The document provides tips for writing effective emails to passive job candidates. It recommends crafting compelling subject lines that ask questions or start incomplete thoughts. The email content should be brief, honest, specific, compelling and introduce the opportunity without including a full job description. It suggests including a clear call to action rather than vague requests and proofreading carefully. The best time to send emails varies by individual but generally midday or midweek times are safest to maximize open and response rates.

1. Emailing Passive CandidatesEMAILING PASSIVE CANDIDATES
Derina Adamczak, CH2M HILL
Sourcing Training
May 2014

2. Everyone I know
feels harassed by
email which has
invaded their
waking and
sleeping hours
- Margaret Heffernan

3. Get Candidates to:
OPEN YOUR EMAIL

4. How can you write
effective email
subject lines that get
candidates to open
your emails?

5. Perfect the Subject Line
1. Keep the subject line short
2. Avoid CAPS and exclamation points!!!!
3. Don’t use certain words – help, assistance, apply online, apply now, for only, urgent
4. Ask a question
5. Say something obscure
6. Start a thought
7. Use the information you have
8. Create a sense of urgency
When crafting a candidate email,
spend as much time writing the subject line as the message

6. Avoiding SPAM Filters
Steer clear of red as a font color
Be logical about sending multiple emails to the same
company
◦ Don’t send the same or very similar emails to many employees at a company
◦ Call + Email = 30% more likely to respond

7. Get Candidates to:
RESPOND TO YOUR EMAIL

8. Rules of Thumb for Email Marketing
Spell (and context) check your message multiple times
Use Appropriate Icebreakers
Tell The Why You Chose Them
Be Specific to be Compelling

9. Components of a Compelling Script
Keep it short and sweet (i.e. avoid a mini-novel)
 Truly MARKET the opportunity and CH2M HILL
 2-3 paragraphs that explain that you, the proposal, the company and the call
to action
 However, if your position is direct (versus contingent) say so.
 Exclude full job description, salary range and a hardball sales pitch
Write with a pure networking focus
 “while not presuming you’re interested in a new role, I hoped you might help
me with this tough search by …”
 “I am working a really tough search and thought you might be able to help, if
I asked nicely.”
Express gratitude

10. Always Include a Call To Action (CTA)
Treat every candidate as passive until they prove otherwise.
Go beyond asking if candidates are “open to discuss new job opportunities?” Be
more persuasive than, “If you are interested to talk please forward me your
contact details”
Sending an email that only gives candidates the option to act like an active
candidate is going to FLOP
A clear pointed tactic is required. Have the CTA as its own paragraph
◦ “How is your schedule next week” is not specific enough
◦ Add specific times
Replace “How is your schedule next week?”
with
“Would a call at 10am Pacific time on Thursday work for you?”

11. Consider Your Messageon a Mobile Device

12. Web Browser
PC client
Mobile
Same Email… May Be Read In Multiple Environments
Social Network

13. InMails on Mobile Devices

14. Tips for Messaging
250 words
No lengthy signatures
Don't overabrvt.
 Say, "I loved that Mashable article you shared last week," NOT, “I
lved the artcl u shrd lst wk"

15. Best Time to Send Email is…

16. When is the best time of day to send an email to
potential candidates?
◦ Morning?
◦ Afternoon?
◦ Evenings?
◦ Weekends?

17. The Right Time Is…
…when each candidate is
most likely to respond.
The time when they consistently
open and act on emails.

18. Top click hours
•8am
•9am
•3pm
•8pm
Top open hours
•8am
•9am
•3pm
•4pm
Engagement during the day

19. 5:00 p.m. is the Worst Time to Send an Email
5:00 p.m. - Stuck in traffic
6:00 p.m. - Ordering a pizza
7:00 p.m. - Bathing their children
8:00 p.m. - Checking their email again
By now, 3 hours have passed and the chance of your email
being opened is less than 5%

20. Best Days To Send Email?
As a general rule:
• Avoid weekends
• Avoid nights
• Avoid Fridays and Mondays
• Avoid public holidays
Midday and midweek always seem safest

21. Summary

22. Reality Check Before Sending. Ask Yourself:
What time is it?
What would I think if I received this email?
Will they know how to reach me?
Will they truly believe the message?

23. The Do’s of Email Messages
BRIEF
HONEST
SPECIFIC
COMPELLING
INTRODUCE
SPELLING & GRAMMAR
TIMING
CTA
REFERRALS
PROOF-READ (again!)

24. The Don’ts of Email Messages
Don’t use PUNCTUATION in the Subject Line
Don’t use the RECIPIENT’S NAME in the subject line
Never include the SALARY RANGE
Don’t include the full JOB DESCRIPTION
Don’t SENDemails too often
Avoid being too VAGUE
Avoid “please answer this question” and “respond promptly”