Covid 19 has been an incredibly difficult period, it’s been disruptive, it’s been deadly and without a doubt, it has had a profound effect on billions of people worldwide, some much worse than others. Recruitment has been no different, there have been sweeping redundancies, a plethora of budget cuts, and many projects put on hold or cancelled completely - some of the figures are startling. It has been incredibly challenging, however like in any time of challenge, the way you will be defined is how you face it.

The ‘excuse free’ mindset will continually allow you to see things with perspective, thus allowing you to take control of, and make the most of any situation however good, bad or ugly it may be. I, like anyone, have days where it waivers, we are all human, but below are two reasons why it has had a great effect on me personally and may just help you through this unprecedented period, and then beyond.

1 – Goal Setting - set daily, weekly goals on what you want to achieve. Be this at work, looking for work from a recent redundancy or simply in day to day life. It is important to hold yourself accountable so you know, you did your best and can sign off ‘excuse free’ with a positive mindset. What you put in is what you get out. If you are out of work, set a goal of applying for a certain number of roles, add connections on LinkedIn within your industry and expand your network, write a blog! Be visible, be proactive and most importantly, persistence pays off. Eventually! As a Recruiter in a time of an uncertain job market, goal setting enables me to focus and end the day knowing I controlled what I can control and feel accountable for achieving my daily goals. It is the small wins that keep you going.

2 – It makes your success repeatable – When you don’t use excuses as to why things aren’t going your way, you will be able to identify root causes or indicators as to why you are succeeding – KPI’s almost. Chances are if a certain process has worked once, then it will work again. There is no better feeling than knowing exactly what you have to do and being in complete control to get something done, it is a very empowering position to be in.

If you are reading this, and it resonates with you, then take action and set a goal. Think about processes and steps you can implement which will help you to be ‘excuse free’, embrace and enjoy the process, and see If having zero excuses helps you become more successful and accountable.