What does the “day in the life” of a recruiter really look like? It seems that no matter who you ask, the answer always seems to follow the lines of “no two days are the same!”. We’ve spent the last decade as partners to the recruitment industry (as well as being recruiters ourselves), and we’ve developed an in-depth understanding of what recruiters need - and that’s more time.
Although we’d love to conjure an extra hour (or two) out of thin air, we’ve created a list of the top three things that recruiters can be doing to make the most of the time they do have, whilst also being as productive as possible.
Firstly, saying that you need to find time to manage your time doesn’t seem to make sense, does it? Especially when you’re already time-poor - why would you allocate even more of your day (that you could be using for things such as business development) to create a time management strategy that works for you? It’s like the age-old chicken and egg analogy, what will come first?
We’re of the ilk that you should make time to manage your time; otherwise, you’ll spend the majority of your day chasing your tail and feeling disorganised. There are three key areas that you should be looking at as a starting point: technology, habit-building, and video.
Now, before you roll your eyes - we are very aware that recruitment tech is often looked at as cumbersome. Whether it’s the latest platform claiming to manage your diary and automate your time, or it’s an add-on to your database which will enable you to provide a better candidate experience.
It can be overwhelming to understand which recruitment tech is actually going to benefit you. Any technology you choose to embrace will take a bit of time to get your head around, so be kind to yourself (and practice patience) when looking at technology that will save you time in the long run. It’s also important to pick tech that will elevate the tasks that you’re already doing. For example, video can elevate your cold calling and e-mail techniques by adding something different into the mix.
Tech is essential, from automation to organisation to process management, we are so lucky in the recruitment sector to have tech that helps us rather than hinders us. It was only a few years ago that we were still heavily reliant on LinkedIn and the good old-fashioned phone as our main sources. Now, we have access to plenty.
Building great habits sets you up for success not just in recruitment but also in life. Simple habits such as making your bed in the morning or doing a workout sound obvious, but when put into practice - people still struggle to create small habits that they can stick to every day.
Especially in the world of recruitment, your day can change instantly, meaning that habits can quickly be thrown out of the window. However, habits allow you to not just have better organisation of your time but also give you the ability to set boundaries with clients and candidates. Habit building can take the form of morning and nightly routines but they can also be routine habits that you do every day at work for your desk.
For example, committing to an hour of business development a day, no matter what else you have on that day - will enable you to stay grounded and focused on your BD goals. Or, committing to having 0 unread emails in your inbox (also known as Inbox Zero) by the time you leave the office. Whatever these habits are, finding 3 to 4 key things that you can commit to daily can give you better time management skills in the long run.
A lot of recruiters consider video to be another piece of tech when in reality it’s a communication tool. Unlike platforms or integrations, video is incredibly easy to use as we have it in our everyday lives - you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who has never sent a video in their life! Using video can help to reduce the monotonous tasks that recruiters often have to do.
For example, making 50 follow-up calls every day. There is, of course, a time and a place where using the phone as a follow-up tool makes the most sense, but it can become tedious if it’s your only form of outreach. If you send one video to 50 recipients, it’ll take you a fraction of the time as will protect your relationships and the additional time investment that you’ve spent on other types of outreach, such as emails, phone calls, or WhatsApp messages. You can still have the volume of outreach you desire but with a sprinkle of time management and a personal touch.
We understand that time is a precious resource for recruiters, and finding ways to maximize your productivity is crucial. To help you on this journey, we've highlighted three key areas: technology, habit-building, and the power of video communication. Embracing the right technology can streamline your processes while building effective habits and integrating video into your daily routines can create a more organized and efficient workday.
To further enhance your time management and productivity, we invite you to explore Hinterview solutions, which offer advanced video outreach and talent delivery capabilities. Don't miss out on the chance to revolutionize your time management and elevate your recruiting game.
