Cold Calling Scripts for Recruiters: 7 ways to pitch a job
Cold calling is an essential part of life as a recruiter. If you’re newbie, it’s one of the first things you’ll have to learn to do and master to get to the next level in your career.
In simple words, cold calling in recruitment is calling candidates and pitching about a job, and get them excited about the role enough that they agree for an interview. Typically recruiters have scripts about how they are going to pitch to candidates rather than coming up everything on the spot.
While it sounds simple, getting on the phone can be tough when you are getting started. Here are some samples of cold call scripts that recruiters can start using today.
Here are 7 Recruitment Cold Calling Scripts that you can start using today
Active Candidate from Linkedin
Hi [Candidate First Name], this is [Your Name] and I work for [Your Company]. We are one of the top recruitment partners of companies like [Your Customer 1], [Your Customer 2].
[Pause]
I am calling you today because I saw your profile on Linkedin and it looks relevant for on the roles I am hiring for. Are you looking out for new opportunities right now?
[Wait for positive reply. Incase they say no, say thanks and move on]
Great, I will try to keep this call short. The position I am calling to speak about is a new [Job Title] role at [Company Name]. From your profile, it seems like you'd be really good fit. Do you have any prior experience with [Job Title]?
Great! If you don’t mind, I’d like to hear about your some of your projects and employers you’ve worked with.
[Pause, and make notes about candidate's experience. Ask follow up questions.]
[Candidate Name], that sounds impressive! Since you’ve worked with [Candidate Project], I’m sure you would love this opportunity as this role brings a great set of responsibilities related to your field of expertise.
[Pause]
I also noticed from your profile that you’re interested in [Common Interest]. [Company] has some great opportunities for skill development in this field! So, how well do you think you’d work with [Mention a specific skill set or project]?
[Pause]
I’m sure the hiring manager for [Company] would love this! Let me tell you a little bit about the role. The role is very interesting and you’ll be responsible for:
[Explain in 1-2 lines about the role and responsibilities]
So, [Candidate Name], if you’re interested, I can schedule an interview with the hiring manager at [Company]. Would you mind giving me some details about your availability?
[Pause]
Awesome! I’ll drop you an email with all the necessary details. Can you share your CV / resume with me? It would help move the process faster.
Thank you so much for your time, [Candidate Name]! I’ll keep you updated with any further steps. Have a good day ahead.
Active Candidate - Option 2
Am I speaking to [Candidate Name]? Good [morning / afternoon / evening].
This is [Your Name] from [Company] and I work for one of the fastest growing recruitment agencies in [Location]. We help companies like [Companies 1] and [Companies 2] with [urgent / important] roles. Is now a good time to talk?
[Pause]
I saw your profile on [Platform] and if you have few minutes right now, I would like to brief about an interesting opportunity with [Company]. [Company] is a fast growing team of talented and hardworking people trying to solve the the problem of [Company Mission].
[If candidate says no, ask for another time later]
I see you’ve been working with [Company] as a [Current Job Title] for some time now. Would love to know more about the projects you have been working on [Candidate Name]?
[Pause]
That’s good to hear, [Candidate Name]. [Ask a followup question about the field of expertise]
[Pause]
Thank you for the detailed info [Candidate Name]. I am more convinced that the role I am working on would be the right next step for you. This role has excellent opportunities as you’ll be responsible for [Relevant Detail 1], [Relevant Detail 2], [Relevant Detail 3].
Talking about benefits, [Company] offers [mention top 3 perks offered by the role].
I’d love to share your details with the hiring manager if you are interested. The [Company] is hiring quickly and I am hoping that if everything goes well, I should be able to schedule a call with the interview team as soon as early next week.
[Pause]
Is there anything else you would like to discuss, [Candidate Name]?
[Pause]
That’s great.
As a next step, I will send across an email with a brief summary of the things we discussed. Just to confirm, your email is [Candidate Email]. Is that alright?
If you can send across your up-to-date CV/Resume, it would help me move the process faster.
Thanks for your time again, [Candidate Name]. Will speak soon!
Active Candidate - Option 3
Good [Morning/Afternoon/Evening], is this [Candidate Name]?
[Pause]
Hi [Candidate Name], I saw your profile on [Platform] and you seem actively looking out for new opportunities. I’d like to speak to you about an open vacancy that I am working on. Would you like to discuss this right now? This shouldn't take more than 15-20 minutes.
[Pause]
Great! Thanks for taking your time out for this, [Candidate Name].
Quickly introducing myself, I am [Your Name] and I work for [Your Company]. We work mostly with clients like [Client 1], [Client 2]. I am currently working for [Company] helping them hiring [Job Title] for their new project.
While I saw your resume on [Platform], would it be possible for you to talk about a couple of your most interesting projects at [Company]? This information would help me understand whether the role I am working would be a good next step for you.
[Pause]
Your work sounds interesting, [Candidate Name]! You mentioned how you like working with [skill / field], and fortunately the team I am hiring for at [Company] ’s new project is working on similar problems.
Talking about the role, their 3 challenges right now would be
- [Key Responsibility 1]
- [Key Responsibility 2]
- [Key Responsibility 3]
The team is also looking for someone who has experience with [Key Skills], [Nice to have skills] are something that are not mandatory but would be great addition to your profile. I hope we are on the same page when I say that this would be something you will be great fit for.
[Pause]
Coming to benefits, I also wanted to mention that this role offers [Benefits / Perks].
Also, if you don’t mind, can you share what your salary expectations are? And would you be okay working at [Job Location]?
[Pause]
Awesome. I think I have everything I need for now. Before we wrap up this call, do you have any questions for me?
[Pause]
Great! Would you like me to set up a call with the hiring manager at [Company] this coming week? Any particular times that you can't do?
[Pause]
I’m available for a quick call if you have any other questions, [Candidate Name].
I appreciate your time. Have a good day ahead!
Passive Candidate
Passive candidates typically don't like to respond to a job opportunity in the first call itself since they are not actively looking out. It's much better to break the call in two parts - first to understand about the candidate and then in the second call share the job details.
First Call
Hi! Am I speaking with [Candidate Name]?
[Pause]
I’m [Your Name] and I work for [Company Name]. We work with companies like [Top Company 1], [Top Company 2] helping them hire and retain talent. I understand that you might not be looking out immediately, but even if you are looking to change your role anytime this year, I would still love to learn more about you and get back to you when there's something right.
[If candidate says no, move on and send Linkedin invite]
When I came across your profile on [Platform], and it piqued my interest as you seem to have expertise with [Mention skillset/expertise/field] which is afast growing field in the industry.
You have been at [Candidate Current Company] for a while now, could you share some details about your projects and your current role?
[Take extensive notes to match them against multiple opportunities]
That sounds great! Congratulations on [achievement by the candidate].
[Pause]
And what would your ideal next role look like? Any non negotiables like company type / location / salary etc?
[Take notes]
Got it. And what skills you want to learn in the next role, any preference there?
[Pause]
Great! I think I have everything I need. I will circle back to you if there's something I or someone from my team is working on which might be of interest to you.
Thank you for your time. Please call if anything changes.
Have a good day ahead.
Second Call (at least a week after first call)
Hi [Candidate Name],
How are you? Hope you are having a beautiful [morning / afternoon / evening]. I am currently working on a role with [Company] and I think you might be a great fit based on things we discussed. Do you have 10 mins so that I can share more about the role?
[Pause]
Even my client is interested in expanding their horizons with the [Mention skillset/expertise/field] for this new project.
Apart from that, the hiring manager at [Company] is looking for someone who [Mention candidate criteria].
[Mention other company details and job responsibilities]
Based on everything I just mentioned, is there anything else you have on your mind that you would like to discuss?
[Pause]
Also, based on the requirements and responsibilities I just mentioned, what are your salary expectations for a position like this?
Thank you for your time [Candidate Name]! I’ll keep you updated about any further steps through the email you’ve shared.
Feel feel to call back or text if you have any queries.
Enjoy your day!
Applied to Job
Hi is this [Candidate Name]?
I hope this is a good time to discuss the [Job Title] role you had applied for with [Company Name]? Are you available for a few minutes?
[Pause]
Thank you for applying. I’m [Your Name] speaking from [Your Company], and as you already know, we are looking for a [Job Title] to join our growing team. This call is just an introductory call where I want to understand more about your current role and preview work experiences. Lets begin?
[Pause]
To start with, can you tell a bit more about your current role at [Candidate Current Company] and the projects that you are working on?
[Pause and make notes]
[Candidate_name], you mentioned you’re interested in learning new skills and understanding more about [industry].
You’ll be happy to know that team that I am hiring for at [Company] has excellent growth opportunities as you’ll be responsible for [key responsibilities]. [Company Name] even offers [perks/benefits] for the candidates and are open to people growing within the ranks fast.
Does this sound like something that would benefit you?
[Pause]
Great! As you know this role requires candidates with experience in [skill 1] and [skill 2]. Do you have some experience for the same? Any particular projects you worked on where you used these skills?
[Pause]
Also, I’d like to get an idea of what you would expect out of this role. Is there a salary range you have in mind? Any particular benefits that are important to you?
[Pause]
Alright. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this, [Candidate_name].
Before I wrap up, is any other information that you would like me to add to my notes that you did not mention in the cover letter or the resume?
[Pause]
Okay, great! Is there anything else you'd like to discuss? Happy to answer any questions around the role or the company.
[Pause]
Thank you so much for your time today, [Candidate_name]! I’ll contact my team to schedule another call or meeting this coming week. What slots typically work for you?
[Pause]
Awesome! I’ll keep you updated about the process through your email. Have a great day, [Candidate_name]!
Using Mutual Connect - 1
Hi, is this [Candidate Name]?
[Pause]
Good [Morning/Afternoon/Evening] [Candidate Name]. This might sound out of the blue but [Mutual Connect] suggested I give you a call about any relevant job opportunities.
Checking if you have 5 minutes to discuss an exciting opportunity I am hiring for. If not, I can schedule a call for some other time.
[Wait]
Great! [Company] is looking for [Job Title] to join their growing team. There are some exciting opportunities for growth at this company as this particular team is working on some interesting projects and hiring [aggressively / the right people]
When I was speaking with [Mutual Connect], they mentioned that you have some great experience with [skill set/ expertise / field] and you might be a great fit for the role. They also mentioned that you have been working at [Company] and maybe are looking for new opportunities. Is that correct?
[Pause]
That’s good to hear, [Candidate Name]. Do you mind telling me about your recent projects and the your current role a bit?
[Make notes and ask followup questions like key results achieved]
Amazing! Thanks for the detailed info [Candidate Name], it was super helpful.
The role that I have called you for is with my client, [Company]. They are looking for [Job Title] to join them out of their [Job Location] location. It's a [Full Time / Part Time] role with exciting growth opportunities. Let me briefly talk a bit about the kind work involved
- [Relevant Job Detail 1]
- [Relevant Job Detail 2]
- [Relevant Job Detail 3]
Hope that's exciting for you, [Candidate Name]. Before I schedule a call with the interviewers, what is your current compensation package and what are your expectations?
[Pause]
Alright. Would you have a resume / CV handy? Can you share that across on my email?
If my client wants to interview you, what is your availability?
[Pause]
Awesome! I’ll keep you updated about any further steps.
Thank you for your time [Candidate Name]. I will drop an email reiterating the things we discussed and I look forward to speaking again!
Using Mutual Connect - 2
Hi, [Candidate First Name].
I was speaking to [Mutual Connection] and they suggested I give you a call. Do you have a moment?
[Pause. In the previous step, ensure that the mutual connect has strong connection with the candidate]
Thanks! I’m [Your Name], and I work for [Your Company] which is one of the leading recruitment agencies based out of [Your Location]. I am currently helping companies like [Company Name 1], [Company Name 2] hire great [Job Title]'s.
I wanted to check with you and see if you are open to hearing about new job opportunities and are maybe looking for a job change as well? It's okay if you aren't looking for a change immediately, would be happy to connect still!
[Candidate should ideally be okay moving forward]
Awesome! Thanks so much for taking your time out for this.
One of my clients is looking for a [Job Title] and from what I could gather from your profile, your background fits what they are looking for. You'd be a great addition to the team they are building at [Company].
Can you tell me a little bit more about the projects you are working on or have worked on in the past?.
[Make notes about the candidate's experience and ask follow up questions]
And about your current role? Any particular reason you are looking for a job switch?
[Pause]
That’s great, [Candidate Name]. I’d love to work with you to help you grow in this field, and I’m sure [Company] would have some excellent opportunities!
[Company] want someone who can work with [Skillset] to handle their [X]. I’m sure you’d be an excellent fit for their team based on what you just told me.
Quick question - Do you think you’d be able to work from [starting date / salary range etc (basically things which are non-negotiables for the client)]?
[Pause]
Okay, great. I’ll be sure to give all these details to the hiring manager. Also, what are your salary expectations for a role like this?
I can forward your resume and details to [Company] for an interview if you’d like. How does that sound?
[Wait for positive reply]
Does [mention couple of slots from the client] sound okay for a call? The first calls are typically get to know each other but I will speak to you before the call with more details.
[Pause]
Awesome! Thank you for taking your time out today, [Candidate Name]! Any questions for me?
[Answer questions that a candidate might have.]
Alright.
Before I let you go, I’d love to know if you have anyone in your circle who may be interested in this position, as my client is looking to hire more than one employee.
Feel free to forward me their details on this number.
Once again, thank you, [Candidate First Name]!
Have a nice day.