Master the Art of Closing Candidates

Dan Nielsen Recruiting Initiatives Leader Towers Perrin

Master the Art of Closing Candidates

Agenda

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 Opening words about Closing

 Developing a Closing approach  Closing skills at each stage of the process  Role playing – reacting to candidate

statements

  “Closing” words

Objective: Fill the role

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Closing: gathering and interpreting information and using it to fill the role

Act All Information:

Help filling

role? Hinder

filling

role?

Ask clarifying questions

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Always be closing

  Permeates every part of the process

  Starts before you have a candidate in play

  Applies to all parties and circumstances

  Goes beyond “selling”

  Heightens awareness of potential obstacles

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Effective closing works in the best interest of all parties

  Helps candidates and hiring managers define, focus on, and achieve realistic goals and desires

  Helps recruiters and hiring managers avoid candidates who are not desired or will not move

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Timing is everything

  Watch your pace   By default, move processes swiftly   Recognize times to slow the pace

  Focus on right activities at each stage   Prospect development   Interviews   Post offer extension

Developing a Closing Approach

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Step 1 – Craft a powerful Employment Value Proposition (EVP)

  The EVP is the foundation for all future efforts

  Your EVP should articulate a crisp message on why a candidate should join your:

Industry

Company

Unit

Job

What sets you apart in

each category?

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Draw on broad information to create the EVP

  Business plan

  Sales/marketing materials

  Intra/internet research

  Interviews with:   Leadership   Hiring managers   Long-time employees   Recent hires - especially from competitors

  Don’t lose sight of “intangibles” such as on-site gym, proximity to public transit, continuing education, etc.

Document and disseminate your EVP internally and externally

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Internal document has details to prep interview teams

External “marketing” piece used for

prospect outreach

Glen Ross 101 S. Hanley

Hyde Park, NY 12538

XYZ Consulting Firm, Bayside, NY July 1998 – Present Executive Vice President

Step 2 – The importance of resume screening

Challenging commute Breaking company loyalty and relationships

may be difficult

Title your firm doesn’t offer

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Expect a relentless counter-offer

Company with different culture

•  Lead consultant on $3 million of annual revenue •  Foremost company expert for Sarbanes-Oxley related issues

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Step 3 – Phone interviewing sets the tone for your relationship

  Engage the candidate with your value proposition

  Touch upon the fundamentals of the selection process

  Directly address any potential barriers from the resume or the phone interview

 Career aspirations

  Skills, interests and abilities

  Pros and cons of current role

 Decision drivers

 Obstacles to joining

 Current/desired compensation

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Deal with compensation head-on from the start

  Gather facts about current compensation

  Ask if current employer compensates fairly   Why do you believe that?   What would be fair compensation?

  Address disconnects regarding compensation expectations

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Patiently wait for answers and clarify ambiguity

  Wait out any silence that comes after your question

  Listen critically for what is said, not said and implied

  Follow up until you have a clear, acknowledged understanding with the candidate

  Recognize when candidate doesn’t have reasonable motivations for moving

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How might you react if your candidate made these statements?

  “I worked with my boss at a former job and followed him to my current company.”

  “I have no one to delegate work to here.”

  “I don’t have faith in my company’s Senior Leadership.”

  “I rode my bike to work today.”

  “My next review is in December.”

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Step 4 – Prepare the interview team

  Review strengths/weaknesses of candidate

  Assign selling points to ensure the applicant gets a broad perspective of the firm

  Direct probing questions on the primary issues   Candidate’s ability to be successful   Any negative impressions from the hiring team

  Confirm threshold criteria needed to make the hire

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Step 5 – Debrief both sides, continuing to confirm the basics

  Agreement on key criteria

  Desire to work together

  Compensation expectations are aligned

  Discuss start date with candidate

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Step 6 – Avoid surprises

  Thoroughly confirm total rewards issues with candidate   Draw out anything the candidate considers

remuneration or other rewards   Even if every element isn’t matched, candidate

needs to know you had complete information

  Stock/options

  Parking/commute costs

  Perks

 Office vs. cube

 Retirement

  Paybacks

  Blackberry/laptop

  Expected raise

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How might you react if your candidate made these statements?

  “I got passed over for a promotion last year.”

  “I’m getting pulled into a new project at work.”

  “How quickly will I hear back from you?”

  “How much vacation will I get this year?”

  “This is my first time resigning.”

  “My boss will be totally shocked when I resign.”

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Answering these questions…

Answer all questions and focus negotiations where you have flexibility

Role, Responsibilities, Title

Benefits, Vacation

Relocation, Non-Compete

Goals

Target Bonus %

…focuses negotiations on Base Salary and Hiring Bonus $

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Step 7 – Develop a “cushion” between expectations and actual offer

  Creates “insurance” against last-minute cuts to an offer

  Feeds the excitement that accompanies acceptance, and helps sustain candidate through counter-offer

  Revisit initial discussion about compensation

  A third-party recruiter can add value at this stage

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Use “If I/will you?” questions and clarify answers

Recruiter If I get $77,000 for you will you accept? Candidate I was hoping for more than $77,000. Recruiter If the offer is $77,000 will you reject? Candidate I was hoping for closer to $80,000. Recruiter So, at $77,000 will you reject? Candidate Yes. Recruiter If I can get $80,000 will you accept?...

  Objective is to get permission from the candidate to accept

  Keep overall focus on the role and opportunity

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Pick the best way to extend the offer

  Ideally, the recruiter can simply call back and congratulate the candidate on getting the job

  The only surprise should be that the offer is a bit higher than expected

  If an acceptance is not yet confirmed, the hiring manager is usually the best person to extend the offer

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Never revise an offer that’s been extended without an acceptance

  Don’t let a candidate say “try again” without their expressed acceptance   If I make this change, will you confirm a start date?   If I make this change, is there anything that would

stop you from joining?

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Step 8 – Help the candidate control the resignation process

  Ask how other resignations have gone

  Ask if they are notifying their boss of a decision, or starting a dialogue about it

  Role play by asking what happens when (not “if”) the boss:   asks about the terms of the offer   offers to match or beat the compensation   asks what it would take for the candidate to stay   asks the candidate not to discuss the resignation

before a counter-offer is made

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Step 9 – Create accountability and maintain contact after the resignation

  Ask the candidate to call you or the hiring manager immediately after the resignation

  Schedule “spontaneous” outreach calls from interview team to candidate until start date

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 Add real value to your business with this approach by improving:  Acquisition of top talent  Acceptance rates  Offer/interview ratio

Contact me with questions

Dan.Nielsen@towersperrin.com

314.719.5898

“Closing” Words