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Job Opportunity Messages That Get Candidates to Reply
A job opportunity message to a candidate should say why you picked this person in the first two lines. Then name the role. Add one or two things that make it worth a look, like pay range, scope or flexibility. Ask for a short call. Keep it under 120 words. Personal and specific beats a full job description every time.
Good candidates get lots of recruiter messages. They delete the ones that could have gone to anyone. The first line is your whole chance. If it shows you read their background and picked them for a reason, they'll read the rest. Even a 'not right now' reply starts a relationship you can return to.
A real reason, honest facts and a small ask make it land. Mention the project, skill or move that made you reach out. Share the salary range and what's truly different about the role. Then ask for 15 minutes, not a résumé. Respecting their time is what earns a reply.
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Free, no signup. The example is filled in: press the button, then replace it with your own situation. In Capstone, a message like it is written for each person you know when their check-in is due.
12 examples to copy
One message is easy. Hundreds of people, all year, is the hard part. Capstone Outreach puts everyone you know on a rhythm you pick, from weekly to every three months. When someone is due, a message like these is already written in your voice from your history with them. You approve it, and it goes from your own email or phone. See the CRM for recruiters.
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Everyone on a rhythm. Who is due, and when. Recorded in the app on a demo account.
1. Cold email to a passive candidate with a specific reason (email)
Subject: Your work on [specific project]
Why it works: Leading with their own work proves it isn't a mass blast. Sharing the range up front answers their first question.
2. Short direct message for a professional networking site (message)
Why it works: A short note with the key facts fits how people skim these. The easy out makes replying feel safe.
3. Candidate you met at a career fair (text)
Why it works: Saying where you met makes a text from a new number welcome. Asking before you send details keeps it low-pressure.
4. Past finalist from an earlier search (email)
Subject: Remember the [previous role] search?
Why it works: Keeping a promise to a past finalist builds trust. Offering to skip a step shows their earlier effort counted.
5. Referred by someone they know (email)
Subject: [Referrer name] suggested I reach out
Why it works: A mutual contact's name in the subject line gets the email opened. The detail they shared makes it believable.
6. Not a fit, but asking who they'd recommend (email)
Subject: Quick question about [specialty]
Why it works: Asking a senior person for a name flatters their judgment. It often turns up better candidates than any search.
7. Hard-to-fill role, leading with pay and flexibility (email)
Subject: [Role], [salary range], [schedule]
Why it works: Some candidates have many options. For those roles, putting the hard facts in the subject line and opening gets attention faster than any compliment.
8. Agency recruiter, confidential search (email)
Subject: Confidential [role] search
Why it works: Sharing enough real facts about a confidential role builds trust. The candidate doesn't feel asked to talk blind.
9. Follow-up after no reply (email)
Subject: Re: [original subject]
Why it works: A truly new fact gives the candidate a fresh reason to reply. Offering to stop makes you easy to answer.
10. Hourly or high-volume role, we're hiring (text)
Why it works: Pay, location and shifts are what hourly candidates decide on. A one-word reply makes it easy to raise a hand.
11. Former employee who might come back (email)
Subject: Would you ever come back?
Why it works: Telling a former employee what has changed speaks to why they may have left. A specific memory reminds them they were valued.
12. Candidate who said 'not now' a few months ago (text)
Why it works: Following up exactly when they asked shows you listened. That is often what turns a 'not now' into a 'yes.'
Sending these to more than a few people? See how people keep track of who to follow up with, and when: what a personal CRM does and the best personal CRMs, compared.
When to send it
- Send emails Tuesday through Thursday in the morning, in the candidate's time zone. People are more likely to read then, not just sort.
- Text only candidates who shared their number with you, like at a career fair or in a past process. Text only during business hours.
- Reach out soon after a trigger. That could be a promotion anniversary, layoff news at their company or the end of a big project they posted about.
- If there's no reply, follow up once after four to five business days. Follow up once more a week later, then stop.
- If a candidate said 'not now,' ask when to check back. Put that exact date in your calendar.
Subject lines
- Your work on [specific project]
- [Referrer name] suggested I reach out
- [Role] at [Company], [salary range]
- Remember the [previous role] search?
- Confidential [role] search
- Would you ever come back?
- Quick question about [specialty]
- A [role] opening that fits your background
- [Name], a role built around [specific skill]
- Open to a 15-minute call?
- Thought of you for this [role]
- [Company] is hiring a [role]
- Re: [original subject]
- Your next step after [current role]?
What to avoid
- Don't open with a long description of your company. The first line should be about the candidate.
- Don't hide the pay range or location when you're allowed to share them. Vague messages get ignored.
- Don't send the same message to someone whose background clearly doesn't match the role.
- Don't attach a full job description or ask for a résumé in the first message. Ask for a short call instead.
- Don't send more than two follow-ups to someone who hasn't replied.
- Don't misstate the role, title or pay to get a reply. It ruins trust the moment the call starts.
After you send it
If there's no reply after four or five business days, send one follow-up with a truly new detail. Send one last short note a week later. Then stop, and set a reminder to try again in three to six months with a different role. If they reply 'not now,' ask what they'd want next and when to check back. Put that date in your calendar. Candidates you keep in touch with every quarter often become your fastest hires later.
Building the habit: how to keep in touch with contacts and what a personal CRM does.
Past finalists you want back someday? Capstone shows the candidates you have not talked to in a while. When the right role opens, it drafts a note from your last chat, ready for you to approve.
Start 14 days free, then $25/mo
A study of 20 million LinkedIn members found that acquaintances, more than close friends, led to new jobs (Science, 2022). Capstone keeps those people warm. You approve every message, and it goes from your own email or phone.
Frequently asked questions
How do you write an email to a potential candidate?
Start with why you chose them, citing a specific project, skill or career move. Then name the role and share the salary range. Add one or two things that make it worth a look. Ask for a 15-minute call. Keep it under 120 words, use a subject line about them and make it easy to say no.
What should a job opportunity message include?
It should include why you're contacting this person and the role title. Name the company, or describe it if the search is confidential. Add the pay range, the location or remote setup and a clear next step. Leave out the full job description and long company history. Those can come after they reply.
Should I include the salary in a job opportunity message?
Yes, include the salary range whenever you can. It answers the candidate's first question. It screens out people it won't work for. It also shows that you're straightforward. In some places, posted ranges are required by law. If you can't share it yet, say when you will.
How long should a recruiting message to a candidate be?
Keep it under 120 words for email. Keep it under 300 characters for a text or short direct message. Candidates often read these on their phones between other tasks. A short note with one specific reason and one clear ask gets more replies than a long pitch.
How many times should I follow up with a candidate who doesn't reply?
Follow up twice at most: once after four or five business days and once a week after that. Each follow-up should add something new, like a detail about the team or the role. After that, stop. Try again in a few months with a different opening.