Candidates today are getting bombarded. Emails, texts, calls and LinkedIn messages. Recruiters are using every method possible to attract and engage with talent.

You’re probably using all of these methods, right? 

But are you measuring how well these communications are working? Industry-wide, response rates are extremely low for recruiter outreach. And it’s not because people aren’t interested in your jobs. 

Workers today are open to new jobs. Many are even open to hearing from recruiters. But with such a cluttered market right now, it can be difficult to get noticed with your messages. 

If you’re sending out plenty of messages without a pin drop, these 4 simple reasons could be to blame:

1. They weren’t expecting the message. 

Cold outreach is always a challenge. If you can, try to warm up the lead before reaching out. If you’re using a LinkedIn InMail, for example, try liking or commenting on a recent post, or at least opening the message by acknowledging why you’re reaching out. Being candid and personable can go a long way. 

2. You are not using their preferred method of communication.

Busy candidates who are working a 9 to 5 may not check their email, or LinkedIn inboxes very often. And when was the last time you listened to a voicemail that wasn’t from your mom? We’re all busy, and when we’re busy, unimportant messages can get tossed by the wayside. Unfortunately for recruiters, your messages are often categorized as “unimportant” (unless a candidate has actively applied to one of your jobs). 

If you’re reaching out to dormant candidates from your database, be sure to tap into the power of your ATS by reading your notes and checking your message history. What communication methods elicited the best response? Did the candidate identify his or her preferred method of communication? Respect candidate preferences, and you’re much more likely to get a response.

3. It’s all about “you.”

It’s a tricky balance between introducing you and your jobs, and showing genuine interest in candidates. When crafting your messages, try to make them as personalized as possible. If you have a previous relationship with a candidate, if you were referred, if you have something in common (you spotted on LinkedIn), refer to that piece of information. Show that you have a genuine interest in the candidate, and your response rates are sure to improve. 

From there, keep it short and sweet. Give enough information to entice, without copying and pasting an entire job posting. Ask questions, offer insight into you and your company, and avoid sending messages that sound like ads. Remember to get to the point -- what’s in it for me (your candidates)? Convey this clearly and concisely, and you’ll see some results for sure. 

Need help crafting messages?  Ask your marketing department for help or contact us at BrightMove today - we will write your messages for you! 

4. You’ve already sent the same message. 

It can be tempting to bombard candidates wherever possible. If you have a phone number, email address and LinkedIn profile, you may want to reach out on all three platforms. Resist the urge.

Unsolicited messages can already be tricky to navigate, but if you are too presumptuous and send messages wherever possible, you run the very real risk of permanently turning talents off of your organization. 

If you reach out on one platform and don’t get a response within a reasonable amount of time, it is acceptable to try another platform. Be sure not to simply copy and paste, or regurgitate, the previous message, though. Your message may have gotten through and the candidate simply wasn’t interested. Refer to the original message, and state that you’re following up. Give a high-level overview of the job or message, and wrap it up. If you haven’t heard back after the follow-up attempt, it’s probably best to move on rather than anger talent and potentially earn a negative reputation. 

Keep critical candidate data at your fingertips.

With BrightMove, your entire candidate history is a click away. Our ATS was built to make communication a breeze. We empower your recruiters to send more, better messages and build stronger candidate relationships. To learn more, be sure to check out our candidate experience features. If you'd like a demo, we’ll walk you through our platform and show you how BrightMove can transform your recruiting efforts.