Building sustainable habits in recruitment

As humans, we are creatures of habit.

But, in recruitment - it sometimes feels that little bit harder to cultivate sustainable habits than in our day-to-day life.

We all wish that picking up jobs could be as easy as making our beds in the morning, and that winning exclusive projects was just part of our daily routine.

However, there are recruiters out there that can do this with their eyes shut - and it’s taken them years of practice (and good habits) to get to that level.

I’m going to be unpacking the top 3 habits that you should be cultivating on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.

1. A) So they become sustainable and part of your everyday life, and B) So you can start to break down the building blocks of what it means to be an incredible recruiter.

Daily Habits

#1 Business Development 

You should aim to do a little bit of business development every day.

Whether that’s making 3 calls or 30, every successful recruiter habitually does business development, even on the days when they’re rushed off their feet.

Allocating set time for BD may not work in some cases, but we’ve seen enough day plans to know that it’s achievable to spend at least 2-3 hours a day on your business development skills.

#2 Inbox Zero

Now, before you roll your eyes - no one likes admin, let’s just get that out there!

But, you have to be on the ball and stay organised.

Practising inbox zero not only gives you a great sense of achievement at the end of the day, but it’s a great way to ensure that you’re staying on top of your messages (internally and externally) and that you’re set up for the following day.

#3 Personal Branding

This doesn’t need to be extensive post creation and trying to be a LinkedIn Influencer, I promise.

Instead - spend 10-15 minutes a day commenting, liking, and sharing on LinkedIn.

If you’re comfortable doing a post - then great, but habitually engaging with others in your network will naturally improve your personal brand in the market.

Bonus Habit: Time Management

Before you leave the office for the day plan your day before you leave.

This will help you switch off in the evenings and best prepare you for the following day before it has even started.

Weekly Habits

#1 Growing your network

LinkedIn is any recruiter’s bread and butter, so spending time once a week growing your network on LinkedIn is crucial.

Sending out requests and introductory messages will only benefit you in the long-run.

#2 Market Mapping

Land and expand! Your market is ever-changing and you should be staying up to date with what is going on in it.

Market mapping and scoping out new companies to partner with will influence your daily habits and ultimately enable you to become a master of your market.

#3 Cross-Selling

Along with your business development, you want to ensure that you are cross-selling other desks in the business.

This will boost your internal reputation but also showcase you as a true consultant to clients.

Bonus Habit: #Reflection.

At the end of each week review how your week went.

Did you achieve the goals you hoped?

Have processes moved on as much as you hoped?

Ask yourself questions like, what went well this week? What didn't? What can I improve on going into next week?

What needs to be my TOP priorities going into next week to achieve my monthly goals?

Make space weekly to review so you can keep agile & have the best chance of prioritising the tasks that are going to get you close to your goals.

Monthly Habits

#1 Client catch-ups

Whether they are a current client or a prospective one, never underestimate the power of a monthly catch-up. It could be a call, a text, a zoom, or a coffee - don’t forget it! Make sure you’re adding value to these calls every month, whether it’s industry insights, competitor insights, or salary reports.

#2 Candidate catch-ups

The same goes for candidates, too.

Placed, not placed, or in process (obviously) - catch-ups are a priority.

Remember, how can you add value each month? Is it sharing content, insights, or news?

#3 Check in with yourself

Too often in recruitment, it’s easy to get swept up in your own world when you’re busy and trying to build a sustainable desk.

Check-in with yourself once a month from a technical, personal, and growth perspective - set goals and stick to them for the following month!

If you’ve got any other habits you’d like to share, please don’t hesitate and we’d love to include them in future editions on this topic!