One thing seems small, too small. I use to think I need to do a bunch of things to make a change happen.

I failed. I couldn't do all of these at once and ended up doing nothing.

I learned to do one thing and improve by 1%.

1% is a small change but over time 1% compounds and creates a great deal of change.

Everyone is capable of 1%.

None of the “recruiting thought leaders” are talking about this and it concerns me. I feel like they are removed from everyday recruiting life and have become irrelevant. (more about the one thing in a bit)

Skilled recruiters are the most important part of the hiring equation. But no one is focused on them. (click to tweet)

There’s the crash course recruiter training that staffing agencies put you through when you start, but that isn’t what I consider focus. The training is often out of date and irrelevant, it’s meant to be a lite version of boot camp so you can be expedited to the front lines and create a return on investment.

Recruiters who survive more than a year in the recruiting industry make it because they are great at learning. To be successful recruiting you have to learn many survival skills on your own.

Outside of the crash course in-house training, everything written online is about social media, the latest Boolean search technique, resume database, or job board.

There is more to recruiting.

True, candidates are a large part of the equation. But that’s not where I want to focus.

Let’s focus on you, the recruiter.

Do This One Thing

If I could only do one thing to be more motivated...Start logging everything you do when recruiting.

Start logging everything I do? “You have to be kidding, I’m not going to do that”

It’s too simple isn’t it? And logging seems like more work….

Why You Should Do It

What happens when you lose your motivation?

You lose your positive or optimistic mindset and begin having negative thoughts. Conversations in your head begin to take place, you might say things like “nothing is working” or “I feel like I’m just spinning my wheels”.

Recruiters don’t track their efforts. It is easy to generalize recruiting tasks. I send emails, interview people, and other stuff.

What actually works?

Most have no clue what is actually working and what actions are a waste of time. You can defeat your own negative thoughts with progress.

You don’t need fancy equipment. Start logging your activities with a pen and notepad.

How It Works

By tracking what you do it creates physical proof of your progress. Progress is a critical motivator when working.

Via The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement,...:

"On days when people have made real progress in work that matters to them, they end the day feeling more intrinsically motivated"

A technique doesn’t have to be complicated to work.

“If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.” -Albert Einstein

Simplicity is power.

If you have ever used a loyalty card you know this is true.

Do loyalty cards work?

A study published in the Journal of Marketing Research shows that people can be convinced to work harder and spend more just from seeing progress. Interestingly enough the illusion of progress is just as powerful.

“The illusion of progress toward the goal induces purchase acceleration. For example, customers who receive a 12-stamp coffee card with two pre existing “bonus” stamps complete the ten required purchases faster than customers who receive a “regular” 10-stamp card. “

Your notepad becomes your loyalty card with visible proof of your progress. If you can’t see actual progress, the illusion will make you more motivated.

Logging keeps me focused on:

• small wins every day that lead to larger wins
• eliminating time wasting tasks
• making progress instead of being stuck or unmotivated

Can you be 1% more motivated?

Skilled recruiters are the most important part of the hiring equation. The most skilled person is useless without motivation.

Self motivation is crucial to success, it’s something I struggled with as a recruiter until I figured out how to motivate myself.

I experimented trying many different things to be more motivated at work. And published the ones that worked. Check them out here.

Don’t take my word for it though, try them for yourself.

More from Clinton:

Clinton Buelter blogs about recruiting at www.coldemailforrecruiters.com/blog He’s a tech recruiter turned entrepreneur. With more than six years of recruiting experience, starting at a staffing agency and working his way into technical recruitment for software companies like VMware and Glassdoor.

Suggested Blog Post: What It Takes To Be A Great Recruiter

(Photo by Wacky Toyo)