Email Best Practices for Recruiters

The faster someone can read your subject line, the better. Try to capture a candidates’ attention in four words or less.

Consider using words like “thanks,” “exclusive invitation,” “connect,” and “join us.”

Remember that the only goal of your subject line is to get people to open the email. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different subject lines or get creative to stand out in cluttered inboxes!

One of the biggest turn-offs for candidates is when recruiters immediately start selling a position. Instead, show a genuine interest in the candidates’ career path and goals.

Let them know you’d like to learn more about where they’d like to take their career and go from there. You want to get to know someone and understand what’s important to them before you start selling your position.

Otherwise, you may boast about things the candidate doesn’t care about – which is the fast-track to getting ghosted.

Additionally, you’ll want to make sure you personalize the message. Candidates want to know you’re interested in them personally, not just viewing them as a number. Include a brief detail from their LinkedIn profile, or mention something about their experience.

One of the best pieces of advice for emailing candidates is to write like you talk. Try reading your emails out loud. Do they sound natural? Is it how you would talk to a friend or family member?

Avoid jargon as much as possible. For example, most people don’t use words or phrases like “empower,” “synergy,” or “results-driven” in ordinary conversation.

By sounding natural and conversational, you make it easier for candidates to trust you and start a conversation. .

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