Chapter 2 – The First Candidate Contact

It cannot be overemphasized enough that a good first contact experience at the beginning of an employee sourcing exercise is extremely important. The first interaction greatly influences how candidates look at a company and whether they would consider working for the organization. A well-managed and positive first contact demonstrates the firm’s professionalism and shows some genuine interest in the candidate. This sets the pace for recruitment as it creates a friendly rapport with prospective employees, thus increasing their desire to engage further with your organization. However, when poorly done or lacklustre, this may discourage potential candidates who may be deterred from applying, leading to missed opportunities and even possible damage to the brand. As organizations prioritize having excellent first-contact experiences, they ensure they attract top talent and create room for developing long-term employer-candidate relations that foster effective talent acquisition and retention strategies.

These are some ways you can make sure initial communication stands out:

1) Personalize Your Outreach
 Begin by using their name in your message and referencing specific things about their background or expertise that drew your attention. This demonstrates that you have tried to do more than send out generic messages.

2) Highlight Mutual Interests
Identify shared interests, values or objectives between you and them. This establishes a connection, thus indicating that you have done some research.

3) Clearly Communicate the Opportunity
Clearly mention what opportunity you are reaching out about. Provide key details concerning the position, such as duties, growth possibilities, or any unique things that make it interesting.

4) Express Genuine Interest
Show your genuine interest in them and whether they could be part of your company. Avoid being too formal or casual; instead, show enthusiasm about “the possibility” of entering into such kind of partnership.

5) Emphasize Company Culture
Briefly mention some distinguishing features of the company’s culture, values, and other qualities that make it a good workplace. This will give the prospect an idea of what it is like to work in your organization.

6) Keep It Concise
Respect their time by being brief and clear in your first message. Make known why you are contacting them, the reasons behind your trust that they will do well and tell them what happens next.

7) Use Compelling Language
Craft your tone to capture the candidate’s attention with strong words. Concentrate on communicating what he or she can contribute to their future employer.

8) Provide a Call to Action
The next steps should be clearly stated and call for immediate action provided, such as scheduling a call, sending resumes or referring them towards a specific application process. The goal here is to make it easy for them to respond.

9) Offer Flexibility in Communication
Recognize that people have various communication preferences; hence, give options such as emails, phone calls, or video meetings depending on their choice at hand.

10) Demonstrate Professionalism
Ensure your messages are error-free grammatically while maintaining a professional tone that portrays you positively and speaks of the organization well.

11) Follow Up Appropriately
If you don’t receive a response immediately after sending the email, send another polite message without appearing pushy. Insist on being interested and open to further clarifications, if any.

12) Be Transparent:
Regarding the recruitment process, timeline, or other details, be transparent. This will help cultivate trust and keep the candidate informed.

Remember that the secret lies in making the first contact personal, engaging and informative. It should be an interactive dialogue, with timelines being met on any eventual commitment. So doing this increases the chances of capturing a candidate’s interest and leaving a good impression, reducing dropout cases.