There’s more to recruiting than just posting jobs online—it’s about forming relationships, marketing your business, researching and screening candidates and so much more. With so many daily tasks required to be a  successful organization, too often things slip through the cracks and do not get done. Sometimes, a neverending task list can feel like it’s in the way of actual productivity. 

If you’re wanting to be a more productive recruiter and increase the success of your business, here are a few tips:

Don’t multitask

As recruiters, it’s in our nature to always get things done perfectly. When you’re trying to get multiple things done at once, you may find you’re less attentive to each task and none of them get done right. So, unless you’re part of the two percent of the population who can multitask successfully, it’s best to avoid any attempt. 

Create to-do lists

When you go to the grocery store, do you bring a list of things you need so you don’t forget the eggs…again? Creating a to-do list of your day’s assignments can help you keep track of what needs to get done. Whether you’re using a planner to plan your entire week, an online calendar to plan your day or sticky notes to plan your tomorrow, organize your tasks in a way that works for you. Make sure you cross off completed tasks so you can keep track of your accomplishments. 

Prioritize your tasks to avoid procrastinating

Procrastination is everyone’s productivity’s worst enemy. It’s natural to put off the things you don’t want to do, so when you’re making your to-do list, take that into consideration. Put the tasks you don’t want to do first on your list; this way, you get them done and you get to spend the rest of the days doing the things you enjoy. If necessary, break down those hard-to-do tasks into smaller segments so you can take a break and do something else for a while. 

Track how long it takes to complete tasks

By keeping track of how long it takes to get certain things done, you can find out what takes up most of your time. If specific assignments take longer than others, prioritize those tasks and schedule your day around them. You can use a number of online or mobile applications or even just a basic stopwatch. If you write down the time you start and complete an assignment, you can also determine what times of your day you’re most productive so you can schedule your most onerous tasks for that time of day. 

Dedicate specific email time

Checking your email every 10 seconds is a hard habit to break but is essential to become a more productive recruiter. Interruptions like emails or text messages can cost you up to six hours per day in productive time. Do yourself, and your business, a favor and turn off your phone notifications and designate a couple of times per day to check and respond to emails. You might be worried about missing something urgent, but you can share this information with your clients and candidates. Let them know that if they have pressing questions or concerns, they should reach you by phone. 

Don’t be afraid to take a break

If you spend your entire day working, working, working, you might find yourself burned out. Taking short breaks throughout the day can actually improve how quickly and accurately you get things done. Whether you’re grabbing a coffee, taking a short walk around the office or making sure to eat your lunch away from your desk, these breaks are important to your productivity and mental health. To help you take a break, try the Pomodoro Method. This productivity and time management hack will help you separate your tasks into intervals with small breaks to help you stay on track. 

Productivity isn’t just about getting the most amount of work done—it’s about getting things done right and in an efficient manner. If you’ve noticed your productivity or quality of work slacking, take the opportunity to try out a few of these tips to improve your work. Remember, everyone is different and what one person does may not work for you. It’s about being a more productive recruiter and making your business as successful as possible.

If you find marketing your business or maintaining a web presence is taking away from your productivity, Recruiters Websites can help. Your business is important to you and we want to help you maintain the strong reputation you’ve built over the years. We specialize in marketing recruiting and staffing businesses and creating beautiful, one-of-a-kind websites that help elevate your business’ credibility. Contact us today to see how we can help you with these daily tasks and get back to doing what you do best.