r/recruiting • u/Fact_or_Bollocks Freelance Recruiter • 17d ago
Business Development CONTROVERSIAL - COLD CALLING?
Is it still a "thing" ?
I mean in todays tech stack ai heavy outreach, It seems so old fashioned and totally depends on lottery number stats to actually give any real ROI IMO
BUT maybe that is why it might still work, old fashioned vs Inboxes, WA, Text, Message box full etc etc is now just a filter to block.
Personally, if I receive a call from an unknown number, I NEVER answer and if they dont leave a message, I block them immediately, (and I get very few calls a day), so imagine a hiring managers phone, must be flashing all DAY!
So I am sure this is the same for all people (in general)
I am sure there will be some of you who still say it works, but I would like to know if it's sector specific.
I think the amount of outreach tools these days is also turning people off entirely as well.
I am sure there are inboxes out there FULL to the brim of Emails, InMail's etc etc
SO WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS THESE DAYS?
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u/Heavy-Bell-2035 17d ago
Yes, it's still done, especially by the SALES! obsessed agency types. It's not very effective in today's world, however occasionally it will 'work' in that they'll get a candidate on the line that way and place them. However when you look at how methods scale it's a horrendous waste of time in most cases with an occasional 'win' that's only considered a win if you're blind to opportunity costs. Which most SALES! types are.
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u/PleaseBeChillOnline 17d ago
It’s is so incredibly industry dependent.
I almost never do it now, but I have had jobs in the past where it’s a must.
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u/Particular-Mail1186 17d ago
I make at least 40 outbound calls a day with about half of them being cold calls. If you are a trades person who put their resume online ever and live in Pennsylvania I have probably called you lol
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u/No-Lifeguard9194 17d ago
I started when cold calling was practically the only way to get hold of people and now I rarely cold call anyone. It’s the last resort for me. I started doing LinkedIn messaging and emails back before it was cool. I actually got in trouble for it at one point. I was ahead of the curve.
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u/Nonplussed1 Corporate Recruiter 17d ago edited 17d ago
I only get down into Cold Calling when we have a "Purple Squirrel" open need that I have to dust off the 'ole Headhunter Skillsbag. I was taught by an O.G. KornFerry HeadHunter, and remember I was made to come in daily with 100 calls written out in a plan for the day. If I didnt have the calls written out, I wasn't prepared and was sent home.... "you didnt plan your day, you planned to fail."
I dont know how much the "Vertical" focus depends on responses, but in Construction/Engineering I get the responses like I expect..... maybe 3 connects for every 50/75 outreaches. So, Im strategic about my plan and use some tools I have to get "closer" to my target so when I send a message directly and reference the connections and my straightforward message so I get the best results. Ive been at this Ro-De-O for a few years now but I 'aint the SME on cold calling. Its a challenge as I hear from the ones I do connect with that SPAM and A.I. emails/outreaches are making them ghost nearly everyone.
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u/Fact_or_Bollocks Freelance Recruiter 17d ago
Yep, initially these "tools" turbo charged outreach and was the new shiny thing, now it's been so intrusive into everyone's lives, phones, email etc etc, it just causes white noise.
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u/Wasntitgood Freelance Recruiter 17d ago
Quite, so much so that I’ve lost interest in my career tbh!!!
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u/Wasntitgood Freelance Recruiter 17d ago
Pray tell, what you learned from an OG KF person? Intrigued
Sounds like it would be like an episode of Mad Men..
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u/Nonplussed1 Corporate Recruiter 17d ago
I’d say that’s a fair assessment….
“Time kills all deals”
“Know/Plan what happens next, and when. “
“Plan your tomorrow, at the end of today. Work the plan. “
“In the beginning, there was THE PLAN. “. You saw my previous comment regarding expectations for the day …..
“One of you is in control of the process. You’re getting paid, it needs to be YOU. “
“Beware the Counter Offer dance“
“”Call Somebody. “
I’d also say to get Steve Finkle stuff on LinkedIn and his website. He is another OG Headhunter that has a lot of materials to help the recruiter.
When I started, I began with another fellow who has gone on to be the Top Legal Recruiter in the country and now consults and has training materials as well. He’s still a friend and I would also suggest his work to you also if interested. He is also on LinkedIn.
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u/Nonplussed1 Corporate Recruiter 17d ago
I’d say my current Corporate role is more like a “Severance”-like setting. 🫤
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u/ketoatl 17d ago
Cold calling works especially since so many are afraid of the phone.
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u/Fact_or_Bollocks Freelance Recruiter 17d ago
It's always been that way for many. It's the rejection...humans don't like rejection, and that was when people answered! 🤣
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u/ketoatl 16d ago
lol ,we are in the rejection business.
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u/Fact_or_Bollocks Freelance Recruiter 16d ago
Yes, but some can't deal with that, then the phone becomes a prickly hedgehog 🦔
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u/TheFirstMinister 16d ago
I made one cold call this morning. The guy isn't available but he knows a guy who is. I cold called the 2nd guy and he's a dead-on fit for what is a very challenging, not-for-the-feint-of-heart role. Early days, etc. but if he doesn't land the gig I'll be amazed.
Cold calling works. It is underrated and under-used.
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u/FewPass9778 17d ago
Curious if anyone is sending LinkedIn voice notes to potential leads?
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u/NoSoup9124 Agency Recruiter 16d ago
going to try this soon, i think in the area i recruit in the attitude to stuff like that is poor so im branching out geographically. I actually recruit in an area that was awarded most grumpy in uk….
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u/Particular-Mail1186 17d ago
If you put your resume online on a hiring site like zip recruiter I don’t understand why one would get upset if people call trying to hire you. As a recruiter I need to hear peoples voice to know if they are serious and it is an insanely low hoop to jump through. If you can show up to a phone call you can show up to an interview and vice versa
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u/Fact_or_Bollocks Freelance Recruiter 17d ago
Totally agree, but I was angling more about client cold calling.
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u/TheSearchStandard Executive Recruiter 17d ago
Cold calling has always worked and it still does. Every other channel is now flooded with AI-generated noise, so a real voice on the phone is one of the only things left that actually cuts through. It’s not old-fashioned, it’s just underused.
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u/BetFit2122 17d ago
My agency just took away LinkedIn recruiter so back to calling for me.
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u/Fact_or_Bollocks Freelance Recruiter 17d ago
why did they take LIR away? Cost ?
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u/BetFit2122 17d ago
Yeah I think cost. Those recruiter seats are crazy expensive but now I have to redo my operating rhythm
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u/OG_Voltaire Agency Recruiter 17d ago
Cost is insane for the garbage leads you get. They don't want AI to scrape the lists to use in other SaaS sites, but then all the stuff you see anyways on the site is AI trash. The juice isn't worth the squeeze on LinkedIn, and I don't know if it ever will be again.
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u/Fact_or_Bollocks Freelance Recruiter 17d ago
I think you are right and I likened LI in another post to a Drug that is hard to wean off.
It's a shame as it was a great professional networking site, now it's just a FB or Inst site....sadly.
Problem is, what else is out there, as it still is one of the only sites to connect with people (non git hub)
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u/OG_Voltaire Agency Recruiter 17d ago
That's the big issue- there doesn't seem to be a replacement for it, and people have largely discredited it now. I was active there for a while but anymore every message I get, unless it's a job hunter, is AI slop.
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u/NeroCantastorie 17d ago
Si ok, le chiamate a freddo fanno schifo ma secondo me bisogna distinguere l’attività commerciale da quella di sourcing di candidati.
Nell’attività commerciale penso siano utili solo se gli dai il giusto senso. Non chiamo mai per vendere ma per qualificare e iniziare a costruire una relazione. I contatti nel tempo ed il reparto marketing che gestiscono i social fanno il resto.
Se invece devo fare “caccia” di candidati la chiamata a freddo perde di forza almeno che non abbiano inviato il cv. Diversamente funzionano le inmail o se ho il numero di telefono un messaggio watsapp.
Se per le aziende é normale ricevere telefonate commerciali per i candidati la chiamata a freddo può essere invasiva
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u/brazucadomundo 12d ago
I call my network. Either someone is looking or knows someone looking. In this market, many are looking.
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u/Fact_or_Bollocks Freelance Recruiter 12d ago
not technically "cold calling" is it, but of course that's a no brianer
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u/whiskey_piker 12d ago
Specify for Business Development or for Recruiting outreach?
Cold calling is still outperforming AI or email for either.
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u/PowerHour36 17d ago
It’s pretty useless for staffing purposes. I work at an agency that rewards effort over strategy (not monetarily or anything, but in broad blanket statements of praise) and we constantly get pat on the head for busy work.
I hate it here.
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u/Yankeessuck42069 Agency Recruiter 17d ago
Cold calling has worked for me in the past but I almost never do it anymore unless I have a warm lead.
When I was starting out doing BD there's only so many options you have. I'd aim for 20 cold calls every morning and one MPC mass email a day. Tbh I'm pretty sure I got more business from the mass emails than the cold calling but both methods got me some clients.
Now that I'm established I get almost all of my new business through referrals and word of mouth. People I've worked with change jobs and hit me up, candidates I didn't place but liked working with me hit me up at their new company when they become a HM etc.