Optimistic Scepticism – getting the balance right

Many professions have ups and downs, and recruitment is certainly one of them. Things can be fantastic and ecstatic one moment, and dry or gut wrenching the next. So it sure helps if you have sufficient resilience and fortitude to weather the storms of a recruiter’s life; so you can also enjoy the sunshine. I can’t stress it enough, staying positive and optimistic remains one of the essential mindsets if you are going to succeed in recruitment. However we all know that not every cloud has a silver lining. In fact, careless optimism in some situations is not only unwise, it can be irresponsible, and it will ultimately make you unsuccessful.

So where is the line to be drawn? Where is the balance struck? How does optimism as well as a healthy level of scepticism work for us? When should we act with unwavering confidence and when should we tread with caution?

Positive recruitment consultants have the mindset that says:

• I’m a specialist and expert in what I do – I make things happen!;
• The next candidate I call could be ideal for my client;
• The last several clients have said ‘no’ however the next very well might say ‘yes’;
• Today might have been tough but tomorrow is going to be better;
• Saying no to low margin work will give me more time to build a more profitable client;
• When I do more of the right activities, the right results will follow;
• One more call might make the difference;

I often find myself thinking of great words by Frank Bettger when he said, “Force yourself to act enthusiastically, and you’ll become enthusiastic!” This mindset has a natural flow on effect, when I get excited, my customers get excited, and I get business!

I have found time and time again that acting with positive optimism will ultimately help me achieve my desired outcomes far more frequently than those that are pessimists. It is because being overly pessimistic prevents you from taking action – and without action, nothing is possible. Pessimism won’t help you work hard, turn up after a setback, learn from your mistakes, and want to beat your previous year’s results.

A healthy level of confident optimism is essential in the role of a recruiter. With all the ups and downs, it can be lengthy periods of time before a victory can be enjoyed – and all too often the pessimist has not had the heart to go the distance so they can enjoy that victory.

On the other side of this argument, it is important to know when it is appropriate to be sceptical.

While there is no room for pessimism, to be cheerfully optimistic, always believing the best in people, and carrying out your activities assuming they will be returned in kind, is a sure recipe that you will end up becoming frustrated, disillusioned and ultimately unsuccessful. I have always remained optimistic, however I have tried to balance that with a healthy level of scepticism.

Healthy scepticism in a recruitment consultant’s mind rises up when:

• Your candidate says they are happy to take a pay cut or commute more than an hour each way if they get this job;
• Your candidate has finally received the offer however now wants to take the entire working week to consider it;
• Your candidate sights ‘personal reasons’ for why they left their last role;
• Your candidate all of a sudden can’t be contacted…….
• Your client says, everyone else has signed these terms and accepted this rate;
• Your  client says that if you drop your margin, then you will get more opportunities in the future;
• Your client has said the role is urgent, however has no specifics on what the position involves or when it might start;
• The client wants you to go onto a preferred supplier agreement with 10+ other agencies;
• The client says they will get to paying their bills, but have just had to attend a funeral;

Optimism and scepticism are essential ingredients in the life of a successful recruitment consultant, and having the right balance makes the world of difference.

Further to that, pessimism and cynicism, found at the other ends of the scale, have no place in recruitment and will never make you successful.

We have probably all met someone like that, they leech your energy, stop you opening up new opportunities by saying, “We tried it before, it didn’t work” and they ruin the industry of its fun and excitement.

So to be your best, be optimistic, with a healthy level of scepticism, and ensure the company you keep have the same successful mindsets!