How to Stay Productive When Working From Home as a Recruiter

There are many benefits to working remotely, both for the employees and the company that decides to hire a remote team. From the employee’s point of view, one of the great advantages is getting to skip the daily commute, which can be stressful and sometimes waste hours of your day. The flexibility to be close to your children or elderly parents is also a great benefit for any caretaker, and even just spending time with your dog and getting to go to the park in the middle of the afternoon can make the time you do work so much more enjoyable.

These days, the most valuable advantage of working from home is the ability to stay healthy. This was always true, with office employees taking far more sick days than remote employees, as they are more likely to be exposed to various illnesses. Therefore, working from home as a recruiter can save the company money while keeping its employees safe.

Despite its many advantages, remote work, and especially remote recruiter work can become challenging when you are not used to it. For many people, the time it takes them to get dressed, drink coffee and commute to work, creates a separation between home and the office — helping them focus more when they get to work. Without that distinction, and with all of the distractions your house has to offer (like your kids, Netflix, and even dishes), it’s hard to stay productive. Some companies may already use various engagement tools, which can help motivate recruiters working from home. But if you are just transitioning into working from home as a recruiter, here are our tips.

Can remote HR and remote recruiter work be successful?

First, we wanted to touch a bit on the subject of how the recruitment industry can specifically adjust to remote work. There are some views that recruiters may need the office environment to be productive, as they draw a lot of motivation from each other, need to stay up to date with their colleagues and work in collaboration. In reality, with the right tools, a recruiter can do just that, sitting in their living room. Most of the candidate information is available online anyway, and most screening is done over the phone. So all that’s needed is good organization and the best tech to keep things running smoothly. More on that later.

How to be a remote recruiter

1. Find your best workspace

Just because you are used to working from your office desk, doesn’t mean that you have to do the same at home. You can choose to work from your patio, kitchen or even sofa — if it’s the most comfortable for you. However, it is important to find a place that has the least distractions, as previously mentioned. If your sofa is right in front of the TV, that may not be a good choice, and if your kitchen table has the kids’ toys on it, it’s best to move them somewhere else. 

You don’t have to commit to just one workspace. Actually, you may find it refreshing to change places during the day. Find a quiet spot for phone calls, and sit with the family when you’re doing something simpler, like updating reports.

2. Be flexible, but with a set schedule and goals

Another great perk of remote HR is getting to set your own hours. You can decide that you want to spend the morning reading or completing personal projects and only start working after lunch, for example. It is still important, however, to have a clear schedule and goals for every day — to make sure you work a set amount of hours and accomplish everything you set out to do. 

There are various productivity tools you can use to help with that, as well as a simple calendar to schedule each task into your day. Be sure to also let your family or roommates know when your working hours are, and that you shouldn’t be interrupted during that time. 

3. Plan check-ins with your supervisor and colleagues

When recruiters work from home, it’s easy to lose track of the big picture and the collective company goals. Working in the office, you can just bump into someone in the kitchen and get updates about the latest vacancy. Someone may also drop by your desk to share a piece of information they forgot to mention in a meeting. With remote HR it’s crucial to keep everyone informed with weekly calls, and perhaps even with a summarizing email at the end of each day to your manager — at least at the beginning.

4. Utilize tech

Your laptop is basically your office when you’re working from home as a recruiter. Therefore, you need to make sure you have the best software. Different tools will help you keep organized, like time tracking, ATS, and meeting scheduling tools, and others will help you communicate with your team and candidates, like video interviewing software. A good internet connection is, of course, a must as well.

Finally, don’t forget to close the laptop at the end of the day. Just because you work from home, doesn’t mean that work is your life. You should have a clear separation, and allow yourself downtime, so you can start fresh in the morning.