There is a cure for the epidemic that plagues your business!

How many recruiters do you know who have been in the business for 10, 15 or 20+ years?

My guess is probably not many.  Why do they exist among lawyers and doctors but not recruiters?  The journey from rookie to successful recruiter is a daunting gauntlet and of the many that set out to make it, few do.  That said – why do so many recruiters who do make it through fade, burnout, and ultimately enter a different profession or stay in recruiting but leave the third party side?  I believe that the same issue that causes slumps in the short run leads to burnout in the long run.  ON THE SURFACE, it can look like a lack of motivation, a failure to stick with the fundamentals, or a reduction in work ethic.  However, these are ONLY THE SYMPTOMS!  If you only treat the symptoms and not the DISEASE, you might find that one day the "prescription" stops working and what you thought was a slump is so much more.  This is a common time for people to quit.  Some recruiters feel the symptoms and think the prescription is to "go out on their own".  Many of you may be contemplating that same prescription right now.  Sometimes that prescription is the answer; however, in many cases it is a temporary solution to a problem that will reappear again.  Consequently, that person will come to realize that they bit off too much and found themselves failing to build a business while simultaneously watching their personal practice fade.  This is burn out for the opposite reason!
I submit to you that the underlying reason for the disease itself and the majority of departures from our industry is BOREDOM.  That’s right.  A lack of challenges causes boredom which leads to the symptoms. Like a hamster on a wheel or a factory worker on a "placement making" conveyor belt; monotony sets in and boredom soon follows.  The only way to correct this long term is to create challenge before it is too late.