What is cold calling in recruitment?

Cold calling is a recruitment practice where you make phone calls to people who haven’t yet made a connection with you or your organization. Although it’s a bit of an unconventional recruiting strategy, it can actually be a very effective tool in generating new leads or prospects when done appropriately. If you have a limited network or aren’t finding candidates with more traditional recruiting strategies, cold calling can be especially effective at helping you build these for future use. To be most effective in recruitment cold calling, remember the nine essential things described in detail below.

1. Always have a solid purpose

Before anything else, ask yourself why you’re cold calling candidates. Are you looking to build up your talent pool? Are you a hiring manager seeking to fill a specific position (or two)?

Understanding your purpose for cold calling allows you to create meaningful conversations with the other person and direct the conversation appropriately. Remember that in recruitment, cold calling candidates means you’re likely their first interaction with your company. You want to create a first impression that’s memorable, professional and friendly if you want your efforts to bear results.

2. Scripts are helpful

Having a script for your cold calls can make the process smoother and more structured. If you’re nervous about making cold calls, working from a script can help reduce the risk of misspeaking or providing the wrong information due to nerves. Although scripts are helpful, you should also be prepared to improvise based on the candidate’s responses.

3. Call at an appropriate time

Before making your call, you’ll want to verify the candidate or client’s time zone. Adjust your timing as necessary to make it an appropriate time for them. For example, if you’re in New Jersey and are calling a potential client in California, you’ll need to subtract three hours. If you’re calling someone in London from New York, you’ll need to add five hours.

There isn’t necessarily a right or wrong answer as to what is an appropriate time. However, there are a few rules you can follow to help. For starters, you don’t want to cold call anyone too early or too late. Calling between 10am and 5pm is generally a safe bet. You’ll also want to avoid calls during lunch hours (between 11am and 1pm) and on weekends.

4. Practice makes perfect

If you aren’t an experienced cold caller, you may find it helpful to practice your script before reaching out to anyone. Ask your close friends, family or co-workers if they’ll help you practice. It helps to practice using a real person because it best simulates the uncertainty of a real cold call. If nobody is available, simply reading your script and getting familiar with it is also useful.

5. Understand who you’re cold calling

Understanding the candidate you’re calling can make a difference in how effective your efforts are. Learning about someone is as easy as looking at their social media or doing a quick Google search. With some background information, you can make your call more engaging and interesting. Background information can also help you determine what a potential candidate or client is looking for and whether you can fulfill their needs.

6. Stay upbeat and polite, no matter what

Unfortunately, you may run into people who don’t want to speak about an opportunity when cold calling in recruitment. Some people may be rude or dismissive since they weren’t expecting a call. While you can’t control how people speak to you, you can control how you react.

Instead of being reactive, stay upbeat and polite. Not only can this help create a better reputation for your company, but it can also be helpful in diffusing bad situations. Most people find it hard to continue being rude to someone who remains polite to them.

7. Be prepared to answer questions

Knowing what you’re talking about will help build the other person’s trust in you. Do your research on the topic you plan to discuss during your cold calling and keep notes on your desk if you need to. If you’re a hiring manager, learn about the hours, salary and requirements of the job you’re recruiting for.

8. Use call recording

Your organization may want to invest in high-end call recording software for your cold calls and other phone interactions. Call recording is a valuable tool in cold calling for several reasons because it:

• Allows you to revisit a conversation
• Can be used for training new recruiters
• Can be used in training so you don’t repeat mistakes

9. Always follow up

Following up with someone after your initial cold call shows that your organization can effectively communicate. Second calls help you build rapport, trust and interest. It’s a good idea to end your cold calls by saying you’ll follow up within the next few days or weeks, depending on your schedule. Make a note to follow up with each interested candidate once you’ve hung up the phone so you don’t forget.

Cold calling in recruitment can be an effective strategy for sourcing new candidates for your organization, especially when you have a limited network or aren’t finding the right candidate with more traditional methods. Remembering the nine things above can help your cold calling efforts be as effective as possible from your very first interaction with candidates.

FAQs about cold calling in recruitment

How many cold calls should a recruiter make in a day?

In recruitment, cold calling clients is more about quality and less about quantity. Of course, finding the perfect balance of both is ideal. The number of cold calls can vary significantly based on your organization’s goals.

How long should each conversation take in recruitment if cold calling clients?

Cold calls generally last between five and 10 minutes. However, this number can vary significantly from one call to another and what your organization’s goals for the calls are.

What can be done to make cold calling less interruptive?

The initial act of cold calling can be made less interruptive or disruptive by calling at an appropriate time. After briefly introducing yourself and your purpose, ask the candidate if they’re able to talk right now or if they’d like to schedule a phone call for a later time more convenient for them.