The nice part about being a recruiter is we can often have fun while earning a great living. Who needs television soap operas or sitcoms when the quirky and unpredictable behavior of our candidates and clients can supply us with all the entertainment we could possibly desire?
Every recruiter has encountered a situation where your prime candidate suddenly vanishes into thin air. This always happens just after your client hiring manager reveals interest in either making an offer or setting up an immediate second interview.
There is nothing more frustrating than the experience of not having your calls returned by what was just recently your star candidate.
Here are a few script techniques that I have used which almost always result in an immediate call back. Usually within 10 minutes! In fact it works so well it’s funny.
These will pry your stubbornly resistant candidate loose like a giant high-torque crow-bar. While you may still wind up learning that your candidate has lost interest in the job, and that you really no longer have a candidate . . . it is, at least, somewhat consoling to hear this confirmation first-hand from the candidate than having to resort to second guessing.
For this to work you must first know/understand your candidate’s “weak spot” and “sore points.” If your candidate is paranoid about you calling at the office number . . . then you will want to close with closing script #1 as it will apply pressure directly into your candidate’s “weakest spot.”
If your candidate’s sensitive area might be his/her home or personal life (recent divorce, recent marriage, recent engagement, recent child, etc.) . . . close #2 might work best for obvious reasons.
You get the idea. Now have fun with this as they call you back within minutes next time your candidate decides to ignore you.
THE VOICE MESSAGE:
“Hi, Bob, this is Frank from IRES, Inc. Being as voice mails are sometimes inaudible or get accidentally deleted, I’m leaving what is today the (second, third, etc) message for you with regard to ABC Company’s interest in moving forward. My guess is you did not receive the first message I left last week or I would have heard from you.
Being that time is of the essence and we have a narrow window of opportunity to work with . . . should I not hear from you today I will . . .
{continue with the appropriate closing script
for your situation}
1) USE THIS CLOSE IF YOU WERE PRE-VIOUSLY TOLD TO NOT CALL AT WORK OR DETECT SENSITIVITY ABOUT CALLING THEIR OFFICE:
” . . . call you at your desk at work sometime tomorrow morning and try to reach you there. I’ll get the direct line from someone else in your department.”
The prospect of you calling co-workers and snooping around for a direct line, then actually leaving a detailed message can be enough to get them off their fanny and call you in ten minutes flat.
2) USE THIS IF YOU KNOW THEIR HOME ADDRESS FROM THEIR RESUME:
” . . . stop by the house tomorrow evening and ring your doorbell. I’m getting worried something might have happened to you and would never forgive myself if I read about it in the papers without having checked up.”
You can modify this with an alternate ending such as:
“Oh, and in case your spouse might not know of your job search I will be discreet if he answers. Mum’s the word.”
Assuming getting a visit from another gender at home might not be convenient at this point in their life (“Honey, who’s that well-dressed guy that came ringing the doorbell for you?”), this should spark a reaction to call you back. This will work regardless of gender, however.
3) USE THIS CLOSE IF YOU KNOW THE SPECIFIC WORK ADDRESS AND/OR BUILD-ING:
” . . . swing by your office and stop up at your desk (or office). I will be visiting nearby anyway. If you’re not in, I’ll make sure to leave a visible 8 1/2 x 11-inch note taped to your door or cubicle with my business card in case you’ve lost my contact info.”
4) USE THIS IF YOU HAVE AN OFFICE OR INDIVIDUAL FAX NUMBER:
” . . . I’ll fax my complete contact info to (555) 555-1212 [repeat the fax number you possess]. And since faxes can be quite blurry, I’ll make sure to use very large, bold font as well as a magnified copy of my business card in the event you’ve lost my contact info. Be sure to look for it as it will be there in the output holder of your fax machine.”
The mental image of an 8 1/2 x 11-inch white or yellow, letter-sized note with your recruiting business card attached to it should be enough to cause them to head for the hills and call you immediately before the entire office finds out they’ve been talking to a recruiter.
Not to mention the thought of having an expanded copy of your business card sitting at the department’s fax for everyone to see.
Your tone of voice is key. If you sound threatening, this technique will backfire.
You must come across smooth, low key, soft spoken, genuine and sincere. I use a softer and more subdued tone of voice as the message itself should be sufficient to light a spark.
I also am sincere as I really would think little of getting in the car and driving across the state to knock on someone’s door especially if there’s an $18,000 fee involved . . . though I’ve never had to follow through because this technique has always resulted in a call back.
Keep in mind if your candidate hasn’t called back within 24-36 hours, chances are you’ve lost that candidate anyway. At the very least you can have the last chuckle and enjoy some entertainment as you sit back and watch them rearrange their schedule and scurry like jackrabbits in an attempt to stop you in your tracks from following through on any of the above promises.
Frank is a staffing and recruiting consultant and has been in the search profession since 1987. He provides one-on-one custom coaching. He has appeared on TV and Radio, and has been called upon by state and federal agencies for expert testimony. His recruiter training services, books and kits are found on www.searchwizardry.com. Call (973) 300-1010 for more information on his custom one-on-one recruiter coaching and training support services. Email: fris@iresinc.com Copyright 2007 © by Frank G. Risalvato.