Time management is the bane of all recruiters’ existence. You have all of these plans for reaching goals, making money, and satisfying clients and candidates, then unexpected responsibilities and busy work rear their ugly head.
Sorry about the cliche metaphors.
The dread of wasted time is best described in these dramatic terms.
Thankfully, you can tackle the time management beast, and this post will help you do it.
First, we are going to go over the top 21 time management tips for recruiters:
- Take stock
- End busy
- Measure results
- Devote more time to less
- Create a target candidate profile
- Enhance job postings
- Be selective with interviews
- Deal with email
- Utilize smarter phone screening
- Use recruiter apps
- Score candidates
- Make time for the unexpected
- Do what works for you
- Implement creative recruitment strategies to weed out candidates for you
- Be mindful of social media
- Evaluate your time management techniques.
- Plan your day and stick to it
- Set goals
- Limit internet usage
- Limit work to work
- Prioritize
Then we will go over the top 3 time management techniques for recruiters:
- Inbox-Zero
- The Eisenhower technique
- Eat the Frog technique.
In the end, we will spare some time to mention some of the most effective time management apps for recruiters! Let’s get started!
Our Top 14 Time Management Tips For Recruiters
#1. Take Stock
Start your battle with time management by examining what you are already doing.
What works? What doesn’t? What are you not sure about whether it works or not? What activities, processes, and mindsets are you chained to?
Make a list of these things, and let it sit while you read the rest of this post.
#2. End Busy
We have a tendency to feel like we’re accomplishing a lot just because we’re busy, but unfortunately, it can often be just the opposite.
We get so overloaded sending emails and making phone calls and doing so much stuff that we don’t notice until we settle down and the smoke clears that we accomplished very little. Then we get in a panic to accomplish more and throw ourselves with even more determination into that busy work, thinking it’ll eventually pan out. Contrary to our natural inclination, this is the time to slow down, possibly even stop, and evaluate what we’re doing.
#3. Measure Results
Most recruiters measure their success by phone calls, but what if those phone calls aren’t fruitful?
What have you accomplished? Largely a waste of time, that’s what.
At the end of the day, week, month, or year, look back on:
- How many candidates were hired?
- How many candidates are satisfied with their new position after a few months?
- How much money you made?
- Whether your clients’ goals were met?
- How many candidates did you move on to another step (for short-term evaluation)?
- How many quality relationships with candidates for future jobs you’ve built.
#4. Devote More Time To Less
You probably audibly asked, “What?!” to that suggestion.
You think doing less work will cost you money and success, but doing a better job on a smaller number of tasks is a great way to become a highly competitive and, therefore, richer recruiter.
Consider which are your best clients, the ones with the most need for work, the ones whose need is most compatible with your skills, and the ones you can collaborate with best. Keep them and weed out the rest. Start small if you want to by getting rid of one at a time. Then, focus on delivering your best results for these clients with the help of our other time management tips.