Effective Recruiter Outreach:
Mastering Email, InMail, and Voicemail to Build
and Maintain Candidate Relationships
2 Effective Recruiter Outreach
Table of Contents
Introduction 3
The Phone Call 4
Email Best Practices 11
LinkedIn InMails 14
Social Media Outreach 16
Conclusion 16
3 Effective Recruiter Outreach
In this Whitepaper
Research consistently shows that emotional connections are central to what makes
people want to share stories, engage in conversation, and create a lasting
impression. The Mehrabian Formula, an age-old paralinguistic methodology, points
out that nearly half of a message from person to person is in the way the words are
said, not just what they said.
True communication goes beyond the spoken word and involves emotion,
sensitivity, and engagement.
Emotional connections with candidates are critical
to creating high satisfaction and engagement rates
and should be critical for every recruiter. In today’s
recruiting circles, the focus has too often become
how to automate this connection through avoidance
and passive tactics, causing recruiters to remove
themselves from the process more and more.
Many recruiters today avoid basic relationship
steps because they “don’t have time” to build
personal and emotional connections with their
candidates.
In a tech-heavy world, it’s become far too easy to
forget about building sincere relationships. These
seemingly simple concepts have gotten lost in
translation.
Getting back to the basics of maintaining contact with a candidate and engaging in
genuine conversation can be extremely beneficial in an era where nearly everyone
has forgotten how.
This whitepaper will discuss the various ways in which a Recruiter and Hiring
Manager can work together to best make contact with a candidate, and how to
maintain that contact while remaining genuine, engaged, and interested.
In a recent Pew Research
Study, 13% of American
adults admitted to texting
or playing games on their
phone to prevent
interacting and
engagement in social
situations. Instead of
trying to employ
meaningful conversation,
many professionals have
taken to passive
tendencies of hiding and
avoidance.
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The Phone Call
Each and every candidate conversation is an opportunity for pipeline creation and an
entryway for future opportunities, referrals, and positive brand building for yourself and
your organization. The initial step is to view the conversation less as making a deal and
more as making a new friend and developing a relationship. People appreciate a genuine
attitude and tone, and will be able to better interpret your true intent if you feel strongly
about relationship development.
Look at the conversation as making a new friend rather than making a sales pitch.
Yes, the focus is to get the candidate to work with you, but you still must be selfless. Keep
in mind that it’s not actually about you, it’s about the candidate. Don’t overwhelm them with
a lengthy pitch; keep it succinct and to the point. Instead of putting pressure on them, be
conversational and allow them to realize you don’t have a hidden agenda.
Evaluate your message. Does it really sound that different than every other recruiter? Why
would the potential candidate call you back and not the other recruiters who call them?
Phrases to Avoid
1. This is a great/perfect opportunity
2. Please call/email when you can
3. Call me at your convenience
4. If you or someone you know would be interested
“Jack, this is ___ calling. I’m a Recruiter for ____. I understand
you are the ___ for ___. I assume you’re not currently looking for
a new job, but I assume you’re open to developing professional
relationships in the event things ever change. I’d like to get to
know you better. Let’s chat about what you’ve accomplished and
what challenges are next for you!”
M
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Practice Makes Perfect
Master the art of messaging by leaving yourself messages for practice. Ask yourself:
Would YOU call or email yourself back? Would you really? If the answer is no, practice,
practice, practice.
Avoid “I need” or “I want” in messages. Focus on what THEY need and want.
Present with Confidence
Confidence is everything in a message and one of the easiest red flags for a candidate to
sense.
Once you understand the candidate’s real drivers, you can present the right opportunity for
the right reasons. Ask “What are the next steps in your career?” to gain insight into the
candidate’s future plans and whether the opportunity would be a good match.
Show genuine interest in their plans for the future, whether these plans are set in stone or
entirely uncertain.
Even the most passive candidates are worth pursuing. Studies show that more and more,
the line between active candidates and passive candidates is blurring.
37% of employees think about quitting their job regularly
43% of generation X thinks perpetually about resigning -Kelly Global Workforce Index
This means more than ever, every candidate is worth a conversation!
“Jack, this is ___ calling over at ____. Let me tell you right out of the
gate that I know you’re not actively looking for a new job. If you
were, you’d be the one calling me! But it always makes sense to talk
to anyone who is a successful ___ in order to learn what types of
challenges would accelerate your career. Let’s chat when you have a
second.”
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Know Your Stuff
We’ve all been there: the dreaded In-the-Dark position to fill in which the recruiter doesn’t
know enough about the industry, the company or the position enough to accurately pitch it
to a candidate.
Each and every time, Do Your Homework!
Research the company, the position, and the role.
Ask as many questions as you can to the Hiring
Manager or Human Resources professional you
are working with in order to fully comprehend the
situation.
This will be extremely valuable when it comes time
to make and maintain contact with the candidate.
The candidate will easily be able to sense when a
Recruiter is not up to speed on the job. If you don’t
know much about it, why would they want to?
Avoid slipups and awkward conversation by
reading up first. No one wants to hear a recruiter
stammer because of lack of details.
Listen
You’ll be shocked at how much insight you’ll gain by actually listening to the candidate
once they call back instead of waiting for your turn to speak. Take the time to sincerely
listen and develop questions based on what the candidate says.
Following Up
It’s important to understand the difference between planting the seed and being a pest. Be
persistent, but put in place a system for following up with a candidate.
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One tactic is to acknowledge that everyone is busy and that you realize they are likely
swamped, but that developing mutually beneficial business relationships is helpful for
career growth no matter where the candidate is on their journey. Allow them to understand
you are there to help them take steps in the right direction professionally.
Be assertive with “Call me tomorrow” instead of “Please call me if you are able.” This puts
them in control but still allows you to be firm.
If you are still having trouble hearing back from them, approach it from a different angle. If
they do not reply to the first few voicemails, do not grow frustrated but instead revisit the
situation with a different tactic.
Additional Sample Scripts
1. “Jack, this is ____ calling. I manage the staffing function at ____. I’m calling to
introduce myself, but more importantly, to find out about you, your goals, and the
next steps in your career – if there is a next step.”
“I’ve been out of the office and may have missed your call. I’ll be in until ___ and look forward to
talking with you!”
“Jane, this is ___. I’m a Recruiter for ___ and I make it a point to get to
know those not actively looking for a new job. I assume you fit right
into this category, so I’m really just reaching out to get to know you
better in the event you decide to take the next steps in your career. I’m
in the office tomorrow from ___ to ___. I look forward to speaking
with you tomorrow.”
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Additional Sample Scripts
2. “Jack, this is ____ - I’m the Talent Acquisition Manager for ________. I am
reaching out to teachers in the Atlanta area to better understand the market and
what would be the ideal next steps in your career.
3. “Jane, ____ calling. I manage the staffing function at ____. I understand that
you are an early education teacher and I’m calling to introduce myself, but more
importantly, to find out about you, your goals, and the next steps in your career – if
there are next steps. I am available today from ____ to ____ and tomorrow from
____ until ____. I look forward to speaking with you today.”
4. “Jane, this is ____. I’m the Talent Acquisition Manager for ________ and I
make it a point to get try and get to know all of the teachers in the Atlanta market
whether or not they are looking for the next steps in their career. I assume you fit
right into this category so I am really just reaching out to get to know you better in
the event you decide to make your next move. Listen, I am in the office tomorrow
from ___ until ______. I look forward to speaking with you tomorrow.”
Acknowledging Common Objections
“Don’t Bother Me” Objections are incredibly common.
Some of the most frequently heard objections include
“I’m not looking,” “I’m happy with my current job,” or
“I’ve been here for years.” Prepare ahead of time for
these types of objections with the appropriate
response.
Let the candidate know, for instance, that you’re glad to
hear they’re not looking, because loyalty speaks
volumes.
Being happy in your current role is an ample time to
consider other options, because there is little to no
pressure to make a quick decision. The candidate is
able to review their current situation at their leisure.
Utilize Needs Analysis
with Passive Candidates
What is your dream job?
What would make your
current job perfect?
What is the next step
with your current
employer?
My guess is you have an
awesome boss. What
makes them so great to
work for?
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Explain to the candidate what it means to build a relationship with someone who isn’t
searching for a job.
To warm them up to the idea of engaging in a career conversation, ask them what it is
about their role or company that keeps them happy and engaged.
Ease into the conversation in a way that lets the candidate know you’re simply looking to
get to know one another.
The 10 out of 10 Rule
Another tactic is to
encourage the candidate
to truly assess what
would make them
completely, 100% happy
in their professional life.
One way of doing this is
to conversationally
suggest that no one is
ever truly a “10 out of 10”
in career happiness.
Ask them what changes
would need to take place
in order to become a “10 out of 10.”
Once they arrive at a number on the happiness scale, ask what keeps them at this number
(points of pleasure) vs. what would make them entirely happy (points of pain).
Remember Who You Are
Remember that throughout the process, the candidate is also interviewing you. Both of you
are on the spot and it’s equally important to maintain a professional and knowledgeable
demeanor each and every time. Be open about who you are and what your role is. Give an
overview of your background.
The candidate deserves to know about you just as much as you deserve to know about
them.
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Email Best Practices
Before we dive into what to do when emailing candidates and what to avoid, it is
imperative to understand the purpose of electronic communication. The three main
focuses of email are avoiding spam blockers, creating compelling subject lines, and having
a concise message.
Consider these best practices the next time you correspond with a candidate through
email.
Subject Line Mistakes
The key to a compelling subject line is to “tell, not sell.” Subject lines should be viewed
similar to news headlines: they tell the beginning of the story. The subject line does not
need to be a complete sentence. The most effective subject line styles establish curiosity,
ask “what’s in it for me?”, make an announcement, and are direct.
Subject lines should be compelling and establish curiosity. Subject lines that involve a
news angle make an announcement and are direct, establishing curiosity and making the
reader more likely to click. Centering the content on newsworthy material can be an
entrance point to catch the candidate’s attention.
HELLO
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Avoiding Spam Blockers
In order to avoid spam blockers, steer clear of using all capital letters. Spam filters
consider capital letters suspicious. Simplify any HTML in your email. Too much HTML
(graphics/pictures) can flag emails.
Stick to simple markups, such as basic colors. Avoid thick borders, fancy templates, and
lots of links.
Also avoid suspicious phrases. And last, keep it concise.
Top suspicious phrases to avoid in email:
Free
Urgent
Opportunity
Profits
Money
Amazing
Guaranteed
Unlimited
Career
Job
(Company) Named to Fortune List of Best Companies to Work For
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Email Signature Best Practices
With email signatures, it’s
important to remember that
the longer the signature, the
less likely it is to go into the
SPAM folder.
Signatures that include a first
and last name, title, company
name and URL, phone
number and logo help ensure
that the message is received
and also help the recruiter
gain credibility when reaching
out via email.
LinkedIn: InMails
Although it can be a wonderful tool for building
relationships, LinkedIn has been abused by many a
recruiter.
The initial purpose of LinkedIn was to open us up to
two-way relationships, not a one way database, but it’s
become flooded with pushy recruiters and much of it is
now an overfished-pond.
When it comes to LinkedIn, it’s especially important to
make your voice heard and not get lost in the shuffle.
Announce yourself professionally in InMails while
strongly acknowledging your desire to have a conversation, and not necessarily
automatically recruit someone.
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LinkedIn: InMails
When utilizing LinkedIn for outreach, it is important to stand out from other recruiters who
are sending long, salesy, unprofessional messages to candidates.
First, let’s look at a real
example of what not to do
(at right).
This recruiter’s message is
too long, too chunky, and
likely to overwhelm the
candidate. The message is
pitchy and salesy and puts
immense pressure on the
candidate to respond.
Now let’s look at a good
example of a recruiter InMail
(below). This recruiter is not
pitchy or salesy and is asking
directly to have a
conversation about the
candidate’s next career
moves.
She asks about the
candidate’s next steps
without overtly pushing
the current job
opening, opening the
door for a professional
relationship and
networking.
The message is
concise and to the point.
Utilizing this type of outreach increases your odds of getting a response from the
candidate.
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Electronic Outreach through other Social Channels
Social media in recruiting isn’t going anywhere, but it’s still crucial to understand how to
leverage it. According to a recent Bullhorn social recruiting activity report, a staggering
97% of recruiters say they are utilizing LinkedIn to reach out to candidates. This is up from
94% in 2011. According to the survey:
97% of Recruiters use LinkedIn to Recruit
51% use Facebook
45.8% use Twitter
19% use Google+
3.6% use Pinterest
What does this mean for you? It’s more crucial now than ever to stand out from the crowd.
If you’re sourcing through Twitter, be conversational and genuine and engage in genuine
discussion with candidates before diving into job specs.
If you’re using Facebook, be extremely wary of the legitimacy of candidates on a non-
professional medium. If you Facebook message, make sure it’s completely professional
yet personal. Don’t simply copy and paste or mass message candidates. Take the time to
make your message sincere.
Conclusion
Today’s top talent has their choice of where to work more than ever before. In a candidate-
driven market, it’s up to the recruiter to ensure that effective outreach methods are utilized
in order to cultivate professional relationships, network, and uncover the top talent your
client deserves.
There are a variety of methods for reaching out to a candidate, but remember that genuine
relationship building goes a long way. Lack of communication from recruiters is one of the
biggest complaints of today’s candidates and can be easily avoided by taking these small
communication steps.
For more information, visit www.RecruitmentEdu.com.