HR AI Skill

Candidate Communication

Manage all candidate communications throughout the hiring lifecycle. Use when sending application confirmations, interview invitations, status updates, rejection letters, offer letters, counter-offer responses, or nurture sequences for silver-medalist candi...

Candidate Communication

Keep candidates engaged and informed at every stage of the hiring process.

Workflow

  1. Identify the communication trigger: application received, stage change, interview scheduled, offer extended, rejection, or nurture campaign.
  2. Select the appropriate template for the stage and outcome.
  3. Personalize using candidate data: name, role applied for, specific qualifications noted, interviewer names, timeline.
  4. Choose delivery channel based on candidate preference and message type (email for formal, SMS for time-sensitive, in-app for portal users).
  5. Send and log the communication in the ATS.
  6. Track open rates, click-through rates, and response rates.
  7. A/B test subject lines and messaging variants for continuous improvement.
  8. For rejections: offer feedback where appropriate and invite to future consideration.

Communication Trigger Matrix

| Trigger | Timing | Channel | Template | Personalization Level | |---------|--------|---------|----------|----------------------| | Application received | Immediate (< 1hr) | Email | Confirmation | Name, role, next steps timeline | | Moving to screening | Within 24h of decision | Email + SMS | Interview invite | Interviewer name, format, prep tips | | Stage change (any) | Within 4h of decision | Email | Status update | Current stage, what to expect next | | Interview reminder | 24h before | Calendar + Email | Reminder | Time, link, who they'll meet | | Offer extended | Same day as approval | Email + Phone call | Offer letter | Comp details, start date, deadline | | Offer accepted | Immediate | Email | Welcome pre-boarding | Start date agenda, pre-work | | Rejection (post-screen) | Within 24h | Email | Polite decline | Specific feedback if candidate requested | | Rejection (post-offer) | Within 24h | Email + Phone call | Thoughtful decline | Detailed feedback, keep-door-open | | Silver medalist hold | Within 48h | Email | Hold notification | Timeline for re-evaluation | | Nurture (pipeline) | Monthly | Email | Check-in | New roles, company news |

Template Library

Application Confirmation

Subject: Application received for [Role] at [Company]

Hi [Name],

Thanks for applying to [Role] on our team. We've received your application
and a member of our recruiting team will review it within [X business days].

You'll hear back from us by [date] regardless of the outcome.
If you have questions in the meantime, reply to this email.

Best,
[Recruiter Name]
[Company] Recruitment Team

Interview Invitation

Subject: Interview invitation — [Role] at [Company]

Hi [Name],

We'd like to invite you to a [stage] interview for the [Role] position.

When: [Date] at [Time, candidate's timezone]
Format: [Video/Phone/In-person]
Duration: [X] minutes
Interviewer: [Name, Title] — [1-sentence intro about them]

[Calendar link to confirm/reschedule]

What to expect: [2-sentence description of interview format]
Preparation: [any prep materials or links]

Looking forward to meeting you.

Best,
[Recruiter Name]

Rejection (Post-Screening)

Subject: Update on your [Role] application

Hi [Name],

Thank you for taking the time to interview for [Role]. We genuinely
appreciated learning about your background in [specific area mentioned].

After careful consideration, we've decided to move forward with another
candidate whose experience more closely aligns with our current needs.
This was a difficult decision — you impressed us with [specific strength].

[If candidate requested feedback:]
You asked for feedback: [1–2 specific, constructive points].

We'd like to keep your resume on file and will reach out if a
better-matched role opens up. We encourage you to apply again in the future.

Wishing you the best in your search.

Best,
[Recruiter Name]

Offer Letter

Subject: Offer of Employment — [Role] at [Company]

Hi [Name],

We are thrilled to offer you the position of [Role] on the [Team] team.

Compensation:
  Base salary: [$X,XXX] per [year/hour]
  Equity: [X shares/options] vesting over 4 years with 1-year cliff
  Signing bonus: [$X,XXX] (if applicable)
  Annual bonus target: [X%] of base salary

Start date: [Date]
Reporting to: [Manager Name, Title]
Location: [City / Remote]

Full offer details are in the attached letter. Please review and
sign by [deadline — typically 5 business days].

Reply to this email or call me directly at [phone] with any questions.

Congratulations and welcome to [Company]!

Best,
[Recruiter Name]

Silver-Medal Nurture

Subject: Staying in touch — [Company]

Hi [Name],

Though we didn't move forward this time, we were impressed by your
background and would like to stay connected.

[Company news or update — 1–2 sentences]
[New role that might be relevant — if applicable]

We'll check in periodically with opportunities that match your profile.
In the meantime, feel free to reach out if your situation changes.

Best,
[Recruiter Name]

Personalization Rules

Engagement Tracking

| Metric | Target | How to Track | |--------|--------|-------------| | Email open rate | > 65% | Email platform analytics | | Click-through rate | > 25% | Link tracking | | Response rate to offers | > 70% | ATS offer acceptance data | | Candidate NPS | > 40 | Post-process survey | | Time to first response | < 24h | ATS timestamp data | | Rejection feedback request fulfillment | 100% | Manual tracking |

A/B Testing Framework

Test one variable at a time:

Test 1: Subject line personalization
  A: "Interview invitation — Senior Engineer at [Company]"
  B: "Hi [Name], we'd love to interview you for Senior Engineer"
  Measure: Open rate

Test 2: Rejection feedback offer
  A: "We'd like to keep your resume on file"
  B: "You asked for feedback: [specific point]. We'd also like to keep your resume on file"
  Measure: Future re-application rate

Test 3: Offer letter format
  A: PDF attachment
  B: Inline HTML with e-sign link
  Measure: Time to acceptance

Multi-Channel Strategy

| Channel | Best For | Rules | |---------|---------|-------| | Email | Formal communications, offer letters, rejections | Primary channel for all formal comms | | SMS | Time-sensitive reminders, quick confirmations | Only with opt-in; keep under 160 chars | | Phone | Offer delivery, late-stage rejections, emergencies | Personal call from recruiter, not voicemail | | In-app/Portal | Status updates for active applicants | Supplement to email, never replacement | | LinkedIn | Initial outreach, silver-medalist re-engagement | Keep professional, reference shared context |

Edge Cases