What does a typical day look like as a recruiter?

By: Allison Flitter 

Every industry and every position have different days; recruiting is no different. Although each recruiter has a different structure, we each have the same basic outline for our day. Below is an example of what a typical day looks like:

9:00-10:00 Follow up Time

10:00 – 12:30 Search #1

12:30-1:30 Lunch

1:30-2:00 Follow up Time

2:00-5:00 Search #2

5:00-6:00 Follow up Time

As you can see, the day is structured into different blocks of time. We focus on block scheduling throughout the day. Even though many people think that they can multitask throughout the day to get every task completed, it is better to focus on one project at a time. During the block of follow up time, we go through emails, follow up with voicemails and plan for the day or day ahead. During block search time, we only focus on emails, calls and planning pertained to that search. This does mean that emails may pile up and you may miss a call or two. To allow yourself to focus during search time, it is very important to use follow up time wisely.

When we are in the search time, we focus on one position. The ability to focus on one job allows a recruiter to have a continuous train of thought. More ideas come during this focused search time because you are only thinking about one client and their one position. Being able to focus on that one client and one position allows you to sell, describe and dig deeper into a role.

 

You may think that you can accomplish more by multitasking, but that is a myth. Using a block schedule allows the brain to focus completely on one task and not waste brain power. When you are multitasking and switching between tasks, you will still be thinking about the previous task even while you are working on another.

Are there times throughout your day where you are multitasking? Try focusing on only one task, even just starting with 5-10 minutes every day. Focusing on one project at a time may take a while, so start slowly. But eventually, you will see an impact on the quality of work and the time that your work takes.