To keep in touch with candidates you did not place, keep only the people you would call again and write down why while you are on the call. Message them about once a quarter, and at once when a role opens that fits them. Anyone who does not answer two check-ins comes off the list.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who | People you would put forward again, not everyone you screened |
| How often | After the no, then about every 90 days |
| What must be in it | Why you kept them, and a real reason to write |
The method
“even an entry-level recruiter should have their basic system that they can run off of Excel where they track great candidates.”A recruiter in r/recruiting, on keeping up with follow-ups. The word is "great": a short list of people, not a database of everyone.
- Decide who is worth keeping. The test: would you put this person forward again, or ring them first when a role like theirs opens? If not, say so kindly and let them go. Some agency recruiters say you cannot keep in touch with people you screened for a job you no longer have, and that it only works when the candidates keep in touch with you. That is why the list is short.
- Write one note on the call, while you remember: what they are good at, what they want next, and when they said to try again. Without the note, a check-in is a guess.
- When you give the no, say what you will do: "I will keep you in mind for [KIND OF ROLE] and write in [MONTH]." Then put that date in your list.
- A quarter later, send one line with one real thing in it, and ask whether what they want has changed.
- When a role lands that fits, write to the person before you advertise it. Name the role, not "opportunities".
- After two check-ins with no reply, take them off the list, or set a date six months ahead and leave them alone until then.
3 messages to adapt
Replace every [BRACKET] with a real fact. If you cannot, delete the line.
- After the noSubject: [ROLE]: where we areHi [NAME], Thank you for your time on [DATE]. [CLIENT OR ROLE] have gone another way, and I wanted to tell you myself. I would put you forward again for [KIND OF ROLE]. I will write in [MONTH] to see what you are looking for then. [YOUR NAME]
- A quarter laterSubject: [NAME]: is [KIND OF ROLE] still what you want?Hi [NAME], We spoke in [MONTH] about [KIND OF ROLE]. [ONE REAL THING: A TYPE OF ROLE YOU SEE MORE OF, OR A CHANGE AT A COMPANY THEY KNOW.] Has what you want changed? A one-line answer is plenty. [YOUR NAME]
- When a role fitsSubject: [ROLE] at [COMPANY]: I thought of youHi [NAME], A role has come in that looks like what you told me you wanted: [ROLE] at [COMPANY], [TWO REAL DETAILS: LOCATION, PAY RANGE IF YOU HAVE IT]. It is not advertised yet. Would you like the details? [YOUR NAME]
When to send them
- Put the date of the next check-in in "Don't chase before" in the free tool. The person stays off your list until that day, then comes up as "Your planned date has come".
- After the no, the first check-in is about 90 days ahead. After that, repeat. That is our advice, not a rule.
- A matching role overrides the date. Write the same day.
- Two check-ins with no reply: remove the date, or set one six months ahead.
What to avoid
- Keeping everyone you ever screened. A long list you never use is no list.
- "Just keeping in touch" with no reason to write.
- Promising to keep someone in mind and then not writing.
- Sending the no by an automated message. A recruiter in r/RecruitmentAgencies says people do not come back from an automated no.
- Writing "opportunities" when you can name the role.
Keeping a candidate's details is covered by data protection rules where you work. Tell people that you are keeping their details, and delete them if they ask. Not legal advice.
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Questions people ask
Is it worth keeping in touch with candidates you did not place?
For people you would put forward again, yes. For everyone else it costs more time than it returns. Experienced agency recruiters in r/recruiting disagree about this, which is why this page keeps a short list.
How often should I contact them?
About every three months, and at once when a matching role lands. That is our advice, not a rule.
What do I write if I have nothing to offer?
One line that asks what they want next, or wait. A message with no reason is the one that gets ignored.