t. I was not in a good place for my desk for the month.
But sometimes all you need is one. good. day..
And yesterday wrecked me (in the best possible way).
8x candidate interviews.
2 offers.
5 new roles I didn’t know about that morning.
My phone was charging on rotation. AirPods died three times.
I went home 20% battery, 5% brainpower, 110% fired up.
And the day before?
I was flat. Frustrated. I had 2x placements fall away last week for the most random, genuinely uncontrollable reasons. I was wondering if my placement control sucked, if the market had gone quiet or if I’d just gone soft. I didn’t have enough.
Turns out, I hadn’t gone soft – I’d just gone too silent. I hadn’t been following MY OWN RULES for myself when I’m not feeling good about my desk.
So this is what I did to turn it around & boost my productivity (and mental feels) back to where it needed to be.
And my rather painful lesson becomes your helpful reminder that:
You don’t need a perfect month.
You need one f*cking massive day to get your recruitment desk back on track.
So if you’re feeling sluggish, here’s how to boost recruiter productivity in one day:
1. Get on the bloody phone!
Not “reach out”. Not “circle back”.
Talk to people.
Call your candidates. Ring your clients. Have real-time conversations. Start building energy.
When we feel flat, we tend to hide behind our desk. No more hiding behind emails, inmails or whatever else. If you haven’t charged your phone twice and swapped AirPods three times, you’re not in the game yet.
2. Stack your briefs, both sides
Got one candidate interviewing with one client?
Triple it.
Give the client more options.
Take the candidate to market and find them more interviews.
More movement = more momentum = more money.
Not only is this best practice, but you’ll feel the energy of helping the people within your sphere to influence know that they have the best possible options in front of them.
They’ll get warm fuzzies. You’ll get warm fuzzies. Win-win.
3. If you’ve got nothing, build something
Flat desk? Good. You have opportunity.
Now go book two candidate interviews today.
Why?
Because interviews create energy. And you’ll pick up intel, leads, maybe even jobs.
Then take those candidates and canvas like hell.
And don’t assume! If you were lucky enough to have that perfect candidate land on your desk, even if a client that told you no yesterday should be someone you pick up the phone and call.
Energy creates opportunity.
4. Still stuck? Call your Top 10
Ten clients you like.
Call them.
Ask what they need. Ask what their pain points are. Ask them if they need any information on what’s going on in the recruitment market.
Ask what’s happening next year. Tell them about the salary movements you’re seeing in the market.
Just ask. Show up. Add value. Be useful.
Bottom line for f*ck off productivity?
One mega day can flip your desk.
You’ll feel clearer. Stronger. Sharper.
That’s how to increase recruiter productivity in one day – you force it.
And once you’ve done it once?
You’ll remember you can do it any time.
Let’s f*cking go.
And if you need any extra motivation, check out the podcast, where I deliver recruitment & mindset sugar hits 2x a week! Click Here
