Why One Big Win?
It’s easy to get lost in the day-to-day rush of filling roles and keeping up with targets.
The recruiters who really stand out aren’t just those who hit their numbers.
They’re the ones who make a noticeable, positive change that the business remembers.
A “big win” could be anything that moves the needle for your stakeholders:
- Reducing interview time for a critical team
- Solving a persistent bottleneck in your hiring process
- Launching a new initiative that improves candidate experience
- Using data to reveal (and fix) why candidates are dropping out at a certain stage
How to Choose Your Win
Rory’s approach starts with curiosity. Spend time with your hiring managers and business leaders to understand their pain points. Ask:
- What’s slowing you down right now?
- Where are we losing the most time or candidates?
- What would make your life easier over the next 3 months?
Look for the area where you can have the most visible impact. It doesn’t have to be glamorous.
Often, the most valuable changes are the ones that make your colleagues’ jobs easier.
Make It Happen
Once you’ve identified your focus, break it down:
- Set a clear, measurable goal (e.g. "reduce average interview time from 6 hours to 4 hours per hire for the engineering team”).
- Map out the steps you’ll need to take. Whether it’s changing scheduling, updating screening questions, or improving communication.
- Get buy-in from stakeholders early so they’re on board and can support your efforts.
- Track your progress weekly. Don’t wait until the end of the quarter to see if it’s working.
Share your results. Not just with your manager, but with the team who benefited.
Use data and stories to show the difference you made.
Why It Works
Focusing on one big win each quarter does two things:
- It builds your reputation as a recruiter who solves real problems, not just fills seats.
- It gives you a clear story to tell in reviews, interviews or when pitching yourself for a promotion.
“Recruiters are great at telling you how many hires they made. They’re not always as good at telling you the influence they had on a metric the business cares about.”
Let us know what you’re winning on over the next 3 months!