Mindblowing Job Candidate Trawling…
The following are the contents of an actual email that I received this afternoon:
Hi cchen
I have a very hot Java Developer rek with a direct-client in Manhattan. Please send me candidates with rates and contact-numbers.
Interviews this week.
Thanks
-Priya M.
I would be shocked if Priya lands any candidate this year.
Let’s dissect all of the ways that this email is completely ineffective:
I am a .Net developer. I know Java and worked with it for 4 years on college, but I have not worked with it in any sort of significant capacity since then. Assuming this email was generated based on my profile on either Dice or Monster, you’d think that the recruiter would attempt to filter the candidates…
“Hi cchen”? Why am I being addressed by my email account name? I’m pretty sure that I have my name listed on Dice and Monster. If this were to have come from some third party database somehow, wouldn’t it make sense to just use something like “Good afternnon,…”?
“rek”? Take some time and type out the extra keystrokes and spell it out. A little professionalism goes a long way.
No. I am not doing your job for you.
Contrast this with another email from a Bradley G.:
Dear Applicant,
My name is Bradley and I’m an IT recruiter at [XYZ]Technologies Corporation. Our records show that you are an experienced IT professional with experience in .NET. This experience is relevant to one of my current openings.
The opening requires ASP in addition to the above skills.
It is located in Pittsburgh, PA.
If you are qualified, available, interested, planning to make a change, or know of a friend who might have the required qualifications and interest, even if we have spoken recently about a different position. You may also send me an e-mail with a copy of your current resume. If you do respond via e-mail please include a daytime phone number so I can reach you. In considering candidates, time is of the essence, so please respond ASAP. Thank you.
Sincerely yours,
Bradley G.
If you are not currently seeking employment, or if you would prefer I contact you at some later date, please indicate your date of availability so that I may honor your request. In any event, I respectfully recommend you continue to avail yourself to the employment options and job market information we provide with our e-mail notices.
Much more professional and much more likely to actually attract a candidate, but it still gets a few items wrong:
- I did not apply for any job. It would have been better to use use a simple greeting like “Good afternoon” or “Greetings” or perhaps even something creative like “Hello from IT land!”
- I would have added “please responsd ASAP”…seems like a bad sales pitch.
Just some random afternoon ranting…