The Long Game: Why Most Recruiters Are Playing the Wrong Sport
Most recruiters treat their work like they’re playing tennis: serve, return, point scored, game over. But real success in recruiting isn’t about winning quick points—it’s more like tending a garden. You plant seeds, nurture relationships, and harvest results season after season.
I’ve noticed something interesting after years of watching recruiting firms rise and fall: The ones that last aren’t just filling positions—they’re filling rooms. They’re hosting holiday parties where clients and candidates mingle naturally. They’re writing articles that people actually want to read. They’re building something that lasts beyond the next placement fee.
Think about it this way: When you’re constantly chasing the next deal, you’re always starting from zero. But when you build a system of relationships, content, and expertise, you’re starting each day with momentum. It’s the difference between having to push start your car every morning and having one that just runs.
Here’s what this looks like in practice: Your morning isn’t spent cold calling—it’s spent having meaningful conversations with people you already know. Your afternoon isn’t wasted on generic InMail messages—it’s invested in creating content that works for you while you sleep. Your research team isn’t just finding names—they’re building a living database of relationships.
The magic happens when these elements start working together. Your content brings people to your events. Your events create relationships. Those relationships lead to placements. Those placements become case studies. Those case studies generate more content. It’s a flywheel, not a treadmill.
But here’s the part most people miss: This approach requires patience and systems. You need to block your morning hours for revenue-generating activities. You need to invest time in learning and staying current. You need to be willing to give value before asking for anything in return.
The traditional recruiting model is broken because it’s based on scarcity—fighting for the same candidates, rushing to make placements. The future belongs to recruiters who build abundance—of relationships, of knowledge, of value.
Stop trying to win the game. Build the stadium instead.