Today, most recruiters are in the thick of a war for talent that keeps them busy and in demand. There’s a lot of pressure to fill roles, and a lot of work to be done every day, so staying organized and working efficiently is an important part of meeting your goals.

Recruiters struggling with time management of their myriad admin tasks can use these strategies to improve their productivity and give themselves a needed boost to win more candidates faster.

Tips on Task Juggling

Tip #1 – Make a plan

One of the best suggestions for managing administrative tasks on a candidate is to write down a daily action plan and goal list. It might be helpful to divide your list into three categories:

• Those burning platform tasks that must be accomplished today.
• Tasks that need attention but can go to the back burner until later in the day.
• Tasks that would be nice to complete but only if there is extra time.

Make this a rotating list that sends anything left undone to tomorrow’s task list. It might be a good idea to list the most crucial admin tasks first, especially if you don’t like them. Generally, try to avoid procrastination and put the tasks you don’t like up front to get them out of the way.

Tip #2 – Stop multitasking

Believe it or not, studies show that multitasking doesn’t work very well for humans. Dividing tasks into time segments, particularly for tedious tasks like candidate sourcing, can help you focus on one segment to get more done. Since we mentioned sourcing, we all know that takes an inordinate amount of time but should be done frequently (daily if possible) if you want to find more candidates. These tasks can take hours but it’s important to have uninterrupted time to concentrate in order to get everything done. During these time blocks, where you’re knocking out tasks, try to stay off social media, or instant messaging in order to get more done. It’s especially crucial if you get a phone call or text on issues unrelated to the business at hand, to ignore the distraction whenever possible and stay on task.

Tip #3 – Clean your desk

For recruiters that feel scattered or disorganized, try taking a deep breath and focus on cleaning your desk. A disorganized desk can slow your productivity while producing more stress. If you can clean and straighten your desk, leaving only the tasks ahead, you will feel more organized and ready to face what’s ahead. One best practice could be to take five minutes at the end of every day, go through your task list and clean your desk to get a jump-start on tomorrow.

Tip #4 – Take breaks

Many people take a lunch hour, but’s a good idea to get up from your desk periodically and walk around. This will help your tired eyes and weary mind sharpen a bit. Try to have a light snack during these times, like an apple or another healthy treat. What about walking up and down the stairs or around the building during these breaks? Taking an intentional break should make you more productive for the administrative and recruiting tasks ahead.

Another way recruiters can save time on tasks is to use tools that help them improve their productivity. Exelare’s next-gen recruiting software can automate many tedious admin tasks to help recruiters stay focused on what they’re best at –finding talent. To find out more, contact us.