I have been on a health kick as of late and am proud to say that I completed Shaun T’s 60 day Insanity program (check it out here) and have now restarted month 1. Now, you may be wondering why I am mentioning my workout regime, or what this has to do with Recruiting and Career Advice. I’m mentioning it because I finished what has been labeled one of the toughest workouts ever and I want to shout it to the world (I’m Insane!!), but also because the experience with Insanity is surprisingly similar to the struggles I’ve seen recruiters go through, particularly new recruiters. If you are interested in recruiting (or even in the Insanity program), then here are a few issues you may encounter:

1. A Reality Check Knock Down – I started Insanity having gone through previous exercise regimens. I was confident that I would kill this workout and be able to keep up with the cast…boy was I wrong! The first day I started, I thought I was going to pass out. Never had I worked out so hard in my life!  That was my reality check – it may be a workout on DVD, but it was the hardest workout I had ever done in my life.

I have seen this same knock down experience right here in the office. Bright eyed, eager recruiters come in and feel like recruiting is an easy job where you make a few phone calls and automatically make money hand over fist. That is until they make 100 calls, get 10 calls back with only 1 viable resume that is worth sending to a client. It’s a hell of a lot of work and it does not guarantee a return. The rookie soon realizes that though a recruiter’s job spec may seem simple enough, it takes lots of work. This leads us to #2

2. It Takes Perseverance – Working out 6 days a week was not easy and took much discipline and determination on my end to make it through the program. The same can be said about recruiting. You must have thick skin: the determination to hear tons of “no thank you’s,” the ability to deal with the mounting demands of both the clients and candidates in order to finally make a match that will be beneficial for all involved: the Client, the Candidate...and your pocket; the fact that the market and this industry is ever-changing and unpredictable – meaning your job is quite unpredictable at times. You can go through months where you are making deals, making money and are on cloud nine, and in the span of a week; all can go south and you face months with the exact opposite scenario. Only the strong survive. And that is why #3 is the big kicker…

3. Stick it Out and Get Results - Even through the bad times, a good recruiter will still get results; much like I did after sticking with this very grueling program. You gear yourself up everyday knowing that it is going to be tough, but convincing yourself that you are tougher. Some days you feel energized and ready for the challenge, and other days you just want to throw yourself on the floor and beg for mercy. Yet, everyday you put on your big girl/boy pants, tie up your laces and stick it out. In recruiting, you have to gear yourself up and, if you put in the work and stick it out, you will see results.

So that’s how my Insanity workout blends in to my insane job. I guess insanity can be compared to anything that you have to fight for, but in this case, let’s call it recruiting. It may sound easy, but it is not. If you are thinking of being a recruiter, it is a rewarding career with a potential of making some serious cash...if you put in work. The same can be said about Insanity. It is tough, and as you go through the program it does not get any easier, you just get tougher.

-Evelyn Amaro

NationStaff Inc.

This article was originally posted on NationStaff's Blog