Welcome to 2025! The start of a new year is the perfect time to sharpen your focus and set yourself up for success. Whether you’re a seasoned recruiter or just getting started, having a clear, actionable plan for your desk is a game-changer. In this planning guide, I’ll unpack a simple, no-nonsense way to map out your recruitment year. By the end, you’ll know exactly what you’re chasing and how to get there.

Why Goal Setting Matters

Before diving into the nitty-gritty, let’s talk about the importance of setting goals. Goals aren’t just numbers on a page or lofty aspirations. They’re your roadmap for the year ahead. But here’s the thing: it’s not enough to know what you want to achieve. You need to understand why you’re doing it.

• Clarity of Purpose: Knowing your “why” gives you a reason to push through challenges and stay focused when distractions arise. For example, are you aiming to build financial security, create work-life balance, or achieve a personal milestone?
• Direction: Without clear goals, it’s easy to get caught up in day-to-day busyness without moving the needle on what truly matters.
• Motivation: Your “why” fuels your enthusiasm and helps you power through tough months or tough calls.
• Accountability: Goals hold you accountable. They provide a measure of success and give you a benchmark to track progress.

Take a moment to reflect: What do I want to achieve this year, and why is it important to me? Write it down and keep it somewhere visible – make a vision board & whack it on your wall if that works for you! This exercise isn’t just motivational—it’s essential for long-term success.

The Simplest Way to Plan Your Recruitment Year

Recruitment doesn’t have to be complicated, but many recruiters overcomplicate it. Instead, let’s strip it back to a system so simple that it will feel almost revolutionary. Grab a pen and paper (or a spreadsheet if you’re fancy), and let’s break it down:

Step 1: Define Your Annual Target

Write down your desired billing target for 2024. This figure should be ambitious yet achievable. For example:

• Target: $600,000 in billings

Step 2: Calculate the Number of Placements Needed

Divide your annual target by your average fee. For instance:

• Average fee: $20,000
• $600,000 ÷ $20,000 = 30 placements

Now you’ve got your magic number: 30 placements this year.

Step 3: Break It Down by Month

Divide your annual placement goal by 12 to get a monthly target. For example:

• 30 placements ÷ 12 months = 2.5 placements per month

Doesn’t that feel more manageable already? Instead of stressing about a big number, you’ve got a clear, bite-sized goal.

Focus on Your Key Clients

To achieve your goals, focus on where the money is: your key clients. This is where most recruiters falter. Let’s redefine “client”:

• A client isn’t just someone you chat with occasionally. A client is someone who pays your invoices.
• Make a list of your top 5-8 clients from the past year. These are the ones who are easy to work with, pay on time, and consistently give you business.

Next, predict how many placements you can realistically achieve with each client this year. For example:

• Client A: 4 placements
• Client B: 3 placements
• Client C: 2 placements

Break these down further by quarter. For example, Client A might provide:

• Q1: 1 placement
• Q2: 1 placement
• Q3: 1 placement
• Q4: 1 placement

This exercise gives you a crystal-clear picture of where your billings will come from and whether you need to fill any gaps with new business.

Your Roadmap to Recruitment Success

Here’s what your plan will look like by the end of this process:

1. Your Annual Target: What you’re aiming to bill.
2. Your Placements: How many you need to hit your target.
3. Your Key Clients: Who will help you get there.
4. Quarterly and Monthly Goals: A clear roadmap broken into manageable chunks.

Now, you can confidently walk into each month knowing what you’re chasing. Plus, when you communicate this plan to your clients, you’ll be seen as proactive, strategic, and a true partner in their success.

Connect your Billings to your WHY/Goals

So the last part is to go back to WHY you want to achieve all of the above & really land an emotional connection to your goals. I want you to do the following:

1. Close your eyes.
2. Imagine yourself at the end of 2025 & you have ACHIEVED what you set out to achieve.
3. What are you doing? Who are you with? How do you feel? What has achieving your goals allowed you to do for yourself, your family, your friends & your life this year?
4. Focus on these thoughts & feelings for a few minutes whilst breathing deeply.
5. Cement these feelings in your mind.

You’ve now connected your goals & what you want with emotions. And yes, it sounds airy fairy, but I am telling you, if you do this often, it WORKS.

Final Thoughts

Recruitment success isn’t about luck—it’s about clarity, focus, and action. By defining your goals, understanding your “why,” and creating a practical plan, you can make 2025 your best year yet.

If you have any questions or want help refining your plan, reach out! And stay tuned for the next episode of The Lone Recruiter, where we’ll dive into creating a monthly framework to track and smash your goals.

Let’s make 2025 the year of strategic success. Cheers to your best year yet!