There is nothing worse than getting a driver to apply for an open position only to drop the ball during the first conversation. Every driver recruiter knows the feeling of a call where you don’t quite connect with a driver. It can be incredibly frustrating, especially if it becomes a trend.

Jackie McManus, President of KJ Media, believes the recruiting process needs to cater to the new generation of drivers: “The trucking industry is experiencing a 98% turnover rate, making it clear that what we’ve done in the past isn’t working for the younger generation. In this industry, we’re all in this together, which is why we need to start thinking about driver recruitment in a more forward-thinking way.” 

The typical window for creating a connection is 30 seconds. Within that short time frame, our minds start racing and we decide whether or not we trust the person on the other end of the line. This becomes all the more important when you are fighting to fill a monthly quota. Like most skills, the ability to create a connection with any driver that lands on your desk requires practice. We can bring you quality leads, but these tips will help initiate more successful conversations as you first reach out to prospective drivers. 

Take Your Time

In today’s market, the driver is quite literally at the steering wheel. With drivers in demand, it comes down to being faster than the competition and making a good impression. Recruiters should be spending at least 30 minutes with a qualified lead. We know that phone calls take a lot of effort, but taking the time to show you care about what they have to say will go a long way.

Smiles Are Contagious

Smiling when you are on the phone might not be the first thing that comes to mind, but people are incredibly perceptive. Drivers that are shopping for a new carrier are more likely to go deeper into the recruiting pipeline if they feel that they are welcomed from the start.

We all have bad days, but turning that frown upside down could be the difference between connecting with a driver and having them ghost you afterward. Make sure that you leave it all at the door and smile when picking up each and every phone call.

Think Beyond the Surface

You know that you have a set number of qualification questions that you need to get through even before you start the conversation and time is money. Before you dive head-first into your process, take a step back and think beyond the surface-level questions that will help you check off those boxes. After all, there is another person on the other end of the line.

You will be surprised how people will open up if you ask simple questions about their day and why they applied. Take the “how is your day going?” a step further. Ask where they are currently dispatched to, when they will be home next, or if they are traveling by themselves(people love talking about their pets). These types of open-ended questions require the other person to interact and can give you information later used to seal the deal.

Ultimately, the person on the other end of that phone call is a human. That’s why it’s crucial to treat it like a natural, two-way conversation.

Ask, Then Listen

Once you ask the question you have to give them time to respond. This is one of the biggest challenges for recruiters because every second counts and if the driver is not qualified you want to be on to the next applicant. Keep in mind that there are no bad conversations in recruiting.

If you are able to resist the urge, you will be able to pick up on a wealth of information about the driver, some of which might help you in the qualification process. Even if there is a little awkward silence, that is OK. Recruiting is a two-way interview and the conversation cannot be dominated by one party.

Asking open-ended questions is an excellent way to show you’re actively listening, an essential skill to successful recruiting. It also helps you get to know what they’re looking for: reasons why they’re seeking a new job, what benefits they’re looking for, their background and previous employment, and more. Pro tip: write out these questions prior to the call so you can help guide the conversation. 

Match Tone and Speed

In sales, mirroring your prospect is a tried and tested technique that creates flow within the conversation and sets the other person at ease. This same approach can be implemented when you are on the phone talking to a driver. The challenge? Mirroring is simple in concept but difficult to execute time and again. The end goal is to match the other person step for step.

If they are speaking quickly, you match their rate. If they are speaking slowly, dial it back a notch or two. So what does this accomplish? In short, it builds trust. A salesperson that speaks really quickly when the buyer moves more slowly can come across as pushy and can kill the deal. On the flip side, speaking slower when the prospect is excited can lead them to believe that you are not excited to talk with them. In many ways, mirroring is like a dance, the other person leads and you simply follow.

Trust and Communication

Interviewing for a job and having it be totally different when you start is like buying a table and having it arrive with three legs! Nothing is worse than not getting what you paid for. That’s why it’s imperative that you set expectations upfront by clearly outlining what it will be like for the first 30, 60, and 90 days. If the driver is a quality candidate, be clear about the next steps before wrapping up the call. The driver should leave the call feeling excited about the job and armed with reasons to choose your company instead of another. 

If you realize during your call that the job your interviewing them for isn’t the one they want, be transparent and give them the roadmap on how they can get there within a set time frame. If they’re a better fit for a different company, give them a contact they can reach out to.

Even if you’re not getting the lead now, this gesture could build lasting trust, and maybe they’ll even reach back out in the future. 

Connections Lead to Hires

Whether you implement one or all of these tips on your next recruiting call, make sure that you always remember that marketing can only get the driver to your door. The conversation, and more importantly the connection, between the driver and recruiter, is what leads to hires. If you find that drivers are constantly falling off early in the hiring process, make sure that you are adding the human element back into the equation.

The KJ Media team has been helping fleets of all shapes and sizes improve their recruiting, driver programs, and lead pipeline. Connect with our team to learn more about our marketing solutions and we can find a time to see what fits your fleet.