So you are new to recruitment and wonder what the formula for success is?
Or maybe you want to go back to basics and start planning for your success. Recruitment is not for everybody and it takes hard work and determination to become the best, but the rewards are outstanding, both personally and financially.

Like a garden, the results often come after consistent tending to the major elements:-

Clients
Candidates
Industry Knowledge

Seeds need to be planted in each of these areas and nurtured until they bear fruit, and bear fruit they will if the effort is consistent.

So how does a successful recruitment consultant spend each day? Nurturing their business in a planned manner.

Over the years, gathered statistics have shown that a formula for activity lead to results; focusing on these activities and not the money has proven time and time again that the money will come. This formula will vary from industry to industry and from consulting firm to consulting firm, but here is an indication ....

If you know what you want to achieve on a daily basis, you can schedule your day around those activities. This is important in recruitment as the fruits of your labour are often not immediately obvious. To set activities for the day like:

Place that brilliant candidate you met last week with your newest client.

Obtain a PSA (preferred supplier agreement) with the potential client who will not return your calls.

Secure a retained assignment from the client you know is dealing with 50 other agencies.

Gain exclusive representation of candidate you met yesterday, who is currently being sought after by 10 companies.

Sets you up for failure.

These are major goals that are certainly achievable, but come through following an activity formula that will develop relationships, create an understanding of your industry and build your reputation. Following a simple activity formula allows you to celebrate success each day. You can ask yourself at the end of the day - Did I achieve everything that I set out to do today?. If the answer is yes, you know you are on the path to achieving those major goals mentioned earlier.

Have a look at the Daily Planner of our successful consultants.

Daily Targets:

1. Min 5 floats a day per consultant
2. Min 2 headhunt calls a day per consultant
3. Min 2 candidate interviews ( face to face ) a day
4. Min 1 old / new client visit a day
5. Min 10 outbound sales calls a day
6. Min 5 old candidate - catch up calls a day ( for referrals )
7. Min 2 reference checks (these can be used not only to support your candidates' details, but also develop new client relationships. (We will be covering how to turn referees in to clients in our weekly training updates - register for your FREE subscription now.)

Always plan your day the night before. This will enable you to really evaluate what needs doing and give you a clear picture of how your day is looking. Make sure you prioritise and you can change the plan if required.

8.00am
Get to work and have a quick look over your plan for the day.

8.15 - 9.15am:
Write 4 fresh, new ads. Decide on what ads to write by determining your most important jobs. Do not repeat old ads unless essential. Make your ads detailed, attractive, professional and give them a "wow" factor. (We will be covering how to develop adds with that "wow factor" in our weekly training updates - register for your FREE subscription now.)

9.15 - 10.30am:
Client visit, old or new. We try and see at least one client a day, old or new. This is imperative to keep the "spark" alive. Do not be afraid of staying in touch with clients who you are not doing a great job for. The fact that you are making an effort will impress them.

10.45 - 12.30pm:
Office based. Catch up on all interview arranging, admin, feedback, closing and answering ad responses. Do all your grunt work now so you have a clear afternoon to concentrate on new business, headhunting, cold calling and referral name gathering. Use this time to get your floats out ( min 5 pp ) and arrange new interviews.

12.30 - 1 / 1.30pm:
Lunch, if you can. Try and leave the office if possible. Clear your head  this is imperative. It makes you far more proactive and re-fuels you for the afternoon. Get some fresh air.

1.30 - 3.30pm:
New business calls ( at least 10 ), existing client catch up calls ( tell them how you're getting on / not getting on with their vacancies ), headhunt calls ( at least 2 a day ), old candidate calls ( call at least 5 old applicants and see what they are up to ). Use this time to network. Ask everyone you speak to who they know in the industry that you specialise??

3.30 - 5.00pm:
Candidate interviews. If possible try and do 2 a day as a minimum. As well as the obvious use these interviews as a way of sourcing info  ie. So you used to work at 'Company XYZ'  Who was the highest billing Finance sales person there? Do you have their number?
If you don't ask you don't get - we all love giving away information.

5.00 - 6.00pm:
Use this time to make sure everything is done for the day and you have tied up all loose ends. Take 15 minutes to plan your next day.

GO HOME - and use this time to call your headhunted candidates back who could not speak at work.

Our weekly training updates will cover most of these elements in depth and teach you how to turn these activities into those major goals that will ensure your success as a recruitment consultant.