How a recruitment agency should call candidates: from the first call to the result
Sado AI team · · 4 min read
In short
A recruitment agency talks to a candidate four times: a first call on the day they apply, a short screen in that same call, an interview booking with a reminder the day before, then the result. In the first call describe the vacancy briefly and ask only what’s not in the CV: interest, expected salary, where they live, when they can start. Tell every candidate the result, even a no. An AI operator can call large numbers of candidates; the recruiter makes the decision.
Four calls with a candidate
| Call | When | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| First contact | The day they apply | Check interest, describe the vacancy briefly |
| Screening | In the same call | Check 3–5 must-have requirements |
| Booking and reminder | After screening; the day before the interview | Day, time, address; confirm they’re coming |
| Result | By the promised date | Next stage or a polite no |
Candidates call you too: “Has my CV been looked at?”. Log those questions and let the recruiter answer at set hours.
How the first call goes
- Say who you are and which vacancy you’re calling about. Agree in advance whether you may name the client company.
- Ask if they’re still looking: some have already found a job.
- Describe the vacancy in three sentences: role, location, hours and, if the client allows, the salary range.
- Ask what’s not in the CV: expected salary, where they live, when they can start.
- If they fit, book the interview. If not, thank them and ask if they agree to stay in your database for other vacancies.
Sado: Assalomu alaykum, this is Malika from Iqtidor recruitment agency. Sardor, you applied for the sales manager vacancy. Is now a good time?
Caller: Yes, it is.
Sado: The job is in Sergeli, Monday to Friday, 9 to 6. Base salary plus bonus. Does it interest you?
Caller: It does. What’s the base?
Sado: Between 6 and 8 million so‘m, plus bonus. What are you expecting, and when could you start?
Caller: Around 8 million. I can start in two weeks.
Sado: Noted. The interview with our recruiter is Wednesday at 11 — at the office or online?
Caller: Online, please.
What puts candidates off
- A call a week after they applied.
- Questions about things already in the CV.
- Answering a salary question with “we’ll tell you at the interview”.
- Calling again and again during working hours: they may be at work, so ask for a good time.
- Silence after the interview.
How to give the result
Always give the result, good or bad. Sample phrases:
- Next stage: “Our client would like a second interview with you. Is Thursday or Friday better?”
- No: “This time another candidate was chosen. Thank you for your time. May we call you if a suitable vacancy comes up?”
- Waiting: “The client hasn’t decided yet; we’ll call you on Friday.”
Handing mass candidate calls to an AI operator
You upload the candidate list as an Excel file to Auto-calls, or connect the Google Sheet where applications land: the operator calls every new row itself and writes the result back into the sheet. Sado’s AI operator speaks Uzbek or Russian, asks your questions, books interviews and reminds the day before. If a candidate says “not now”, it calls back at a better time.
Each candidate’s answers are in the portal and Excel, where the recruiter sorts them and decides whom to invite. If a candidate calls in, the operator notes the question and creates a task for the recruiter. More: outbound calls and AI for incoming calls. Try it live or call 78 778 01 23.
Questions
Do we need consent to call candidates?
Calling a candidate who applied for a vacancy about that vacancy is normal practice. Uzbekistan has a law on personal data: ask for consent to keep them in your database and delete what you don’t need. If in doubt, ask a lawyer.
Can the AI tell candidates they were rejected?
That’s the agency’s call. It’s better when the recruiter decides and chooses the words; the AI operator takes first contact, screening and reminders.
What if a candidate realises it’s a robot?
Asked, the AI operator never claims to be human. The conversation is live: it listens, answers questions and transfers to a recruiter if needed.