Finding the right candidates can be compared to fishing, where the right bait and timing are crucial in catching a valuable fish. Candidates with specialized skills often receive numerous messages from recruiters, and it can be challenging to stand out in such a crowded pool. Therefore, it is especially important to have well-crafted and effective communication, such as emails, to capture the attention of these sought-after candidates.
Over the course of my career I’ve sent out thousands of personalized emails to potential candidates. In this post I’ve included some successful recruiting email templates that I’ve used to hook prized candidates in the past. You can use these examples for emailing or inmailing candidates in LinkedIn.
Email is considered to be one of the best ways to connect with candidates because it offers several advantages:
Reach: Email is accessible to most people, making it easy to reach a large pool of potential candidates.
Convenience: Email can be sent and received at any time and from any location with an internet connection, making it a convenient way to communicate.
Record Keeping: Emails create a permanent record of communication, allowing for easy reference and tracking of information.
Cost-effective: Email is a cost-effective means of communication, compared to traditional mail or telephone calls.
Professionalism: Email allows for a more formal and professional method of communication, which is important in recruitment.
However, it’s important to note that email should not be the only method used for recruiting and that a combination of various communication channels can provide the best results.
Here’s my advice
I recommend including the job title, company name, and location in the title of the message. You should also include a link to the job description at the end of the message. Make sure to include an email signature with your contact details.
1. Using a referred connection:
(Hi Name)
I realize I’m starting out with 2 strikes as this email hits your inbox. The first strike is you recently started a new role.. The second strike is that you specifically said on LinkedIn that you’re not actively looking for a new role.
However, I had an amazing conversation with (referral name), and he mentioned that were the one that has helped him get to where he is today. Hearing this from him leaves me to believe that many recruiters solicit you for opportunities. I have an opportunity that I feel is different than most. This could be because I tasted the kool-aid or maybe (company) is just that different.
Would love to catch up to learn more about your current situation but more importantly, connect with someone that is clearly impacting our (niche skill) industry.
Thoughts?
2. Using the job summary to sell the role:
(Hi Name)
I was impressed by your system administrator experience at (company name) and wanted to see if you would consider joining our team in Minneapolis.
This position will be responsible for all aspects of on-site application support and will support local technology needs for end user community. Responsible all aspects of EDI including maintenance and setup of existing and new trading partners, mapping and integration with ERP system, and assisting with break/fix support.
(Link to Job)
Would you like to discuss further?
3. Highlighting interests:
(Hi Name)
I your github profile really stood out to me. Your team is working on some exciting open-source projects — (name project) looks like it has the potential to transform college study groups. We have some exciting things happening on our software engineering teams. I also liked seeing your fishing photo. Our company supports many outdoor recreation products and your interests would really fit in with our culture.
(Link to Job)
Would you be open to learning more?
4. Calling out projects:
(Hi Name)
I was researching top java developers in the Minneapolis and came across your Github and Stackoverflow and was impressed by your (name project) and experience level. Our team is currently growing and we’re looking to hire on a seasoned developer. Our projects include connecting AI technology in the ecommerce space. I thought this would peak your interest because of your previous projects.
(Link to Job)
Would you be open to hearing more?
5. Calling out work:
(Hi Name)
We are looking to add a front-end developer to our team, and having looked at your recent freelancing projects on your site I feel that you would be perfect match for our team. I really liked your creative use of space on the general mills landing page. We’re looking for someone with a creative side that understands user experience and design layouts.
I would love to connect and tell you more about what we’re building, and to learn more about what interests you.
Are you available to connect this week?
I suggest exploring various personalized examples in your messaging. The more tailored the message, the higher the likelihood of receiving a response. The key is to align the candidate’s interests with the goals and objectives of the company. These templates can serve as inspiration for crafting effective and creative messages with your team.
I created a crowd-sourced list of Recruiter templates (here)
Need more advice on recruiter templates? I wrote a book on the subject (here)
Recommended Reading:
How to Create a Talent Mapping Strategy
Mindfulness in Sourcing
How to SEO Optimize a Job Posting
