February 2 is that most treasured holiday of all...Groundhog Day. Everyone can’t wait for the little furry groundhog to pop out and let us know if we can soon start storing our winter clothes and breaking out the flip-flops.

We are already a week into 2017. By now many of those New Year resolutions are in the same place as the wrapping paper from your Christmas presents ... in the trash. Your resolutions may not have made it, but the first of the year is a good time to make some changes. In recruiting, this means revising and enhancing your recruiting material (i.e. online postings, emails, advertisements, brochures, etc.). Below are seven simple things for 2017 that will maximize your recruiting efforts. I’ve decided to use the acrostic R.E.C.R.U.I.T to make them easier to remember.

We live in an increasingly digital society. Fifteen years ago we used desktop computers, landlines and fax machines to accomplish what takes only a smartphone today. Email has largely replaced snail mail, and texting has largely replaced phone calls. Technology makes everything more convenient, but it sometimes comes at the cost of quality human interaction.

The life of a recruiter is demanding. It doesn’t stop at 5 p.m.—it constantly requires you to be on the phone, traveling, checking emails, interviewing, touring, meeting with department chairs and hiring managers and so on. This often leaves little time for you to learn and grow professionally. Unfortunately, there is no standing still when it comes to learning—you’re either learning or being left behind.