Not every job is perfect and finding happiness at work can sometimes seem like a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.
Working in a recruitment office comes with many ups and downs - sometimes you get the gold when your placed candidates are all happy and those commission cheques roll in.
Other times it feels like everything is working against you no matter how hard you try.
Drop-outs, cancelled interviews etc, you name it.
It might just be a case of actively managing stress, but the first step in finding happiness is, well, figuring out what makes you happy.
Usual reasons for happiness in the workplace come down to;
- You enjoy the work you do and feel you have a purpose
- You’re happy with your salary and commission structure
- You mesh well and have a good time with your co-workers
- You know you have room to progress
- You feel respected and acknowledged
Bearing in mind happiness and satisfaction is subjective, you might not need all the above to be a happy recruiter, or you might hold salary and commission above liking your co-workers and vice versa.
But if you find you can’t see the drivers for happiness mentioned above in your current recruitment role, there are a few things you can do to find happiness as a recruiter;
Adjust your schedule
Working in recruitment can mean long hours spent on the phone, sometimes with no breaks which can leave you feeling brain dead and completely zapped by the end of the day.
It’s all about finding a work-life balance, and not the spinning plates kind of balance. Think more about setting boundaries and maintaining a more flexible schedule.
Work out what times of day you are more productive and creative to write that job ad you’ve been putting off. Figure out the best time to get hold of your candidates and smash out that call list.
(It helps if your work also offers flexible working!)
Get involved
Getting more involved and building relationships with your colleagues is a great way to find a sense of belonging and happiness. Whether that’s getting involved with the monthly office social or getting to know a co-worker on your lunch break.
This can also include helping a co-worker out, research shows that altruism, the act of helping others can make us feel happier.
Find a sense of accomplishment
Being a recruiter is all about achieving goals and seeing the results from your hard work, so if you’re not feeling a sense of accomplishment from your goals it might be a good idea to take a step back and re-focus on what you want. Work with your manager to set benchmarks and organise regular check-ins to see the progress of your efforts.
Look out for positive reinforcement
Aside from gaining a sense of accomplishment, feeling appreciated as a recruiter is another driving force of happiness. Recognition for hard work and goals achieved can come in many forms from a monthly incentive trip, a bonus, promotion or salary increase.
If you’re not getting positive reinforcement from your company, it might be a good idea to actively seek feedback from your manager.
Find autonomy
A sense of autonomy and independence can be a great driver to find happiness as a recruiter. Often recruiters can fall prey to micro-management.
One way to deal with this and give your manager confidence in your ability is by providing a progress report. Show them you can hold your own and ask for more responsibility outright.
If you still can’t find happiness as a recruiter and if your current recruitment job doesn’t bring you joy, make like Marie Kondo and get rid! Take a look at our latest recruitment roles here.
How does Eligo keep their employees happy?
When we first started Eligo, we set out to start a company where recruitment could be done differently; placing our staff and their passion for recruitment and the partnerships we make at the heart of the business. So ultimately our employees would not only enjoy coming to work but were supported to develop even further every day.
Every recruiter deserves more from a recruitment job, whether it’s more support to grow or freer rein in how or who you work with we offer a range of benefits for our Eligoids;
- Incentives and Competitions
- Duvet Days
- Guaranteed Pay Reviews and Personal Development
- Flexible working
- 5-year sabbatical
- Nights out and socials
- Extended lunch and early finish Fridays
Read more about what it’s like to work for Eligo
Take a look at our latest recruitment roles
Upload your CV here.