In LinkedIn's hiring statistics, 89% of candidates stated that receiving a phone call or an email from a recruiter helped them decide to accept a job offer more quickly. The practice of cold calling, in general, may seem outdated, but it is still an effective method when it comes to recruiting candidates.
Both start-ups and flourishing businesses use cold calling to establish new connections, advertise a product, or hire applicants for a job. It is one of the best recruitment strategies especially in a remote hiring process.
A recruiter serves as a caller, an interpreter, a guide, and a company representative during a cold call. As a result, before scheduling an interview, every recruiter should keep in mind a few things. In this blog, I will give you some effective tips every recruiter in their HR career should follow while cold calling.
Let's get straight into it.
Tips to improve cold calling in recruitment process
Making contact with the appropriate lead
The recruiter should think about how to have a good conversation. To begin the dialogue, you should take a positive approach. The primary attention should be on a single group.
The right person, the right moment, and the right strategy can help you achieve your goals.
Call list preparation
A recruiter must have a well-planned call list. It should be updated on a regular basis as it makes the entire process streamlined and the job so much easier. Out-of-date numbers not only cause confusion but also become a burden.
Have a clear idea about the job you are offering the candidate
It is essential that, as a recruiter, you are clear on what makes the position you are attempting to convince the applicant to take on so that you can sell her on it.
Make sure you get all of the information you can from the hiring manager. Research similar positions on various online job boards to ensure that you are best equipped to deal with any candidate inquiries confidently.
Research on the candidate
Do your homework on a prospect before connecting with them to make sure you know their background. To keep the candidates involved and interested in your cold call offer, you must conduct thorough research.
Cold calling has grown easier than ever in the era of social media. It's easy to get a sense of a candidate's interests, hobbies, prior job experience, and future goals by conducting a basic social media search on platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook.
Prepare a cold calling script
You should prepare a script before making cold calls to acquire new employees. It is a good idea to stick to the script to get the best results.
As you gain experience, you'll be able to improvise around the script to meet the needs of your prospects.
Prepare a strong beginning
Give yourself confidence and dial the phone number with confidence. Greetings should ideally be tailored to the time of day.
You may obtain permission to begin the conversation by respectfully asking, "Is this an appropriate time to speak with you?"
"Can I take a few minutes from your valuable time?" is another way to phrase this query. This will undoubtedly boost your confidence and enable you to begin your conversation more effectively.
Make sure the opening isn't too long. Simply provide a quick introduction and ask if the prospect is interested in a lengthier conversation.
Accept rejection
Always be prepared for a negative response. If you are rejected, you can request a different time to call.
Mention the time and date in your conversation. Ask something like, "Can I call you at 11 am tomorrow?" Make a mental note of the call's timings at this point, and call back at the appointed time.
Be punctual
When making calls, a recruiter should stick to the established schedule. If the person is traveling or at a conference, you can always request a different time.
Make a mental note of the time and schedule a call for a specific time. People are always busy; it is up to the recruiter to keep his time precise.
Make an effort to engage the candidate
Recruiters must never appear boring or give the candidate the chance to get bored. If the recruiter comes out as boring or uninterested, the candidate is likely to be bored or uninterested as well.
Recruiters should not pass up the opportunity to engage with a job seeker since it is critical to establish a connection with the applicant in order to make a successful cold call.
Listen to the candidate
After introducing yourself and stating the aim of your cold call, give a chance to the candidate to speak about themselves. It will also help you in filling in key information about the candidate.
You should also be prepared for any questions that may arise. Preparation is easy if you extensively research the position you're applying to before you begin your interview, as mentioned above.
Remember that listening to the candidate makes an excellent impression for more than simply insight.
Follow up on cold calls
Many job seekers say that they are excited about the job after they talk to a recruiter but don't hear from them again. Job seekers who believe they have been treated unfairly will respond by telling others about their unpleasant experiences. This is usually what individuals refer to when they complain about a negative applicant experience.
Because so many organizations fail to follow up with job candidates, making follow-up calls with them is a human touch that will leave them with a great sense of their interaction with your company — even if they don't win the job.
Record the calls
You may use the call recording tool to teach or train other recruiters. A high-end call recording software should be used to teach new personnel in the recruitment team of your company.
Also, recording the calls will help in filling up the information in case you miss out on anything. You can also use these for any other available openings that the candidate might be interested in.
Ask for referrals
When you've finished talking to a candidate, see if they know anybody else in their network or social circle who could be interested in this position or something similar. Keep an eye out for other candidates by asking for references if a potential candidate isn't interested.
Cold calls help recruiters source for positions and provide them an opportunity to create a network of prospects they can draw on for future vacancies as they become available.
End the conversation on a pleasant note
Consider saying something positive to the applicant before hanging up the phone to end the cold call. This way, you give the candidate the feeling that their time and viewpoints are valued.
To end the conversation, ask if they'd be willing to talk again and set up a time and day for a follow-up meeting. In addition to improving the applicant experience, concluding on a good note helps keep candidates interested in your position.
Take care of yourself
After you've finished cold calling a long list of 15-20 prospects, take a 3 to 4-minute rest. Stretch your limbs, take a drink of water, and then return to your phone with a deep breath. It's crucial to remember that recharging your mind is just as important as engaging it.
Concluding words
Cold calling may be considered dead by some experts, but it can be a very efficient approach for gaining new leads and customers when done correctly.
These tips helped me, as a recruiter, in hiring potential candidates. I hope you also get to hire efficient candidates by utilizing these tips.
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Editor: Amrutha
