Whenever you’re starting a new recruiting program or recommitting yourself to a program you’ve let slip for a while, remember the hiring process works like an old-fashioned hand-pump. You’ll have to pump like crazy for a few weeks before you see the first bit of water come out of the tap. During this initial stage, it will seem like your efforts are not working and you’ll be tempted to give up. How long will you have to wait? In one longitudinal study we conducted with a large brokerage (4000+ agents) on the west coast, the average time between first contact and hire was 120 days. This is why it’s so important to make the commitment before you start. There is some good news. Once results start to materialize, you will reach a steady state where it seems like each pump is producing a corresponding result. It’s easier to stay motivated once this happens.