How do you politely tell recuiters "no"?

Im 22. So I still have recruiters call me every once in a while. I guess they get my number through the college. I don't want to treat them like telemarketers and just hang up or mess with them. I have a huge respect for our military (some of my best friends are serving right now) and I wish them luck in finding new recuits, but I dont wanna sit and talk for 10 minutes... So whats the best way to go about this ?? :shrug:

Tell them you've just signed on with the marines, you're leaving next month for basic. Then tell the Marines you've signed up to be a fly boy. This should get you off the lists.

"Sir, I appreciate the call, but I gotta tell you up front that my plans do not include enlisting." If he continues, you are under no duty to debate him about it. Thank him again and say you gotta go, and hang up.

If none of the above work or polite replies work, tell him that you and your boyfriend are considering moving to California and getting married, but that you may consider the Army afterwards...

I let my answering machine screen my calls. Only takes a sec to delete em. After a few tries most just give up. But if you can't do that just say no thanks and hang up. You aren't obligated to listen if you don't want to.

Ken_McE said:

Tell them you've just signed on with the marines, you're leaving next month for basic. Then tell the Marines you've signed up to be a fly boy. This should get you off the lists.

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That's kinda what I do with telemarketers for long distance company, I tell them I just signed up with them so they would stop calling.

Politeness didn't work for me.

This was about 15 years ago... but I had the Marines calling me and harassing me....


I tried to be polite, but the more nicer I got the more he pushed.

I finally told him that the Marines would be the LAST branch I'd want to join if I had to... which was true...

I told him I'd consider the Coast Guard, which was also true... and it also got him off my back.

Best thing to do is screen it through your answering machine. Anyone important in my life knows my wife and I do this and they leave a message. 4 out of 5 phone calls to my house from 5-8 PM are phone solicitors.

I just tell them in a LOUD but polite voice "Thank you, but no I am not interested." and abruptly hang up before they have a chance to beg. Its not rude in any way shape or form, and it definitely is no more rude than them intentionally calling you in the middle of your dinner every night. Don't believe for a second that they take it personally, or are insulted. They have a list of 200 phone numbers that they must dial before their shift is up, the last thing they want is to drag on through some sales pitch, only in the end.. being told NO anyways. Its best to tell them NO right up front, so they can move on to hopefully a more interested house-hold. In reality you are doing them a favor.

I did telephone sales for a newspaper company for ~2 years. It was my highschool summer job, calling current subscribers for annual subscription renewals. Some of my most productive customers were the ones that flat out said NO from the get-go, so I could move on to another customer.

I duno if it still work that way, many times I tell them no and they still try to talk me into whatever they are selling.

1) thank him/her for their consideration
2) tell them you are very flatterred
3) ask him/her for their contact info (phone, fax, cell, email, etc.)
4) say that you will certainly consider their interesting offer
5) type all this info into Windows
6) print out the file, crumple up the paper, and toss it into the the garbage.

Reverse psychology.

Tell them you are desperately trying to join but that pesky felony record of arson, armed robbery and lewd and lascivious with a child is holding up the process.

Just kidding. But I'll bet it would work.

My approach to stop them from bothering me? I joined ROTC. Uh, I don't recommend that unless it's something you want to do.

I never got any calls from recruiters when I was in high school. What list did you guys sign up to get these calls???

You could always do the "No speak English...*CLICK*..." method. hahaha. I like to do it with my normal voice, aka no fake foreign accent. It REALLY ticks people off when they KNOW that I speak English, but then I tell them that I don't.

But I sort of wish that it was mandatory to join the armed services for a year or so after high school. They do that in some other countries, such as Israel. Pretty neat.

"No habla? Pues, tenemos muchas oportunidades en los fuerzos armados de los Estados Unidos. Dinero por colegio. Una chanza de ciudadania. No tienes que ser ciudadano de los Estados Unidos. Vamos a platicar. . ."

jzmtl said:

I duno if it still work that way, many times I tell them no and they still try to talk me into whatever they are selling.

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You have to hang up quickly, before they carry on into phase 2 of the sales pitch. Literally like this... "THANK YOU BUT NO I AM NOT INTERESTED." "CLICK".

You gents are too polite to them. The fear of insulting and the subconscious discomfort in saying "NO" directly to someone is the marketing weapon they use to use to lure people in.

You have to understand that you are doing them a favor by terminating the conversation early. You are allowing them to move on to other customers... you are doing them a FAVOR.

"THANK YOU BUT NO I AM NOT INTERESTED." "CLICK".

Tell them you have a great job with XYZ, are really enjoying it and are not interested, but thanks for calling...and hang up.

Bleh, I guess I should just realize they make dozens of calls a day, they probably wont care if only talk for 2.7 seconds...

Do the same ting I do with telemarketers: on those rare instances when I forget to screen the call, I listen to a bit of their pitch, and TELL THEM I'M INTERESTED.

Then, I ask them if they can hang on 'for a minute'. I come back 5 or 10 minutes later, and if they are still there, I usually say "Are you STILL here? You just made the record for the stupidest caller I've ever had. Hey, can you hold on a minute?" :devil: :nana:

They NEVER call back.

If the recruiter is polite, they will understand the first time you indicate your disinterest and proceed on to the next cold call. If they continue to persist, I figure them to be impolite and treat them accordingly with a phone abruptly hung up.

Chuck289 said:

I have a huge respect for our military (some of my best friends are serving right now) and I wish them luck in finding new recuits, but I dont wanna sit and talk for 10 minutes... So whats the best way to go about this ?? :shrug:

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I think you almost have your answer right here. You say you want to be more respectful that with the typical telemarketer, and in fact they are significantly different than the typical telemarketer. They are typically well trained professional warriors, experienced leaders of troops, and frequently combat veterans who have been assigned an important and difficult job. They've found a home in a profession that values getting things done and being direct. They are also judged solely by results (ie recruits) not by how many times they repeat the spiel after you say no.

Just be clear, firm, and express the respect you hold them in:
"Sergeant (or whatever their rank they used) I have friends in the military and respect all that you do. I'm not interested in joining myself, and don't want to waste your time or my time. Good luck with your mission, and thanks for your service. Goodbye."

Of course the best conversation I ever had with a recruiter cold call when i was much younger:
AF recruiter- "Have you ever thought about the benefits of joining the military?"
Me - "Actually I have recently, but probably the Army."
AF Recruiter - with voice getting excited started the bit about offering a lot of the same career options as the army "What field were you interested in?"
Me - "I really like tanks."
She wished me well and told me she was taking me off her list.

Caller ID is your best friend. I don't even answer a number I'm not familiar with. Usually after a couple of unanswered calls the telemarketer gives up. I never got any recruitment calls from any branch of the military. I guess at the time I was of the recruiting age (i.e. 25 years ago) telemarketing didn't really exist.