Recruiter Outreach

---
name: recruiter-outreach
description: "Write personalized candidate outreach that gets replies. Use when asked to write a recruiter InMail, a candidate outreach email, a sourcing message, or a follow-up sequence. Produces a short, personalized first message (hook tied to the candidate, the role's appeal, a low-friction ask) plus a 2–3 step follow-up sequence — honest and candidate-respectful, not spammy."
---

# Recruiter Outreach Skill

Passive candidates ignore generic blasts. Replies come from messages that are **short, clearly personalized,
and about them** — why this role fits *their* trajectory, not a copy-paste pitch. This skill writes that first
message and a light follow-up sequence, with a low-friction ask that makes saying "tell me more" easy.

## Working from a brief

Given "reach out to a senior designer at a competitor for our staff design role", **write the message anyway** —
infer a credible personalization hook and the role's genuine appeal, marking specifics *(insert real detail)*
so the recruiter swaps in something true. Never fabricate a personal detail as if verified; never write a wall
of text.

## Required Inputs

Ask for these only if they aren't already provided (else infer and label):

- **The role** — title, what makes it genuinely attractive (impact, team, stage, comp/remote if a selling point).
- **The candidate** — what you can personalize on (their work, background, a shared interest) — real specifics.
- **Your company** — the one-line why-it's-interesting and any standout.
- **Channel & tone** — LinkedIn InMail / email, and how formal; plus the ask (quick chat, a call, just gauging interest).

## Output Format

### Outreach: [role]

**First message** — short (think 4–6 sentences / under ~120 words):
- **Hook** — a specific, genuine reason you're reaching out to *them* (`[insert real detail]`).
- **The role** — one or two lines on why it might fit their path — benefit to them, not a job-spec dump.
- **Why credible** — a quick signal the company/role is worth a look.
- **Low-friction ask** — an easy next step ("open to a quick chat?" / "worth a 15-min call?"), no pressure.
- **Out** — respectful close (fine to say not now / not interested).

**Subject line** (if email) — 2–3 options, specific not clickbait.

**Follow-up sequence** — 2–3 spaced messages: a gentle bump, a value-add angle (something new about the role/team), and a polite final "I'll stop here, but the door's open" — each short and non-pushy.

**Notes** — mark every `[insert real detail]`; keep claims about comp/role honest.

## Quality Checks

- [ ] The first message is short and genuinely personalized — not a template with a name slotted in
- [ ] It leads with what's in it for the candidate, not a job-description paste
- [ ] The ask is low-friction and pressure-free, with an easy "no"
- [ ] The follow-up sequence adds value each time, isn't nagging, and has a graceful end
- [ ] Personalization placeholders are flagged for the recruiter to fill with real detail
- [ ] Tone is honest and respectful — no hype, no fake urgency

## Anti-Patterns

- [ ] Do not write a generic "I came across your profile and was impressed" blast — it reads as spam
- [ ] Do not dump the whole job description — sell the fit and the next step
- [ ] Do not fabricate a personal connection — flag placeholders for true details
- [ ] Do not over-follow-up or guilt-trip — respect a non-reply and end gracefully
- [ ] Do not over-promise comp, level, or scope to get a reply — it backfires later

## Based On

Candidate-sourcing practice — concise, candidate-centric personalization, benefit-led framing, low-friction asks, and respectful multi-touch follow-up.