Sometimes your desk needs a bloody good clean out. Not the kind where you finally tidy it up & grab the Spray & Wipe but the strategic, clear-the-deck, start-fresh kind.

Whether things are flying or completely f*cking cactus, every recruiter should know how to hit reset. I call it going Zero Base.

This one’s a bit of a secret weapon. It’s something I do with coaching clients all the time. And if you’re feeling overwhelmed, unproductive or just busy without billing, this is exactly what you need.

Let’s go – and if you want to do this along with this blog – download my Zero Base Template HERE.

What Is Zero Base?

Zero Base is simple. You pretend your desk is completely empty. No jobs, no candidates, no deals, no pipeline and you build it back up from scratch piece by piece.

Why? Because desks drift. You start out with a strategy and next minute the reactive nature of recruitment kicks in – you’re juggling random briefs, clients that won’t get back to you and candidates that ghost harder than a Tinder date. The work creeps in. Good, bad and sometimes completely irrelevant.

Zero Base is your chance to gut it. Keep the gold. Scrap the noise. Rebuild it with intention.

Start With This: What’s Actually Worth Keeping?

Grab a pen. Here’s what to map out:

1. What jobs are hot right now?

Not just any spec. I’m talking the ones you’d back to fill. Good, responsive clients who are invested in working with you to fill the role. Clear & detailed briefs. Real urgency. Retained, exclusive, or just rock-solid.

2. Who are your real clients?

Forget wishful thinking. Who’s actually paying you? Who gives you work, calls you back, and values what you do? Go back through your legacy clients and actually do the math on who has been paying your bills – these are the clients you start with.

3. What deals are on the go?

List anything active. Offers pending, first interviews booked, second rounds locked in. That’s short-term revenue. You want eyes on it. You want to know where all the possible holes are and what you’re going to do about them. And be realistic – do any of them need back up candidates? What is the risk on each one?

4. Who are your most placeable candidates?

Not just ‘great humans’. Who fits your hot jobs? Who’s ready, available, and in play right now?

Now Let’s Build

Look at that list and ask: where are the gaps?

Got a job with only one candidate? That’s not a pipeline, that’s a prayer. You want three solid contenders for each role. If you’re not there yet, that’s your sourcing plan. That’s your ad strategy. That’s your priority.

Got great candidates with no job to match? Reverse market them. Pick up the phone. Tap your database. Get them in play.

We like to play the 3×3 rule. 3 candidates for each role, 3 roles for each candidate. Sew it up.

Don’t overthink it. This isn’t about building the perfect machine. It’s about building a desk that works right now, based on what you actually know, not what you hope might happen.

What If You’ve Got Nothing?

If you’ve gone through that list and realised you’ve got no jobs, no candidates, no deals and no clients… well, congrats. You’re already in Zero Base.

So choose your lane. Are you going client-first or candidate-first?

• If it’s client-first, hit up your best relationships. Check in. Ask where they’re at. Offer value.
• If it’s candidate-first, go find a unicorn. One person that’ll trigger multiple interviews the second you release them into the wild.

Pick a lane. Back yourself. Move.

This Exercise = Clarity

Within 10 minutes, you’ll feel clearer. You’ll spot dead weight you’ve been dragging around for weeks. Specs that were never real. Candidates who don’t call you back. Activity that looks busy but doesn’t lead to revenue.

Cut it.

You only get 8 or 9 hours at your desk. Make them count. Zero Base helps you focus on the things that will actually make you money.

Final Word

If you’re spinning your wheels, feel like nothing you’re working on is solid or drowning in distractions, give this a crack. Zero Base your desk. Keep what’s working. Chuck the rest.

And as always, may all your deals come true.