Recruiters: Are You Trial Closing?

Trial closing.? What is it?? Put simply, it is the art of constantly reconfirming information at every step during a recruiting/sales process to put all parties involved in a position to succeed. Do it, and deals close smoother. Don't do it, and, well, you are leaving a lot up to chance.

So, why do recruiters do it?? Or, more importantly, why should recruiters do it?

Sometimes candidates and hiring managers do not understand the role of the recruiter.? They simply feel the recruiter should introduce candidates to an opportunity and let the company and the hiring manager take it from there and remove the recruiter from the process.? Some have the perception that the recruiter may sabotage the deal – that they are only focused on getting the largest fee from the client.? That they will unnecessarily jack up the salary in order to personally profit.

Sadly, in some cases, this does happen.?

But not in all.? And not with the best recruiters.

The best recruiter-company-candidate relationships understand where the recruiter can add the most value.? And one key way is through trial closing.? This is when, during the hiring process, when the recruiter continues to make sure that the company is prepared to make an offer at or above an acceptable level for the candidate they want to hire.? Similarly, the recruiter needs to make sure that the candidate wants the opportunity and has realistic, firm expectations with respect to where an offer needs to be in order for them to accept.

Not get the offer…accept the offer.? There is a difference. And as a recruiter, you need to be confident that if you get your candidate an offer, they are ready to say yes to it.

Personally, I never extended an offer to a candidate unless they would commit 100% to accepting it (as long as the offer was at or above the number they had told me they needed).? If a candidate cannot commit, then you have to question their interest in the opportunity.? If it is right…if it is what they were looking for…if it has the key qualities they asked the recruiter to find for them…if it is their #1 choice…there should not be any hesitation.

Here are few things to remember when it comes to the trial close:

1.?????? It’s About Why Companies Pay Recruiters

Companies pay recruiters to deliver candidates.? Not to source them, not to present them, not to interview them (and yes, recruiters do all of this), but to deliver them.? When a company makes an offer to a candidate presented through a recruiter, they are counting on the recruiter to deliver an acceptance.? In order for that to happen, in order to position everyone for success, recruiters need to be on top of every piece of information.? It is their job to deliver.? If they do not, nobody wins.? And the recruiter does not get paid.? ??

2.?????? It’s All About Control

Control is a strong word, and while no one can actually ‘control’ another person, it is a recruiter’s job to guide everyone through the hiring process.? To do this effectively, recruiters need to obtain a lot of critical information and keep that information current throughout the process.? If something changes, it could affect everyone involved.? Recruiters need to avoid surprises and because of that, they need to constantly be verifying information.

3.?????? It’s About Trust

If a candidate or hiring manager does not feel the recruiter has their best interest at heart…if the recruiter is always backtracking and unsure about information…if there is a lack of trust…then they should not work with that recruiter.? In order for the relationship to succeed, on all levels, there needs to be a high level of trust in the recruiter.? Again, it is their job to deliver.? Trust and let them do their job.

4.?????? It’s About Doing What’s Best for All

A recruiter is only as good as their reputation.? If they sacrifice the good of all for personal benefit, that will have a deeper long-term negative impact on the recruiter.? The best recruiters are all about long lasting relationships and they recognize that when they do someone wrong, they not only lose that relationship but all the people that extend from that relationship.? Referrals are the lifeblood of recruiting.?

Recruiters have to trial close all parties to ensure that they are doing their job thoroughly.? Again, they are paid to deliver.? To deliver candidates to companies and to deliver the right opportunities to candidates.? If they do their job right, the trial close is a formality.? It’s about clarifying and covering all the bases so that when the offer is made, there are no surprises.

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John Ruffini is the Vice President of Professional Development for HealthTrust Workforce Solutions in Sunrise, Florida.?He is a 30-year recruiting veteran, trainer, and motivator and is the author of the Amazon Best Sellers “Money Makers:?Proven Ways to Increase Sales and Productivity in the World of Professional Recruiting” ? and “A Quest for Alex.”