cold calling

How to do cold calling in recruitment? 5 dos and don’ts

Anjali Saini on September 4, 2024 in Recruitment Strategy

Cold calling is more of a gamble. It is a recruitment method in which you call the potential candidate or client. If you can hit it, cold calling will become an absolute success as you contact the right candidates.  

While you may practice cold reaching via email or LinkedIn, nothing works better than a direct call. So, cut to the chase and get on a call. After all, cold calling can increase a wide range of opportunities. From a communication perspective, you can leverage your tone of voice with calling. Thus, it is 4.5x more powerful than any other method.   

Let’s explore the dos and don’ts of cold calling in recruitment.  

What is cold recruiting? 

Cold calling is a strategic approach through which you connect with potential candidates and clients. With the help of cold calling, recruiters will potentially reach out to candidates actively looking for opportunities. 18% of high-quality leads are forged through cold calling.   

How to start a cold call recruitment? 

When you’re getting on a recruitment call, you must start properly. The candidate on the other end may not know you or the company. Therefore, while starting with cold calling for recruitment, you need to follow the tips mentioned below: 

1. Know your target audience 

Cold calling is long and tedious, especially when unaware of your target audience. Thus, before beginning with it, you must nail your target audience’s persona. List down all the information you are looking for regarding the candidate.  

Identify their problems and try to offer a solution on the call. Knowing your target audience plays a vital role in staying prepared. You get a basic idea of how to proceed with the recruitment process and what to discuss.  

2. Use recruiting scripts 

Recruiting scripts can be helpful whether you’re new or have been doing it for long. Using a recruitment cold calling script ensures that you have a structure and format. This is important in making the recruitment process much smoother and seamless.  

Using a recruiting script also helps to avoid the risk of misspeaking. Moreover, if you have the script in front of you, you won’t be providing any wrong information.  

3. Follow a consultative sales approach

Cold calling is a lot about sales. So, try to adopt a consultative sales approach. When planning to recruit via cold calling, especially the clients, having a sales approach ensures you’re hitting the right nerve.  

While following a consultative sales approach, try to be persuasive. This will help you in being a little different from others. However, do not just leave it there by introducing yourself and the company. With the help of a consultative sales approach you can convince the clients or the respective candidate.  

4. Identify the differentiator 

When so many companies in the market offer services and products, why should the respective individual choose you? This is a question that most people would have. Thus, try to identify a differentiator in your company.  

The differentiator is your unique selling point that would contribute to the overall growth. Furthermore, it will also help in attracting potential customers. Once you have identified the differentiator, suggest the same during the call.  

5. Use automation 

If keeping a manual record of cold calling is too much data to deal with, try using automation. Around 57% of companies invest in automation and AI for recruitment. Automation has become the frontier in recruitment.  

Several automation software programs are available that would contribute to easier hiring. These automation software tools streamline the entire process. As a result, all essential details will be shared during the call, which can be helpful in the later run.  

Cold-calling mistakes to avoid 

While cold calling is quite adequate, there are inevitable mistakes as well that you may make. So, here are a few common cold-calling mistakes to avoid.  

  • Not preparing for recruitment 

Preparation is the key when it comes to cold calling recruitment. Rather than doing a hard sell, you must stay prepared from the beginning. Skipping the warm up session can be extremely difficult as it can make you nervous. When prepared for the call, you can share the details appropriately.  

  • Not using recruitment cold calling script 

Not following a script can often make things bad. There are chances that you may become nervous or miss out on some point that may not be that compelling. Thus, using a recruitment cold calling script can be extremely useful, so always use that.  

  • Selling only numbers 

While adopting a consultative approach, do not just base your entire call upon it. Thus, you should not only discuss numbers but also show the human side. This helps the respective person feel connected.  

  • Seeking permission to speak 

On a cold call, you’ll lose it all if you ask permission to speak. While you must be polite, you must also briefly introduce yourself and the company. This helps in intriguing curiosity so they will want to learn more.  

  • Weak opening statement  

Having a weak opening statement can make you look as if you’re not prepared. There is a chance that they will decline the call. So, try to have a solid opening statement. You can prepare the script and look into the details.  

Conclusion

As a recruiter, you are likely to come across candidates who may not respond correctly or within the specified time. Thus, using cold-calling recruitment can be slightly helpful. However, you must keep all the details in place. Platforms like Jobsoid can help keep track of the information. With the help of Jobsoid, you can get your hands on some of the best talents. You will be able to connect with them and engage and interact with the recruiters.  

Start a free trial and check how that works out for you.

Anjali Saini

Anjali Saini is a content writer and editor with two years of experience in the publishing industry. She has crafted polished content for clients across many industries. Currently, she focuses her expertise on writing for SaaS, tech, and finance, where her knack for translating complex concepts into engaging and accessible content shines.