Industry Insights

As a recruiter, your day is filled with meetings, calls, reviewing resumes, checking references and trying to find the best possible fit for your clients.  

Working in the office means you have a built-in structure to your day: There’s a set time to start and stop working, a lunch break, meetings, etc. Working remote shifts those built-in notches in the day onto your own, personally determined calendar. It’s also possible that, when starting to work remotely, it’s easy for that structure to fall by the wayside, resulting in decreased productivity.  

Here are three ways to help keep you focused and productive when working remotely.  

1. Establish a routine for communicating with your team and clients. If you’d regularly meet with your manager at the same time each day or week, shift that meeting to a video call at the same day and time. If you have regular updates with your clients to provide status reports on your recruiting efforts, move those meetings to conference calls as well. Technology has adjusted so well, and so much in the past few years, that meeting remotely is just as effective as meeting in person, without the risk of getting caught in traffic or delayed by bad weather. Take all the structure you had in your office life and switch it to calendar alerts instead.  

2. Embrace time management tools. Here’s another way to maintain your office structure at home: Rely on time management tools so you’re not spending too long on tasks that should be completed quickly. Set limits on how often, and for how long, you check emails. Set weekly alarms for reports and updates to your team and your clients. Write and prioritize to-do lists according to the most important and pressing tasks each morning. There are free and low-cost time management tools available online that can help keep you focused on the right things without losing too much time to distractions like social media and games. Also? Make sure your working environment is set up similar to that in the office: don’t set up shop on the couch when there’s a clutter-free table nearby, for example.  

3. Engage your manager. Make sure you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing, hitting the targets and goals outlined for you, and remaining a connected, valuable part of your time. Double check your to-do list and priorities to confirm everything is accurate. See if there are any deadlines coming up you might not be aware of or projects that have been shuffled and are now considered urgent needs. Ask for advice if you find yourself spending more time on work that shouldn’t take as long to complete. Don’t let out of sight become out of mind: Taking the initiative to be present and communicative can be impressive and very helpful to you and your team!  

Remote work is a wonderful thing: You have more time in your day to focus on the work you need to do, but it can be so easy to get distracted and lose track of time when you’re surrounded by the comforts of home. A little refocusing and a little priority shifting can make you just as productive while working remotely as you were in the office.  

If you’d like to work remotely as a recruiter full-time and your current manager isn’t so supportive, call Method Recruiting. We work with companies who have embraced remote and hybrid working arrangements and would welcome you to their team with open arms! Call Method Recruiting today and let’s find a company that works for you.