Hold up cowboy. Just because someone is talking to you does not mean they want a job at your company. So — you have intrigued a passive candidate enough to open them up to a conversation. Great work! Now proceed carefully. I recommend you don’t take that as an offer to start grilling them with questions and coding tests just yet. Instead, look at it as the first step in relationship building. Strategic recruiting takes patience. Who has time for that, right? Good, solid and well-respected recruiters – that’s who!
Be a People Reader – Take notice of the candidate’s communication style. Whether over the phone or in person, pay attention to the cues you are receiving and communicate accordingly. If the person is a fast talker, stay on point in the conversation. If they are more casual and seem to prefer a bit of an ice breaker, perhaps you can share something non-work related with them. It can be as simple as mentioning something you did over the weekend, referencing an upcoming event like a wedding, or even a quick comment on the weather!
