In this episode of our Deep Dive series, we tackle one of the biggest blind spots in recruitment: knowing when to stop selling and start negotiating. It’s a subtle shift. Miss it, and you risk giving too much away, too soon
Selling and Negotiation are like Fire and Water – Elemental yet Completely Different
Drawing insights from ‘The Weekly Walkaway' newsletter.
Selling vs Negotiating: Why Recruiters Keep Losing Power
Selling gets you in the room. Negotiating gets the deal done.
Most recruiters get stuck in the first half. They keep persuading, pitching, and justifying long after the client or candidate is already interested. The problem? Overselling makes you look needy. And in negotiation, neediness is weakness.
Selling and negotiating are not just different, they’re opposites. One builds desire. The other shapes agreement. Selling is emotional. Negotiation is strategic.
So when do you make the switch?
That’s where the RAD framework comes in:
Relationship: Do you have trust and rapport?
Awareness: Do they fully understand the value?
Demand: Is there genuine interest?
If those three aren’t in place, keep selling. If they are, stop talking and start negotiating.
Brought to you via the dark magic of Google NotebookLM, enjoy!
We negotiate all of the time so it makes sense to get good at it. Invest in yourself.
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