How Recruiters Can Farm at Scale and Hunt with Precision

In sales, the classic split is simple:

• Hunters win new business.

• Farmers grow business from existing relationships.

In recruiting, this model still applies — but many people are doing it backward.

Most recruiters today are trying to hunt at scale.

They blast 100 cold LinkedIn messages or emails a day, chasing clients who don’t know them, haven’t seen their work, and don’t trust them.

Add to that: many of these prospects have been burned by recruiting firms before. So they’re not just skeptical — they’re guarded.

And while you may be consultative and thorough, they don’t know that yet.

So what’s the fix?

Flip the model. Farm at scale. Hunt with precision.

What does farming at scale look like?

It means building visibility and credibility in your niche before you pitch.

• Connect with your market — no pitch, just relevance

• Share content that solves real hiring problems

• Stay visible in the right circles for weeks or months

This builds trust passively. It also lets future clients opt into your expertise on their terms.

Then, hunt with precision

Instead of chasing 50 leads a day, go deep on one well-chosen target.

• Map their org chart

• Research their hiring gaps and agency history

• Start the conversation with context

Over the course of a year, that’s 250 tailored accounts.

Even at a modest 10% close rate, that’s 25 strong client partnerships — built without burning out or sending mass spam.

You can scale that number up or down depending on your bandwidth.

But precision does not mean low volume. It means efficient volume.

You’re not shouting into the void. You’re showing up when it counts.

Farm first. Hunt with precision.

It’s the difference between hoping someone listens and being present when they’re ready to say yes.