IES Blog

Recruitment styles: Screening versus selling

Posted on August 16th, 2013 Read time: 1 minutes

In recruiting, there are a variety of possible perspectives professionals might employ. The philosophy a particular recruiter has is important, as it will guide his or her interactions with candidates and perhaps the results he or she achieves. One view on recruiting holds that it is the task of talent acquisition personnel to screen out candidates who will not succeed to make the best hire. Another maintains it is important for recruiters to sell potential employees on the benefits of the position to acquire top talent.

Whether seeking permanent or temporary workers, recruiters must concentrate their efforts to prevent high employee turnover, which can have significant costs to a business. By screening out those who are unlikely to be able to perform, according to a series of articles in Inc. magazine, recruiters will be able to create a workforce that is well suited to the demands of the position. An article on  ERE.net, though, argues sales skills are vital to top recruiters. Once qualified candidates have been identified, it's important to overcome their objections and ensure they take the positions offered.

It may simply be that these two different perspectives are useful at different points of the talent acquisition process – screening first, and selling later. Recruiters should consider their own philosophical dispositions toward their work and how it impacts their results.

Related Articles