| name | candidate-outreach |
| description | Use proactively for craft personalized candidate outreach messages, design multi-touch sequences, and handle responses across all channels. Use proactively when the user asks to write outreach, draft a message, create an InMail, build an outreach sequence, write a follow-up, candidate email, outreach cadence, cold message, connection request message, breakup message, respond to a candidate, handle objections, personalize outreach, outreach templates, multi-channel sequence, nurture sequence, or needs help with any aspect of candidate engagement messaging across LinkedIn, email, GitHub, Twitter/X, Reddit, Discord, or Slack communities. |
Candidate Outreach for Recruiting
Purpose
Transform sourcing intelligence (personas, talent maps, JDs) into compelling, personalized outreach that gets responses. Cover the full outreach lifecycle: first touch, follow-ups, channel switches, breakup messages, and response handling.
Outreach Principles
- Candidate-centric value prop - Lead with what matters to THEM, not what the company needs
- Specific > generic - Reference something concrete about their background, never "I came across your profile"
- Shorter wins - InMail: under 400 characters (~50-70 words) gets 22% higher response. Email: 101-150 words is the sweet spot. Respect their time.
- One CTA - Single, low-commitment ask. "15-min chat" not "apply now"
- Multi-channel compounds - Combining channels increases engagement by up to 287% (LinkedIn data)
- Follow-up is where deals happen - A 4-stage sequence gets 2x more replies and 68% higher interested rates vs one-off messages (Gem, 4M emails)
- Tone matches channel - LinkedIn = professional, GitHub = developer-authentic, Twitter = casual
- Know when to stop - 4 touches per sequence, then pause. Data flattens after stage 4-5.
- Sound Human - Make it sound human, authentic and conversational. Don't be overly formal. Don't use staccato prose
- Leverage the hiring manager - SOBO (Send On Behalf Of) improves reply rates by 50%+. Only 22% of recruiters use it. Send first touch from the hiring manager or team lead for leadership hires and key ICs.
- Measure what matters - Track interested rate, not just reply rate. Gem data: 21.3% reply but only 7.9% interested — only 37% of replies are positive. Optimize for interested replies.
- Guard sensitive information - Outreach is semi-public (candidates forward messages, screenshot them, post them). Never include: exact revenue/ARR, deal sizes/ACV, pricing, internal targets, headcount plans not yet announced, customer contract values, or strategic timelines (fundraising, M&A). Use the signal ("mid-market SaaS", "Series A stage", "growing fast") without the number.
Message Anatomy
Every outreach message follows this structure (adapt length per channel):
HOOK → Why you're reaching out to THEM specifically
PERSONALIZATION → Something specific about their work, background, or interests
VALUE PROP → What makes this opportunity compelling for someone like them
SOCIAL PROOF → Brief credibility signal (traction, team, funding, mission)
CTA → One clear, low-commitment ask
Hook patterns that work:
- Reference their specific work: "Your work on [project/contribution] caught my attention"
- Shared connection or context: "I saw your talk at [event]" / "[Mutual connection] suggested I reach out"
- Relevant trigger event: "Congrats on [achievement/milestone]"
- Industry insight: "Given your experience with [specific domain]..."
Hook patterns that don't:
- "I came across your profile" (generic, everyone says this)
- "I have an exciting opportunity" (self-serving, no specificity)
- "We're a fast-growing startup" (about you, not them)
- "Your skills are impressive" (empty flattery)
- "Per my last email", "reaching out", "touching base"
- "Moreover", "Furthermore", "In conclusion" (these sound like AI)
F-Shaped Formatting:
Structure messages like an "F" — front-load the most important content (personalization + hook) in the first 2 lines, then use shorter lines and bullet points for supporting details. Readers scan in an F-pattern — if the top-left doesn't grab them, they won't read the rest.
Subject Line Tokens:
Personalizing subject lines with candidate-specific tokens measurably increases open rates. Use:
[THEIR_NAME] — first name only[THEIR_COMPANY] — their current employer[ROLE_TITLE] — the role you're hiring for[MUTUAL_CONNECTION] — shared contact name[THEIR_CONTENT] — reference to their post, talk, or project
Channel Selection Matrix
| Signal | Best Channel | Why |
|---|
| Active GitHub contributor | GitHub → LinkedIn | Meet them where they create |
| Published blog/talks | Email (if findable) → LinkedIn | Reference their content |
| Active on Twitter/X | Twitter DM → LinkedIn | Casual-first builds rapport |
| LinkedIn "Open to Work" | LinkedIn InMail | They're signaling availability |
| Shared mutual connections | LinkedIn (warm intro) | Leverage social proof |
| Community member (Slack/Discord) | Community DM → LinkedIn | Establish trust in shared space |
| GTM — active LinkedIn poster | LinkedIn InMail → voice note | They live on LinkedIn, use their medium |
| GTM — podcast guest/speaker | Email referencing episode → LinkedIn | Elite personalization signal |
| GTM — Pavilion/RevGenius member | Community DM → LinkedIn | Peer-level credibility in their network |
| GTM — President's Club winner | LinkedIn InMail (reference achievement) | Top performers respond to recognition |
| No online signal | LinkedIn InMail → email | Standard professional channels |
| Executive/VP+ | Warm intro (SOBO) → email | Skip LinkedIn noise, HM credibility |
| Past candidate in ATS/CRM | Email (Boomerang sequence) | 46% of sourced hires are rediscovered candidates (Gem 2026) |
Sequence Design Principles
Standard Sequence Structure
Touch 1 (Day 0) → Primary channel, personalized first contact
Touch 2 (Day 3-5) → Same channel, add new value or angle
Touch 3 (Day 7-10) → Switch channel, reference previous attempt
Touch 4 (Day 14) → Breakup message, create soft urgency
Timing Rules
- Between touches: 3-5 business days minimum
- Best send times: Tuesday-Thursday, 8-10am or 5-7pm candidate's timezone
- Avoid: Monday mornings (inbox flood), Friday afternoons, holidays, same day as company layoff announcements
- Test weekends: Gem data shows ~66% open rates on weekends due to less inbox competition. Schedule sends for Sunday evening / Monday 6am to land at top of inbox.
- Best months: January (professionals return refreshed), April (post-Q1 momentum). Q4 is weakest.
- Seasonal: Avoid late December, first week of January, major conference weeks
Escalation Strategy
Each touch should add new value, not repeat:
- Touch 1: Personalized intro + value prop
- Touch 2: New angle — share a relevant insight, article, or team detail
- Touch 3: Channel switch + acknowledge persistence lightly
- Touch 4: Breakup — leave the door open, no guilt
SOBO Strategy (Send On Behalf Of)
For leadership hires and key ICs, send the first touch from the hiring manager or team lead instead of the recruiter. Gem data (4M emails): 50%+ higher reply rates, with some teams seeing 3-4x lifts.
When to use SOBO:
- Director+ and executive roles (always)
- Key IC hires (Staff+, principal, distinguished)
- Hard-to-fill roles with low response rates
- When the hiring manager has strong industry credibility
How to implement:
- Recruiter drafts the message, HM reviews/approves
- Send from HM's email with recruiter CC'd (or use SOBO tooling)
- HM handles the first reply; recruiter manages follow-ups
- Works for both email and LinkedIn (if HM sends the InMail)
Channel Mixing Patterns
| Role Type | Recommended Sequence |
|---|
| Software Engineering | GitHub/Twitter → LinkedIn InMail → Email → LinkedIn breakup |
| Data/ML | LinkedIn InMail → Email → Twitter → LinkedIn breakup |
| Product/Design | LinkedIn InMail → Email → LinkedIn follow-up → Breakup |
| Executive | Warm intro (SOBO) → Email → LinkedIn → Phone/breakup |
| GTM (Sales/Marketing) | LinkedIn InMail → Email → LinkedIn voice note → Breakup |
| Community-active | Community DM → LinkedIn → Email → Breakup |
Personalization Hierarchy
Personalization quality directly correlates with response rate. Use the highest-available level:
| Level | Signal Type | Example | Response Lift |
|---|
| 1 - Deep | Their specific work/output | "Your Kafka consumer optimization in [repo] is elegant" | 3-5x |
| 2 - Contextual | Career event or content | "Congrats on the Staff promo" / "Loved your post on X" | 2-3x |
| 3 - Shared | Mutual connections/community | "[Name] suggested I reach out" / "Fellow [community] member" | 2x |
| 4 - Relevant | Company/industry context | "Given [company]'s recent pivot to..." | 1.5x |
| 5 - Role-based | Skills match | "Your Kubernetes + Go background is exactly what..." | 1.2x |
| 6 - None | Template only | "We have a Senior Engineer role..." | Baseline |
For detailed research methods and signal types, see references/personalization-guide.md.
Response Handling Framework
Response Categories & Approach
| Response Type | Priority | Approach |
|---|
| Interested | Immediate | Schedule call within 48hrs, send role brief |
| Curious but hesitant | High | Answer questions, lower commitment ("just a chat") |
| Not now, maybe later | Medium | Acknowledge timing, ask permission to follow up in X months |
| Salary question | High | Give range if authorized, otherwise frame as "competitive for your level" |
| Wants more info | High | Send targeted details (not the whole JD), address their specific interest |
| Referral offer | Medium | Thank, ask for specific intro, offer to send role brief they can share |
| Not interested | Low | Thank, ask "anyone in your network?", graceful exit |
| Objection | Medium | Acknowledge concern, reframe with evidence |
| Counter-offer risk | High | Pre-seed doubt about counter-offers early in process |
| Ghosting | Low | One gentle follow-up, then stop |
| Negative/rude | None | Professional thank, immediate exit, never argue |
For complete response templates, see references/response-playbook.md.
Key Response Principles
- Speed matters — respond within 24 hours, ideally same business day
- Match their tone — if they're casual, be casual back
- Answer the actual question — don't deflect to "let's hop on a call" when they asked something specific
- Advance the conversation — every reply should move toward a next step
- Never be defensive — if they object, acknowledge first, then reframe
Outreach Output Format
When generating outreach for a role, produce a complete sequence document:
# Outreach Sequence: [Role Title]
**Created:** [Date]
**Based on persona:** [Persona name/file reference]
**Tone:** [professional/casual/technical per talent-sourcing.local.md]
## Sequence Overview
| Touch | Day | Channel | Purpose |
|-------|-----|---------|---------|
| 1 | 0 | [channel] | First contact |
| 2 | 3-5 | [channel] | Follow-up / new angle |
| 3 | 7-10 | [channel] | Channel switch |
| 4 | 14 | [channel] | Breakup |
## Touch 1: [Channel]
**Subject:** [if email]
**Message:**
[Full message text, ready to personalize]
**Personalization slots:**
- [SPECIFIC_WORK] → Reference candidate's specific project, talk, or contribution
- [RELEVANT_DETAIL] → Something from their background that connects to the role
- [COMPANY_HOOK] → Most compelling company detail for this persona
## Touch 2: [Channel]
...
## Touch 3: [Channel]
...
## Touch 4: Breakup
...
## Response Playbook
### If they say "interested"
[Response template]
### If they say "not right now"
[Response template]
### If they ask about compensation
[Response template]
### If they raise an objection
[Response template]
Reference Files
You are stongly encouraged to read the reference files
references/message-frameworks.md — Complete message templates by channel, touch number, and role family. Ready-to-customize outreach messages for every scenario.references/channel-playbooks.md — Platform-specific best practices, character limits, timing, dos/don'ts for LinkedIn, email, GitHub, Twitter/X, Reddit, Discord, and Slack.references/sequence-templates.md — Complete multi-touch cadence templates for different role types, urgency levels, and candidate profiles.references/personalization-guide.md — How to research candidates, identify personalization signals, and weave them into messages at scale.references/response-playbook.md — Templates for handling every type of candidate reply: interested, not now, objections, salary questions, referrals, ghosting, and more.
