How to get software engineers to respond to you

Software engineers receive a ton of job offers every day. It makes it more challenging for tech recruiters to stand out.?

I have been working as a Talent Acquisition Expert for 7 years. I have worked on improving recruitment numbers during my career.

I need to be sure my work is efficient and effective. I like being as precise as a laser. I bring clarity to the project, take direction, follow through, and make the corrections necessary to stay on track. I have very high Focus and Intellection in Gallup, so it makes perfect sense for me to take this path at work.?

My analysis revealed insights into which types of messages engineers are most likely to respond to. Review the findings below and consider whether it might be time to update your messaging!

The Good

A Senior Software Engineer sent this message from an early-stage startup with less than 10 employees. It has a 67% response rate to date.

Note the simplicity and clear call to action (CTA). No pressure. No sales pitch. Just an invitation to connect.

However, the fact that a software engineer sent the message greatly impacts the response rate, in my opinion.?

The Bad?

A recruiter sent this message at Series A Startup. It has a 2.5% response rate to date.

Note the cliché "sales pitch" and prompt to schedule a phone screen. It's impersonal, filled with buzzwords, forcing you to open an external link.?

The Ugly

This message was sent by a recruiter at a private company with over 5000 employees. It has a <1% response rate to date.

This message exemplifies "TL;DR." The amount of non-essential information here is TMI for 99% of engineers.?

My approach

I keep emails short and focused. Candidates love the clarity and brevity about why the role is relevant to them and respond around 40% of the time.

Key takeaways?

If you're going to invest time reaching out to candidates, do so wisely. Put yourself in their busy shoes and consider what makes your opportunity interesting. Highlight that and ask to chat. Keep it simple and relevant.?

Do?

• Be personal & address the candidate by their name
• Keep it short and professional; be considerate of their time
• Try reaching out as/from an engineer or founder on your team
• Highlight only the opportunity's key selling points, including recent or upcoming fundraise, remote / flex work, benefits/salary/comp. tech stack, growth of company, how the candidate will grow in role, notable customers, teammates, partners or investors
• Have a clear call to action (CTA)

Don't?

• Be too casual
• Ask candidates to fill out an application
• Mention a phone or technical screen?
• Overuse tech buzzwords and business jargon
• Be vague
• Write a novel no one wants to read
• Forget the CTA?

Is your approach to candidate outreach getting the results you need to compete for the best talent? If you need a jumpstart, leverage the template I discussed above.

You can also join the group I have recently created where Tech Recruiters from Europe can deepen&share knowledge and post tech recruiting jobs.