Recruiter
ChatGPT Prompts for Recruiter Outreach Messages
Also searched as: ChatGPT prompts for recruiter outreach messages
- Who it is for
- Recruiters, sourcers, and HR generalists who reach out to passive candidates on LinkedIn or by email.
- Outcome
- A personalized first message, a follow-up, and a short version for InMail, all specific to the candidate and the role.
Why not candidate screening? It was the top HR AI use in our research, but it raises fairness and legal questions that deserve their own careful playbook. Outreach was a close second and is safe to start with.
Step-by-step prompts
Paste each step into the same chat so the model keeps the earlier context. Then edit before you send.
Step 1
Describe the role honestly
You're helping me write recruiting outreach. The role: Title and level: [title] Company and what's interesting about it: [e.g. product, mission, team] Why someone would move: [real selling points: pay range if shareable, remote policy, growth, team] Must-haves: [3-4 skills] Tone: warm, direct, no hype, no "rockstar/ninja". Remember this.
Step 2
Personalize to the candidate
Candidate notes: [current role, years of experience, a project or post they shared; your own notes, no sensitive personal info] Write 2 opening lines that show I actually looked at their background and link it to this role.
Step 3
Write the message
Write an outreach email under [120] words: personal opener, why this role fits them specifically, 1-2 selling points, and an easy ask (e.g. "open to a 15-minute chat?"). Also write a LinkedIn InMail version under [300] characters, and 3 subject lines.
Step 4
Follow-up
Write one follow-up for [5] days later that adds new info (e.g. team detail, pay range, interview process) and makes it easy to say "not now, but keep me in mind."
Step 5
Fairness check
Review these messages for language that could discourage qualified candidates (gendered words, age-coded phrases like "digital native", unnecessary requirements). Suggest neutral replacements.
Example of good output
EXAMPLE ONLY. Fictional candidate and company. Subject: your work on the billing migration Hi Priya, your post about moving a billing system without downtime caught my eye. We're hiring a Senior Backend Engineer at Lumen Health to lead a similar migration, with a small team and full remote. The range is $[X]–$[Y]. Open to a 15-minute chat next week, even just to hear more? — Alex
Tips and pitfalls
- Don't paste resumes or personal data. into tools your company hasn't approved.
- Don't let AI decide who to contact or reject. Use it to write, not to judge candidates.
- Check every detail it adds. about the candidate or the role. Remove anything you didn't give it.
- Be honest about the job. Overselling leads to bad hires and drop-offs.
- Follow your company's and your region's rules. on recruiting messages and data.
Works with
These prompts are plain text, so they work in ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. Paste each step into the same chat so the AI keeps the context from earlier steps. Free and paid tiers both work. Paid tiers usually handle longer pasted material better.
FAQ
Can I personalize at scale?
Run Step 2 per candidate with short notes. Generic "at scale" messages are the ones candidates ignore.
Should I include salary?
If you can share it, it usually helps. Follow your company's pay-transparency rules.
Is this for HR managers too?
Yes, for any hiring outreach. Job descriptions, onboarding and reviews will get separate HR playbooks.
What if the candidate replies with questions?
Paste their reply and ask for a draft answer, then check it against facts.