E-mail is a common way to get in touch with your candidates as a recruiter. But how do you ensure that these candidates actually pay attention to your e-mail? In this article, we will discuss tips to get more out of your recruitment via email.
1. The subject matters
Always make sure you have a clear subject above your email. This ensures that both you and the candidate always know what this e-mail is about, which greatly reduces the chance of miscommunication or misinterpretation. Don’t be afraid to play around with this: try a longer or shorter subject, add the name, etcetera.
2. Be personal
You have your concrete, binding subject, which makes the candidate more inclined to open the mail. Now that you have your candidate’s minimal attention, you have to make sure that this person actually responds to you. You do this by becoming personal. Search, for example via LinkedIn, for interesting things about this person. This will make you look like you’ve put your precious time into finding out more about this person, which will provide appreciation and a greater chance of a response.
When writing your mail, also keep in mind that you ensure natural communication. Keep in mind that as a person you mail, only in the second instance as a recruiter. Make sure you have a normal tone and avoid a too formal mail. Put yourself in the shoes of the candidate: ‘If I would get this mail, how do I want to be approached?’.
3. Prevent an overload of information
According to Newton, one of the most common mistakes is placing extremely large amounts of information in your e-mails. Recruiters think that the best way to get a response from a candidate is to put everything on the table: the work, the salary, etcetera. This assumes that the person you’ve never spoken to is automatically interested in what you have to say and offer. This can give the wrong impression. It can also be overwhelming for the candidate. So keep it short and simple.
4. Consider the mobile phone
Nowadays it is impossible to imagine everyday life without mobile phones and through this device, many people also receive their mail. In order to increase the response rate, it is important to ensure that your messages are easy to read on a mobile phone. Always send yourself a test email: what does the subject look like, does the alignment fit comfortably on your phone?
5. The follow-up
The above tips have helped you to compose a nice mail and send it to your candidate. But then: no response. Don’t worry, silence doesn’t necessarily mean ‘no’. Someone may be too busy to react or need time to think about it. That’s why a follow-up email is so important. Give your candidate several opportunities to respond to your recruitment emails.
