Business-development calls in recruitment have a particular problem. The person you are calling is busy, is probably already approached by several agencies, and has heard "we have great candidates" many times. A script that leads with your agency's strengths blends into all of them.
This article gives you a structure for a first call to a hiring manager: a signal-based opener, proof instead of claims, and one small next step. It is a framework to adapt, not a text to read word for word.
Why most agency cold calls fail
Three patterns come up again and again.
- The agency-first opener. "Hi, I'm calling from [Agency], we specialise in..." The hiring manager is waiting for the sentence to end so they can say no.
- The vague offer. "We can help with any hiring needs." It gives the listener nothing to react to.
- The big ask. "Can we sign terms of business?" on a first call asks for far more trust than you have earned.
The fix is to make the call about their situation, to say one specific thing you can do, and to ask for something small.
Step 1: Open with a signal, not a pitch
A signal is a visible reason to call this person today. A role advertised for several weeks, a team that has just been announced as growing, a leader who recently joined, a location opening. Use only what you have actually seen.
"Hi Dana, it's Sam from [Agency]. I noticed you've had a senior backend role open for a while. Do you have a minute to hear why I'm calling?"
Asking permission to continue costs you a few seconds and lowers the listener's guard. If you have no real signal, say so honestly and keep the opener short rather than inventing one.
Step 2: One sentence of relevance
Say what you do in terms of a result they care about, not a category.
"I work with engineering teams in logistics software, and I tend to talk to managers who need people who can run production systems, not only write new code."
Keep it to one sentence. The aim is for the manager to think "this person knows my world", not to list your services.
Step 3: Proof over claims
"We have a large network" is a claim. A short, specific example is proof. If you have a placement or a process you can describe without breaking anyone's confidence, use it.
"[Result you achieved, for example: how you helped a similar team by screening for on-call experience first, since that was what kept slowing their hiring.]"
Only use examples that are true and that you can discuss in detail. If a manager asks a follow-up question and you cannot answer it, the proof turns into a liability. Do not quote numbers you cannot back up.
Step 4: Ask a diagnostic question
Before you propose anything, ask about the role.
- "What has made this role hard to fill so far?"
- "What would a great hire need to have done in their last job?"
- "How is the search going at the moment: who is helping, if anyone?"
Listen to the answer more than you speak. A manager who explains a problem for thirty seconds has started a conversation, which is the real goal of a first call.
Step 5: Ask for one small next step
Choose a step that is easy to say yes to and does not need approval from anyone else.
- "Can I send you two anonymised profiles this week so you can see the level I'd screen to?"
- "Would a fifteen-minute call on Thursday to go through the role in detail be useful?"
Offer a specific time, not "whenever suits you". If they decline, ask what would make sense instead, and confirm how and when to follow up.
A full example
You: Hi Dana, it's Sam from [Agency]. I saw your senior backend role has been open for a few weeks. Do you have a minute?
Dana: A minute. We already work with a couple of agencies.
You: That makes sense, and I'm not asking you to change anything. I specialise in logistics software teams. What's been the hardest part of filling this role?
Dana: Honestly, people who have supported live systems. Plenty can build, fewer can run.
You: That's the group I screen for first. Could I send you two anonymised profiles this week, so you can tell me if the level is right?
Dana: Sure, send them over.
Notice that the agency did not need to defend itself. The manager supplied the criteria.
Objections you will hear
"We already have a preferred supplier list." "Understood. I'm not asking to replace anyone. Is there any role where the list hasn't produced a shortlist yet?"
"Send me an email." "Happy to. So that it's useful, which is the one role you most want filled?" Then send a short message that refers to what they said. See what to say when they ask you to send an email.
"I don't have time." "Fair enough. When is a better five minutes?" Then book it.
How to practise the call
A first call to a hiring manager is short, so a few focused repetitions are worth more than rereading a script. A simple routine:
- Write your opener and your one sentence of relevance. Say them aloud until they sound like you.
- Practise the diagnostic question and then stay quiet. Silence after a question feels long to the caller and is usually fine.
- Role-play the two hardest objections: "we have a supplier list" and "send me an email".
- Review each round and pick one sentence to change.
In DIRI AI an AI plays the prospect, such as a client-side manager in a scenario you describe. You speak by voice, the AI answers in character, and afterwards you read a report that points to moments worth repeating. You can read how scoring works or listen to the sample dialogues. The Free plan gives you 3 calls a month of up to five minutes each with no card, which is enough for a short opener drill.
Before you dial
- Do I have a real reason to call this person today?
- Can I say what I do in one sentence about their situation?
- Do I have one true example I can discuss in detail?
- Have I prepared a small, specific next step?
Related: B2B Cold Call Opening Lines, Book a Meeting on a Cold Call, Cold Call Follow-Up Calls.
FAQ
How long should a recruiter's first call to a hiring manager be?
Aim for a short call of a couple of minutes: a signal-based opener, one sentence of relevance, one or two diagnostic questions and a small next step. Longer conversations should be booked for later.
Should I mention fees on the first call?
Usually not. If the manager asks, answer plainly and briefly, then return to the role. Terms are easier to discuss once they have seen the quality of your shortlist.
How can I practise this call without bothering real clients?
Role-play it aloud with a colleague or an AI hiring manager, so your first attempts at the awkward moments happen away from live prospects.