3 Sales-Inspired Recruitment Cold Call Scripts That Turn Candidates Into Hires


Cold calling is difficult whether you’re in sales or in recruitment. Of course, it’s a little easier to ‘sell’ the idea that you’re offering a candidate a sweet new job- much easier than trying to sell them a vacuum cleaner! Even so, you have to be great at winning people round to get ahead. That’s where effective cold calling scripts come in. Having a script gives you a solid foundation, a platform from which to succeed.

The only problem? You might not be a creative writer! Unfortunately, you don’t necessarily get a lot of English Lit graduates in sales. It’s likely that you’ll end up with a script that got dragged backwards through a thesaurus, or one that’s terribly boring. That’s why we’ve crafted these awesome cold calling recruitment scripts for you below.

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Why Use a Script For Cold Calling?

First things first, we think it’s important to outline the real benefits of scripted calls. There are some well known drawbacks: call handlers can become too reliant on them, they can come off as robotic and inflexible, and candidates can sometimes see through that. But that’s a problem of hiring and poor scriptwriting. With a good script, you can expect:

  • Measurable success. If call handlers follow the script correctly, you can use A/B testing to improve it over time.
  • Better customer service. A big part of scripting is to include customer service standards, which call handlers can sometimes forget. Think ‘Is there anything else I can help you with today?’
  • Efficiency. Building rapport is one thing, but going off on a tangent or waffling is another. Using a flexible-ish script can cut out the vast majority of time wasting.

So while scripts do have some downsides, they have a real plethora of benefits. Below we’ve outlined a few scripts to show these points in action, and after each script, we’ve included a commentary to explain what each script is trying to achieve. Let’s take a look.

Script 1: Bare Bones

Comments: This is a basic, go-to script with no frills. There are a couple of important ideas that we’re introducing here. First is to immediately let the candidate who you are, and where you’re calling from. If you don’t, the first question you’ll be asked on every single call is ‘Hold on- who are you, and why do I have to listen to you?’ Needless to say, every single script should tell a candidate who you are and why you’re calling. It’s basic customer service and professionalism.

The second point is to close your intro with a question, to engage with the candidate and get them talking. If you’re blathering on through paragraph after paragraph of script, your candidate’s eyes will glaze over and you’ll lose them, guaranteed. Get them talking and engaging instead, because at least then you could deal with their objections as they arise, and at best, you’ve earned yourself a hire.

Script 2: Yes, Yes, Yes!

Comments: Again, a couple of points here. Every sentence is short and to the point, not rambling and difficult to follow. You also demonstrate your expertise (i.e. ‘we specialise…’) which shows that you’re not cold calling random people. This is so, so important because recruitment relies on making candidates feel special and head-hunted. If you can inflate their ego just a little bit, you’re halfway to a hire.

Also, a quick note about the question at the end of the script. When you ask a question in a cold call, you want it to be one that’s easier to say yes to than it is to say no to. ‘Does that make sense?’ is a good example, and there are plenty from sales: think ‘Would you like to save money on your car insurance?’ or ‘Would you like a free sample?’ Getting the candidate saying yes puts them in a positive, open frame of mind.

Script 3: The Hard Sell

Comments: This script is blunt, maybe a little on the nose, but for a good reason. In sales cold calling, you have to remember your ABC: always be closing. Every part of your conversation should be focused directly on your end goal of closing the sale, or in this case, making the hire.

Like it or not when you answer the call, but cold calling businesses thrive by using these kinds of blunt tactics. Here, the question isn’t an aimless one like ‘How are you today?’ or ‘How’s the weather?’ It’s very much let’s get down to business.

And there you have it! Three sweet scripts that are guaranteed to convert candidates into hires. If you’re going to take anything away from these scripts, remember this: just as important as what you say is how you say it. Every call should be professional, friendly and polite, even if your candidate isn’t. A good phone manner combined with a solid script is always going to be a winner.