I’m on my way to the Pinnacle Society conference in New Orleans – 75 of the top recruiters in the United States. We meet every six months at various locations throughout the world. I always get all kinds of great ideas at these meetings and they’re fun, too. I’ll share the best of the best ideas with you next month.

I have been a member of the Pinnacle Society for over a dozen years now, and I have observed some things about the members that might help you. See how many of these success habits you can make your own. I call them:

Pinnacle Philosophies

• They learn from others and then do it their way. We talked about this last month. You don’t have to create everything and make every script your own. Set your ego aside. Remember this phrase: money is better than ego.
• They bought, and continue to buy, every recruiting book, video, and audio training product they can get their hands on. They are students of the game.
• They leverage technology and adopt early. However, not too early. Since I started speaking, all the software companies and online tool providers to our industry want me to endorse their product. One guy called me last month and said they were in beta, with no paying customers. No thanks. That’s not worth your time. Wait till somebody is making money with a tool, then adopt early.
• They don’t work bad job orders. HELLO, SOMEBODY. If that (*^)*&$#!! Search smells from over here, just say no today and go get another one.
• They go the extra mile. Big Billers anticipate client needs and go the extra mile – and here is the key – without being asked. Check references before you are asked. Think about what you can do that the other guys don’t do. Think about what you can do, what they are going to ask you to do, and do it BEFORE they ask. One of my clients suffered from a bad first impression because the building next door to them was a real eyesore. So I bought them a nice shiny sandwich sign to put out front when they have an interview or an important customer or client coming in. The sandwich sign takes the focus off the ugly building and brands the interviewee’s walk up to my client’s front door. The sandwich sign is just their logo on a giant-sized sign. It cost me about $500 at the sign shop. I have billed them over $125,000 this year. Think about all the free or low-cost things you could do for your clients.
• They stay in shape and show up ready. Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. Here’s another good philosophy: Money is better than fun. If you have time and some money, you can always have a party. You have 8 hours to make money, and 16 to make friends. Use your time accordingly.
• They understand unavoidable suffering. Remember the bumper sticker S#%T Hap-pens? It does. Fall-offs happen. Stop crying and get something else going.
• They have fun doing it. Our job done correctly is a barrel of laughs. Wouldn’t you agree?
• They provide intimacy. In-to-me-you-see. They get to know their clients. Professional is great, but the friend gets the business.
• They seek mentors. Find someone from whom to learn the business. If you are the expert in your office, then give your time to develop some new recruiter. If you haven’t done it in a while, you’ll be surprised at all the things a newbie can teach you. And remember, you’re never too old to learn and never too young to teach.

“He that teacheth himself hath a fool for a master” – Ben Franklin

More next month . . .