INNER GAME OF RECRUITING
by Connie Kadansky

Recruiters underperform because they don’t make enough telephone calls. They don’t place as many people because they don’t have enough prospective candidates and/or companies to market candidates to.

Telephoning is the one defining core competency that is absolutely essential for success in recruiting.

In 1970, George W. Dudley and Shannon L. Goodson, behavioral scientists, began formal studies of potentially high-producing recruiters and salespeople who were under-performing because of emotional discomfort with prospecting. They have been specializing in this area ever since. What they uncovered is a discrete pattern of escape and avoidance associated with establishing first contact. The hesitation to make the initial contact is an emotional twitch that impairs the ability of otherwise talented, capable people to establish first contact with prospects.

When the hesitation is found in recruiters, it exacts a spirit-crushing toll on telephoning behavior, placing an artificially low emotional limit on the number of calls one can comfortably make. When this happens, a recruiter experiences what we call Recruiting Reluctanceâ.

Unlike popular designations like “fear of rejection” which is broad, recruiting reluctance is highly specific. Anyone experiencing “rejection” is actually rejecting themselves and projecting it outward.

Type Is Important

Call Reluctanceâ is not another buzzword. It has an objective reality, which means that it exists whether you think it does nor not. By using properly designed and calibrated assessment instruments, it can be objectively measured.

To complicate matters somewhat, Recruiting Reluctanceâ is a moving target with a multiple personality. It can assume eleven distinct prospecting-avoidant identities. That’s one reason trainers, managers and psychologists have had such a difficult time dealing with it over the years. They presumed it was one thing and tried to correct it accordingly.

Knowing which of the 11 types holds you or your recruiters hostage is important.

General Hesitation	Energy overly-invested in worrying about recruiting activities instead of actually initiating contact.
Over-Preparation	Over-analyzes, underacts. Overly-invested in habitual planning, preparing and information gathering prior to contacting prospective recruits; may be characterized by a more reserved and “educational” rather than spontaneous recruiting style.
Image Projection	Energy overly-invested in creating and presenting a polished, professional image to others, often at the expense of actually initiating contact with prospective recruits. May avoid activities thought to be inconsistent with a successful, credible image.
Group Presentations	Characterized by habitual avoidance of public speaking or other group activities.
Role Conflict	Energy overly-invested in unresolved feelings of guilt or shame associated with being a recruiter; may cope by trying to maintain an over-positive attitude at all times, or by using a sophisticated euphemism to disguise the recruiting function.
Yielder	Energy overly-invested in rapport-building at the expense of assertive recruiting due to fear of being perceived as rude, pushy or intrusive; may be characterized by a reliance on “consultative” techniques that disguise the straightforward, assertive nature of the recruiting function.
Social Self-Esteem	Energy overly-invested in censoring or modifying one’s behavior when contacting prospective recruits perceived to be socially superior; may be characterized by feelings of intimidation when in the presence of wealthy, educated, powerful and prestigious people.
Referral-Networking Avoidance	Energy overly-invested in discomfort with asking current contacts to facilitate meetings with other prospective recruits; characterized by fear of jeopardizing current relationships by seeking referrals to new contacts.
Family/Friends NetworkingAvoidance	Energy overly-invested in keeping relationships with relatives or personal friends absolutely separate from recruiting activities; hesitation to ask family or friends to make introductions to help network, even when such contacts are available and appropriate; may be characterized by insupportable, emotional excuses for not asking family or friends to assist in recruiting activities.
Telephobia	Energy overly-invested in emotional discomfort with using the telephone as a recruiting tool; may be characterized by over-reliance on alternative methods of contact (including personal meetings and email) when using the phone would be as or more effective.
Oppositional Reflex	Energy overly-invested in reflexively arguing, blaming, criticizing and finding fault; characterized by inability to accept management, training, coaching or advice from others.

Call Reluctance® carries with it heavy emotional and financial costs. Think about how they may apply to you or someone you know.

Most cases of Call Reluctance® are acquired. The good news is that, since these behaviors are learned, they can be unlearned with proper training and modern psychological countermeasures. But not all behaviors respond best to the same treatment. That’s why proper diagnosis of the specific type is essential.

Connie Kadansky, President of Exceptional Sales Performance, focuses on identifying and eliminating the #1 recruiting hang up. Contact Connie at 602-997-1101 or connie@exceptionalsales.com.

Call Reluctance® and Recruiting Reluctance® are registered trademarks of Behavioral Sciences Research Press.

Exceptional Sales Performance 8724 N. Sixth Drive • Phoenix AZ 85021 Phone: 602.997.1101 • Fax: 602.678.0754 Email: connie@exceptionalsales.com Copyright © 2001-2006 Exceptional Sales Performance