E-Mail Recruiting: Filling the Void

by Bill Radin

Job boards and phone calls. If you're like most recruiters, that's how you find candidates.

While both methods of searching for talent can be effective, each have their limitations. Phone calls are labor-intensive and can only be done one at a time. No matter how fast you talk, there are only so many calls you can make.

Job postings are limitless in terms of exposure. In theory, a single posting can reach a million eyeballs. But if your keywords don't match the candidates' search terms, you'll pass like two ships in the night.

That leaves a huge void in your search -- a void that can be filled by e-mail.

An Unexploited Resource

With e-mail, you can reach far more candidates than by phone. And e-mail is more proactive than posting a job online and waiting for a response. By tapping into your existing files, you'll save time and effort. And in the process, you'll stay in touch with -- and engage -- the people with whom you already have a connection.

The mechanics of e-mail recruiting are fairly simple to master and easy to implement. Here are three different types of e-mail recruiting techniques to try:

• Niche mailing. These are personalized messages sent to a short list of candidates with specific skills and interests. When the right job comes along, they'll be first in line.
• Broadcast mailing. If your list of keyword-matched candidates is too large for a niche mailing, send a hot job alert with the recipients' first names merged into the greeting.
• Distribution mailing. On a monthly or quarterly basis, send a content-based newsletter or report to your entire list of candidates. Make sure to include items of interest, such as salary surveys, interviewing tips, industry news, and so forth.

Niche and broadcast mailings are great for initiating or supplementing a specific recruiting campaign. Used sparingly, they can be very effective in generating candidate flow. But be careful. If sent too often, they can fatigue or annoy those on the receiving end.

Distribution mailings will help build your brand identity, draw traffic to your Web site and expand your network. To stimulate interest in specific jobs, you can insert a list of current searches at the top of your newsletter, with links to more detailed descriptions on your Web site.

E-mail allows you to leverage your existing assets, rather than let them grow fallow. They can bolster your recruiting efforts without interfering with either your job posting or your daily phone activity.

And unlike making cold calls, your mail server never feels the pain of rejection and is happy to repeat the same script a thousand times without getting bored. Who could ask for more?