There are 8,766 hours in a year, and out of those hours the average Recruiting Professional spends about 520 hours commuting, 3,120 working a desk, and, if they are lucky, 2,190 hours sleeping.  Add all of these hours up and you have 2,936 to take care of your family, friends and yourself.  Is this unusual? No. What is unusual are the stress levels Recruiters are under everyday.  The stress Recruiters face when closing a deal is probably equivalent to some doctors (But, unlike doctors we can’t sedate either our clients or candidates until the deal is done).

Stress over time is the leading causes of “Burnout.” Burnout is defined as physical or emotional exhaustion, especially as a result of long-term stress or dissipation.  Recruiters are not immune to Burnout.

Coaching Recruiters to create a environment that turns stress from something that drives you to something that fuels you.  Here are five ways you can do this for yourself:

1. STOP DIGGING ~ If you have been working an order for an excessive amount of time and you are beyond frustrated, STOP DIGGING! It’s time to step back and look at the whole picture.  Often we get fixated on a mistake and then we are lost.  By stepping back and making a minor correction you are off and running again in the right direction.
2. TAKE CONTROL BACK ~ Drowning in the feeling of being pushed and pulled by everyone else?  Stop thrashing about and start treading water by turning to your calendar.  Start by blocking out time that work for you.  If you like to source between 11am to 1pm then book it!  If some calls to speak with you, book them a time.  This simple change will let people know you are a valuable resource and that your time is worth money.
3. GET A LIFE ~ In nursing homes three hours in a chair is considered torture, so why are you sitting at your desk for well over ten hours some days?  Exercise is an essential ingredient to your performance.  A study released last week reports that exercise enables the brain to regenerate lost brain cells.  If nothing else, the ability to recover from your twenties is worth a couple of walks around the block, don’t you think?
4. GET BACK TO BASICS ~ The harsh reality is Recruiting is a simple equation. Whether you admit it or not, to entertain ourselves we make the hiring process complicated and convoluted.  Distill out the noise, know your process and get the job done. Everything else is stress.
5. SAY “NO” ~ Feel like you are drowning? You are!  And every time you say “sure, I can do that” or “I have that covered” the more water you are attempting to swallow.  The word “No” is the hardest word in the English language.  If you can’t say NO then simply shut your mouth!  If nothing else by shutting your month the water can’t get in.

Recruiting professionals thrive in high stress situations.  The key to keeping productivity high and avoiding burnout is learning the how to create the right environment.  

For further information about a Recruiter’s work week including average hours worked, the most productive days and the least favorite day follow the links below to the live discussions.

http://www.recruitingblogs.com/profiles/blogs/recruiters-how-many-h...

http://www.linkedin.com/answers/hiring-human-resources/staffing-rec...

P.S. Thank you so much to everyone that participated in the above discussions!!!

Have a productive week!!!

Rebecca B. Sargeant

Recruiter’s Coach