The mindset of a great Temp Recruiter

The incredible highs and lows of Agency Recruitment create extraordinary characters and require a DNA of resilience, competitiveness, a service ethic, and more.

But the mindset of an outstanding Temp or Contract Recruiter (TCR) is a beast of its own.

I have managed recruiters worldwide for over 40 years, including building three temp businesses to over 1,000 Temps and Contractors working (each). This has allowed me into the incredible world that is the DNA of a great TCR mindset.

Don’t get me wrong. There is a huge overlap in the skills, competencies and knowledge of Permanent recruiters and Temporary recruiters. And I am not suggesting Perm is easier than Temp (I was a Perm recruiter myself!)

But they are different!

There is a twist with the TCR.

If you consider yourself a good temp or contract recruiter, I invite you to review these non-negotiables and compare yourself. And if you lead or own a TCR business, does this describe your Temp or Contract recruiters?

Let’s start with what I consider a huge temp-versus-perm secret. It’s spelled out clearly on the slide from one of my presentations below.

I know things are evolving, clients’ expectations are changing, and sometimes it’s true that filling a Temp/Contract job closely follows a permanent Recruitment process.

But in many cases, that’s because a mediocre temp consultant allows it to happen!

A great TCR consultant does the work, presents the client with the right candidate, and closes the deal.

So here is a snapshot of the mindset of a great TCR.

This is not my definition of the skills or the competencies or the process.

This is the raw energy required to be great.

A sense of urgency

First, a great TCR is urgent and fast. Please note this does not mean sloppy. They follow a very stringent process, but they know tomorrow is often too late. An hour from now might be too late. A great TCR will be striding around the Temp Desk like a tiger in a cage. They want to call back. They want to hear the result. They want to speak to the temp now. Where is that client up to?

Relentless proactivity

Mediocre Temp consultants follow a process at best, and the job drives them, not the other way around. A great TCR does not wait for orders to come in. They are calling clients. They are texting prospects. They chat with temps all day, relentlessly, seeking out leads and opportunities. They are proactive and create opportunities through relentless outbound activity.

Resilience

Everybody in Recruitment needs to be resilient. The TCR will amplify this by about three times. Temps cancel. Clients change their mind. But a great TCR never lets a disappointing phone call, or even a disappointing day, affect their next conversation with a client, candidate, or colleague; they stay upbeat and keep creating solutions.

Ownership mentality

Without a doubt, a great TCR behaves like they own the business. That Temp Desk is theirs! In fact, the TCR is deeply territorial, and that extends to competitors and even those across the office in the permanent team, which can sometimes be a problem.

Personal accountability

It’s a small, unique group that owns personal performance. The mediocre TCR will blame the temp, the clients, the market and the ATS for a disappointing outcome. A great TCR will always be thinking, “What should I have done? What could I have said? Where did I slip up?” No excuses. They will also own their success loudly and proudly. Placement dances. High fives. FuckYeahs. But they accept when they screwed up and look to improve.

Bias towards action

Often, running a ‘planning session’ with a TCR or a team can be frustrating because they want to get out of the room and start doing things. This bias toward action, while admirable, can sometimes lead to ‘doing’ without a plan. But the upside is that the TCR is always doing something and buzzing around like a bee in a bottle!

Commercial hunger

The great TCR recruiter has a built-in desire to grow the business. They want better margins, to fill every job, to beat the competition, and to create financial success through happy clients and happy candidates. They talk about dollars and margins and hit rates… a lot. Oh and watch and listen while they negotiate a temp margin or a Temp to Perm. Most of them cannot even stay sitting while that conversation unfolds.

Optimism

The great TCR believes in PMA, which, of course, is ‘Positive Mental Attitude. ‘ They believe their Temp will get the job.  They believe the client will make the job offer. It’s not blind, silly optimism, but their positivity is infectious, and often, if you believe in good outcomes and do the work, those good outcomes will emerge.

Competitive spirit

The TCR is deeply competitive, desperate to ‘beat’ other agencies, the client’s internal team, and sometimes even their own colleagues, which needs management. Mostly, it is a desire to be better than they were yesterday, and that is admirable.

Consistency

The TCR is full of energy; they are urgent and biased toward action. However, at the same time, the excellent TCR builds consistency. They don’t take shortcuts. They don’t cut corners. They don’t believe that “close enough is good enough”. They are thorough in an almost OCD way.

Relationship mindset

Remember, we are talking about great T&C recruiters here – a tiny subset of all recruiters – who build loyalty and trust through consistent service, transparency, authenticity, and owning their mistakes. They don’t rip off their clients, mislead them, or let them down; trust builds loyalty.

I’m often asked if a great TCR recruiter is ‘born’ or ‘made’

The answer is much more nuanced than a binary ‘one or the other’.

Top consultants need the raw instincts and core competencies I’ve described above, but strong leadership and the right environment always hone, polish, train, and coach them to realise their peak potential.

And I mean always

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