Starting a new recruiting desk can feel overwhelming. Most new talent recruiters do the same things early on: They worry about outcomes. They wait for something to “click.” Or they look for deals instead of building momentum.  

There are many recruitment strategies out there, which is why this business can unnerve new recruiters. My aim is to provide a clear and concise method that truly works for creating strong organizational goals, candidate sourcing success, and business development strategies that deliver. 

Below is the framework I use, teach, and reinforce with new recruiters in my group at Goodwin Recruiting. Our new recruiters are plenty smart and motivated, but like many newcomers to this industry, some are too focused on immediate results in the hiring process instead of first generating activity through a proven strategy. 

That’s when I stop them and say that early on, results are just noise. If you’re new to Goodwin Recruiting, what really matters are the recruitment functions and talent acquisition practices in this 4-step guide to building your desk. 

At first, there are things you can’t control about candidates, hiring, and commissions 

Some of the things you can’t control when you’re first starting out include: 

• who gets interviewed by a hiring company  

• who gets an offer  

• when revenue shows up  

What you do control is your activity and momentum!  

And momentum is what builds a successful talent recruiting desk. Following are four steps to building a solid talent recruiting desk from day one at Goodwin Recruiting. 

Step 1: Build your talent acquisition world  

Your recruiting desk does not start with jobs. It starts with companies that will actually use your services. At Goodwin Recruiting, this usually means small to mid-market organizations, typically in the $5M to $200M revenue range. These companies tend to:  

• Move faster.  

• Feel hiring pain sooner.  

• Value partnership over vendor relationships.  

Your first job is to identify 30 to 40 target companies in an industry you want to work in. 

Make this your world. Repeatedly cycle through these companies. Not once. Not randomly. Do it intentionally and consistently. Make yourself top-of-mind with their hiring managers.  

Recruiters who struggle most jump around to different industries too fast – but recruiters who win build familiarity and trust over time in industries where they choose to specialize. In talent recruiting, depth of industry knowledge and experience beats novelty!  

Step 2: Block three hours a day for new talent recruiting business development (this is non-negotiable)  

Yes, business development must happen every day. And how you structure it matters.  

The most consistent performers block three or more hours per day exclusively dedicated to new business development.

Morning is usually best. Late afternoon can work, too. What matters is protecting and diligently working that block of time. 

During the daily time block:  

• Send 50 emails to prospective clients. 

• Make 50 phone calls.  

• Request 20 LinkedIn connections. 

This is not busy work. This is pipeline creation. Don’t wait until you “feel ready” or after you finish talent sourcing. This is the work that builds your desk. Momentum shows up after consistently following this dedicated daily effort – not before it.  

Step 3: Work on three open roles per day (15 per week) – relentlessly  

One of the most common mistakes new recruiters make is trying to work too many jobs at once. Again, this creates noise, not progress. Instead, focus your efforts on working three job placements per day.  

For each job:  

• Use the appropriate talent sourcing tools to build a talent pool of potential employees.  

• Build LinkedIn Recruiter Projects to organize and track potential candidates and ensure detailed candidate relationship management.  

• Source 40-50 qualified candidate profiles.  

• Build your full talent pipeline.  

• Message candidates with intention and clarity to begin a positive candidate experience.  

Over a week’s time, this gives you 15 jobs that you have worked deeply, not superficially. Depth results in interviews with qualified candidates. Interviews create your talent submissions to hiring companies. And candidate submissions create momentum. This rhythm matters.  

Step 4: Weekly execution guide and Friday evaluations  

As your week progresses, your activity should naturally create:  

• Responses from candidates 

• Conversations that are moving forward  

• Scheduled interviews for you to vet applicants  

The quality candidates you speak with and interview today will become client submissions tomorrow.  

Throughout the week:  

• Stay relentless in your commitment to working three jobs per day.  

• Schedule initial calls and interviews as soon as candidate responses come in.  

• Quickly present qualified candidates to clients for active jobs.  

Every Friday, evaluate both:  

• The companies you’re targeting  

• The jobs you’re working  

Ask yourself:  

• Did this job opportunity generate candidates?  

• Did this company engage?  

• Did momentum show up?  

If by Friday you do not generate candidates to submit to hiring companies for a specific role, replace the job (unless it’s a role for one of your existing clients). No emotion. No attachment.  

Remember that talent recruiting is a momentum business 

What moves forward gets more of your time. What stalls your momentum gets replaced. This discipline alone is what separates average recruiters from consistently performing ones.  

Here are some of the most common recruitment marketing mistakes made by new recruiters: 

• Trying to be perfect: Early on, your job is not about perfection. It’s about building a rhythm.  

• Trying too hard to look experienced: Overcompensating slows people down.  

• Trying to be selective with new clients and candidates: Doing this too early kills momentum.  

Early recruiting success comes from consistent forward motion. 

• Your activity creates confidence.  

• Your confidence creates conversations.  

• Your conversations create revenue.  

Be picky later. Build motion first!  

The talent recruiting rule that matters most  

I share this with every new recruiter: “Your only job right now is to generate activity. Results have no choice but to show up.”  

That isn’t just momentum. That’s math. Talent recruiting desks are built through repetition. Pipelines come alive through consistency. And revenue always follows momentum.  

Most people overthink it, but the ones who create momentum are the ones who win.  

Get more insights on building a recruiting desk at Goodwin Recruiting  

If you’re joining Goodwin Recruiting and trying to build (or rebuild) your recruiting desk, this framework, or recruitment process, works when you work it daily. It’s not flashy. It’s simple. It’s not always exciting. It can even be boring. But it’s proven and effective, rewarding recruiters who show up every day and create momentum on purpose. 

Reach out to me anytime if you’re ready to learn more about becoming a Recruiting Partner with Goodwin Recruiting. My name is Ghali Asad and I am an Area Director for Goodwin with more than two decades of experience in talent recruiting. I also encourage you to join one of our upcoming info webinars for more details on enhancing clients’ businesses and changing candidates’ lives.