For many years I’ve been a member of the Pinnacle Society, a group of 75 of the top recruiters in the United States. I wrote an ERE column about the habits I see in its members. Here are the five that matter most, with a link to the full list below.

Five Pinnacle Philosophies

• They go the extra mile without being asked. Check references before you’re asked. One client had an eyesore building next door, so I bought them a sharp sign with their logo for interview days. Small, thoughtful things win big business.
• They learn from others, then do it their way. Set your ego aside. Money is better than ego.
• They don’t work bad job orders. If a search smells bad from a mile away, say no and go get a better one.
• They get to know their clients. Professional is great, but the friend gets the business.
• They seek mentors and they mentor. You’re never too old to learn and never too young to teach.

A Few More Worth Keeping

Top recruiters stay students of the game and keep buying the books and training. They adopt new technology early, but not too early; wait until someone is actually making money with a tool. They stay in shape and show up ready. When a deal falls apart, they stop and get something else going. And they have fun doing it.

As Ben Franklin said, “He that teacheth himself hath a fool for a master.”

This article first ran on ERE in October 2007. You can read the original on ERE here: https://www.ere.net/articles/a-pinnacle-members-philosophies-for-success.

I’m Joe Pelayo, an executive recruiter for 40 years and founder of Joseph Michaels International here in Dallas. We recruit for roles with base pay from 75K to 2 million, and one call to me reaches our network of 700 recruiters. Right now we have 1,619 open jobs.

Let’s Talk

Want to work with a recruiter who lives these habits? Give me a call.

Call me at 1-800-786-1099 or email info@josephmichaels.com.

Joseph Michaels International, 13355 Noel Road Suite 1360, Dallas, TX 75240