The Time Managment Secrets of a Million Dollar Biller with Mollie Gunn

Why is time management such a challenge for recruiters, even experienced ones?

Because it’s easy to get distracted. You’re juggling jobs, candidates, clients, admin, and it can feel like you’re constantly reacting rather than proactively driving the day. 

Even experienced recruiters fall into the trap of being busy instead of effective, forgetting that what really grows a desk is consistent BD and meaningful candidate conversations.

You’ve said your biggest fear is becoming average. How does that mindset shape how you manage your time each day?

It keeps me sharp. 

I’m not interested in just clocking in and out, I want to build something that lasts. 

Every day I ask myself: is this moving me forward or just filling time? 

That mindset helps me cut through the fluff and stay focused on where I put my energy, whether it’s business development, partnering with brilliant candidates or thinking about smarter ways to scale. I’m not scared of hard work, I’m scared of looking back and realising I coasted. 

I often get this feeling that I’m not doing enough, even when I probably am, but that’s what drives me. 

I know there are other recruiters out there trying to win over the same clients and candidates, so I make sure I’m doing the basics better than anyone else and staying consistent with the things that matter.

What does a “perfect day” look like for you?

On the Come Up: Back when I was building my desk, my routine was incredibly structured.

I’d start at 8am, without fail. That first hour was for setting up the day properly, checking emails, screening candidates, catching up with my network so I always knew exactly where people were at. 

From 10am to 1pm, it was all BD. Not just calling for the sake of it, but proper, meaningful conversations that moved things forward. 

The afternoons were full of interviews, candidate calls, client meetings and planning for the following day. I always pushed for one face-to-face meeting a week, which back then wasn’t easy.

• 8-9 am: First hour setting up the day properly.

• 9 - 10 am: Checking emails, screening candidates, catching up with my network.

• 10 to 1 pm: All my BD activity.

• 1 pm to 2 pm: Lunch.

• 2 pm to 6 pm: Interviews, candidate calls, client meetings and planning for tomorrow’s activity.

Today’s plan as a top performer: Now the day-to-day looks different. I’ve got a well-established desk, I’m running senior searches, managing a team and working across more complex briefs, so there’s naturally more variety. 

But I’m still strict about my non-negotiables. 

I always block out at least one hour for BD between 10 and 11, and if it’s a quieter day I’ll stretch that to 12 or even 2. 

The goal is four quality calls, every day and I still aim for two meetings a week, minimum.

What are your non-negotiables, and how do you make sure you hit them even when things are busy?

When I was building my desk, I had clear non negotiables that i stuck to. They were:

Five BD calls. 

Five candidate calls.

Every single day. No excuses, that’s still the foundation. Even when I’m working 10 live roles, I make time for BD. 

I also track interviews, screening calls, and meetings because I care about quality and ratios.

 I’ve also put a lot more energy into LinkedIn, I used to ignore it, but once I started being consistent with my content and engagement, it changed the game. 

Posting content like my marathon training journey, which was authentic and resonated well, kept me top of mind when people saw my posts on their feed.

How do you decide what to focus on first when there’s a lot going on?

You focus on what drives your desk, BD first, then candidates. 

Jobs will come through if you’re building the right relationships and keeping the right people close, but when a role lands, it gets serviced properly. 

We don’t just throw CVs at it, we work each role with three to six high-quality candidates. 

It’s about providing clients and candidates with a high-touch experience, and doing so quickly and consistently. 

You can’t do everything at once, but you can be intentional about what actually moves things forward.

What’s the most common mistake recruiters make with their time, and what do you do differently?

Too many recruiters waste time working low-commitment roles with clients who aren’t serious, and I’ve also been there. 

I used to say yes to everything, even when the brief wasn’t genuine or the client was offering nothing in return. 

It felt like I was being productive because I was busy, but in reality, it got me nowhere. 

Many recruiters still fall into this trap, chasing feedbackless jobs or speculating about CVs at random. 

These days, I focus on early-stage partnerships and qualifying hard. 

I want to know my clients before they’re hiring, and I want to be intentional with every call. 

When it comes to candidates, the same rules apply. 

Every CV goes with consent, no exceptions, we even have a consent email that every candidate gets. 

You’ve built a reputation for being phone-first with high activity levels. How do you maintain that without burning out?

Boiler Room is actually one of my all-time favourite films, so yeah, I kind of live every day like I’m in it - without the fraud, obviously. 

“Smile when you dial” has always been my motto, and I genuinely enjoy speaking to people. 

I’d rather pick up the phone than go back and forth on email. 

It’s faster, more personal and you actually build relationships. 

My first sales job was in life insurance, where I made 600+ autodialled calls a day, so high-volume activity is second nature to me now. 

That said, when the day’s done, I fully switch off. 

I’m not one of those people who keeps the hustle going into the evening. 

I chuck on some reality TV (Love Island is elite), cuddle my dog Mango, and zone out.

Keeping active has also been a great way for me to switch off. Training for a marathon and horse riding have helped me massively, both physically and mentally.

What would you say to someone who feels like their day constantly gets away from them?

Start by identifying your non-negotiables. 

For me, it’s five BD calls and five candidate calls. 

Hit those every day and build from there. Don’t overcomplicate it.

How do you stop yourself from getting complacent or slipping into reactive mode?

I remind myself that someone else is out there trying to take my clients, that alone keeps me sharp. 

I don’t let a good month trick me into thinking I can coast because that’s when you lose your edge. 

I’ve never been someone who puts on “deal slippers” and relaxes, if I do a deal, I keep going. 

I want to be the best. Simple as that. 

I don’t get too high when something lands, and I don’t get too low when something falls through. 

I just keep showing up and doing the work.

If someone reading this wanted to make one change tomorrow to improve how they manage their day, what would it be?

Pick your non-negotiables and commit to them every single day. 

For me, it was five BD calls and five candidate calls. 

You can’t control everything in recruitment, but you can control those two things. 

Everything else is a knock-on effect from there.

🚀 Action Steps: Build Your Million-Dollar Day Plan

Don’t just read this, implement it. Here’s how to put Mollie’s advice into action tomorrow:

✅ Define your 2–3 non-negotiables.

For Mollie, it’s 5 BD calls and 5 candidate calls every single day.

Pick the activities that really drive your desk and commit to hitting them, no excuses.

✅ Block your BD hour.

Put it in your calendar now. Mollie blocks 10–11am every day for BD, even when she’s slammed.

Start with one hour and protect it.

✅ Track the right metrics.

Mollie focuses on interviews, meetings, and meaningful ratios, not just being busy. 

Decide what “a healthy desk” looks like for you and review it weekly.

✅ Stop chasing low-commitment clients.

Be honest about where you’re wasting time. 

Focus on early-stage partnerships, qualify hard, and walk away from dead-end briefs.

✅ Work the phone.

Nothing beats a real conversation. 

Make calls your default, faster, more personal, more effective.

✅ Write down your “why.”

On a sticky note, a screensaver, wherever you’ll see it. 

Mollie’s biggest fear is becoming average and that’s what keeps her sharp. What’s yours?

✅ Build your day, then own it.

You don’t need to fix everything at once. 

Start with the basics, show up consistently, and raise the bar over time.

Remember, your day doesn’t just happen to you. 

You choose how to show up, what to prioritise, and how high you set the bar. 

Start small, stay consistent, and you’ll feel the results compound over time.

👉 What’s one non-negotiable you’re committing to this week? 

Hit reply and let us know, we’d love to hear how you’re building your million-dollar day plan.

P.S. Whenever you're ready, there are 2 ways I can help you:

#1: Do you listen to my podcast? I release a weekly episode with either a top-performing recruiter or recruitment entrepreneur to find out how they achieved their success so you can learn directly from their journey Check out my latest episode and subscribe to the show.

#2: Want to win more business, book more meetings, and level up your billings? Our Hector certified courses are built by top billers who’ve been where you are and cracked it. No fluff. Just real, proven strategies you can use immediately >>>> Browse Courses – Start Closing More Deals Today (Use code Limitless_Learning at checkout for 15% off: exclusive to newsletter readers)