I’m always open to getting messages from companies. I like hearing about companies that I haven’t heard of and learning more about ones I have heard of. But the vast majority of recruiting messages are not good, especially for staff+ candidates.
What makes a good recruiting message?
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve received a cold-call message that’s like,
Want to change the world at the next $1B biotech company?
We're redefining how medical analysis is done using AI. Think Theranos but real.
Our founders Chad and Brad are from Facebook and Uber. We've already raised a $17M series A and have 70% MoM growth.
You look like you'd be a great candidate because of your experience at <two most recent companies listed on LinkedIn>.
Ready to level up your game and learn more? Find a time here.
I have never been a recruiter, so I don’t know what it’s like. I know they are playing a numbers game and trying to cast a wide net to find qualified candidates.
But to me, messages like this are not appealing. If I were desperate for a job I might respond. But are those the only candidates that you want to hire?
Then they also have the gall to message me two more times, often with even less helpful messages, without any response from me. If I don’t respond, please don’t message me again about the same role.
If you’re a startup cold-calling people trying to get good talent, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to offer a salary higher than most big tech companies. So you need to stand out by investing more time.
Here’s what I think might actually get my attention:
A very personalized message
Don’t just mention the companies that I’ve worked at or the titles that I’ve had. Send a personalized message that calls out what you like about my work and how it fits into your vision for the role and the direction of the company. I’ve shared a lot online! Make use of it and get to know me a bit. If you’re not willing to at least click through my Bluesky profile and read my blog, how can you know that I’m a good fit?
Explain in detail why you think I specifically am a fit for your team at this point in time. Why me over someone else?
And don’t craft it with AI — it’s obvious.
Sell your vision
Explain why your company / goals are interesting. Why do you do what you do? Why should I work for your company over countless other companies? How does that align with my interests? This means that the message should probably come from a founder or at least someone within the company, even if a third party company sourced me as a candidate.
I lead a productive team at a Fortune 500 company. If you’re an early-stage startup, why should I take the risk?
Be specific.
This means that you should put the name of the company, a link to the company’s website, and a job posting in the message! I never thought I’d have to tell recruiters to say what company they’re recruiting for but I’ve gotten so many messages without it that I had to include this.
This also means that I’m not interested in pool hiring unless that pool is for a specific subset of teams that align specifically with my interests.
What I’m looking for
I really love being able to direct what my team is working on while also building things myself. I love creating efficient processes for high quality teams and code. I excel at both making top-tier marketing websites and building enterprise software.
I want you to be excited at the prospect of us working together, not just one of many candidates. If you’re not a little sad if I turn down the position then I’m probably not right for the role.
Reach out to me!
Like I said, I’m always open to hearing from you. Reach out via email!