An email newsletter is an inexpensive communication tool. Using email newsletters to connect with potential candidates is an effective way of spreading word that you are hiring. An email newsletter blast can very quickly boost the number of applicants you have overall, or to a specific position.

Engaging passive candidates

A jobs newsletter is also a good way for interested potential applicants to stay in touch even if they did not find a position to apply to right away.

Building Your Email List

If you are lucky enough to have an applicant tracking software, simply export the names and email addresses of your applicants to import into the mailing program.

If you do not have an ATS, no worries, add the names and email addresses of your target applicants into an Excel document to import into the mailing program.

Starting from scratch? If you don’t have any target contacts, you can start building a list right away. Here are some easy ways to begin building your mailing list:

• When candidates apply, use your automatic “Thank You” message to encourage people to sign up for your newsletter.
• Add a question to your employment application: “Would you like to sign up for our employment newsletter?” Add all the “Yes” responses to the list.
• Add a newsletter signup widget to your Careers website. Not everyone is ready to apply right away, but if the passive candidate is interested in your company, they may want to sign up for future notifications of available positions.
• Send a social media blast asking people to sign up.

Frequency of Newsletters

Open rates and click through rates tend to be higher when you are sending the email blasts regularly and are consistent with day and time of sending. Based on my experience newsletters should be sent at least weekly, at minimum monthly on a regular schedule. Same day and time for newsletter delivery. Thursday emails tend to have the most opens. Finding out what works best for your email list can be done by using simple A/B testing.

To do this, segment your list into two (or more) lists. For example if you have a mailing list with 1,000 subscribers, separate into two lists of 500. Each list is sent the newsletter at a separate day and time. You can do this multiple times to determine the most effective day and time for opens and click throughs.

Example Newsletter Layouts:

Here are five simple layouts for your newsletter. Each newsletter simply lists the example jobs, locations and a brief description. You can choose to highlight a featured job for additional exposure. Include a bold “call to action” as simple as “Apply Now” or “Click here for more information.”

Note that your weekly, or monthly jobs newsletter can also serve as social media content that can be shared on your Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or other social media channels.

Preventing SPAM

The CAN-SPAM act of 2003 prohibits the sending of unsolicited commercial electronic messages – known as Spam. To remain compliant with this law, there are seven important rules. These three are the most important when it comes to setting up a jobs newsletter:

1. All email recipients must choose to opt-in to your mailing list.
2. Tell the recipients who you are, and where you are located.
3. Give the recipients a clear unsubscribe option, and honor the unsubscribe requests promptly.

Further Reading: CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business

Questions About Email Marketing for Recruiting? Contact Me.

Since 2005 I have been helping small and medium sized business in all industries improve their recruitment processes, increase their candidate reach, build employment brand, and make attractive, magnetic career centers. Let me help you build your talent network, increase your reach, and find your best candidates using proven recruitment marketing techniques.

Call  (860) 478-2760 or click today. Happy to chat if you have a question.