Yazilya Nasibullina

Founder of the Academy
and Recruitment Agency
Tech-recruiter

You need to bring the candidate up to the point where they are ready to talk about the position.

Say hello and tell them your name, what company you are from, and why you are calling. Make sure to ask if they can take a few moments to talk to you.

✅ Tell them what you're going to talk about:

I'll tell you about the company → I'll ask a few questions to find out what you are interested in → I'll tell you about us → I'll answer your questions → if we feel that we meet each other's expectations, we'll agree on further actions.

This structure is kind of programming people for what will happen to them next.

Second step is learning about their motivation.

This is a very, very, very (we can't emphasize that enough) important step. You will be able to overcome the candidate's objections only if you know what their motivation is. Their true motivation!

Ask the candidate:

Are they experiencing any difficulties right now? Do they want to leave their current job? If they do, what is the reason?

Ask as many follow-up questions as you need in order to understand their goals, expectations, and selection criteria.

Third step is summarizing

Now we summarize the communication. Like this, for example:

Am I correct that a hybrid work schedule is important to you; the salary range meets your expectations, etc.

At this point, the candidate may have doubts. Your job is to be proactive and once again highlight the points that are important to the candidate (not to you)! For example, the schedule, the opportunity to participate in conferences, training, etc.

Fourth step is closure.

Ask what the candidate thinks about all this. Is there something else they're concerned about? Great. Talk through their objections once again and make sure they get to the next stage of the interview.

That's it for the theory ???? Let's move on to practice. Here's what you should always keep in mind:

Don't continue your dialogue with the candidate until you fully understand their motives.

Make sure to ask questions that help you understand what their needs are right now. And reread the "second step" above :)

Don't offer options when asking about their needs.
Are you asking questions and the person is silent and doesn't answer for a long time? Perhaps they are formulating their thoughts.

Let them think about it, but don't give them ideas: are you looking for a good salary or are you interested in relocation? They will choose a convenient answer, but it will be a false need. If the silence hangs for too long, ask them if you should repeat the question.

Don't start your questions with "why"
At least try not to. This kind of question only results in people making excuses.

For example, if a candidate says it didn't work out at their last job, don't just ask, "Why?" Try to get an answer with some leading phrases, like: "Yeah, I see...". Chances are, they will want to elaborate.

Don't get too emotional.
Are you feeling that the person is trying to ruin the conversation? Take a pause, exhale. You can apologize, stop the conversation and call back later. You can ask if you are correct when you think that they are expressing discontent. But...

Don't assume what they think
Let's get back to the previous point. Sometimes people don't even realize what kind of emotions they're evoking in you. It is always better to ask a simple question: "Am I getting it right?"

There is a good book on this subject by Eric Berne, it's called The Games People Play.

And of course, don't forget to give feedback to the candidate. You never know when and where you will meet them again :)

Let's start with the theory. How do you structure your conversation with a candidate?