How do recruiters work four days a week and still bill more than their colleagues?

At the end of this long weekend (apologies to those who had to work yesterday!), I’m reminded of some of the most productive recruiters I’ve known. These people only work four days a week, yet still bill more than many of their full-time colleagues because of how they spend their time. Following their example is a great way to improve results:

Focus on result generating activity
No unqualified jobs, or time-wasting candidates, these recruiters are ruthless about what they spend their time on. They don’t kid themselves, and they don’t kid their clients or
candidates. They ask relevant, qualifying questions and don’t accept unrealistic or non-committal assignments.

Don't fear potential objections
These recruiters are always looking for a potential hiccup. If their candidate has other applications pending, they find out what they are, how their role compares and test their responses; if their client has other candidates in the running, they find out what stages of the process they’re at, how their candidates compare, and when decisions will be made. They recognise that the more aware they are of potential problems, the more able they are to influence the outcome.

Delegation
These recruiters recognise the importance of team work, and pull their weight, However, they also make use of business support functions (such as administrators, trainers and marketing specialists) and delegate where appropriate. 

Productive use of time away from their desks
You won’t find these recruiters trying to lengthen internal meetings with general chitchat or offering to make tea for eight people. Their external meetings are organised so that they make the most of time away from the office (e.g. meeting people in the same neighbourhood or in the same building on the same day).

Organisation
These recruiters’ desks may look untidy but they diarise follow-up calls and record client/candidate information. This reduces the risk of them missing out on opportunities or losing credibility.


Before you print this off and head to your manager’s desk – your head full of ideas for your new 3-day weekend existence – there are a few other things to consider about these four-day-week billers (at least, in most cases):
They may earn less
Four days a week usually means a lower base, lower super / holiday and other benefit accruals.

They have proven their worth
Every person I’ve known who works four day weeks began working five. Only after proving themselves with consistently high billings over a considerable period of time, and having built a stable client base, did their employers consider their request to reduce their working hours.

They have compelling reasons for reducing their hours
Family commitments, health issues, not-for-profit work – these people have a reason that their employers see as valid.

Their clients can accommodate their reduced hours
Clients who value the relationship they have with a recruiter and support their reasons for dropping to four-days, may still need a service provider five days a week.

The person remains on-call during their day-off
In most cases, the recruiter has to deal with urgent situations (e.g. offers, acceptances, back-outs etc.) regardless of whether they are in the office.

Their team can support their absence
They and their employer know that others are capable of and willing to cover for them when they’re not around.

The social aspects of work are often sacrificed
Recruiters that work four days a week generally miss out on much of the social aspects of the workplace. They have less time to chat during work hours and may feel under more scrutiny than their counterparts.

They achieve their targets
Working four days a week doesn’t mean their employers are happy for them to miss their targets.

The bottom line is, no matter how many days a week you work, time is your most precious resource – use it wisely!

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