If you are involved in talent acquisition or recruitment, chances are good that you've seen a tremendous increase in emails and calls from recently downsized candidates in search of their next jobs.  Chances are also good that you are hearing from so many candidates in need, you could not possibly respond to them all.  But you do respond to some candidates.  And so I wonder -- what prompts you to reach out? It is something the candidate has expressed that somehow set him/her apart from the growing crowd?

 

I recently had a 2-hour long conversation with a recently downsized CTO.  I responded to him because his approach was indirect.  He recommended a VC's blog to me, after seeing that I feature a list of VC blogs on The Investigative Recruiter.  It led me to wonder what his relationship was with the VC, and so I agreed to a call.  I soon learned the CTO was extraordinarily networked. Moreover, he offered to introduce me to an exclusive gathering of top-level CTO's in the NYC area.  He laid all of that groundwork and, then, said that he also was among the many who've been recently downsized.   In other words, he did what I try to do when I network -- he gave without expecting an immediate quid pro quo. He was open about his recent downsizing and just put it out there for discussion.  It was an elegant approach. I remain motivated to help him. 

 

(To my friends in the NYC - Fairfield County, CT area . . .if you are seeking a world class CTO/CIO type, please let me know. I would be honored to introduce you this particular candidate.)

 

And so my question to you is: what kinds of candidate outreach prompt you to reply?