How do you sell without being salesy?

A candidate recently told me that he knows I’m working for the company that's hiring, but at the same time he truly feels that I’m his advocate.

I’ve been thinking a lot about sales lately, how it’s in all facets of recruiting. From pitching the role to prospects, gauging interest through the process, and getting through the inevitable hiccups and pivots. Being thought of for retained searches, winning them, guiding clients through the market, the process, and the offer. Plus, there’s the other dimension of candidates selling themselves to interviewers and hiring managers selling the opportunity.

This will likely be a series of posts.

For now, let’s start with the big picture. What that candidate said to me, how I balanced being his advocate while being paid by the client to fill the job.

This comes down to a few things.

- For one, the end goal: not just to fill the job, but to fill the job with the right person. This means we have to know who the right person really is, deep down. This comes from relationships, trust, and curiosity.

- Two: sales isn't about putting people in an uncomfortable spot where they think you’re pushy, or simply talking at them. Many recruiters get a bad rap, justifiably so, because they push before the nod, or lack self-awareness of their audience.

I view sales not as pushing information onto someone, but about asking questions and understanding what makes someone tick, what’s important to them, and presenting the right information. I listen to the tone of their voice, their interest, excitement, and hesitation.

For example, let’s say I’m pitching a job to a candidate and they have a concern. I could say:

- “No! It's not like that at this company. This is a great job and here’s why.”

- “Hm, I hear you, let’s figure that out. Why don’t you meet with the hiring manager and we’ll see how you feel afterwards.”

- Or get curious, and say, “Tell me more, why are you asking?” and then give our opinion of the situation and ideal next steps. We can also flag these concerns to the client so they can address this head on.

Recruiting is so nuanced! I love this work.

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