For employers: 12 email templates you can use for the recruitment process

Sophia Lee
Sophia Lee
September 7, 2018

Throughout the hiring process, you’ll be communicating day in, day out with countless candidates and hopeful applicants. But have you ever been stumped on how to write some of these emails? It can’t be easy trying to figure out the nicest way to tell an applicant they’ve been rejected. That’s why we’ve come up with 12 awesome email templates for you to use no matter the occasion. 

Whether you’re turning a candidate away or trying to fix up a second interview, there are email templates for everybody! Check them out below.

Contents (Email Templates Below!)

  1. First cold email (with referral)
  2. First cold email (without referral)
  3. Reply to “I’m interested”
  4. Reply to “No thanks”
  5. Second outreach if no response
  6. Reply to applicants
  7. Reply to unqualified candidates (after shortlisting)
  8. Invitation to phone screening
  9. Reply to unqualified candidates (after phone screening)
  10. Invitation to interviewing
  11. Reply to unqualified candidates (after interviewing)
  12. You got the job!

First cold email (with referral)

Hi [CANDIDATE NAME],

Your friend, [FRIEND NAME], who works in the [DEPARTMENT] team at our company, told us great things about you! At [COMPANY NAME], we [SHORT DESCRIPTION OF WHAT YOUR COMPANY DOES], and we think you might be really suitable for us. Currently, we have a job opening at [COMPANY NAME] for [JOB TITLE], and we’d like to know if you’ll be interested.

If yes, let us know and we could schedule a chat!

Thank you!

Regards,
[SIGNATURE]

First cold email (without referral)

Hi [CANDIDATE NAME],

After searching through hundreds of profiles, we chanced upon yours and found it interesting. At [COMPANY NAME], we [SHORT DESCRIPTION OF WHAT YOUR COMPANY DOES], and we think you might be really suitable for us, based on your past experience. Currently, we have a job opening at [COMPANY NAME] for [JOB TITLE], and we’d like to know if you’ll be interested.

If yes, let us know and we could schedule a chat!

Thank you!

Regards,
[SIGNATURE]

Reply to “I’m interested”

Hi [CANDIDATE NAME],

Thank you so much for getting back to us! We’d love to take the opportunity further and could perhaps schedule a chat next week to talk more.

Let me know what works best for you.

Regards,
[SIGNATURE]

Reply to “No thanks”

Hi [CANDIDATE NAME],

No worries about that, and thank you so much for getting back to us. If you know someone who might be interested, don’t hesitate to refer them to us!

For reference, here is the Job Description again:

[JOB DESCRIPTION HERE]

Thank you!

Regards,
[SIGNATURE]

Second outreach if no response

Hi [CANDIDATE NAME],

You might’ve missed our previous email, where I told you about the opening for the role of [JOB TITLE] here at [COMPANY NAME]. I’d like to follow up on that.

After going through many profiles, yours caught our eye and and we think you’d be a great fit for our company. Let us know if you’d like to connect!

Regards,
[SIGNATURE]

Reply to applicants

Hi [CANDIDATE NAME],

Thanks for applying! Your application is currently being screened by our HR team, and do expect a reply from us by [DUE DATE].

If you have any other questions regarding your application, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [EMAIL ADDRESS].

Regards,
[SIGNATURE]

Reply to unqualified candidates (after shortlisting)

Hi [CANDIDATE NAME],

Thank you so much for your interest in taking up the [JOB TITLE] role, however, we received a large volume of strong applications and we are sorry to tell you that you have not been selected for this position.

Still, thank you for your interest and we hope to see you again, should there be another opportunity!

Regards,
[SIGNATURE]

Invitation to phone screening

Hi [CANDIDATE NAME],

We’ve got good news for you – we really like what we saw in your application, and we’d like to take the application further.

Would you be available for a phone interview with us on [1ST CHOICE: DATE & TIME] or [2ND CHOICE: DATE & TIME]? Let us know if that works out, and if not, are there any other time slots you would be available at?

Thank you!

Regards,
[SIGNATURE]

Reply to unqualified candidates (after phone screening)

Hi [CANDIDATE NAME],

Thank you so much for your interest in taking up the [JOB TITLE] role, and we like many things about your application, but we don’t think it’s a good fit at this point in time.

Do keep a lookout for more openings in the future and don’t hesitate to apply again as there will be more opportunities!

Thank you for your interest and we hope to see you again, should there be another opportunity!

Regards,
[SIGNATURE]

Invitation to interviewing

Hi [CANDIDATE NAME],

We’ve got good news for you again – your phone interview went well and we’d like to meet you in person to get to know you further!

Would you be available for an interview with us on [1ST CHOICE: DATE & TIME] or [2ND CHOICE: DATE & TIME]? Let us know if that works out, and if not, are there any other time slots you would be available at?

It will be conducted at our office at [LOCATION]. If you have any questions in the meantime, don’t hesitate to contact us!

Thank you!

Regards,
[SIGNATURE]

Reply to unqualified candidates (after interviewing)

Hi [CANDIDATE NAME],

Thank you so much for taking the time to do an interview with us and for your interest in taking up the [JOB TITLE] role. We like many things about your application, but we don’t think it’s a good fit at this point in time.

Do keep a lookout for more openings in the future and don’t hesitate to apply again as there will be more opportunities!

Thank you for your interest and we hope to see you again, should there be another opportunity!

Regards,
[SIGNATURE]

You got the job!

Hi [CANDIDATE NAME],

Congratulations! We loved speaking with you and we’d like to offer you a position as a [JOB TITLE] at [COMPANY NAME]! Here are the following perks and benefits:

[LIST OF COMPENSATION, BENEFITS, PERKS]

This offer will be valid until [DUE DATE], and to accept this offer, simply [INSERT WHAT CANDIDATES NEED TO DO TO ACCEPT]. Once again, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call or email us.

We look forward to having you!

Regards,
[SIGNATURE]

All set? We know these email templates can be seriously helpful, especially if you’re stumped by words. It’s time to crush that interview process and touch base with your candidates more effectively. For more resources, be sure to check out the rest of our blog!

If you’re looking for your next star candidate, click here to access our platform and explore the possibilities. It’s time to hire your next wizard!

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