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Hi Recruiters,
"I hope this email finds you well."
Nothing makes me ignore and promptly delete an email faster than one that starts this way. In fact, I just deleted one from a salesperson before writing this. It felt good 😈.
Opening with a line so lazy indicates to me that the person reaching out is either (A) not someone I know, (B) not someone who is genuinely interested in getting to know me, or (C) has nothing of value to offer me.
More than likely, they want something from me.
Of course, that isn't always the case. But (like everyone else) I'm pressed for time, jaded, and wired for entertainment. So, if you want something from me, at least try to make your introduction interesting. We modern-day humans simply don't have the patience to be bored.
And, similar to any good salesperson, good recruiters can't afford to be boring.
It's not just that people don't want to talk to a boring person (they don't). They also don't want to work at a place where boring people work. In most cases, recruiters are the first glimpse into what it's like to be a part of any organization — we set the vibes.
This is a good thing. The reality is most companies' product, mission, or culture isn't inherently fascinating. But what's mundane to one person could be an obsession for another. The trick for recruiters is to find out what about your offer is interesting to the person you're offering it to.
Sometimes, getting someone's attention is as simple as giving them a compliment. I love Brian Fink's advice from a recent Recruiter Therapy episode: "Say something nice to them. You never know; they might say thank you."
Once you have someone's interest, developing a relationship has more to do with your EQ than your IQ. In that same episode, 🚀 Jung Kim chimed in from the chatbox to share three areas of focus:
I have to agree. If that salesperson who reached out to me earlier today had tried to consider their role (self-awareness) and motivations (emotions) from my perspective (empathy) before sending me a message, it probably would have been interesting enough to hold my attention.
Like a good compliment, a great message should be specific enough to only work on the intended target. For example, Paul DeBettignies once received an email that opened with, "I know you would rather be living a Kenny Chesney music video right now, but I'm really interested in your role."
If you're Paul, it would be impossible not to respond.
Every time we interact with another person, we can shape their perception of us. In recruiting, the opportunity is to inform how a candidate views the company brand.
The experience we deliver in a first outreach email sets the stage for the experience to be expected in a first interview, and so on. The way we make candidates feel is important because, as Rotimi Ojo, CCS shared in a recent webinar, "[A recruiter's] job is to bring in talent. That role extends into the future. Folks you reject today could be your hire in two years." (So long as their perception is positive). That's the power of a strong brand.
If you're unsure what kind of feeling your company is trying to convey to prospective talent, or specifically what perception it hopes to create, our friend Nicky Russell has great advice: "Try asking the CEO of your company directly. The story that they tell for us to tell others is so valuable."
If you can't meet with the CEO, or a vision for the employer brand isn't clearly articulated in the company onboarding process, you probably have a little more creative liberty.
Either way, the goal for recruiters remains the same: Use everything at your disposal to craft a message that resonates.
Kunwar Ishan Sharma here! When asked during last week's Recruiter Therapy sesh about what should be left behind in 2023, our own @Daniel Harten was quick to mention "LinkedIn Recruiter." Bold! Or is it?
To see how well that idea resonated with the community, we unveil recruiter's experiences with LinkedIn Recruiter in this week's blog — The Reality Behind LinkedIn Recruiter.
Thank you for being a part of the community, and we'll see you next week.
— Recruiters
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