The Slow Burn of Recruiting Success
Everyone wants to be a thought leader. Nobody wants to put in the thought.
I see it every day on LinkedIn - recruiters frantically posting motivational quotes, sharing random job posts, and desperately trying to game the algorithm. It’s like watching someone try to build a house by starting with the roof.
Here’s the thing about building influence in recruiting: it’s like growing a garden, not hunting for quick wins. You can’t plant seeds on Monday and expect a harvest on Friday.
The math is surprisingly simple, yet sobering. It takes about 33 meaningful touchpoints to build real trust with your audience. And only 1-2% of recruiters consistently create valuable content. That’s not a typo. The vast majority are just making noise.
But here’s what actually works:
First, stop trying to impress other recruiters. Your audience is candidates and clients. Talk to them. Share insights from real conversations. Build in public, but build for them.
Second, embrace the slow burn. It takes 6+ months to see significant results. That’s not a bug - it’s a feature. It filters out the hurried and harried, leaving space for the committed.
Third, use technology as a magnifying glass for your humanity, not a replacement for it. AI should amplify your personal touch, not automate it away.
The magic happens when you:
- Show up daily with industry insights (not just job posts)
- Engage authentically in your niche (comment on 10 relevant posts daily)
- Build genuine expertise (follow the news, share real learnings)
- Focus on starting conversations, not broadcasting achievements
Think of it like running a restaurant. The ones that last aren’t the ones with the flashiest grand openings. They’re the ones that serve good food consistently, remember their regulars, and slowly build a reputation worth talking about.
Success in recruiting isn’t about who can shout the loudest. It’s about who can listen the longest and share the most valuable insights from those conversations.
The path is simple, but it’s not easy. That’s exactly why it works.