5 Recruiter Tips to Improve Phone Skills

It’s no secret that telephone usage is on the decline. So much information is available at our fingertips that dialing seems unnecessary or intrusive. As kids, my brothers and I fought over the phone as much as we fought over which cartoons to watch! And I had one good friend that I could *never* reach because of her mom’s LEGENDARY hours-long calls back in the days before call-waiting and voice mail (yes, I’m dating myself). Now I find I’m spending time TEACHING my almost-teenager HOW to use the phone … something that once seemed to be second nature. Many recruiters have fallen into the same trap — there are too many other, flashy tools that seem more sophisticated and more cutting-edge. But the truth is, the phone is still relevant and there are still plenty of reasons for recruiters to use it. If you find yourself reluctant to use the phone, here are 5 recruiter tips to help you improve your skills:

1. Group similar calls together. List your calls the day before, and then group them by category. Make all calls of the same category in a single block of time – this will get you into a routine to maximize your efficiency. This is a great tip from Scott Love, and you can get more here in his free guide, Ten Secrets to Better Telephone Calls.
2. Keep a mirror on your desk to see yourself talking. Ever been on a Skype or ZOOM call and seen how *blah* you look? You can easily come across the same way over the telephone. Looking at yourself in the mirror will help you bring more energy to your calls. Here are 17 more tips for phone sales.
3. ALWAYS state your name CLEARLY on your calls. It’s reassuring to the person on the other end of the line, and gives you some instant credibility. How do you react when someone calls you at work with a long request for information and doesn’t say who they are? Don’t be *that* caller! Read more from telephone sourcing guru Maureen Sharib here.
4. Know what you want to say before you call. You will be more clear and less convoluted if you think your way through your call in advance. Whether you use a formal script or just make notes in advance, preparation goes a long way towards success. Here’s a great list of cold calling mistakes to avoid.
5. Warm up your calls in advance. With all of the free (or inexpensive) research tools available today, there is really no need to make a completely cold call. Yes, it might be your first contact with a potential client or candidate. But, you can do enough research ahead of time to make sure you are contacting a reasonably qualified prospect. Gone are the days of purchasing crazy lists or dialing through the telephone directory. Know who or what you are after in your call and make a list of people or businesses that fit those qualifications. Even better, use your website to attract leads, and then follow-up with a phone call. Cold-calling has changed – check out this list of modern cold-calling tips.

What recruiter tips can you offer for using the phone? Please add your comments below!