Casting out a wide net to get in touch with potential candidates can feel like a wave of silent rejection. Candidates don’t open your emails, dodge your calls, and ignore your text messages. Using all the communication channels at your disposal to reach them feels like a waste of time.
But a recruiter’s first impression is where you can really make it count in converting a cold email into a phone screen or interview to hook a cleared candidate. Where does that first impression start? The email subject line.
5 Email Subject Lines Recruiters Can Use to Win Over Candidates
Like in sales, 47% of email recipients decide whether to open an email based alone on the subject line. If you’re using a recruitment marketing software, here is where the recipient will also decide to unsubscribe from your listserv.
This is an excellent place where you can use AI in cleared recruiting to come up with crafty, personalized (and fresh) subject lines.
1. [first name], love your [niche] skills and have this [job title] for you.
This subject line is short and sweet, and even a passive candidate won’t pass up seeing what opportunities are in their field when a recruiter makes them feel in high demand.
2. [Company Name] is now hiring [job title] in [location]!
Especially if it is an attractive location like Hawaii, this should be highlighted on the cover of the book you’re selling. Even do a little sleuthing on their ClearanceJobs profile to see if the location you are recruiting in is one of their top preferred.
3. We’re hiring the top 1% for talent in the IC and you came up [first name].
A candidate is likely interested in how you found them, and if you note you’re looking for the top achievers in the intelligence community, they may be curious on why they are a good fit and what your company has to offer.
4. [Company Name] is offering a 50K sign-on bonus for hires in this location.
A little bit of “click bait” is ok if you don’t beat a dead horse. Noting numbers in subject lines also increases open rates by up to 113%.
5. Ready to move up in your career, [first name]?
If you are hiring for mid-senior level roles and are targeting those who probably find an increase in salary or upward mobility in this industry attractive, this subject line can bait candidates in!
SUBJECT LINE RULES OF THUMB
Get to the point in your subject line (even send yourself a test to see if you would open it), use emojis where relevant, personalize by using first names (and double check they look right in your CRM), and be specific about what you bring to the table. A vague subject line like “just checking in” will likely go straight to the delete folder.
THE CLEARED RECRUITING CHRONICLES: YOUR WEEKLY DoD RECRUITING TIPS TO OUT COMPETE THE NEXT NATIONAL SECURITY STAFFER.
