This is a question I commonly hear from the most successful executives, hiring managers, and recruiters.

Those who perform at a high level seem to have a natural curiosity.

They also have a sense that the best insights come from other practitioners who are focused on the difficult work of recruiting.

Do you find yourself asking this question?

If not, give it a try. You might be surprised by what you learn.

Who should you be asking?  

Start with those in close proximity. Your agents, your peers who also work on recruiting, and those who work in ancillary businesses that serve the same customers (ex. your title rep.).

Next, spread out and develop a small virtual network of three to five individuals who do your job in non-competitive companies.

You don’t need complicated software or a networking system to do this–just use a group email or group text to ask questions and participate in a conversation.

“Would you mind if I occasionally ask you a question about recruiting?”

See, that was easy.

Collecting information and challenging assumptions are necessary ingredients for improvement.