• Recruiters
    • For Recruiters
    • About NPAworldwide
      • About NPAworldwide
      • International Recruiters Network
      • Practice Groups
      • Geographic Areas Facilitate Split Placements
      • Split Placement Network Return on Investment
      • Split Fee Network Leadership
      • Governance of NPAworldwide’s Recruiting Professionals Network
      • Meetings & Events
    • About Membership
      • About Membership
      • 9 Reasons to Join NPAworldwide’s Split Network
      • Group Discounts for NPAworldwide Members
      • Join Our Recruiting Professionals Network
      • Cost of Membership in our Split Fee Recruitment Network
    • Recruiting Resources
      • Recruiting Resources
      • Help
    • Find A Member
  • Employers
    • For Employers
    • About NPAworldwide
      • About NPAworldwide
      • How NPAworldwide Works
      • The Benefits of Working with NPAworldwide Recruiters
    • Services
      • Services
      • Recruiting Resources: Contracting Employees
      • Recruiting Resources: Background Checks
      • Recruiting Resources: Pre-Employment Testing
      • Recruiting Resources: Outplacement
    • Links for Employers
    • Find A Member
  • Job Seekers
    • For Job Seekers
    • About NPAworldwide
      • About NPAworldwide
      • How NPAworldwide Works
      • The Benefits of Working with NPAworldwide Recruiters
      • Practice Groups
    • Find A Member
  • Sponsorship Opportunities
  • Job Board
  • Resources
  • Blog
    • Independent Recruiting Blog
    • Press Releases
    • Video Testimonials
  • Ready to Apply?
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • —
  • —
  • —
  • —
  • Job Seeker Resources
NPAworldwide - Global Recruitment Network
  • Recruiters
  • Employers
  • Job Seekers
  • Blog
  • Member Login
NPAworldwide - Global Recruitment Network
Apply Today
  • Navigation
    • Home
    • Recruiters
    • Employers
    • Job Seekers
    • Blog
    • Member Login
    • More
      • Recruiters
        • For Recruiters
        • About NPAworldwide
          • About NPAworldwide
          • International Recruiters Network
          • Practice Groups
          • Split Placement Network Return on Investment
          • Split Fee Network Leadership
          • Governance of NPAworldwide’s Recruiting Professionals Network
          • Meetings & Events
        • About Membership
          • About Membership
          • 9 Reasons to Join NPAworldwide’s Split Network
          • Group Discounts for NPAworldwide Members
          • Join Our Recruiting Professionals Network
          • Cost of Membership in our Split Fee Recruitment Network
        • Recruiting Resources
          • Recruiting Resources
          • Help
        • Find A Member
      • Employers
        • For Employers
        • About NPAworldwide
          • About NPAworldwide
          • How NPAworldwide Works
          • Advantages of Working with NPAworldwide
        • Services
          • Services
          • Recruiting Resources: Contracting Employees
          • Recruiting Resources: Background Checks
          • Recruiting Resources: Pre-Employment Testing
          • Recruiting Resources: Outplacement
        • Links for Employers
        • Find A Member
      • Job Seekers
        • For Job Seekers
        • About NPAworldwide
          • About NPAworldwide
          • How NPAworldwide Works
          • The Benefits of Working with NPAworldwide Recruiters
          • Practice Groups
        • Find A Member
        • Job Seeker Resources
      • Sponsorship Opportunities
      • Job Board
      • Resources
      • Blog
        • Independent Recruiting Blog
        • Press Releases
        • Video Testimonials
      • Ready to Apply?
      • Contact Us
      • Social Media
        • Facebook
        • Twitter
        • LinkedIn
        • YouTube
        • Instagram
      • International
        • —
        • —
        • —
        • —

5 Time Management Tips for Recruiters

by Liz Carey

photo-1441323263989-281bc2f5b68cOne of the biggest challenges a recruiter faces is trying to manage a schedule and predict the events of the day in an industry of constant change. What happens when you face an unexpected fall-off, a position goes on hold, or your client changes their requirements? You won’t get far in this business if you just give up – you have to adjust your strategy and plan your time to accommodate everything that’s on your plate.

Here are 5 time management tips for recruiters:

1) Be selective with your search assignments – It’s easy to try and take on as many assignments as you can, but you don’t want to overload yourself and not be able to deliver for a client. Working on the wrong assignment will cost you time and money, as well as potential future assignments with clients.

2) Be selective with your candidates – When you post a job, you’ll be inundated with a plethora of resumes and phone calls from candidates. Only a small percentage will actually be relevant to the role and your client, so screen much more selectively or you’ll be wasting more time and money with unplaceable candidates.

3) Create a plan and stick to it as best you can – Before you leave for the day, make a list of the names of candidates or clients you will call the next day. It’s easy to get distracted by a phone call or check your emails more often than needed, so it’s important to have a plan of attack for each day, rather than winging it and realizing at the end of your day all you’ve done is ‘busy work’ which doesn’t generate revenue.

4) Limit work hours to work – If you work from home or are a solo recruiter, the line of work life and home life might start to blend. It’s best to have set hours and during those set hours, close your door, screen out personal calls, and limit internet use to your sourcing activities and work emails only. You may think you’re only spending 5 minutes checking your personal email, but it can interrupt your train-of-thought and flow relating to your search assignments.

5) Prioritize goals – It’s easy to feel busy and have a lot on your ‘to do’ list, but if you’re not producing placements, it’s just wasted time and energy. You may be hitting your goal on how many calls to make, but if you’re not qualifying the right candidates and making placements, the number of phone calls is irrelevant. Replying to every email and application will keep you busy, but won’t necessarily generate revenue. Not everything is urgent — prioritize your tasks and condense your to-do list to the most essential and important goals.

button to subscribe to NPA blog

Tags: time management | Posted in: Recruiting Resources

  • Explore Membership Split-Fee Sample
  • Subscribe to our Blog
  • Recent Posts

    • Summer Bucket List for Recruiters
    • Recruitment Website Design Considerations
    • Pay Transparency Laws – 2025 Update
    • Transferable Skills That Are in Demand
    • The Importance of Succession Planning in Leadership Roles
  • Press Releases

    • Brian Small, Chris Wessell Receive Inaugural NPAworldwide Volunteer Awards
    • Lori Laird Receives NPAworldwide Community Service Award
    • Taufik Arief of People Search International Receives Prestigious 2025 NPAworldwide Chair’s Award
  • Blog Topics

    • Summer Bucket List for Recruiters
    • Recruitment Website Design Considerations
    • Pay Transparency Laws – 2025 Update
  • Quick Links

    • For Recruiters
    • For Employers
    • For Job Seekers
    • Apply Today
  • For more than 60 years, NPAworldwide has been connecting independent global recruiting firms to facilitate split placements. NPAworldwide is the oldest recruiting network of its kind, with an international membership of recruiting firms located throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, and the Americas.
    ©2025 • NPAworldwide
    Privacy Policy
    Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility