Getting in front of potential candidates with the right messaging makes all the difference in the world when it comes to recruiting.
Many of us often make the mistake of using a basic one-size-fits-all message where we just plug in the pieces we think a candidate should know about the job we’re recruiting for. Unfortunately, this ends up coming across as impersonal and bot-like.
If we want to maximize our response rates, we need to change the way we message.
Your initial message shouldn’t immediately begin selling a potential candidate on a role. You don’t even know if they’re the right fit yet! Initial contact should be all about building a relationship and starting a line of communication. The singular goal of that first message is to get a reply.
You’re much less likely to get a response if your initial attempt is too long, gives too much information, and gives the person the opportunity to say no right off the bat.
Keep your message short, sweet, and focused on the person at the receiving end. Express that you’d like to learn more about their interests and motivations. Leverage the simple fact that people love to talk about themselves. Don’t just pitch the job and hope it sticks.
Before you even reach out to candidates, you need to be well-versed in their industry. Take time to read news about the field or find any government regulations that could potentially impact them.
Think about what pains the community might be experiencing based on your research. Your message should address and potentially offer a solution for those pains. It will help the candidate see that you’re knowledgeable in their line of work and build your credibility.
Automation is certainly helpful to save a lot of time and energy. But many people don’t realize that automated messages can be personalized, too. When reaching out to a wide pool of potential candidates, you can strategically merge their name, title, and current company into your message to emphasize the focus on them.
However, when dealing with smaller pools of potential candidates, automation isn’t as effective. You should carve out much more time in your recruitment process to truly understand your target and create a highly personalized message.
Think about the audience that your message is targeting. Do they work in a relaxed environment where conversation can be more casual? Or are you going after a CFO at a Fortune 500 company where they are likely more buttoned up and professional?
In either case, just be sure your message reflects the way you actually speak! You don’t want your candidate to be confused or disappointed if you get on a call with them and sound completely different from your written message.
To learn more about the issues that are holding us back in recruiting and how we should do things differently, don’t forget to check out my book:
Recruiting Sucks… But it Doesn’t Have To. Get your copy on Amazon today by
clicking right here!
