Week 1: Wins and Woes

While I could title this post 'Woes and Lesser Woes,' I'm a glass-half-full person. So, let's explore my smaller woes as steps toward a win.

Today I received my 6,456th request to be removed from the mailing list. Of course I respected this former potential client's request, however, I couldn't help but feel disheartened. I would love for this to be a post about how I turned that rejection into a client and now I have 100 jobs lined up for the month, but alas, I'm merely writing about this because it's relatable. I also feel as though I shouldn't be writing about this unless I'm a top biller and I make this a, "see, sometimes I get rejected too" post, but it's not that either.

I plan to share my daily or weekly wins and woes, though the daily ones might get a bit embarrassing. For every challenge I discuss, there will also be a win.

My win this week was getting responses from leads. Not all of them immediately sought my services. Most stated they didn't need assistance right now but might reach out if things change. Some agreed to receive an information package. These responses count as wins because I tweaked my messaging and saw an increase in replies (or there's just something in the air this week and it has nothing to do with my change in strategy). My manager emphasises the importance of adapting when the old approach isn't working. Sending the same template each week to an unresponsive client is like Side Show Bob stepping on rakes (if you know you know).

And now for a bit of wisdom: Maintaining originality and adaptability is crucial in recruiting. While it can be tempting to prioritise quantity over quality, resulting in clients feeling inundated by impersonal, cold emails, it's essential to recognise when our strategies need a change. The latter tendency has sometimes earned recruiters the reputation of being as persistent as wasps; the more our leads try to shoo us away or ask to be removed from mailing lists, the more aggressive our approach becomes, often sending 'one final email' or similar messages. To avoid this trap and build a strong reputation, we must learn not to repeatedly step on the same rakes. Instead, we need to find a different path forward. Furthermore, if you're a client seeking a recruiter who truly cares about your success, I encourage you to look for those of us who go the extra mile. The key is finding a recruiter whose positive intentions shine through, someone dedicated to connecting you with exceptional candidates.

And now, for the call to action so discreet its practically invisible. If you'd like to be my hero for the week and turn my lesser woe into a more recognisable win (and maybe even make it into next weeks article), drop me a message about any of your staffing needs.