In the staffing profession, we spend a lot of time and effort focusing on others: clients, candidates, employees. We talk about building relationships and approaching our job with empathy, often prioritizing the needs of others over our own.

But frankly, staffing can be draining. We work hard to find a great candidate for our client, only for that person to no-show on the first day, or cancel the client interview minutes before it is to start, or to have the client drag their feet on scheduling the interview, or a whole host of other things out of our control. At times we can perform our job at the highest level, only to see the client or the talent derail our (and their) success.

Burnout is real and all too common for recruiters working in the staffing industry. The pace, uncertainty, and stress of our job wears on most of us over time. So, short of looking for another profession, how do we reduce the chance of burnout, reenergize ourselves, and find renewed enthusiasm in our work, rather than wearing down until we can’t take it anymore?

As someone who’s been in the staffing industry for more than 30 years, I’ve learned a few things about burnout, and how to reinvigorate my enthusiasm and love for the profession. Here are five ways to fight burnout and recharge.

1. Attend a Conference

I have found no better way to reenergize myself than attending a professional conference. You learn new things, get motivated, but most of all conferences are a great way to remind yourself that you are not alone. Interacting with other attendees that do the same job you do is a great way to feel part of something bigger.

ASA Staffing World (in Denver, CO, this year) is one of those professional events I try to never miss. It is one of the largest gatherings for our industry and there’s built-in time to meet new people as well as connect with long-time colleagues.

2. Take Your Time Off

Earlier in my career, I almost never took a day off. In fact, it was a weird point of pride that I would lose most of my accrued vacation time at the end of every year. I guess I figured I was just too vital to the operations of a $2 billion publicly traded company to take a long weekend or a vacation. The only problem was that I wasn’t that essential in the grand scheme of things, and I was actually making myself less valuable to the organization by never giving myself a chance to reenergize.

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