In the staffing profession, we spend a lot of time and effort focusing on others: clients, candidates, employees. We talk about building relationships and approaching our job with empathy, often prioritizing the needs of others over our own.
But frankly, staffing can be draining. We work hard to find a great candidate for our client, only for that person to no-show on the first day, or cancel the client interview minutes before it is to start, or to have the client drag their feet on scheduling the interview, or a whole host of other things out of our control. At times we can perform our job at the highest level, only to see the client or the talent derail our (and their) success.
Burnout is real and all too common for recruiters working in the staffing industry. The pace, uncertainty, and stress of our job wears on most of us over time. So, short of looking for another profession, how do we reduce the chance of burnout, reenergize ourselves, and find renewed enthusiasm in our work, rather than wearing down until we can’t take it anymore?
As someone who’s been in the staffing industry for more than 30 years, I’ve learned a few things about burnout, and how to reinvigorate my enthusiasm and love for the profession. Here are five ways to fight burnout and recharge.
1. Attend a Conference
I have found no better way to reenergize myself than attending a professional conference. You learn new things, get motivated, but most of all conferences are a great way to remind yourself that you are not alone. Interacting with other attendees that do the same job you do is a great way to feel part of something bigger.
ASA Staffing World (in Denver, CO, this year) is one of those professional events I try to never miss. It is one of the largest gatherings for our industry and there’s built-in time to meet new people as well as connect with long-time colleagues.
2. Take Your Time Off
Earlier in my career, I almost never took a day off. In fact, it was a weird point of pride that I would lose most of my accrued vacation time at the end of every year. I guess I figured I was just too vital to the operations of a $2 billion publicly traded company to take a long weekend or a vacation. The only problem was that I wasn’t that essential in the grand scheme of things, and I was actually making myself less valuable to the organization by never giving myself a chance to reenergize.
My recommendation: Take all the time off you have earned, and unplug from your work when you do it. You are not so valuable to the company that you can’t take a vacation. But you are so valuable to the company that not taking a vacation is detrimental to you both.
3. Get Your Sleep
Don’t be that person that thinks they don’t need the same amount of sleep that 99% of humans need. No one is impressed by your lack of sleep, but everyone notices it.
About a year ago, I bought an Oura ring, and it was an absolute game changer. After all these years, I thought eight hours in bed was eight hours of sleep. But in reality, the ring showed that I was only getting about 6.5 hours. No wonder I was feeling groggy, had trouble focusing, even had trouble interacting with people. Now for me, sleep is a non-negotiable. I shoot for 7.5 to eight hours of actual sleep a night, which means 8.5 to nine hours in bed and a pre-sleep routine that is focused on maximizing REM and deep sleep. Not only am I healthier for it, but I’m more energized, focused, and of value to my clients, friends, and family.
4. Focus on Purpose
It’s easy to get weighed down by the transactional nature of our profession. Take orders. Post jobs. Process applicants. Submit résumés. The job can quickly become just a list of tasks. But if we move our focus just slightly from the task to what the purpose is, we can find more value and fulfillment in what we are doing.
Rather than looking at a placement as just filling an open job order, focus on the lives that filling that job positively impacts. Instead of just taking a new job order, consider how you are helping your client meet their goals. Just a slight mindset shift can turn repetitive, frustrating, stressful activities into purpose-driven, fulfilling work.
5. Take a Walk
Had to give a client bad news, again? Had a great candidate withdraw from consideration? Just wrapped up back-to-back-to-back interviews? Studies show that taking a brief walk of just five to 15 minutes provides significant wellness benefits.
The key is to completely unplug; reading your email or watching TikTok on your phone not only negates the benefits of the walk, but it also adds to the overall feeling of stress or being overwhelmed.
Remember, recruiters provide a critical service to clients, candidates, and employees. But to effect positive change on others, we must first take care of ourselves.
Tom Erb is president of Tallann Resources, a national consulting and training firm specializing in the staffing and recruiting industry. As a consultant, trainer, and speaker, Erb has helped hundreds of companies create and execute sales and recruiting strategies to grow their business. He is the author of Winning the Staffing Sales Game: The Definitive Game Plan for Sales Success in the Staffing Industry. Learn more at tallanresources.com. Follow him on X @TomErb_Tallann.
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