Active sourcing, i.e. identifying talent (promising employees) on various social networks, is a tremendous opportunity for companies looking for new employees. The so-called "sourcers" set out to find candidates who fit a particular vacancy and contact the person in question. However, the initial approach to the talent found can turn out to be a real challenge for inexperienced sourcers.
That's why, in this blog post, we've summarized 5 do's and don'ts for approaching candidates that sourcers should definitely keep in mind. Let's start with the 5 most important do's.
5 Do's when writing to candidates:
1. compose individual messages
Individual messages convey real interest in the candidate's person and skills. Address the candidate's individual situation directly and make clear what concrete benefits await the candidate in the position you are offering. A lack of individuality can quickly lead to the candidate not paying attention to you.
2. make clear why you are interested in exactly this candidate
Put the candidate's skills and special features inthe foreground. Why did you think to yourself, "I have to write to this person!" The more you convey to the candidate your belief in him or her, the more likely you are to get a response in your inbox.
3. put the task in focus
The focus should be on a precise presentation of the job, not an introduction to you or the company. Benefits such as career opportunities and short commutes are of course interesting, but describing who you are and what exactly you do is of no interest to a candidate. Focus on what is really relevant for the candidate's decision.
4. show the added value of the job for the candidate
Write to those candidates for whom the position to be offered offers added value . For example, if the candidate has a long commute to his or her previous job, it makes sense to offer a position with home office options or close proximity. Make it clear why the job change is worthwhile for the candidate. In practice, such circumstances are of course difficult to understand, so try to understand the situation in the first step and act accordingly.
5. be brief
When seeing a long message, candidates quickly jump off due to lack of time or the large amount of work involved. Therefore, keep it short and only mention the most important information. This includes a short introduction of the company and you, the reference to the candidate and the most important key points of the vacancy. You can clarify everything else with the candidate if you have further questions.
5 Don'ts when writing to candidates:
1. ask for the CV or other application documents as a first reaction.
The majority of passive candidates, i.e. those who are currently employed, do not have up-to-date application documents at hand. So it would be a mistake to ask for the documents right away. Instead, address the candidate's interests and engage in conversation with him/her. Sympathy that has already been built up can be a great advantage for the further course of the application.
2. inflexible feedback options
As an active sourcer, there's one thing you really want: feedback. But if a candidate has only ONE way to get back to you, for example by sending an email, they may quickly bail out. Maybe the email inbox is not working at the moment, which means there is no chance to reply. So offer the candidate several ways to get back to you and communicate them clearly in the direct approach. Possibilities that present themselves here are: Call, email, WhatsApp message, message via social networks.
3. misspell the name of the candidate
Writing the name of a contact correctly is a matter of course in written communication. For candidates, the misspelled name can create an image of unprofessionalism and carelessness on the part of the sourcer. In some cases, such a thing is even considered an insult . For this reason, in such a case you should actively approach the candidate and sincerely apologize for your mistake.
4. send endless cover letter
There is no time for reading long messages in the stressful daily routine. Even though there may be a lot of interesting information for candidates that could be decisive for the decision, the cover letter should be kept short and to the point. Otherwise, there is a risk that the candidate will never respond to the message. So first arouse interest before going into the details.
5. write an impersonal message
Candidates often feel very flattered by an individual direct approach and respond after a short time. However, if they receive an obvious message intended for the masses, this immediately puts the company in a negative image with the candidate. Individuality is therefore indispensable for successful recruitment.
Sources:
Tips for sending the perfect message to candidates in active sourcing (talention.com)
Active Sourcing - Dos and Dont's for the perfect cover letter (verdure.de)
3 tips for the perfect direct approach and successful active sourcing (ohrbeit.de)
Unconventional, but successful: My best tips as a XING Active Sourcer (recruiting.xing.com)
Active Sourcing: 12 methods +8 tips for candidate search (karrierebibel.de)
Images:
Unsplash.com
