No Shows on In-depths—

What to do?

We have been hearing about an uptick in no-shows for the in-depth phase of the selection process. We have a few tips on how to get candidates to ‘stick’.

Set them up for success in the initial:

“Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. It was nice getting to know you a bit better and based on your background in sales, frustration in being capped in income, and eagerness to take your career to the next level, I do think it would be in your interest to explore the career a bit more. I’d like to schedule some time for you to meet with our Managing Partner where she/he can dig more into the business itself and how impactful it can be to you and your clients”

If they are hesitant, OR they are saying yes but your gut tells you they are nervous…. Take some of the pressure off by saying something like: “I can sense a little hesitation and let me just tell you, neither of us knows for sure this is the right career for you right now. Again, based on what you have shared with me, I do think it is worth your time to explore further.”

Check in with them the day before the in-depth:

“Hi! Just wanted to reach out and let you know that {Leader’s name} is really excited to meet with you tomorrow. Please let me know what questions you have before your meeting.”

Have the Leader connect with the person on LinkedIn:

This helps SO much!

Note for the connection: “Hi {Name}, Wanted to connect with you on LinkedIn prior to our meeting. {Recruiter} said great things about you and I look forward to our conversation.”

If the completely no show you

There is a common mis-conception that if someone no shows they are a horrible person and their values don’t align with ours. Our thought process is that they enjoyed their initial meeting, obviously had some connection to NM, and maybe got scared by something they read online or something a friend said. While we agree it is very unprofessional to no show a meeting, that is a coachable moment (especially for younger candidates) and could be a good test to see how coachable they actually are.

  • If the no show JUST happened—-Call & Email them! Don’t just let it slide (we have all done it). “Hi, just wanted to make sure everything is alright. You were scheduled to meet with our leader at {time}. Call me back when you have a moment.”

  • If the no show happened two or three years ago— “Hi {Name}, A couple years ago you were exploring a career with Northwestern Mutual. The recruiter then said great things about you and I was reaching out to see if you wanted to re-visit the opportunity. Our advisors are thriving at the moment (and always) because people are in need of financial stability during these unstable times. Would you be open to a conversation?”

    • Here is how you find those people: Menu >> Bullhorn Reporting >> Appointment Outcome Report >> Pick a date range (ideally 6 months at a time) >> Your Office >> Generate Report >> Go to the In-depths, Thirds, and Offers >> Call them if they look good!

Enjoy!

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—This document and the information in it are provided for Northwestern Mutual Recruiters and Leadership Teams and may not be distributed to any other organization or used for any other purpose without written consent from Claire Myers Consulting.—