Recruiters are a lot like salespeople. In fact, many professionals believe recruiting is not an HR profession, but instead, a sales career. Regardless of which core profession lies at the foundation of hiring, these recruiters can learn a great deal from sales teams.
Both recruiters and sales professionals are responsible for finding opportunities, building relationships and closing deals. The core difference is what they are selling – whether that is a product to buyers or a company culture and brand to job seekers, the strategies remain similar.
Salespeople use several effective strategies to increase business, and recruiters can maximize their efforts by taking a few tips from the sales playbook. In this blog post, we’ll share how to equip recruiters with specific sales tactics that can help sell your company brand to candidates in the hiring process.
Maximize Engagement
A good salesperson prioritizes communication and engagement. Just like potential customers, candidates are likely seeking out a multitude of different companies, determining which can provide the best offerings, support and engagement. As a recruiter, it is essential to learn from sales teams in their engagement strategies. This requires quick and helpful responses to questions, getting to know the candidate beyond their name on a resume and engaging with them often. To help with candidate engagement, recruiters should prioritize answering candidate emails and questions, thanking them for their application, keeping them updated on the hiring timeline and when they can expect to hear a final decision. In the meantime, connect with prospects on Linkedin and interact with them as much as possible.
Communication and engagement are great strategies that assist your company in standing out against a candidate’s other job opportunities. In fact, according to a Software Advice survey, more than one-third of job seekers say more communication during the hiring process would improve their candidate experience. Sales teams and recruiters alike, need to ensure their candidates and customers are receiving a positive experience with your company. Providing assistance and communication is a great way to cultivate a positive response from your lead.
Simplify the Process
Similar to customers going through a sales process, candidates don’t prefer a lengthy or complicated application process. Simplifying the application can not only lead to a positive candidate experience but can also attract more prospects to your company. The application should be user-friendly and concise.
To ensure your company’s application process is aligning with the preferences of the candidates, allow them to upload their resume or apply quickly using their smartphone. A Linkedin survey reports 45% of job seekers expect to have the ability to apply for a job from their mobile device. Save the in-depth questions for the candidate interview or phone screening. Instead, utilize the initial application as a first glance at the applicant and determine whether they meet the core requirements for the position. If the application process is too lengthy or in-depth, you could miss out on top talent.
Generation Z is quickly surpassing millennials as the most populous generation and is joining the workforce at breakneck speed. Simplifying the application process can also attract new top talent from this generation of professionals, as more than 60% of these Generation Z job seekers expect to complete an application in 15 minutes or less.
Give (and Take) Feedback
Giving and accepting feedback shows you are listening to the prospect and always looking to improve. Recruiters and salespeople who understand this core trait are more likely to form a deeper relationship with the lead and, in turn, display a great feature of your company brand: dedication to employee and culture development.
For recruiters, feedback is a core component of the communication process with applicants. Feedback not only helps them understand why they were (or were not) selected for the position, but also allows them to feel like the recruiter is rooting for them. Having support from a member of the recruiting team can improve the candidate experience and nurture a professional relationship that can benefit both the applicant and the recruiter down the line.
Not only should recruiters provide feedback to their candidates, but they should be asking for feedback on their performance. Sales teams utilize customer feedback to make improvements in their strategies, and recruiters need to emulate this approach. In today’s digital era, candidates are more willing to share their positive and negative experiences with companies and recruiters. Being open to feedback allows candidates to share their experiences directly with the recruiter. This can provide an inside look at their experiences and help improve the process in the future.
Treat Candidates Like Customers
One of the most important strategies recruiters should take from the sales playbook is to treat candidates as if they were customers. As a recruiter, it is your job to sell your company and your brand to prospective candidates. Recruiters should be emulating the company brand in all their interactions with job seekers, which encompasses mastering the traits we discussed above. Be sure to sell talent prospects on the benefits of working for your company, share what makes your company stand out. Learn about the candidate, their interests and what they find important in a career. Lastly, effectively address how your company aligns with those interests, whether that is continuing education, professional development or company culture.
Shopping for the perfect car is a lot like shopping for the perfect job role. Both recruiters and sales teams can learn from each other and leverage strategies to make their lead’s choice simple. Treating applicants like customers can help you secure top talent for your company. Use skills and strategies from sales professionals to help recruiters master the art of selling your company brand to prospective candidates. For more information on bettering your recruitment strategy, check out our blog on 5 Ways to Improve Recruiting Processes!
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