If you've ever experienced the sting of being exiled to the circular file of the virtual hemisphere, you're similarly no stranger to the satisfaction of deleting an unwanted email.
As a recruiter, however, you hope to avoid either of the two. Check out what these engineers, CTOs, developers, and former sourcers have to say about what bugs them the most about recruiters' outreach.
Do the research before reaching out. Check out a candidate's current position before reaching out to offer the position you're hiring for.
Two of the biggest flubs recruiters make include calling a candidate by the wrong name or extending a demotion in the form on a job offer. Runner-ups include following up too frequently and not knowing enough on the position you're recruiting for. Read up on a candidate's current job status to find out if you're underselling them with a subordinate position, saving you enough time to move on to a more viable candidate. Research the position (yes, Wikipedia can count) to avoid sending overly generalized emails or worse, sending inaccurate, nonsensical, detailed messages. Double-check your work with a current employee working in the same or similar position.
Be mindful of a candidate's time and treat them like a person.
You know, with feelings, sensitivities...things of that nature. Although your goal is to make a hire, regarding a candidate as a bonus item comes across as tacky, distasteful, and rude. Genuine outreach goes a long way. Give candidates the proper commodities to meet you in person, whether it be by setting aside part of your busy agenda to schedule a meeting that fits into their schedule, or by reimbursing them for expendable items like the price of a parking stall. Short-term, minor incidentals are marbles compared to the overall outcome of a candidate working for your company. Don't miss out on talent because of a trivial deal-breaker.
Strive for long-term connections and make your message personable.
What can we say? Candidates appreaciate recruiters who want to them to be more than just a quick solution to their hiring tasks and will hold you in even higher regard if you mention a mutual connection or a project they recently created. Appeal to talent's hard work and self-esteem through sincere flattery and the pleasant common ground of familiar relations to increase the likeliness they'll respond to your outreach. According to Dima Korolev, having a profile picture of a smiling recruiter also works.
Got more insights to share? Tweet us @Entelo! And if you want to learn more tips for prime candidate messaging practices, be sure to join us for our upcoming, free webinar!
