Business Process Outsourcing (or BPO) companies are growing at a rapid pace. They are constantly looking for candidates who possess excellent communication skills, customer support, business acumen and telemarketing expertise. A well-paid job in the BPO sector is a popular job choice for fresh graduates to kick start their career.
Apart from the good pay, BPOs also offer an excellent work environment and culture, and facilitate on-the-job learning through in-house trainings and managerial programs. Since these companies invest heavily on their employees’ growth and satisfaction, they are quite strict when it comes to hiring. In short, BPO companies hire only the best talent. At the same time, they are constantly scouring job search sites and boards for appropriate talent.
The Email Game
Despite providing a good boost to an individual’s career, most BPOs find it quite hard to attract the right talent. Are you one among these? If you are a BPO company finding it hard to bag the right candidates for your job openings, then it is time to revisit your email strategy. Yes, you heard it right! Research studies have stressed on the importance of a well-structured and eye-catching recruitment email template.
Email is supposedly 40 times more effective than social media sites like Facebook or Twitter combined when it comes to audience reach. So, the old-school recruitment email template is always the best option irrespective of where you start your talent search.
Anyway, people prefer getting recruitment offers via email as compared to texts, calls or direct messages on their social handles. The latter is often considered as invasive and spammy. Emails, on the other hand, have a formal approach and are perceived as official communication. Hence, they are an excellent way to put forth career-related communications, such as a career move.
That said, getting interested candidates via cold recruitment emails isn’t an easy task. Most candidates in the job market are usually bombarded with a number of emails from other prospective employers and recruitment agencies alike. So, how can you grab a potential candidate’s attention? The key here is to structure a winning recruitment email template that would stand out for all the right reasons. Your recruitment email should be such that the recipient shouldn’t find a reason to ignore it.
Characteristics of a Good Recruitment Email Template for BPOs
Now you must be wondering what makes a good recruitment email template, aren’t you? A recruiting email template will always be a powerful tool for as long emails continue to be the lifeline of recruitment. Sadly, most recruiters struggle to come up with good recruitment emails.
We totally understand the busy nature of your job. You probably have a zillion meetings/interviews/calls to schedule. Or you probably have an event to organize. But don’t neglect your recruiting emails. The ‘one size fits all’ approach doesn’t work here. Remember that first impressions about your brand make a difference and your email outreach plays a significant role here.
We’ve now established that emails are the bread and butter of your recruitment strategy. So, it’s time to look at the four important characteristics that every good recruitment email must possess. After all, you’ve got only one chance to get it right, especially when you’re trying to source a potential talent.
1 – The tone
Write for your target audience. Sending the same email content to a recent graduate and a mid-level employee is a big no. Simple changes such as using a different salutation (Hi/Hello/Dear), casual phrases and slangs, or emojis can make a difference.
2 – Personalization
Personalization is king in recruitment emails. Even if it’s used minimally, personalizing emails can go a long way for you. Ensure that your recruitment templates are customizable. Just addressing the candidate by their name can be helpful to spark their interest. Candidates are usually motivated to respond to emails that have been written particularly for them.
3 – Be concise
KISS! Keep your email’s content short and simple. Don’t beat around the bush, but make sure that you communicate all important information to the candidate. It is also necessary to have a clear call-to-action in your email, so the candidate is aware of the next steps they have to take.
4 – What’s in it for me (WIIFM)
Don’t blow your own trumpet. Avoid talking too much about your company. Instead, put yourself in the candidate’s shoes. Through your recruitment email, you are trying to sell a job opening to the prospect. So, think about why your potential recruit should care about your offer.
Your potential recruit won’t be interested in the latest awards that your company bagged. They would be more concerned about what benefits a position in your company holds for them. Convey your unique selling proposition to the candidate – everything that makes you better compared to your competitor in terms of employee benefits – if you want them to at least consider your offer.
Sample Recruiting Email Template for Different Scenarios
1 – Sourcing candidates
This is, of course, the initial stage where you cold email potential or referred prospects without knowing whether they will be interested or not. Often the longest and trickiest of all the recruitment stages, this is usually the stage that sees the most recruitment email fails.
A good email for this stage should have an inviting and casual tone. Try to make your email content extra customized, focussing on the candidate’s profile and how they would make a great addition to your team. Remember that you’re sending this email to a passive candidate for a recently-open job position or a hard-to-fill position in your company.
Here’s a sample template:
“Hi Name,
We are JFK enterprises, a renowned recruitment company based in India. We came across your profile on <job site/ LinkedIn> and we found your experience in <role/skill/project> extremely valuable for a project that we’re currently working on.
We are looking for a <job description> to join our team, and we believe you’d make a perfect fit.
It would be great if we could connect with you to get to know you better and tell you more about the position we’re offering.”
2 – Scheduling a telephonic or in-person interview
Once a candidate responds positively to your cold email or sends you their resume, you’ve to move to the next step – scheduling a call or interview with the hiring manager. It’s best to keep your message brief. You can either create a formal or a casual email. But, don’t forget to mention the time and your office address (if it’s an in-person interview). Here’s something you could work with:
“Hi Name,
Thank you for your <applying/responding to our earlier email> for the position of <open role> at <company name>. We’d like to have a <telephonic discussion/an interview at our office> with you to discuss the role and answer any queries you may have about our company. Will you be available on the <date> around <time>?
We look forward to connecting with you.”
3 – Rejection
This is the only scenario where you can consider the ‘mass email’ approach to save time. However, having two or three templates to cater to different rejection situations – after interview or post submitting an assignment, etc. – would be a good idea. The tone of your email should be formal and sensitive.
Here’s a sample for reference:
“Hi <Name/Candidate>,
Thank you for <applying for the [position] at [company name]/ spending your valuable time on the assignment>. After a careful review of your <application/assignment>, we regret letting you know you haven’t been considered for further rounds. However, we have kept your profile safe in our records for future use.
We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the best in your future endeavors. Thank you once again for your interest in our company.”
In case of a rejection email post an interview, a more personalized approach should be taken. You should mention that you liked meeting the candidate and probably what you liked about the candidate’s profile/interview.
4 – The Offer
The job offer email is probably the easiest of all since the ‘one size fits all’ works fine in this scenario. Have an email template ready and you’re good to go. This email should reflect your company’s voice, but do use an enthusiastic tone.
Also, do not include details such as compensation and benefits within the body of the email. Instead, send them as an attachment with the email. Do mention the start date and the attachments, and seek an acknowledgment as acceptance of the offer.
Ready to Set Up your Recruitment Emails?
Now that you know how to structure your recruitment emails, it’s time you revisit and rework your existing ones. You can always refer to the recruitment email templates we’ve shared in the article to avoid making mistakes. Here’s a pro-tip for your success – always time your emails if you want candidates to respond to them. Your email should be on the top of your prospect’s mailbox when they check it the most – early morning, post-lunch, and after work hours. Good luck!
