6a010536babee3970c0134887cd8b1970c OK, you have completed your 2011 recruiting business plan right?  No? …. you didn’t even do a business plan for 2010 either? As I write this in late October 2010 I realize most of you don’t have plans ready for 2011 yet.  But let me challenge you as to why it is important to get it done and done QUICKLY!

Think about it… If you took a brand new job order today, right now and then filled the position successfully, when would the check arrive?  Probably January right?  Let’s go thru the process quickly.. 3 weeks or so for recruiting process + another 3 weeks plus for interviewing process combined with a two week notice period means the person starts sometime in December.  Most clients pay net 30 days… cash comes in January!

OK, now that I made my case that your activity for the rest of this year is your income in 2011, lets get down to some of the first elements you want in a good recruitig business plan.  The biggest mistake I see recruiters and recruiting firm owners make is they set arbitray income goals that are not deeply tied to outcomes they want in their lives.  Sure, we would all love to make multiple six figure earnings, but why?   What specifically are you going to do with the money you earn AFTER YOUR BILLS ARE PAID?Let me tell you right now, if you don’t know EXACTLY what you are going to do with each after tax dollar, your instinct will probably be to take your hand off the throttle when you get tired, meet resistance, get bored, etc.

If you don’t believe me answer this question:  Do you feel relieved when you have made enough placements to pay your personal and professional bills?  If you answered “yes”, you have made my argument complete.  To grow your business in 2011 I challenge you to stretch yourself.  I challenge you to clearly define what you want to accomplish for your business and for yourself SPECIFICALLY by 12/21/2011.

This is the first step, clearly define the outcomes you want for next year.  What will your recruiting firm look like if you accomplish everything?  How precisely did this impact your life positively?

These are not easy questions to answer… take some time to answer them.  Wake up early one morning and really think about it and put your thoughts to paper.

Look for my next post where I give you some of the elements to include in your recruiting business plan.  Remember, however, not clearly knowing what you will do with your increased earnings is a reason why you may tend to give up when the going gets tough.  Clarity and passion will pull you through the tough times!

If you want to know some of the other key mistakes recruiting firm owners make I invite you to enroll in my free audio series “The 7 Deadly Sins Recruiting Firm Owners Make and How to Avoid Them” by visiting www.TheRecruiterU.com.