“We Don’t Use Agencies” – How to Decode Recruitment Objections

If you’ve worked in recruitment, you’ve heard this line — and probably a dozen variations:

• “We’ve got it covered.”

These phrases are delivered with confidence, and many recruiters take them at face value. But here’s the truth: not every objection is genuine, and not every client is saying what they really mean.

Why “We Don’t Use Agencies” Isn’t Always True

Recruitment sales professionals have been hearing these objections for decades. In fact, Jeremy Snell started in recruitment in the mid-1990s and has heard the same lines — just without Bullhorn or digital CRM systems.
Confidence does not equal commercial validity. Just because a client says they don’t use agencies doesn’t mean you can’t build a relationship, uncover opportunities, or add value.

Fob-Offs vs. Genuine Recruitment Objections

Most recruiters are trained to “handle objections,” but very few learn to identify fob-offs: polite ways for a client to end a conversation without a true commercial objection.

Understanding the difference between a fob-off and a genuine client objection is a key recruitment sales skill:

• Genuine objections: Real barriers that need addressing, like budget limits or hiring process constraints.
• Fob-offs: Surface-level statements that mask deeper intentions or simply delay engagement.

Recognising the difference can help you improve candidate sourcing, win more clients, and close more placements.

How to Handle Recruitment Objections Effectively

Instead of relying on scripts or generic rebuttals, top recruiters use:

• Strategic questioning – uncover what the client really means.
• Tone as a tool – adjust your delivery to guide conversations.
• Micro-advances – small steps that move the client closer to engagement.

These methods are far more effective than memorised responses and help you convert objections into opportunities.

Jeremy Snell has condensed decades of experience into a 30-page field guide designed for recruitment consultants. The guide helps you:

• Decode real vs. fake recruitment objections
• Access 260+ mapped questions for temp, perm, and contract roles
• Use the Tone Deployment Framework to control conversations
• Track progress with micro-advances
• Turn fob-offs into commercial intelligence

This is not a script pack — it’s a practical field guide built from tens of thousands of real recruitment calls.

Why Recruitment Objection Handling Matters

Mastering objection handling is not about talking louder. It’s about listening, understanding, and responding with intent.
When you can differentiate between a genuine barrier and a polite dismissal, your client engagement improves, your placement rates increase, and your recruitment agency grows stronger.