Sometimes recruitment is about the quick hits. After all, if you are a consultant you may be judged by KPI's and fee income. All too often that can mean you need to get the CV's out and get the client meetings in the diary.

While being commercially minded for the now (today) and a bit further down the track (the next 3-6 months), please, think about the long term. You may be in this industry for another 5, 10 or even 20 years so lots of your hard work today may bear fruit a little bit further down the track. 

Recently I've had someone come on a course following a recommendation from a person that I did a favour for several years ago and never gained any direct business at the time. I've had an old client attend an open course last week for the first time in 3 years (I'd like to think that was due to the help and guidance I gave free of charge when they occasionally emailed/phoned during that period) - the outcome of which was that after the course they signed me up for 2 days work in-house. 

While on my blackberry on the train home today I had a request to ‘Linkin' with an old contact of 8 years ago.  These things aren't coincidence or unique to me. They happen all the time. Why? Perhaps because I don't give to get. I give openly and the nice thing is, the more I give of me - the more help, advice, favours and my time - the more I seem to get back. Sure I pick up the quick hits and I'm happy to pounce on the chance to earn a fee today but I have at all times an eye for tomorrow.... Play the long game.

Todays Recruitment Blog was provided by Warren Kemp, MD of leading recruitment training company Recruitment Matters International. For more information email info@recruitmentmatters.com or call Ken on 0800 0749289 or, if you're overseas, 0044 1945 461561