There isn’t a recruiter out there who hasn’t experienced an on-the-fence candidate, claiming they need time to consider accepting (or rejecting) an offer. Perhaps candidates are hesitant about relocating, perhaps they have questions or concerns about the compensation package, or perhaps they aren’t sold on the company culture. Regardless of the reason, it can be very frustrating. So, how can you close the deal and secure the definitive “yes”?
The art of persuasion is here to help.
To provide a bit of context, I studied Communications at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (as one of my three minors); during my studies, I took a course on the art of persuasion. Since then, I’ve been fascinated by the combination of marketing and persuasion. My professor was incredible and taught me more than I could have ever imagined. He also introduced me to Robert Cialdini’s Six Principles of Persuasion. More importantly, he taught us how to sincerely use these principles in everyday life. The six principles are:
1) Reciprocity – You’re more likely to be rewarding toward others if you feel rewarded in return.
2) Commitment (and Consistency) – You’re more likely to follow through with something if you’ve made a legitimate commitment (either verbally or in writing).
3) Social Proof – You’re more likely to say “yes” if others, people you know and respect, are making the same decisions.
4) Liking – You’re more likely to be influenced by people you like.
5) Authority – You’re more likely to say “yes” to people in positions of power (i.e., your manager).
6) Scarcity – You’re more likely to say “yes” to something if its availability is limited.
Before we dig into how recruiters can use these principles, this advertisement from the 1940’s—More Doctor’s Smoke Camel’s than any Other Cigarette—provides some much needed context.
The advertisement features three of the above principles: Authority, Social Proof and Liking.
Authority
Authority is present via one simple term – Doctor. If Doctors are smoking, then it must be healthy. The advertisement states, “The doctor is a scientist, a diplomat, and a friendly sympathetic human being all in one.” As if the Authority of a doctor wasn’t enough, Camel also added terms “scientist” and “diplomat” to the mix.
Social Proof
Social proof can be found in several areas, including “Nationwide survey”. It’s not just a small gathering of Doctors that was polled; it was nationwide! The font below the main image states, “Doctors in every branch of medicine – 113,997 in all – were queried in this nationwide survey.” That’s a large number of doctors, more than enough to provide the necessary Social Proof.
Liking
Finally, Liking is presented via the phrase mentioned above: “friendly sympathetic human being.” Simply stated, people like doctors, and they are likely to be influenced by them.
Now that you’ve seen how some of these tactics are used for marketing and advertising purposes, it’s time for the fun part – putting them into action as recruiters. I chose this particular advertisement because it used the three principles I believe are the most relevant to recruiters when trying to close the deal. Let’s explore.
Authority
As a recruiter, Authority comes with the territory. However, it can be challenging to use without sounding arrogant. If candidates are on the fence and you’re trying to garner a commitment, sometimes a little name dropping can be effective. You might want to say, if applicable, something like, “ was very impressed and would love the opportunity to work with you.” Simple, sure, but it’s persuasive and can provide the necessary push for closing a requisition.
Social Proof
This is where you drop some of the accolades your company/client may have received. This can be particularly effective if they’ve received a Best Place to Work or other employee-centered recognition. The more awards, honorable mentions or formal praises you can leverage are only going to help your cause and edge the candidate closer to the “yes” side of the fence.
Liking
Liking may be more difficult for some than others, but this is probably the most effective principle for sealing the deal. There’s not much I can teach you about being likeable, but that’s what makes this principle so powerful. Looking back on job offers I’ve received, I can say that liking the recruiter was taken into consideration. In my mind, since I liked the recruiter, I believed that the company hires similar personalities—other people I would probably enjoy working with.
You’ll begin to notice each of the six principles throughout your daily life. And because of your increased awareness, you’ll either love or hate me. Hopefully it’s the former, and hopefully greater awareness into these simple techniques helps you realize the simple yet effective art of persuasion.
Post contributed by Andrew Rojahn, Cielo Senior Social Media Specialist. Connect with me on LinkedIn and Twitter.