How to Write a Job Referral Email
One of the best ways to recruit new talent is to rely on internal references, where existing employees suggest people they know as possible new hires. It saves hiring managers time and effort from looking for talent by trawling through hundreds upon hundreds of profiles and applications.
Employees themselves want to work with people they know, so they can be trusted only to make recommendations they are sure will add to the workplace’s productivity. In turn, if they work with acquaintances, you can be sure that the employees themselves will be more motivated.
With that being said, how do you go about composing an email to a referred candidate? You have to approach it differently from an applicant. This article will tell you everything you need to know to write an excellent job referral email.
How to Send a Job Referral Email to a Candidate
In this section, we take a look at everything you want to do in order to get the best results out of your email. Everything you need to do has been presented in the list below, so read through and understand them carefully:
1. Start Strong With the Subject Line
Most emails live or die based on the subject line. Most emails remain unopened, and a significant factor of this is the subject line. In writing your own, you should always put your best foot forward and open strong.
Include the name of the person who made the recommendation in the subject of your email. Seeing the name of someone they know and recognize on the title will be a big factor that will inspire them to open your email. With that, also mention why you are sending the email. Give enough information to get them interested, and your work is done.
2. Do Not Forget That You Are Writing a Business Letter
Just because you are writing an email to a friend or acquaintance of one of your employees does not mean you can afford to be friendly or informal. Format your letter as you would any business correspondence. This makes for a good first impression. Remember, you are courting a possible new employee, not sending a friend request.
3. Drive Home the Name of Your Mutual Acquaintance
Make it very clear who did the recommending, and eave no doubt about it. This will raise the chances of getting a reply from the person you sent the email to since people respond better to familiarity.
4. Do Not Waste Their Time
This goes without saying. Just because someone opened your email does not mean they have hours upon hours to search your email for details. Mention what you want upfront in the first few sentences. Keeping the weighty content in the first paragraph gives the reader everything they need to know, as well as the freedom to not read further paragraphs.
5. Be Concise
Do not create an email that is long-winded. Nobody has the time for that. Instead, plan ahead and draft an email that covers all the points you want to cover in a couple of short paragraphs. Remember, this is the first email you are sending someone. Giving them a history lesson is not the way to go.
6. Give Them Direction on What to Do Next
Let the reader know that you have read about their skills and accomplishments and want to talk further, either in person or on call, and give them ways to reach out. Giving them something to do will give you a leg up.
7. Thank Them
Without fail, thank the reader for their patience in reading your email in its entirety. This courteous display will make for an even better impression and give you a better chance at receiving a reply.
Email Template for Sourcing a Referred Candidate
Below is a sample email referred by someone for your perusal:
Subject: (Name of Employee) referred you for (Name of Job Title)
Dear (Candidate Name),
My name is (your name), (your job title) at (your company name). Right now, we are looking for someone to fill the post of (name of job title) and (employee name) suggested you as the perfect fit for it.
I reviewed your (LinkedIn, GitHub, etc.) profile, and taking your experience and relevant accomplishments into account, I am inclined to agree. We at (company name) are always on the lookout for more experienced members to join our team.
If you are interested in the opportunity or have any questions regarding the position, feel free to reach out to me at (your contact information). We can coordinate a call at a time that works for us both.
I hope you have a wonderful day, and I hope to hear from you again!
Sincerely,
(Your name)
(Signature)
Well, there you have it. That is all you need to know about writing a job referral email. We hope you put everything you learned here to good use. For any other HR-related help, feel free to contact us any time! The experts at Talenteria, a cutting-edge recruitment marketing and career portal platform, are well-versed in HR practices.
