Try to win the best quality job orders you can. You will stand a better chance of making a placement if you do. Qualify the opportunity before you spend too much time on it. Here is a checklist to help:

• Have a full and complete job description
• The role must be signed off and headcount approved
• The role is urgent
• Interview dates are agreed
• You have decision-maker access when you need it
• Terms of business are agreed before you start searching
• The interview process is agreed before you start searching
• You have received biographies of all involved in the interview process
• Ideal start date is agreed
• Your client agrees not to make a hiring decision until they have interviewed your candidates (as long as you submit your shortlist within agreed timescales)

Plan daily
Most consultants fail in our industry because they don’t plan properly. In fact, this is the number one reason! Always work on your quickest route to placement job order first. Plan the evening before. Tuesday starts at 5.30pm on Monday on so on. You can do more in one hour of planned time than you can in eight hours of unplanned time.

Don’t give up
It’s never as bad as it seems. In fact, it’s always better than it looks! You could be forgiven for getting a little tense or stressed given the current market conditions for many of you. However, if you are determined to succeed and are prepared to do what it takes, then you can survive these turbulent times. If what you are doing now is not working then change your approach, do something different. There is always a way. The only thing worse than the wrong decision is indecision. Change your mindset and look for a solution. 

Practise your art
At some point in their careers most consultants have been asked to role-play a part of the recruitment process, which is normally met with horror and embarrassment. Practise newly learned techniques with your colleagues before attempting it live with a client or candidate. And who knows? When you do go LIVE maybe you’ll win your best piece of business yet!

Make sure your client’s customers are busy
Look for clients whose clients are busy. No matter how good your proposition or how strong your database may be, if your clients’ clients are not buying from your clients why will your clients be interested in what you have? Research, plan and focus on areas of your market where there is activity. 

Always have a back-up candidate to your perfect candidate
After all, on occasions even your ‘dead-cert’ says no!

Diversify… if you need to
If your market or area of specialty is in recession, then look to diversify into new areas. Leverage from strength and source out new areas that are still active. Don’t allow principles get in the way of making money. 

Submit candidates on a shortlist who said ‘No’…initially
Submit candidates that your competitors do not have access to. Find candidates who are not registered with 10 other recruiters or who don’t have their CVs on every job board. All recruiters are ultimately measured by the quality of candidates they submit to a client and this is never truer than now.

Set goals
Goal setting will help you realise your objectives, achieve your targets. But goal setting will also keep you focused and on track, especially when things get tough. Studies show that if you set goals you are up to 97% more likely to achieve what you want.

Have some fun!
Celebrate the success — no matter how small. Enjoy what you do — it will pay you back!!

Tony Seager is the co-founder of Seal Recruitment Training Solutions. He brings the rare combination of skills beyond the typical recruitment trainer, as he still manages a very successful recruitment business. Email him: [email protected]