I know that the FAB is a ‘technique’, and not a person, but sometimes a technique takes
on a life of its own. Years ago, I had the privilege of belonging to a very strong group of
five recruitment trainers for a very large recruiting organization. Our little band of
brothers was led by Chuck Stevens and included myself, Larry Klos, Eric Lofton and
Vince Agresti. We were charged with traveling the nation to train, in both new and
tenured franchises and company store offices, state-of-the-art recruitment techniques.
We accomplished this by giving stand-up presentations and working desk-level with the
individual recruiters and managers. During this time, and based on the techniques of the
Superstars we observed, we started tinkering with how to best train how to market our
candidates. We started with the old Feature presentation and the pretty standard Feature-
Benefit presentation that you still hear today. But then we saw an evolution that was
taking place in the Superstar community. They were doing it a little bit differently. Here
is how the FAB evolved (it actually mutated more than you might think):
The Presentation Evolution:
F Features – This is the presentation that is merely a verbal recitation of the
resume. This is still very common today.
FB Feature-Benefit – Here we say the features and then tell the HMs how
they benefited the recruit’s current, or last, company.
FBP Feature-Benefit-Proof – This is where we state the Feature and the Benefit
and then add numbers to prove the benefit.
FaB Feature-accomplishment-Benefit – Now we put the proof in the middle of
the presentation and change it to a concrete accomplishment, but the
accomplishment was still considered less important than the other Features
and Benefits.
FAB Feature-Accomplishment-Benefit – Finally we have arrived at a
presentation where each component carries equal weight, equal
importance.
BAF Benefit-Accomplishment-Feature – Since Benefits are the most important
Grabbers, the presentation was reversed with the Benefit leading the way.
PBAF Personal Benefit-Accomplishment-Feature – The Benefit is fine, but a
personal benefit relates best to the Hiring Manager, so the beginning was
modified.
FBAF Feature-Benefit-Accomplishment-Feature – To satisfy the HMs logical
mode, a Feature was inserted at the front and then the rest followed.
FPBAF Feature-Personal Benefit-Accomplishment-Feature – And finally, the
presentation morphed into what we hear today from the Superstars.
We were almost there, but we had forgotten the most critical component—that is the
Close. And so we listened and learned and we found that the best recruiters among the
group used the F-PB-A-F presentation and then added a C at the end. The C was the
Close and it was preceded by the “I have arranged” set up. So, finally we had it! We had
the F-PB-A-F-C.
This is what it sounds like:
“John, I have just recruited a top-notch Sales Engineer. Here is a person who will make
you look good in the eyes of your boss. I say that because last year, in his current
position, he helped move his company’s (one of your competitors, by the way) 5th most
profitable territory to 1st place and he can do that kind of work for you. He’s been at this
most productive level for the past 5 years. So, this is what I’ve done. I have arranged for
him to be available to speak with interested parties this coming Monday or Wednesday.
This could be your lucky day because you are my first call. So, if you are interested,
which day is best for you?”
Now we wanted our Recruiters to have these FABs built for them. Here is what we
taught them to say to their recruits:
“Jim, when we present your background and experience to an employer, we want to show
how your employment will benefit both the organization and the employer as an
individual. We want to demonstrate how you can help improve profits, reduce costs and
just make things run better. We have learned that resumes, more often than not, result in
rejection rather than interviews. Because of this we seldom send a resume to a
prospective employer.”
“We have, instead, developed the Feature/Accomplishment/Benefit Presentation – FAB
for short – to use in presenting your background and experience to an employer.
Features are listed in the left column, accomplishments in the center and benefits in the
right column. The FAB presentation does several important things. It shows specifically
what you can do for the employer – how you will benefit him or her and the organization.
It details what you have accomplished in your current and previous positions. Finally, it
highlights your unique features and experiences. So, I will need you to complete the FAB
sheet for me. How do you prepare a FAB presentation? Let’s start by defining some
terms:”
“FEATURES – Facts about yourself.”
“ACCOMPLISHMENTS – Significant measurable results you obtained for your
current and past employers.”
“BENEFITS – Educated guesses of what you can do for a new employer based
on your accomplishments.”
“Next prepare a chronology of your work history. Make sure you have included all of
the positions you have held. Don’t forget the promotions! After you have prepared the
chronology, list all of your significant accomplishments for each of the positions. Go
ahead and list them all. This is not the time to be humble. The accomplishments should
be very specific and contain quantitative measures where appropriate.”
“After your lists of features and accomplishments have been completed, study them over.
Now identify what you can do for a new employer. How can you benefit him or her?
What are the most compelling reasons for a new employer to want to hire you over
someone else? Put these answers in the benefit column.”
“After you have completed your FAB presentation, go over it. Study it carefully. Have
you forgotten anything? Where can you include additional quantitative measures?
Numbers tell! Can a benefit be rephrased so you will look more attractive to an
employer? Is there an accomplishment from early in your career that is particularly
significant that should be included?”
“And finally, when you go to your interviews take your FAB sheet with you and be sure to
answer questions by relying on your FAB information – especially stressing how you can
benefit the new company.”
“Here is what a sample FAB sheet might look like:”
A Feature-Accomplishment-Benefit
(FAB) Worksheet
FEATURE ACCOMPLISHMENT BENEFIT
Facts about yourself Significant measurable results Educated guesses of
you obtained for your current what you can do for a
or past employers new employer based
on your features and
accomplishments
Identified costly, This has saved the He has a proven
labor intensive company approximately track record in
office duties which 350 man hours per week cost savings and
were inefficient & or $42,000 per month. can bring that
costing approx. In addition, the accuracy knowledge to
350 man hours per and reporting function you and your
week at an average has dramatically company.
cost of $20. per hr. improved.
Total weekly cost
was $10,500. Totally
automated, installed
and trained staff to
utilize a computerized
system.
“(The above is an example of one FAB entry on the FAB sheet. Your candidates, or
recruits, need to come up with as many as possible before they make a copy of the FAB
sheet and get that copy to you).”
There are 10 main reasons why the FAB presentation works so well:
- It demands action of your recruit/candidate.
- It takes the place of a resume and avoids your receiving one. If you don’t receive
a resume, you can’t very well send it along to your HM. - It gets the candidate thinking about how to sell themselves in a face-to-face
interview. It self-prepares them for their interviews. - It gives ammunition to your HM for his boss if he isn’t the boss.
- It separates ‘lookers’ from sincerely interested recruits.
- You can use it in your presentation, i.e., Sales Linkage.
- You can use it in your closes, i.e., Ben Franklin, CB, Negative-Yes, etc.
- It makes you unique in the eyes of both your recruits and your HMs.
- It makes an intelligent, sales presentation.
- It saves your time!
So there you have it—The FAB. In a nutshell, that is how the five of us introduced this
technique to the recruiting nation years ago. The proof of the impact of this technique is
that those who learned it and used it (and continue to use it today) exhibit top production.
Just ask Robocruiter!