The Pre-Qualifying Technique
Some years ago, I had the opportunity to visit the Idaho office of a recruiter I consider the most complete professional in our business. To protect his identity, I’ll simply refer to him as Dan. If you know me, you probably know who I’m talking about.
I nicknamed him Robocruiter—inspired by the 1987 movie Robocop: Part Man, Part Machine, All Cop. Well, Dan was Part Man, Part Machine, and All Recruiter.
What I Witnessed That Morning
One particular morning, I began my desk-level training rounds in Dan’s office. As always, he was making marketing calls to start his day.
During one of these calls, he identified a potential client need and began writing down the job order. But then—he paused.
He said something that stopped me in my tracks:
“I think I can help you, but let me explain how I work.”
When the Hiring Manager (HM) replied that they’d worked with recruiters before, Dan calmly stated:
“That’s fine, but you’ve never worked with me. I may be a little different than what you’re used to.”
And then he launched into his seven non-negotiables:
Robocruiter’s 7 Non-Negotiables
1. The Fee
“My service charge is 30% of the realistic first year’s earnings. It’s not negotiable. My time is as valuable as the next guy’s—and I’ll need your OK on this today because this will be the last time we talk about that.”
2. The Guarantee
“I offer a 30-day guarantee. If the candidate doesn’t start, I’ll refund the fee. If they quit or are terminated within 30 days, I’ll credit my fee toward their replacement—and I’ll need your OK on this today because this will be the last time we talk about that.”
3. The Type of Candidates
“I recruit high-performing professionals—currently working, well-compensated, and appreciated. I will not present job hoppers, job shoppers, or those scanning job boards. That means I likely won’t have a resume, so don’t ask for one—it only slows down the process. I’ll need your OK on this today because this will be the last time we talk about that.”
4. Offer Management
“All offers must come through me. As a buffer and impartial third party, I can virtually guarantee the right offer will be accepted—and I’ll need your OK on this today because this will be the last time we talk about that.”
5. In-Depth Job Order Requirement
“We’ll need to schedule a time to take a deep dive into the job order. I’ll need your OK on this today because this will be the last time we talk about that.”
6. Post-Interview Feedback
“I’ll need to set a scheduled time for us to discuss candidate feedback post-interview. To respect both our time, we’ll create an agenda—quick, focused, efficient. I’ll need your OK on this today because this will be the last time we talk about that.”
7. Open Access Communication
“I’ll need timely access to you—so I’ll require your home and mobile numbers, just in case. Also, we’ll prearrange a daily time to check in if needed. I’ll need your OK on this today because this will be the last time we talk about that.”
My Jaw Dropped
When Dan hung up, he looked over and saw my expression—jaw dropped, eyes wide.
He said, “What?”
I replied, “Do you do that every time you write a Job Order?”
He smiled. “Yes. Every time.”
“And it works?” I asked.
“Yes. Always.”
“But I can’t believe Hiring Managers agree to all that!”
Dan shook his head.
“Bob, you’re missing the point. I want them to disagree with me.”
He explained that most job orders fall into the ‘Can’t Help’ category. His method quickly filters out bad clients. If an HM can’t agree to his terms, he thanks them and moves on—grateful he didn’t spend 15 days chasing ghosts, wasting time, and sacrificing income.
A Technique Worth Remembering
That cold, snowy morning in Boise, I witnessed a sea change moment in how I thought about pre-qualification.
Over the years, as I traveled, trained, and listened to top-producing recruiters, I saw that nearly all of them—in one form or another—practiced the same pre-qualifying technique I first saw from Robocruiter.
About “The Simple Brilliance of…”
The Simple Brilliance of is a series of insights drawn from Bob Marshall’s encounters with the great thinkers, producers, and leaders in the recruiting industry—collected over more than 25 years.