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CHAPTER 6
RECRUITING
This chapter covers the actual art and science of
recruiting. We start with prospecting in each of the five
modes and then briefly highlight enlistment eligibility
requirements. Next we take a detailed look at the
psychology and techniques used to sell the Navy.
Wrapping up the chapter, we cover processing
requirements.
As you read the prospecting and sales portions of
this chapter, try to view the techniques and philosophies
through the eyes of your recruiters. Many “natural”
salespeople gravitate to the Career Recruiting Force
(CRF) community. To be a successful recruiter, you
may not have needed all the strategies. Now, as a
recruiting supervisor, you are responsible for providing
all the tools necessary for recruiting success to a variety
of sailors with different personalities and characteristics.
You must have a solid foundation of the basics to
provide effective training to all. Even experienced
recruiters who have regained their success after a period
of decreased productivity oftentimes credit the
turnaround to “getting back to basics.”
PROSPECTING
The word prospecting often brings to mind the
miners of old, with pick and shovel, in search of
valuable mineral deposits. The miners’ labors rarely met
with success without some mental consideration and
exploration. Like those miners, we too must exercise
mental forethought and marketing exploration to
achieve our goal of locating the valuable resources of
quality prospects. With proper planning all modes of
prospecting can yield results. Over the next several
paragraphs we cover the five prospecting modes known
as TRAMP (telephone, referrals, advertising, mail-outs,
and personally developed contacts [PDCs]).
TELEPHONE PROSPECTING
The telephone is a valuable time-saver for
prospecting. This method allows a recruiter to contact
the most prospects in the least amount of time. It also
can help to prequalify prospects to avoid wasted travel
and interview time. Correct telephone technique will
assure recruiters of legitimate contacts who are prepared
to meet with them at agreed times and places.
6-1
Plan Calls and Mentally Prepare
Just knowing that the telephone is an efficient
prospecting mode is not enough. Recruiters must plan
their calls and mentally prepare themselves to project
the proper image. The better the planning the more
likely the recruiter will be to achieve the goal of setting
an appointment. Random phone prospecting through
stacks of prospect cards can lead to frustration and
failure. You should train recruiters and remind them
from time to time about the purpose of a phone contact,
phone rejection, and phone power principles.
Purpose of a Phone Contact
Tell your recruiters that the purpose of a phone
contact is to sell themselves to the extent of setting an
appointment. They should never try to sell an
enlistment over the phone. Only answer objections that
have to do with getting an appointment on the phone.
Objections to the Navy are best handled by promising
to discuss them when they get together in person and
have the time to examine the objections properly.
Phone Rejection
Some recruiters may dread phone prospecting
because of the fear of rejection. They should understand
there are four major reasons for recruiters to get
rejected by prospects on the phone and only one of
those reasons has anything to do with the recruiter.
A phone call is always an interruption.
The prospect thinks the recruiter will take too
much of his or her time.
The prospect is busy at the time the recruiter
wants the appointment.
The recruiter is not interesting over the phone.
By understanding these reasons, the recruiter can
come to expect initial rejection over the phone and be
more prepared to overcome it through effective phone
techniques. A positive approach to rejection is
illustrated by the story of a young sailor who loved to
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