It’s July.

Which means half the year’s gone.

Now, before you close this page because you don’t want to look at your numbers, hear me out.

Every year I see the same thing.

Recruiters start January full of energy.

They’ve got a billing target.
A vision board.
A spreadsheet.
A new diary.
Big plans.

Then life happens.

A few placements fall over.
The market gets messy.
Someone resigns.
A client disappears.
School holidays roll around.
Before you know it, it’s July.

And somewhere along the way, you’ve stopped looking at the scoreboard.

I don’t care where you are.

I care whether you know where you are.

There’s a massive difference.

If you’re behind target, good.

At least now you know.

What always worries me is the recruiter who’s convinced themselves everything will magically work itself out by Christmas.

It won’t. Hope isn’t a strategy.

The first thing I’d do today?

Look at your numbers.

Not tomorrow. Today.

Ask yourself:

• How much have I billed?
• How many placements have I made?
• What’s sitting in my pipeline?
• How many opportunities are actually real?
• If I keep doing exactly what I’m doing today… where will I finish?

No emotion. No stories. Just facts.

Then look at the target you set at the beginning of the year and decide if it’s still feasible:

• Are you on track and can hit it?
• Are you behind and need to adjust it?
• Are you going to beat it and need to increase the goal?

If you are massively behind, you CAN still make up the numbers, I know recruiters are capable of moving mountains, but it’s about being realistic.

I would rather a recruiter adjust the overall target (even if it’s less) and hit it, ending the year feeling confident and happy than keep chasing a goal that they were never going to hit.

Then I’d stop looking backwards.

One thing I learnt years ago is this…

You can’t change January. You can’t change March.

You definitely can’t change that placement that fell over in April.

But you can absolutely change tomorrow.

Recruitment rewards momentum.

Not regret.

I never focus on the annual target.

I focus on today’s behaviours.

That’s something people often get wrong.

They obsess over the big number.

“$500,000.”

“$750,000.”

“$1 million.”

They’re all meaningless unless you know what has to happen today.

So instead of staring at the mountain, I’d ask myself:

What would someone who’s on track be doing today?

• Probably making business development calls.
• Probably following up interviews.
• Probably speaking to candidates.
• Probably having difficult conversations they’ve been putting off.

That’s where the focus belongs.

When you get these things right, the big target naturally follows.

Keep your tracking stupidly simple.

I’m not a fan of overly complicated scorecards. The simpler it is, the more likely you’ll actually use it.

For me it’s usually just a handful of numbers focusing on what moves the needle for my desk.

• Client meetings.
• Jobs in.
• Interviews.
• Placements.
• Billings.

Did I hit today’s number?

Yes. Or no.

Move on.

Because consistency beats complexity every single time.

Here’s another exercise I’d encourage you to do.

Look back over the last six months.

Where did your money actually come from?

Seriously.

• Which clients?
• Which market?
• Which types of jobs?

You’ll probably find something interesting.

Most recruiters spend far too much time servicing work that generates very little revenue.

The best recruiters double down on what’s already working.

Growth is not always about “adding more”, sometimes it’s about cutting what doesn’t serve you to open open new possibilities.

Pick three priorities.

Not fifteen.

Three.

Maybe it’s:

• Win five new retained clients.
• Become known for one niche.
• Lift your average placement fee.

That’s enough.

Everything else either supports those priorities…

Or it’s a distraction.

And remember why you’re chasing the number.

This is the bit people forget.

Your billing target isn’t the goal. It’s what the billing target gives you. Your “why” / your purpose for doing what you do.

• Helping people achieve their career goals.
• That holiday you’ve been wanting.
• More freedom.
• Paying off the mortgage.
• Being home with the kids more often.
• Sending your kids to the school you want.

Whatever it is…

Attach some emotion to it.

Because on the days you don’t feel like picking up the phone, that reason matters a hell of a lot more than the number sitting on your whiteboard.

The year isn’t over.

Not even close.

I’ve seen recruiters have average first halves and unbelievable second halves.

I’ve also seen recruiters have brilliant starts… then coast.

The difference isn’t talent and it certainly isn’t luck.

It’s whether they’re willing to stop, assess honestly, make a few adjustments and get back to work.

So that’s my challenge for you.

• Take one hour this week.
• Review your numbers.
• Work out what’s working.
• Cut what’s not.
• Set three priorities.

Then stop worrying about December.

Win today.

Then do it again tomorrow.

Because that’s how great years are built.

One ordinary day, repeated over and over again.

Let’s go.

And if you’re interested, I am offering one off team coaching sessions on exactly the above – setting up your mid-year to finish the year with the best results you’ve had yet – shoot an email to [email protected] with the Subject line: “Mid-Year Planning Session” to get started.