Practice by profession
Recruiter call practice: approaching candidates and winning clients
Recruiters live on the phone with two audiences who both have options. Practise the calls to candidates and hiring managers that decide whether you get a second conversation.
Who this is for
You find people for jobs and jobs for people, whether in agency or in-house recruitment. Candidates are approached all the time and clients can use several agencies, so your calls have to be relevant, brief and honest about what you can and cannot deliver.
The five hardest moments in the call
In the order they usually appear. Find the one where you tend to lose the customer.
- Approaching a passive candidate. They did not ask for your call and may be wary. Say how you found them, why the role is relevant to their background and ask if they have a minute.
- Exploring what they actually want. A job title is not a motive. Ask what would make a move worth it and what they would want to avoid, and listen before you describe the vacancy.
- Opening a conversation with a hiring manager. Managers are tired of agency calls. Lead with a specific hiring problem you can help with and ask a question about their process, rather than listing your services.
- Managing expectations on both sides. Candidates want speed and clients want perfection. Be clear about timelines, feedback and what you can promise, and avoid raising hopes you cannot back.
- Giving feedback and handling no. Telling a candidate they were not chosen, or a client that a candidate withdrew, damages trust if done badly. Be direct, kind and clear on next steps.
Three objections and strong answers
Example wording to adapt. Use your own words and the facts of the conversation.
- The customer says: I am not looking to move. I am happy where I am.
- A strong answer: That is good to hear, and the people I want to speak to are rarely looking. I am not asking you to apply. Could I tell you about the role in thirty seconds, so you know what is out there if things change?
- The customer says: We already work with other agencies and have not hired anyone from them.
- A strong answer: I appreciate you telling me. Could you share what has gone wrong so far, for example candidate quality or speed? I would only suggest working together if I can see a real way to help, and I would rather start with one role.
- The customer says: Your fee is too high compared with what others charge.
- A strong answer: I understand the concern. Could we look at what the fee includes, such as how I screen candidates and what happens if a hire leaves early? It may also help to talk about which roles are hardest for you and whether that is where I should focus.
A 30-second opener
Replace the [placeholders], then say it out loud. It should take about thirty seconds.
Hi [name], it is [your name] from [agency]. I found your profile because of your work in [field or company], and I am calling about a [role] position at a [type of company] that looks quite close to what you do. I know I am interrupting your day. Have you got a minute for me to explain, and if it is not for you, I will not keep you?
A five-minute practice drill
Do this out loud, not in your head.
Set-up: Ask for a senior professional who is content in their current job, slightly suspicious of recruiters and unsure why you called them.
Steps:
- Open with how you found them and why the role fits their background.
- Ask what would make a move worth considering and listen without pitching.
- Agree a follow-up call or a short introduction to the hiring manager.
How to tell it worked: The client told you at least one real motivation and agreed a next step without feeling pressured to apply.
Educational conversation training. It is not legal, financial or medical advice and it promises no results. Always follow your company’s rules and the applicable regulations.
Practise this call out loud
Talk to an AI client who plays your customer and read in the report which sentence helped and which to say differently.
Questions about this role
Which calls is this page for?
It is for the phone calls recruiters make, such as approaching candidates, talking to hiring managers and giving feedback after a decision.
How can I rehearse approaching passive candidates?
Ask the AI client to be a busy professional who did not expect your call. You practise a concise opening, a relevant reason and a way to leave the door open. The scored feedback shows whether you listened or simply described the vacancy.
Can I practise business development calls to clients?
Yes. Ask for a hiring manager who already uses agencies or prefers to hire directly. You can rehearse asking about the hiring process, positioning your service honestly and agreeing a first role or a follow-up meeting.