How to Craft the Perfect Recruitment Email

Any HR specialist knows that crafting a recruiting email can be considered an art form. While some may just copy and paste the message and send it out everywhere, there are those of you who know it isn’t the best method to get results.

If you truly want to see a greater impact on your email recruitment efforts, consider implementing some of this advice during your next round.

Target your audience
This is true for almost any type of action that involves a person sending another person content. The fact is, not everyone wants to read recruiting emails. The candidates on your list could have already been hired elsewhere, or they could have lost interest in your company.

Job Science recommends HR departments use the numbers available to them when sending out emails. If your company uses an applicant tracking system (ATS), make sure to incorporate the data you’ve received from it when you compose your list of potential candidates. Finding similar, qualified candidates to email will yield better results.

Personalize the email
Nobody likes talking to a robot. Similarly, candidates don’t appreciate callous emails that lack emotional intelligence. According to Job Science, personalized emails command a 29 percent better open rate from potential candidates, as well as a 41 percent higher click rate.

Use the candidate’s name in the subject or first sentence, and take the time to introduce yourself. The email should be written as though you were talking to someone working at your company—professional, but relatable, as well.

Candidates react better to personalized emails.

Make the job opportunity clear
Don’t leave the candidate wondering what the point of the email is. After taking the time to introduce yourself, get right down to the point. Zip Recruiter recommends HR specialists avoid being vague and also provide a direct link to apply for the job.

By including a call to action with your email and using an ATS, you can better understand the conversion rate of your recruiting emails. Cross-reference the names on your email list with the names that pop up in your ATS.

Get in and out quickly
Don’t write a novel. Save that for your free time. Well-qualified candidates will receive multiple emails each week from recruiters, so you want them to be able to read yours quickly. To stand out from the crowd, Zip Recruiter suggests creating a subject line that will stick with the reader. Spend extra time crafting a catchy email header so it will catch your potential candidate’s eye.