MightyRecruiterTerminating an employee is never fun, and it goes without saying that when it’s time to extricate yourself from an at-will employment agreement, you’ll need to tread carefully. The right language and tone will not only help you prevent possible lawsuits, they’ll also protect your company’s reputation and promote goodwill. After all, if you’d like to maintain access to the best available talent/products in the marketplace, you’ll need to treat your employees and service providers with diplomacy and respect.
A strong message starts with an exceptional subject line. Don’t just advertise an open position here; instead, your subject should appeal to the candidate on a more personal level. Study their social media pages and digital footprint to get some insight into possible approaches.
It’s also crucial to keep your letter short and to the point. If you send a lengthy email, the passive candidate might skip over important details. Worse yet, they might not even read the message at all. Cover all of the necessary information and end your email with a clear call to action.
Lastly, consider sending your message outside of business hours. Your candidate might feel guilty reading and responding to a message about a new job while at work.
New Job Opportunity Letter to a Passive Candidate Template
Subject: {Candidate Name}, can we talk about {accomplishment 1}
Dear {Candidate’s Name},
I’m {Your First & Last Name}, {Job Title} at {Company Name}, and I just came across the fact that you {passive candidate accomplishment 1} and {passive candidate accomplishment 2}. I was quite obviously impressed and was thinking that you could be a perfect fit for our organization.
We similarly are looking to {goal related to candidate accomplishment 1} and {goal related to accomplishment 2}, and apart from offering you up the chance to take on a new challenge, we also pride ourselves on {company selling point 1} and {company selling point 2}.
What do you think: Should we jump on the phone and I can tell you more?
Please let me know which of the following timeslots works best for your schedule:
• {Date and Time 1}
• {Date and Time 2}
• {Date and Time 3}
Thanks for your time and consideration, {Candidate’s Name}. I’m looking forward to connecting and learning more about you and your interests.
Respectfully yours,
{Your Name}
{Your Job Title}
{Company Name}
{Contact Information}
Want to use this letter?
As you tackle your message, think personalization, personalization, and personalization. As the above new job opportunity letter to a passive candidate template demonstrates, it’s important to go beyond just inserting the prospect’s name into the salutation and rather take the time to integrate some of their skills and accomplishments into your message. This immediately communicates that you’re genuinely interested in them – and not just sending out a generic email to anyone under the sun.
The same holds true for the subject line in the new job opportunity letter to a passive candidate template; it works because it indicates that you’ve taken the time to understand why they could be a good fit for your organization.
Finally, observe the second to last paragraph. Instead of asking the candidate to mail a resume immediately, it simply aims to start a conversation. This is far less intimidating than an interview, and it also doesn’t come off as demanding. Not to mention, by providing a few time slots and calling on the recipient to reply with their selection, you eliminate any questions about next steps and keep the momentum moving forward.
While it may feel intimidating to seek great talent on your own, you can easily write a great letter just by using this new job opportunity letter to a passive candidate template. Make as many tweaks as needed, but it helps to stick to the basic outline.