by: Meghan Hanson, Director at DeWinter Associates
If you’re getting a call from a recruiter, pick up the phone. If you’re a recruiter, pick up the phone too! I promise you’ll thank me later. Nowadays, if a recruiter is actually calling you, they are already doing a good job for you. Let me explain.
But first, let me say that I get it. I know that recruiters have a bad rap. You’ve probably received more than your fair share of inaccurate, error-filled messages from recruiters who seem like they could not care less about you. That’s a bummer! And that is exactly why the phone is so important. Whether you realize it or not, you deserve a phone call if you are being recruited, and, it’s the good – dare I say great – recruiters who are taking the time to do make that call.
Phone calls matter because:
#1 You’re unique. Whether you are being recruited or you are the recruiter, there is only one you. A phone call is a one-on-one interaction. A phone call will build a stronger relationship between two people because each person will get the opportunity to learn about the other, their strengths, and what makes them special. Doesn’t that feel better than being one of 250+ people blasted with the same email template? Calling takes more time than sending an email. But, it’s worth it.
#2 They’re different. Email is the new norm of communication, right? And phone calls are so 1990. Well, we should bring them back! Emails can be impersonal, robotic, and forgettable. They can be easily deleted and I bet they often are because everyone is spammed so much! It’s hard to communicate feelings through email. You CAN’T SEE a smile through an email the way you CAN HEAR a smile through a voice. You can connect with someone more in 30 seconds on the phone than you can through 30 emails.
#3 They are memorable. Fresh out of college, as an auditor for a Big 4 firm, I was hardly ever in the office. Occasionally, I would remember to check my voicemail. Inevitably, I would spend ten minutes deleting voicemail and after voicemail from recruiter after recruiter. Individually, none of the messages excited me enough to call back. But, then one day, almost three years later, I decided it was time for a change. I didn’t know any recruiters and I didn’t exactly want to start telling my fellow audit friends that I wanted out. Then, I remembered that one recruiter who called me so many times. I never listened to one of his voicemails completely, but I listened long enough to hear him say his name before hitting delete. He was the first person I called because I remembered his voice. I hope that, through my phone calls, you will remember me too if you ever need me.
In another example, I was having lunch with a candidate who I placed and she was telling me that so many recruiters had reached out to her. I asked her why she decided to work with me and she quickly answered, “Because you called me. Everyone else was emailing me. You emailed too, but you actually called me. So, I thought that you really cared and that whatever you wanted to talk about was really important.” Three years have passed, and she’s still at the company where I placed her.
Phone calls are not always perfectly timed. That’s the beauty of them though! As long as the intention behind the call is positive, it will likely lead to an equally positive outcome, even if it’s not immediate. So, if you are on the receiving end of one of my calls, please know that my intention is not to disturb you, compromise you, or bother you. It’s just the opposite actually. I’m calling you because I really believe it’s the best thing I can do for you as your recruiter. I hope that my call encourages you to connect with me. Maybe you aren’t looking for a job, but hopefully my call makes you want to get to know me in case your situation changes in the future. Maybe we are from the same hometown or we went to the same school. Or maybe I can help someone else you know somewhere along the way, even if that help is just answering questions about the job market, the interview process, or salary ranges. But, unless you pick up the phone, I guess you’ll never know!