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238 items in ENGAGEMENT

Had a great Christmas lunch last week (hosted by the recruitment pricing expert himself, brainfooder Jon Brooks) and was reminded at the table that one of the guests runs a podcast. I had a listen - it’s really good. Brainfooder Ben Browning with his excellent 1-2-1 podcast with recruitment business owners. Agency owners are at the forefront of AI adoption - I think we will soon see some very compelling service offerings which will reverse the flow of requisition that has been going inhouse for the past decade. Watch here
Issue #427 published 15 Dec 2024
How are you using video in your candidate engagement? Ever since the days of Loom-video-as-message, I’ve become a believer. Rich media has greater information density - it’s just processed at the subconscious level. Some data here to support the case that it definitely works.
Issue #427 published 15 Dec 2024
Are we still cold emailing? This is maybe the single best resource I’ve ever read about how to do it. Full stack, from tech infrastructure, domain warming, profile targeting, copy composition, receiver psychology, timing, style, intonation and - ‘message architecture which AI can personalise’. I stand by my prediction that AI will soon trigger collapse in engagement as we all get better at stuff like this. But between then and now, this email playbook is absolutely worth your read.
Issue #427 published 15 Dec 2024
…but sometimes we also might prefer the robot. This paper from 2023 was one of the more robust experiments in measuring AI vs Human performance when it came to online interactions - patients prefer AI to Human at an outstanding 4 to 1 ratio. Conducting my own experiments with AI screening tools in recent days, I’ve become increasingly bullish on AI screening calls being the next marginal idea to mainstream in recruitment. What do you think?
Issue #410 published 18 Aug 2024

JavaScript and PostgreSQL remain most popular, Rust and Markdown remain most admired, developers are most frustrated by technical debt at work, and they don’t see AI as a threat to their jobs.

Headline paragraph from Stack Overflow’s Annual Developer Survey. 65,000 surveyed, 48,000 responded, all in an interactive website where you can dive into preferred technologies, environments, languages, frameworks, copilots and the rest. Must read for tech recruiters.
Issue #407 published 28 Jul 2024
I don’t know why Joveo are producing these how-to guides but I am going to keep sharing them because they so good 😊. Following up on last week’s Questions to Ask a Programmatic Ad Vendor, this week we’re asking questions of Talent CRM vendors. This is a good series for any TA Leader who is shopping for software. Download here.
Issue #405 published 14 Jul 2024
Have you noticed a decline of the LinkedIn Auto-commentators? Faking engagement has been evolutionary battle between those who want to use AI to scale up engagement and the platform who wants engagement to the authentic, with Rd2 going to LinkedIn, as can be inferred on this tweet by one of the makers of a popular auto-responder. I’m going to miss my auto-commentators, I salute your hustle 🫡
Issue #404 published 7 Jul 2024
I was sure I posted Gem’s benchmark report for 2023 but it seems I didn’t which is bad because it is so good. Massive document which breaks down the open rate from outbound email recruitment message, segmented by job function, department, seniority, ethnicity, gender and so on. Essential reading if you care about ‘open rate’.
Issue #394 published 28 Apr 2024
What are the variables which impact candidate response rates? I blasted out 10 in an X article to help my thinking when building the presentation for the LinkedIn Connect sessions in Denver and soon Boston. What do you think - what else impacts candidate response rates?
Issue #394 published 28 Apr 2024
With Brainfood itself seemingly suffering a downturn in email deliverability, this post is a timely reminder of all of things you have to do if you send high volume of email (anything above 5000 in a day). Useful for anyone doing outbound - make sure you check your DKIM, spf and DMARC…
Issue #391 published 7 Apr 2024
The world of politics went full cyberpunk last week when, following the hotly contested and highly controversial parliamentary elections in Pakistan, the imprisoned Imran Khan delivered his victory speech via AI generated avatar. Perfectly timing then, for brainfooder Jan Tegze to produce his how-to guide on how we recruiters can do the same. Now I would hope you would need to be falsely imprisoned on spurious charges to make use of this technique, but having a digital you be available to deliver a video message on-demand, seems like a pretty useful thing for a recruiter to have at their disposal.
Issue #383 published 11 Feb 2024
So this may be something of a disguised advert for the recruitment application of Synthesia’s AI video app 😀 but still a great example of how a little bit of research about your work can garner validation for your theories. Also: the use of video notes for recruitment outreach will only increase in 2024, so we might as well start talking about it here.
Issue #375 published 17 Dec 2023
Spoiler: mainly by writing highly personalised messages and following up. Not rocket science this recruitment business eh 😀? However, it is great to validate theories we know already to be true - this insight is taken from tech labour marketplace cord, who continue their excellent practice of regularly reporting on activity data on their platform. NB: ‘True personalisation’ will become a communication skill in the near future - how a recruiter can communicate human-ness in comms in an era of GAI messaging.
Issue #374 published 10 Dec 2023
Rarely share infographics in this newsletter but I am making an exception in this case, as Visual Capitalist has managed to pack in some really interesting survey data on cultural variance into a very decent one pager. If you’ve ever read The Culture Map by Erin Meyer and thought it good, this sort of content will meet with your approval. Useful, if you’re hiring internationally, for candidates from cultures unfamiliar to you.
Issue #369 published 5 Nov 2023
We lie to ourselves that ‘we all love feedback’ because in what we really love is validation not critique. However, may be we can change this if we all got better at the task of giving feedback, particularly when it is negative. Reflective post here from one of my former colleagues, on was recently given such treatment but found time to record the excellence of the delivery. Useful for anyone, in any context, but I was especially thinking of candidate / HM feedback scenarios.
Issue #368 published 29 Oct 2023
Confession: I’ve actually been ‘afraid’ of this for some time, which sound strange for a guy whose had multi-decade experience working in recruiting 🤣. There’s no question we are trending away from the phone, especially younger generations entering the workforce. SMS / WhatsApp becoming the default method of interaction, before jumping into synch video or in-person. Fun podcast from BBC Woman’s Hour.
Issue #367 published 22 Oct 2023
We recruiters are so dependent on LinkedIn that its important to occasionally exit our bubble and see how normal people actually see and use the platform. This comedic critique is played for laughs, but has some interesting insights on LinkedIn scale and business model (avg LinkedIn user is worth 3 x as much as the avg Facebook user etc). Have a watch, it’s a cool vid.
Issue #352 published 9 Jul 2023
Some great do-it-today tips from brainfooder Tatev Blbulyan, on how to build great relationships with your candidates. In truth, the techniques could be applied as well to any relationship, and those people who say are ‘naturally’ charming are simply people who have developed these techniques in their own way. Great reminders - the next step is, how do we actually get great that these techniques?
Issue #351 published 2 Jul 2023
Buzzfeed, Vox, Upworthy…once upon a not so long ago, these were the brands which were set to become the dominant players in the Web 2.0 media landscape. In 2023, they are in full retreat or have fully closed down, and this excoriating essay explains not only why, but why they deserve it. Read as an example of industry disruption (mournful lament here), but also relate back to the work we do as recruiters. Chasing the clicks was short term fix for this publications; will the story be the same for recruiters chasing engagement? See 5. earlier in this newsletter. Worth pondering folks.
Issue #345 published 21 May 2023
Not to be left out of the AI enablement game, LinkedIn are planning to roll out the inevitable AI generated message composer for subscribers of their Recruiter product. We’re obviously going to use this and I suspect it will improve engagement rates, whilst at the same time eroding trust in the platform with every message generated and sent. It would be interesting to compare human vs AI-enabled messaging in terms of efficacy over time - anyone running this experiment? H/T to brainfooder Marcel van der Meer for the share.
Issue #345 published 21 May 2023
Generative AI is finally pushing social networks to move to real verified ID, but whereas Twitter and Facebook seem to think we should pay for it as an account upgrade, LinkedIn correctly views it as an essential bulwark against fraud. Rolling out in the US first, verification will separate LinkedIn users into two classes - those you can trust and those that you can’t - and recruiters will have a strong professional incentive to verify. Will you do it? Scroll down the end of this newsletter and vote on the poll below. H/T to brainfooder Martyn Redstone for share in the online community.
Issue #340 published 16 Apr 2023
Interesting angle on compensation at the exec and senior management level, where stock market volatility has increased the risk for candidates for whom equity and stock options conventionally formed a significant component of the total comp. Relevant also for startup / scale up where share options also feature prominently in the offer package. We need more content from the exec search world, so if you do know of any sources for me to check out, don’t hesitate to let me know.
Issue #330 published 5 Feb 2023
The GAFAM Empire
ENGAGEMENT
‘GAFAM’ or Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft - kind of feels like a cohort which is already somewhat historical, doesn’t it? What better thing to do then than read a visual history on one aspect of their dominance - their 20 year acquisition spree of other, smaller, companies. Beautifully presented, this post gives us a pre-2022 snapshot of the biggest beasts in the tech landscape, as well clues as to how they saw their business strategy. There is probably some sourcing value here, particularly when looking for employees who have decided to mask their last GAFAM employer on LinkedIn as an anti-recruiter countermeasure. Or, you could use it as nurture content for those tech candidates you said you’d keep in touch with…
Issue #327 published 15 Jan 2023
So I wrote about 5 possible use cases for ChatGPT in This Week, In Recruiting last Monday, and this tool is an early example of what might be done. Still pretty much work-in-progress, Outbound Copy Generator used ChatGPT to personalise message outreach. Why don’t you give it a go and send me a message - I know some of you already have 🤣
Issue #322 published 11 Dec 2022
‘Employee Stock Ownership Plan’ or ESOP’s are potentially the most significant component on an employers compensation offering, particularly in the world of VC backed rocket ships. We don’t know enough about it, so this explainer is education for us but also perhaps useful nurture content for those candidates you said you’d stay in touch with.
Issue #320 published 27 Nov 2022
Brainfooder Tim Sackett specialises in finding wonder in the mundane. His explanation here of why spam recruiting works is simple and correct - there is no penalty and enough reward reward for it. It’s not just ‘recruiter bad’. Great read.
Issue #314 published 16 Oct 2022
Le dollar bean, unalive, and seggs - new words are being coined on the social web as users seek to avoid censors by inventing new ways of saying what we mean. An example of how constraint produces innovation. Maybe useful for those who want to get better at engaging with Gen Z, the youth always being at the forefront of linguistic development.
Issue #312 published 2 Oct 2022
Amazing twitter thread which will educate and delight in equal measure. We do all indeed use the Internet, as recruiters maybe we are more dependent users on it than most, and we could certainly do with a better understanding of how it actually operates.
Issue #310 published 18 Sep 2022
Great writing, great observations, mainly great advice from brainfooder Tim Sackett on his must read daily blog. SMS is widely used in the US, and here are some tips on how to do it for recruiting. Applicable to IM in general I think. Have a read here.
Issue #310 published 18 Sep 2022
Did you ever think you’d want to read 134 page pdf on the history of email? Let me tempt you a little with this rather marvellous document which painstakingly outlines every technical innovation which makes email what it is today. The timeline is worth the read alone, and this whole document probably worth a share to your more technically minded contacts - your tech candidates will probably like it, for example.
Issue #309 published 11 Sep 2022
Superb resource put together by our friends over at Canva - a job seeker resource guide built as a template on Canva. Particularly good on PVP - ‘personal value proposition’, this can be used as an introspection project for anyone looking to regroup or as something to share to candidates you want to keep in touch with. Check it out here. H/T brainfooder Amy Schultz for the share
Issue #309 published 11 Sep 2022
You can care too much about video…but you can also care too little. Insightful psychology on how your ‘video body language’ might be inadvertently communicating messages you didn’t intend. One of those post’s where your awareness is suddenly and delightfully upgraded. Take the advice folks, improve your video game , it probably does matter more than that we all collectively like to think.
Issue #309 published 11 Sep 2022
How far away are we from bot-to-bot communication? It’s the inevitable outcome of the communication arms race between tech recruiters and tech workers. This example of the developer using GPT-3 to automatically (and, you could say, intelligently) respond to recruiter emails brings us one step closer.
Issue #308 published 4 Sep 2022
I used to think emoji’s were childlike and therefore not hung-like, but I’ve had a road-to-damascus conversion on them - and I think this article from language learning app duolingo nails the explanation why - they replace gesture & facial expression in textual communication, pretty essential for effective communication.
Issue #306 published 21 Aug 2022
Email newsletters are not the same as email outreach but perhaps some similar principles could be applied. And also, why aren’t more recruiters running newsletters? Got to be a low effort / high(ish) value format out there. Decent guideline on how to improve your OR if you want to give it a shot.
Issue #305 published 14 Aug 2022
So last week’s post on the equity component of a tech employees ‘total compensation’ proved to be popular, so this week I am going to include this post from Levels.fyi - a guide book on how it all works. Super accessible and pretty comprehensive, this is a valuable guide to any tech recruiter selling equity as a component of the job offer. Also great nurture content for those tech candidates you said you’d keep in touch with.
Issue #303 published 31 Jul 2022
Including the receiver’s name in an email subject line increases their attention. Open rates increased 6-23%, clicks by 7-32% and unsubscribes fell 11-17%
Anecdotally, I would have to agree. Most of you will have received some sort of follow up email from me after sign up to check in on delivery and to take feedback if you want to give it - and I put [Firstname] in subject line to get around 45-50% OR. Have a read here, give this a go if you’re not already doing it.
Issue #302 published 24 Jul 2022
Few people in recruiting are as consistently innovative as brainfooder José Kadlec. Where many others would simply abandon a poorly performing channel, José instead comes up with ways to improve the results from it. How about this approach on using text-in-image as a personalisation technique for messages on LinkedIn? Must read for anyone looking to get better results from your outreach.
Issue #301 published 17 Jul 2022
Two things on the Internet give me joy - cool twitter threads and non-recruiters talking recruitment from the candidates POV. This post from a Hedge Fund manager to people looking to break into the industry combines both and contains truths all of us recruiters would recognise. Outstanding post, a lot of these lessons would apply to any industry. Share with your candidates.
Issue #300 published 10 Jul 2022
We can probably guess which ones these are, but always good to get some validation - this type from a job scraper which pulled in data from 7 Million tech job adverts to come up with this list. Worth a click if you’re a tech recruiter and may be also be useful as nurture content for that candidate you promised to keep in touch with.
Issue #300 published 10 Jul 2022
The much maligned Inmail - I think it is coming too late from LinkedIn to see this type of data and insight, as the Inmail brand has already been damaged by years of misuse. Some interesting data nonetheless on which types of candidates are likely to respond to your message. H/T to brainfooder Simon McSorley for the share in the fb group
Issue #296 published 12 Jun 2022
Really interesting bit of modern economic history from CodeSubmit- tracing 20 years of the evolution of developer categorisations and salaries, based mainly the US Labour of Statistics, along with tech job advertising data. Accessible bit of nerdery but also decent nurture content to share with your developer candidates.
Issue #294 published 29 May 2022
State of CSS 2022
ENGAGEMENT
This is a blog post summarising the events that took place at Google IO 2022, plus some additional commentary on the state of CSS. I don’t expect that the readers here will get too much out of this, but it looks like the sort of stuff which would be ideal to distribute to your front-end / UX candidates as a nurture content. It is also very pretty to look at
Issue #293 published 22 May 2022
Amazing post from brainfooder Andrew Stetsenko 🇺🇦, who is currently spending most of his time running humanitarian supplies for his countrymen and women fleeing invasion (continue to support Andrew’s fundraising campaign, here) and yet still finds the time to outline all the resources a software engineer needs in order to relocate for a job.
Two ways recruiters can use this post: firstly as a list of resources for your own employers relocation strategy and secondly, as nurture content for those software engineers who promised to keep in touch with.
Issue #292 published 15 May 2022
Fun tool on the professional cant which gets you to communicate what you want to say in a plausibly deniable passive aggressive way. Obviously a satirical site made for the laughs, but as I clicked through the options, I have to say some of the recommendations I think are actually pretty useful. Click on this if you find yourself in too much conflict at work.
Issue #291 published 8 May 2022
Among high-legibility fonts, a study found 35% difference in reading speeds between the best and the worst.
Really interesting study on the impact of font choice; do we even think about how this might impact engagement, candidate experience, employer branding? Imagine if you could increase your open rate by switching from Arial to Tahoma….
Issue #290 published 1 May 2022
So more on Twitter, which is clearly a theme of today’s newsletter. This cool tool breaks down a users behaviour on the platform, surfacing up interesting details which can be used for a) identifying potential red flags on job candidates or b) identifying some icebreakers to use when you do outreach. H/T brainfooder Alla Pavlova for the awesome find.
Issue #288 published 17 Apr 2022
One for the ‘I hope you are well’ merchants, this list of email cliches to clean out of your writing habits is probably more important than it looks - overly using common phrases signals laziness to to receiver and is an almost anti-customisation. Probably has a negative effect on engagement, so get rid. H/T to brainfooder Denys Dinkevych 🇺🇦 for the share.
Issue #288 published 17 Apr 2022
RosettaGit
ENGAGEMENT
I think this is a cool website to send to your engineering candidates as a bit of nurture content - it’s a website of common tech challenges, which each solution page containing the ways different programming languages resolve the problem. Fascinating to look at, maybe useful, definitely a nice curio to share.
Issue #286 published 3 Apr 2022
Thought this was a super cool tool - a simple question generator which enables conversations to start in interesting and unconventional places. Useful I think for team building but why not also for interviewing candidates? Have a play, let me know what you think (and what question you got one first go ;-)
Issue #285 published 27 Mar 2022
When you title something as ‘awesome’ on github, it had indeed better be awesome, which I am delighted to say that this really is. A massive big list of engineering focused podcasts. Obviously of use for tech recruiters as a training tool but I think could also be great as a thing to share with your tech candidates, as nurture content. HT brainfooder Sofia Sukhinina for the share
Issue #284 published 20 Mar 2022
I’m excited about this category of ‘compensation tech’. We’re starting to be able to aggregate this data now, and from there, be able to provide true market intelligence as to how competitive our comp & bens really are. This report from Ledgy covers equity, share options and cap table trends for 2022. Useful for all recruiters in tech startup. Also might be a nice piece of nurture content for your tech talent pool - worth pinging this out to your tech candidates. H/T to brainfooder Joe Brennan for the share.
Issue #283 published 13 Mar 2022
This guy basically DIY’s a CRM system using Airtable and a taxonomy classifying contacts based on their fundamental value. As recruiters we probably have a shop bought system which does all this and better, but I wonder whether this could be useful as a separate ‘career & personal development’ CRM, a little app which you can use to better stay in touch with people who are important to you. Take a look, let me know what you think
Issue #282 published 6 Mar 2022
Post Inspector
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So I never knew about this tool or indeed whether it is of any use. However, it seems to do some basic analysis of how your LinkedIn post will appear to others, how it gets tagged with metadata and suggests how you can improve, I think? Might be useful for getting more views. Take a look, have a play
Issue #281 published 27 Feb 2022
One for the tech recruiters here - the annual State of JS is out. Of course it is a beautifully rendered web app and you can have joy just scrolling through and interacting with it. Some interesting learning too, especially if you want to improve your tech literacy, what is in here is what web developers are generally are talking about in 2022. Might also be a cool site to send to your tech candidates, nurture content ukwim?
Issue #280 published 20 Feb 2022
It’s been cool to criticise LinkedIn Inmails for inefficacy for a long while now, but what if we’ve just been using them wrong? Some excellent engagement tips here - from LinkedIn itself - on how to upgrade your game. Trust me on this one folks, this is worth your time.
Issue #280 published 20 Feb 2022
The ‘30 second pitch’ archetype is usually a startup founder on the hunt for some funding, but the advice here applies equally well to candidate / client communications recruiters routinely undertake. We would get better open rate if we wrote email following the method outline here.
Issue #279 published 13 Feb 2022
No huge surprises on the data points - 80% male dominated profession, JavaScript / Python battling it out as most popular language etc - but always good to get a temperature check on where things are. Well presented interactive and maybe a useful thing to send to your tech candidates for relationship nurture.
Issue #279 published 13 Feb 2022
Learn & Test DMARC
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If you send email you really need to know what SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are. Researching it is usually a turgid undertaking, akin to doing your tax return, so this is a very cool interactive tool which is going to teach you whilst you play….so have a play
Issue #278 published 6 Feb 2022
Some quick tips: assertions are better than questions, help people make money and don’t make people think too hard. Surprising how much of this advice applies to content curation generally, though I think I am trying to make us all think just a little bit harder 🤣.
13 point thread, easy read, you’ll find some value in this
Issue #276 published 23 Jan 2022
I recommended Sahil has one of the ‘folks to follow in 2022’ in last week TWIR, and threads like this is the reason why. The man has mastered the ability to condense how-to guides into practical posts which are thrilling to read. The 5 component framework here on what constitutes a great cold email is a great example - it’s do-it-today advice any recruiter use. Follow on twitter here, read the post here.
Issue #274 published 9 Jan 2022
Delighted to guest on brainfooder David Macciocca 1-2-1 interview show. We’re talking the role of video in trust building. We’re also ex-colleagues, even though it took us 20 years and 16,000 miles on the other side of the world to meet for the first time. Have a watch here.
Issue #271 published 19 Dec 2021
Did you know that asking questions is a skill? We don’t train it and some of us unfortunately never get good at it. Hence posts like this are gold - practical explanation and illustration on how to ask questions, in what contexts, in order to achieve what results. Read along with previous post on how your speak up at work - it’s a good combo
Issue #271 published 19 Dec 2021
We are worse at reading other people than we think we are. This is a problem, because recruitment is all about trying to do this. Fascinating conversation on on human psychology and social interaction with plenty of implications for us in recruiting. Have a listen here. H/T to Bas van de Haterd for the share in the fb group.
Issue #270 published 12 Dec 2021
This post would’ve benefited from stronger methodology and at least some referencing, but the thrust of the message is on point - we can and need to get better at using LinkedIn to build social capital. Improved candidate engagement, increased reach on job distribution, easier conversion - all will happen if we become better social sellers.
Issue #269 published 5 Dec 2021
Not a fan of OOO but given the volume of auto response messages I receive from sending this newsletter I suspect I am in a small minority 🤣. Anyways, I came across this post and thought….maybe we can use this employer branding or something.
Issue #266 published 14 Nov 2021
Thought provoking conversation between Erica Dhawan and brainfooder Laurie Ruettimann, on the inadvertent messages sent and received on digital channels. Have a listen here
Issue #256 published 5 Sep 2021
More on video, this report details another technique of the medium - sending ‘video notes’ - asynch video messages within the body of email and the neuroscience behind why it is effective. Must read for any recruiter who wants to amp up their outreach. H/T to brainfooder Stephen O'Donnell for the share in the fb group
Issue #253 published 16 Aug 2021
Simon Wardley is an interesting character whose tweeting style takes the form of fictional conversations with himself, which he uses as a mechanism of explaining an idea. Massively egotistical but usually good fun, and - sometimes - relevant to us. This one on culture, draws on Erin Meyers ideas on Culture Mapping. It’s a fun thread and a useful visual.
Issue #253 published 16 Aug 2021
France’s personal data protection agency on Wednesday fined US firm Monsanto for illegally compiling files of public figures, journalists and activists with the aim of swaying opinion towards support…
Three cheers for France was my first instinct, but a deeper reading of the ruling left me concerned; it appears that list building without explicit consent of those on that list, was the crime. How does one even do recruiting if that is the case? Interesting precedent set and one with potentially significant ramifications for everything we do. Keep an eye on this.
Issue #252 published 8 Aug 2021
Getting better engagement with software engineers is a recurring challenge for tech recruiters.This twitter thread collates insights shared by brainfooders Iwan Gulenko, Alla Pavlova and Wim Dammans on how to do it. Any tech recruiter - must read here.
Issue #252 published 8 Aug 2021
Delighted to get brainfooder Iwan Gulenko onto Brainfood Live this week. His blog precursor for the show is an excellent primer on how to build rapport with software developers (or anyone else who is highly skilled, in-demand). Great read folks.
Issue #251 published 1 Aug 2021
Did you know that Google has a CRM? Like a lot of G-apps, the Google Contacts feature has been woefully neglected over the years and well overdue an update. Considering that it is natively integrated with Gmail, Google Meet and the rest, it has huge potential to be a default CRM which most of us would be happy to use. Last week’s updates look encouraging, especially conversation tracker. Anyone on Google Apps, take note
Issue #246 published 27 Jun 2021
Comprehensive breakdown of what equity means for job candidates. Designed by software engineers for software engineers, this post would be a great to send to your tech candidates. Nurture those relationships folks. H/T to brainfooder Denys Dinkevych for the share
Issue #245 published 20 Jun 2021
There are few people who know more about sending effective email than Guillaume Moubeche and crew at Lemlist. Hence, I’m going to share this how-to PDF without too much scrutiny - pretty certain there is going to be some sales & marketing gold in here. Useful for BD, TA. H/T to brainfooder Denys Dinkevych for the share.
Issue #243 published 6 Jun 2021
Modern email is a patchwork of protocols and extensions. Here is one article to understand them all.
Incredibly comprehensive resource on how email actually works. Technical but digestible enough for non-experts. Of interest to anyone who sends email-at-scale, or just curious about what goes on under the hood of those mass mail merges you’ve just sent.
Issue #240 published 16 May 2021
It’s a badge of honour for recruiters to deny the usefulness of LinkedIn Inmails but ….what if we’re just using the wrong? Some useful data here on optimal character / word length of Inmails, as well as when best to send. Have a read here
Issue #237 published 23 Apr 2021
As a person that does a ton of video, I know I have so much to improve. How you look and sound on camera - as unjust as it may be - is critically important to landing your message. We all need to get better at it - following these steps will get you on your way.
Issue #233 published 28 Mar 2021
New feature roll out reported here by Protocol suggests a major development - perhaps the major development from the Slack / Salesforce marriage, in the war to be the central place of work. Message anybody with a Slack account, regardless of who they work for? Sounds like a potential game changer to me. Recruiters everywhere will need to take note - obviously a new engagement / sourcing channel.
Issue #233 published 28 Mar 2021
What do developers dislike most about tech recruitment?
An important question to ask if we want to get better at tech hiring. Interesting findings in this report from our buddies at CodersRank, most significant of which is the importance of message quality in influencing developer response. Might need to do another Brainfood Live on this, a masterclass on outreach perhaps.
Issue #229 published 28 Feb 2021
Do you track email? When I ran a survey on LinkedIn poll last week, 33% of 458 respondents responded that they did. I thought it would be higher to be honest, especially since most of my network are recruiters, and I would expect most recruiters to track. But maybe we shouldn’t? The next frontier on data privacy is here.
Issue #228 published 21 Feb 2021
Extraordinary post unpacking the power of story telling - why we need stories, how we emotionally commit to narratives with explanatory power, how we can struggle to change in spite of evidence to the contrary. Relevant to society at large and for our own internal reflections. On the practical side, useful techniques to use for employer branding, international communications and candidate engagement. Must read folks.
Issue #227 published 14 Feb 2021
Can you relate? This post came as welcome counterpoint to my consistent advocacy of LinkedIn as a must use channel to generate opportunities. There is a dark side to it, and undoubtedly we all experience these spaces differently based on our identity. Going to make this a Brainfood Live topic so if you have something to say about it, register here.
Issue #226 published 7 Feb 2021
My celebration of poor grammar and spelling mistaskes is in part due to the fear expressed in this post about automated language generation technologies. What happens when everything we write is generated by machines? Will conversations lose their soul? Have a think about this, especially as you read up and use the AI powered communication tools showcased earlier in this newsletter. It’s all brainfood for sure - have a read here
Issue #225 published 31 Jan 2021
Interesting expose of recruiter behaviours from brainfooder Iwan Gulenko. This is a good post to read for any agency recruiter who wants to improve (remove yourself from environments which promote incentives for bad behaviour) and for any one else who wants to learn more about why recruiters do what they do. Iwan is joining us in Brainfood Live this week, where we explore exactly these incentives.
PS: one thing missing from this post? A good / bad recruiter can be the same person, in different context.
Issue #222 published 10 Jan 2021
One of the must read annual reports, Sendgrid’s 2020 Messaging Engagement Report takes a different approach this time round - qualitative research, across 6 different countries. Interesting reasoning, methodology and findings. Must read folks, if you send email. H/T brainfooder Martyn Redstone for the share in the fb group
Issue #222 published 10 Jan 2021
Vague vs Vivid
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In one, simple home made graphic ,Cam Barber manages to describe the difference between bad and good communication. If you’re using abstract concepts - which are new - the message isn’t going to land. Relevant to recruiters, as well as politicians in charge of public health.
Issue #220 published 27 Dec 2020
Must admit, I first scrolled through this post to see if I would find myself being lampooned in it (probably deserve it), but thankfully Oleg remains No1 target (definitely deserves it). Anyways, this is the perfect post to start off this week’s brainfood - a humorous critique of every recruiters favourite network - and a timely reminder that most normal people don’t see it the same way
Issue #218 published 13 Dec 2020
There’s a line somewhere, between automation helping you be a better human and automation making you seem inhuman. That line matters.
Fun story but a serious trend we need to think about as the day when we all have robot avatars doing the ‘emotional labour’ of relationship management is surely not too far away. Relevant to us in recruiting - imagine if your company had the coolest bot for candidate engagement. H/T to brainfooder Laura Green for the share
Issue #216 published 29 Nov 2020
We all need to get better at outreach, so why not ‘gain inspiration’ from those which have already had success? Nothing wrong with templating per se, but it will hit a critical point before it becomes cliche, so get whilst the getting is good. H/T to brainfooder Denys Dinkevych for the share
Issue #215 published 23 Nov 2020
Useful workflows + content ideas in this accessible how-to guide from Candidate-ID. Download this if you’re in an engagement crisis, realise you need to nurture relationships for a lot longer than you did before, or if you still just sending job alerts to your database.
Issue #215 published 23 Nov 2020
When you write about writing, it had better be good. Thankfully this how-to post passes its own test not only because of the brilliant writing but because it also introduces a framework for thinking before you write, which turns out to be more important than anything else. Trust me on this one - you need to read this
Issue #212 published 2 Nov 2020
The primacy of written communication over verbal communication has been made clear by the asynchronous nature of distributed working; hence a good time to revisit some old lessons on how to improve your writing. It passes its own test, as this how-to is digestible, easy to read and valuable.
Issue #211 published 26 Oct 2020
Do you speak emoji? Interesting research on the impact of emoji in the most important part of any email - the subject line. I thought they would’ve performed better…..H/T brainfooder Denys Dinkevych for the share.
Issue #211 published 26 Oct 2020
Well this is an amazing DIY hack to up your video call game. Simple solution to a problem we are all probably beginning to be aware of…..the lack of eye contact on video calls. Somebody needs to productise this immediately and send me a test unit
Issue #203 published 30 Aug 2020
Superb listicle on how to get better engagement on your email campaigns. 24 tips from email experts to go through - essential reading for anyone reading or managing email campaigns.
Issue #201 published 16 Aug 2020
Are you using video to connect with clients & candidates? No, I’m not talking Zoom calls, I’m talking creative use of video tech, as explained in this excellent post by brainfooder Adriaan Kolff. Use video notes folks, it’s a killer.
Issue #201 published 16 Aug 2020
The shift to remote work is extending our day, meaning that ‘dark mode’ might become ever more important UX consideration, especially as messaging moves ever further from the 9-5 work cycle. Here’s a short and useful post on how to make your email dark mode friendly (+1 for transparent images)
Issue #199 published 2 Aug 2020
Excellent post on improving the effectiveness of your cold email outreach. First contact by email remains the go to for recruiters, and this advice from the job seekers perspective is imminently adaptable to prospecting for clients or engaging with candidates. H/T brainfooder Dominic Rohde for the share
Issue #199 published 2 Aug 2020
A recent client situation reminded of the following scene from the movie The Last King of Scotland . Shortly after assuming power in Uganda in 1971, Idi Amin …
..and with that opener, I was hooked. Good job it turned out to be excellent post with practical techniques on how to be more persuasive to your client (customer, hiring manager, boss, collaborator, homicidal dictator…). Must read.
Issue #198 published 26 Jul 2020
Outstanding research from Twilio, who surveyed a global audience of 2,500 enterprise leaders to gauge their views on how digital engagement has changed as a result of COVID-19. This virus may have done more to accelerate digital transformation than all the change managers on the planet. Great report folks - download the PDF version here. H/T Martyn Redstone for the share in the fb group
Issue #197 published 19 Jul 2020
Is the next era of the ‘digital makeover’ upon us? With video lighting tips, textual analysis of your social media comments, body language analysis on video - maybe it is. If anyone provides an audit service, I’d be happy to undergo it. Have a read here
Issue #196 published 12 Jul 2020
Do people mispronounce your name? Fix that with this great new innovation from LinkedIn - a playable audio recording of how your name sounds, right next to your name (check out the icon here). Here’s the how-to on how to add yours. Also: lots of spoof / marketing / branding opportunities here…
Issue #195 published 5 Jul 2020
Important read from Intercom . We all need to get better at this so while there is nothing previously unknown in this article, the recommendations are worth the reminder. H/T to brainfooder Denys Dinkevych for the share
Issue #194 published 28 Jun 2020
“Every time users interact with your product, they:
  1. 🙈 Filter the information
  2. 🔮 Seek the meaning of it
  3. ⏰ Act within a given time
  4. 💾 Store bits of the interaction in their memories”
Marvellous project that is slowly adding more examples. There is already enough in there to be of value to right now. Lessons could be applied for almost any brainfood topic - candidate experience, assessment, marketing…anything a human might do in this business. Have a read here
Issue #193 published 21 Jun 2020
LinkedIn is probably the most important platform for us brainfooders, yet it is annoying difficult to do anything at scale on it. That’s by design of course, so it’s important that we find workarounds like this gem of a post.
Issue #192 published 14 Jun 2020
[Spoiler alert] - the three words are ‘thanks in advance’, a classic presumptive close on a request made. IM is influencing email communication though, so I suspect there will be a time limit to the relevance of this research. Raises an interesting angle though - how you end an email maybe even more important than how you start it.
Issue #191 published 7 Jun 2020
Here’s what you need: a massive database of first contact messaging templates written by one of the best in the business. Brainfooder Jonathan Kidder provides the gold - just take a look and copy and paste what you need.
Issue #190 published 31 May 2020
Truly great listicle from our buddies Firefish Software. No doubt you’ve watched a few of these talks before but they are all timeless classics that bear the rewatching. Sinek’s is probably the most famous, but for my money, Julian Treasure’s 17 minutes might be the best in the entire TED archive. Enjoy this folks
Issue #189 published 24 May 2020
Once you embrace these tips, their impact is noticeable and obvious - and you’ll never go back to the way you did it before. Must read for everyone who is doing video conferencing, which I’m guessing is most of us right now. H/T to brainfooder Denys Dinkevych again for the share (you might have noticed - u should follow Denys)
Issue #187 published 10 May 2020
Having sent over well over 1 million emails doing this newsletter, I’ve had to learn the hard way about email deliverability. This post covers a lot of the technical aspects you need to get right before you push ‘send’. You wanna 'email at scale’? Read this post. H/T Denys Dinkevych for the share
Issue #187 published 10 May 2020
Outstanding post by brainfooder Adriaan Kolff on how recruiters can effectively search for jobs during times of Covid-19. Excellent for many reasons - crowdsourcing expertise, setting the agenda up front, providing the value throughout. Must read
Issue #185 published 26 Apr 2020
It is engagement, not discovery, that is the pressing problem for recruiters today. This handy playbook shows us how to conduct experiments to improve email opens, clicks and replies. Thanks brainfooder Dave Hazelhurst for the share. 
Issue #58 published 23 Apr 2020
I Hate Telephones
ENGAGEMENT
An unscheduled telephone call has become an unacceptable interrupt. James Fisher tells us why we still love to talk but only if we give consent to who, when and how. And that’s almost never first contact. 
Issue #58 published 23 Apr 2020
Its too easy to bash recruiters but this video raises an interesting question: is it important to know the job you’re recruiting for? Would it make you a better recruiter if you did? 
Issue #36 published 23 Apr 2020
A little out of date but worth paying attention to, given Boomerang’s enormous data set and this well sourced, well linked post. The ‘Oprah rule’ is a mystery but then, so is email delivery most of the time. Well worth a look at this if 'open rate’ means anything to you. 
Issue #79 published 23 Apr 2020
What is the difference between ‘spam’ vs 'email at scale’? Simple and important how-to post by YAMM, probably one of the most useful google sheet add-on’s you’ll ever use. Consent is king folks, so stop importing your contacts into mailing software.
Issue #159 published 23 Apr 2020
This is the last forecast post I’m going to highlight, as we’re already into week 3 and it’s now kind of cheating. This one may be interesting for us, coming as it does from outside the recruiting industry. Gary Andrews takes on text only, video, GDPR, fake news, augmented reality, blockchain and influencer metrics. He does an excellent job. 
Issue #66 published 23 Apr 2020
Excellent checklist post from Aja Frost - especially points 2, 4 and 5. Relevant to everyone reading this newsletter, whether your sales pitch is to candidates, clients or internal stakeholders - we’ve got new ways to engage and we’ve got to get better at them.

Issue #66 published 23 Apr 2020
Confession: I had no idea these tools even existed.
Likely, they might have saved me a relationship or two. Might have even helped me recruit a few more people than I did. Check them out here if you want to time shift your texting. H/T to ‘foodie Susanna Frazier for the share.
Issue #129 published 23 Apr 2020
Brainfooder Nicolas Darcis continues his experimentation on LinkedIn invitations with vs without a note. More counter intuitive results here in what I hope will turn out to be a never ending series of experiments on LinkedIn. Have a read folks
Issue #174 published 23 Apr 2020
Accessible introduction from Oracle on how to get off an email blacklist. It’s missing some of the key elements on domain authentication which would help from getting on any blacklist in the first place, but even so this an essential read if you’re a recruiter who ‘emails at scale’….
Issue #174 published 23 Apr 2020
The only thing better than a how-to post is a how-not-to one. Excellent crime report from our buddies at FireFish Software. If you do any of these things, stop…stop right now.
PS: It’s my honour to be on FireFish crowdcast later this month - join me and Cameron as we talk recruiter brand. Free registration here
Issue #112 published 23 Apr 2020
So this post from Yulia Bondar has caused some controversy but hits some interesting notes on cultural context in communication, in especially in using the Erin Meyer country mapping scale. Worth a read for anyone who holds a stereotype (hint: if you don’t think you do, you really do do)
Issue #93 published 23 Apr 2020
Some incredible stats: 42% of people on the planet have a smartphone. 87% of smartphone owners use messaging. What does this mean for your business? Easy to put a recruiting lens on this superb report by Zendesk. H/T brainfooder Denis Dinkevich for the share in the fb group.
Issue #176 published 23 Apr 2020
Recruiters routinely pitch too long, too early in initial outreach to candidates. Some interesting tips here on chatbot engagement, best practice which can be directly applied to the work we do. 
Issue #43 published 23 Apr 2020
Reply.id
ENGAGEMENT
Do you remember robot wars? A version of it has been quietly taking place between software developers and tech recruiters who need to hire them. This is the latest iteration of a fascinating evolutionary arms race - an automated responder to recruiter messaging.
Issue #105 published 23 Apr 2020
It’s not about the ‘I’, it’s about the 'You’. Kai Davis with a simple technique to switch the focus of your messaging and boost the results of your outreach. H/T to brainfooder Tris Revill for sharing this nugget. Have a read if you want to get better at cold email.
Issue #105 published 23 Apr 2020
Email remains the No1 channel for first contact outreach - and we need to get better at it. This superb guide by Gem is a beautifully put together how-to covering sequencing, subject line, copy, timing and everything else. You’d be a wrong ‘un if you didn’t take a look at this. H/T to uber submitter Denis Dinkevich for the share
Issue #151 published 23 Apr 2020
HTML templated emails make the same mistake as MySpace - too much going on the page - and too obviously a sales message. Keep it simple, keep it human, and keep it text. 
Issue #54 published 23 Apr 2020
Last week’s 87 Best Email Subject Lines post was massively popular with the community, so here’s another banging post about how to get better engagement via email. This time, the focus is on optimal character length on the subject line. Check it out here folks.
Issue #136 published 23 Apr 2020
In the networked economy, it’s essential to know how to thank someone properly. Here’s a 5 step guide on how to structure your reply so that it’s concise and meaningful. The best stuff often comes from outside the bubble. 
Issue #80 published 23 Apr 2020
We all need more leads. Yet recruiters are surprisingly inefficient at getting them. Jake Jorgovan of Lead Cookie writes a superb how-to on automating leads generation which can be used ‘as is’ or adapted for sourcing / outreach. No one is a fan of senseless mass messaging but done with intelligence and a bit of research, it’s going to work. 
Issue #80 published 23 Apr 2020
Stop press: you can train human beings like animals. Learn how in this accessible post on accelerating intimacy. 
Issue #29 published 23 Apr 2020
Swap out ‘Product’ for 'Job’ and this article becomes relevant to everyone reading this newsletter. At very least, this technique is a useful exercise. It’s a great article from Dave Bailey.
Issue #29 published 23 Apr 2020
Excellent post on digital copy writing. Your online audience is a distracted audience and it’s essential for writers to make it easy to consume your content. That means pictures, bullet points and white space. Essential reading if you produce copy for recruiting. 
Issue #59 published 23 Apr 2020
Superb interview with Jennifer Rettig who brings her recruiting expertise from Target, Apple, Yahoo and Looker. It’s focused on Exec hiring, but the lessons are applicable to hiring at any level. It’s a fantastic read. Thanks to long time brainfooder Kayleigh Smart for the share. 
Issue #59 published 23 Apr 2020
#TogetherAtHome
ENGAGEMENT
Mental health in times of crisis (topic of Brainfood Live Ep53) is critically important to our recovery as a global society. Thanks to Chris Martin for giving us an example of what we need to do.
Issue #180 published 23 Apr 2020
The words ‘bad’ and 'awful’ may not appear very different, but as this sentiment scale reveals, some words and phrases are more potent than others.
Fascinating research on the relative power of words. Essential reading for anyone who wants to improve their copy writing. H/T brainfooder John Vlastelica for the share in the fb group (you should join this btw - tons of great stuff shared there that doesn’t make the newsletter, mainly due to space)
Issue #175 published 23 Apr 2020
A lot of readers of brainfood have been coming to me for content advice. I say: pay attention to Nicolas Cole instead. His 17 tips of content marketing are spot on, and all do-able, day one. Must read for anyone who is interested in getting their message heard.
Issue #96 published 23 Apr 2020
101 on the basics of persuasion on this post from brainfooder Rob Kelly. It’s simple stuff because we’re simple folks.
Issue #100 published 23 Apr 2020
The top 7 psychology design principles (visual perception, colors, etc) in order to create effective and convenient UX design for your new business.
I found this post to be applicable to writing candidate outreach emails. A beautifully presented, must read on the psychology of design.
Issue #156 published 23 Apr 2020
Nick Kolenda is a consumer psychologist who synthesises academic research into downloadable how-to guides. Covers the psychologies of colour, pricing, copywriting - many of which can be readily applied to our business, recruiting. I’m telling you now folks, this is a goldmine. 
Issue #73 published 23 Apr 2020
Confession: I’m a major fan of Toggl - a time tracking app which saved my previous business when I was working as a consultant. This post is for real and relevant to any ‘email-at-scale’ activity recruiters might have to do. As ever, it’s about the execution more than then idea. 
Issue #23 published 23 Apr 2020
The measure of ‘efficient writing’ is….1 hour per post. For a non-professional writer, this is the maximum amount of time to commit to get bang for your buck. This excellent post shows you how to consistently do it. Written for Founders, but really anyone who wants to grab a piece of the attention economy should read it. 
Issue #81 published 23 Apr 2020
It’s all about the follow up. If you’re going to do ‘drip marketing’ make sure you do it right. Marketers know about this, recruiters, rarely do. PS: use these techniques with respect - nobody needs more spam!
Issue #49 published 23 Apr 2020
Can’t get a date? Time to outsource your chat folks. Meet Meredith Golden, perhaps the world’s first dating app ghostwriter who will do the early groundwork for you. Its outreach-by-proxy, an old recruiters trick.
Issue #120 published 23 Apr 2020
Great initiative from our buddies at Landing Jobs - a crowdsourced discussion on mistakes recruiters make on outreach - asked by candidates, answered by recruiters. Take a look folks and contribute - this is primary data and still on-going project. 
Issue #52 published 23 Apr 2020
Understanding the heuristics behind fast decision making is essential in getting engagement on email outreach. Great blog (should / could be a series) from our buddies at Herey.io on the psychology of warming up a cold email.
Issue #77 published 23 Apr 2020
Last week say comms graduate Olympe Dupont demonstrate what can be done with a smartphone and a couple of editing apps. This week, its Jeffrey Roeffen’s turn - this time, with a direct pitch to his employer of choice, Nike. Got to hand it to candidates, they are showing us recruiters what can be done Time to up our game for 2019? I think so. H/T brainfooder Stan Wasowicz for the share.
Issue #114 published 23 Apr 2020
Do you send ‘email at scale’? If you do, read this post from Zero Bounce. It’s pretty much the best technical guide I’ve seen on how to ensure email gets delivered. H/T brainfooder Denis Dinkevich for the share in the fb group. You should follow Denis and join the group, if you know what’s good for you. 
Issue #177 published 23 Apr 2020
Self directed research with counter intuitive findings from brainfooder Nicolas Darcis - you get a better result on LinkedIn connection requests that do not contain a note. Validates research from Bill Boorman and also a small experiment I conducted myself a few years ago. No note ever since then. A conversation for the fb group I think…
Issue #171 published 23 Apr 2020
How does your social media performance against your industry? This report from Rival IQ promises to let you know. As Ivan Harrison mentions in his post, between this and Sprout Social’s brainfood from last week, you should have enough resources to step up your game. Recommendation: Follow Ivan
Issue #98 published 23 Apr 2020
Here’s a surprise for you - a listicle from a mainstream publication that is actually really good. Scrolling through this and I couldn’t really find a single bad idea in there. Check it out if you want to make friends, influence people or get candidates to reply to your outreach.
Issue #137 published 23 Apr 2020
So ‘foodie Richard Saunders recorded a year’s worth of pitch emails from recruitment agencies. Here’s his analysis on the distribution, frequency and impact of the cold approach. Some great insights and tips for best practice here - check it out here.
Issue #137 published 23 Apr 2020
In our business we write copious amount of copy yet often lack the techniques or training for effective writing. Good thing ‘foodie Christian De Pape has published this fast fix workbook - do-it-today tips on how to get better at online copy - a must read
Issue #128 published 23 Apr 2020
Front-end, Back-end and DevOps Engineer. Superbly accessible post by Kamran Ahmed on the career paths for developers. One to bookmark for tech recruiters. 
Issue #28 published 23 Apr 2020
As people people we sort of should be naturals at this. Are we though? Great self help piece from Time on how to be a better conversation partner. 
Issue #26 published 23 Apr 2020
Fascinating essay from Jan Tegze on a subject which becomes obvious in hindsight: your on-screen textual style has a huge impact on your engagement. Designers are going to say ‘I told you so’. Well researched, well linked, super relevant. 
Issue #72 published 23 Apr 2020
Mailchimp is the dominant player in the email newsletter space, so when they update their benchmark stats per industry, it pays to pay attention. Anyone sending ‘email at scale’ will need to have a look here
Issue #164 published 23 Apr 2020
Buzzsumo have been right up there with Yesware with method content, backed by massive aggregated data sets. This one is all about marketing which means its all about recruitment. Here are the headline words that matter. 
Issue #63 published 23 Apr 2020
There have been some superb data driven content from vendors this year. This one of email subject lines from Yesware was one of the most popular of the year. User data from over 100,000,000 emails to help recruiters improve your subject line game. 
Issue #63 published 23 Apr 2020
Glen Cathey has long been one of the founders of the sourcing movement - if this talk is anything to go by, he’s about to segue into becoming one of the guru’s of engagement. Transcription of a what must have been a superb talk, this post provides know-how and inspiration in equal measure. 
Issue #63 published 23 Apr 2020
Excellent post from Lemlist, Head of Growth Vukasin Vukosavljevic who breaks down great email practice from your tech set up to the impact of using caps lock. If email is an important channel for your outreach comms, then I recommend you take a read
Issue #131 published 23 Apr 2020
Stands for ‘Bottom Line Up Front’. We need to get better at getting to the point, as no one has time to spare trying to figure out the subtext in poorly constructed emails. Obvious value for productivity and internal comms, but also lessons for first contact candidate outreach. Take a read here
Issue #153 published 23 Apr 2020
Jan Tegze on the reasons why people create fake LinkedIn profiles. Amazed and appalled that ‘avoiding LinkedIn jail’ comes across as the most benign of the 11 reason listed. LinkedIn need to fix this…..but how w/o unacceptable intrusion to privacy? Worth reading, as a companion to last week’s popular post, The Neuroscience of Trust.
Issue #153 published 23 Apr 2020
You were afraid to ask weren’t you? So was OP, until she did ask and then wrote a wonderfully accessible blog post to explain what RESTful actually means. Some gold here tech recruiters. 
Issue #27 published 23 Apr 2020
As recruiters, its critical that we capture data on outreach. This is a fantastic post be Sergej Zimpel of ProSiebenSat.1 Media on the effectiveness of template messaging vs hyper personalised. Have a read folks

Issue #51 published 23 Apr 2020
2018 may be the year when recruiters finally have to bite the bullet on video. Research like this from Buzzsumo is going to help - massive data set boiled down to actionable how-to’s, whether it be content type, title text and video length. We’re all going to have to get good at this.
Issue #99 published 23 Apr 2020
The problem in tech recruiting is not discovery, but engagement. This is an elegant skewering of bad recruiter practice by Andrew Duberstein, who uses his skills to make a pretty clear point. H/T brainfooder Katrina Collier for the share
Issue #99 published 23 Apr 2020
Storytelling is where it’s at for recruiters, and we all need to get better at it. Fantastic article method post on how to construct and deliver an effective presentation. Not recruitment specific, but I’m telling you this is a must read
Issue #99 published 23 Apr 2020
Industry and network-specific recommendations on the best times to post for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. One of those posts which precisely delivers on the promise of its title. Must read if you are saying stuff on social and want it to go further. Spoiler: it’s Wednesday midday for everything.
Issue #143 published 23 Apr 2020
‘Droider Daniele Bottillo is not happy and….can you blame him? Here’s the lesson folks: the appropriateness of messaging in a private space when you are 'out-group’ is almost always 'no’. Great example of what not to do when you a recruiter doing outreach.
Issue #143 published 23 Apr 2020
Reid Hoffman once said that great distribution beats great product every time. I suspect this is the reason why LinkedIn Live is going to be winner in the livestreaming game - the audience is pre-built and your reach is going to be bigger here than anywhere else. This post is as good a how-to as I’ve read, so I recommend you read it too. 
Issue #143 published 23 Apr 2020
One of those stories you really hope is apocryphal, as there are no winners in this tale of recruiters misusing tinder and then being misused themselves by the mark they were originally targeting. Raises interesting questions on communication, ethics, safe spaces and…whether recruiting inherently contravenes them. Let me know what you think - have a read here
Issue #108 published 23 Apr 2020
Fascinating if ethically questionable experiment by Qualigence International who have conducted textual analysis of recruiter InMails to a fake candidate profile they set up for the purpose. Some painful reading for us here but a useful document for training your recruiters to get better at engagement. H/T to brainfooder Lauren Stanton for the share.
Issue #108 published 23 Apr 2020
What’s most convenient isn’t always what’s most effective. We know this already, so we tradeoff. But sometimes good to be reminded that you really need to get out there. Do events, recruiters
Issue #44 published 23 Apr 2020
You know when clickbait is sometimes worth it? This is a good example. Never knew about LinkedIn editable headlines - did you? Can see how it might obviously improve response rates. For sales folks, but same difference in recruiter outreach. Give it shot folks. 
Issue #44 published 23 Apr 2020
A little bit of extra effort can get a lot of extra eyeballs. Check out this interactive job advert by Dutch company Zonneplan, hiring for a PHP Developer. Simple idea but converts reader into contributor, a big shift in candidate UX. H/T OH subscriber James Lesner for the share
Issue #44 published 23 Apr 2020
Do we need to go back to the phone? We’ve hit peak anti-phone and so the worm is beginning to turn. This is an interesting experiment that is probably worth a try!
Issue #44 published 23 Apr 2020
Combining a series of cool tools can sometimes deliver incredibly efficient results. This post is a thorough how-to on scaling up your personalised messaging on LinkedIn. It’s brilliant but grey hat stuff, so for educational purposes only…… H/T brainfooder Martyn Redstone for the share in the fb group
Issue #178 published 23 Apr 2020
Josh Fetcher runs BAMF, the by now notorious growth hacking media agency. A lot of what he and his team do is relevant to recruiting, especially on getting the most out of LinkedIn. Take a look at this guide, must read especially if you’re a overly connected on LinkedIn
Issue #87 published 23 Apr 2020
This might work well with Machine Sourcer Cool Tool. I’m not one for email trickery, as inbound / audience building is the way, but there’s nothing wrong with some benchmarking data on how to write a subject line. H/T Denis Dinkevich for the share
Issue #135 published 23 Apr 2020
We talked a lot about Instagram last week, and will end up doing more, as it’s the most engaging platform on the planet at the moment. One of the best sources was this excellent report from Hubspot on what your company needs to know for 2019. Have a look if you want to step your game on ‘The Gram’. H/T Denis Dinkevich for the share.
Issue #125 published 23 Apr 2020
When you’re closing for a meeting, is it better to send suggested times or just a link to your calendar in emails? Our buddies at Chilipiper have aggregated their data and want to share the results. [spoiler alert] much better to present options for times. H/T Brainfooder Sophie Power for the share.
Issue #110 published 23 Apr 2020
Accessible report on the science of writing engaging messages from our buddies at Textio, including the bonus of 5 messaging myths which need to be skewered. If you want to get better at writing outreach, you need to read this. H/T to brainfooder Kishan Lakhani for the share
Issue #110 published 23 Apr 2020
Vague vs Vivid
ENGAGEMENT
“Unfortunately, misunderstandings are normal. Great messaging is rare because we all have the Closeness Problem. The closer we are to an issue, the harder to see the perspective of others. We know what we mean. But most communication is vague. Use social media to improve it..”
Cam Barber has a visual explanation as to why government guidelines can have marginal effectiveness - it’s a design and comms issue. Valuable for now, but perhaps also an important design lesson for recruitment marketers / EB folks producing content.
Issue #181 published 23 Apr 2020
Richard Millington has been a pioneering practitioner in the online community building space. Here he shares his thoughts on the 3 broad types of community available for brands to build. Best way to engage an audience, is to first make sure they are your audience. 
Issue #68 published 23 Apr 2020
Not sure I entirely agree with all the Hi’s and Hey’s here - first name / first work surely better? - but I’ve only got anecdata to go whereas Boomerang have data data, from 300,000 emails no less. 
Issue #68 published 23 Apr 2020
Can’t hire local tech talent? Go on the road says brainfooder Matěj Matolín, Head of HR at STRV. Amazing story of going where the talent is, having a plan, a story and a proposition of bringing them back. Fantastic case study for any business prepared to (literally) go the extra mile for the best talent - read it here
Issue #104 published 23 Apr 2020
A serious question by my friend, long time brainfooder and real time phone call enthusiast, Stephen O'Donnell. Read the comments thread - an eye opener for anyone about to pick up the phone. Also: this webcomic
Issue #104 published 23 Apr 2020
If you hadn’t noticed, sometimes facts aren’t enough in today’s world. Here’s how persuasive people make great arguments even more convincing. It’s rare that mainstream publications get featured here, but this one deserves more views.
Issue #86 published 23 Apr 2020
You probably might have guessed by now that I’m a major proponent of inbound / content marketing approach to new business. But that’s not to say the cold approach is over, as Steli Efti explains in this excellent interview transcript with Stripe. It’s generally sales focused, but relevant to any recruiter pitching to candidate or client. Have a read here
Issue #119 published 23 Apr 2020
What is the best time to send an email newsletter? Turns out, it doesn’t really matter, according to this research from Mailerlite. Important read  for anyone pursuing a newsletter strategy - which I obviously recommend you do - and it is especially good on follow up techniques after first send out.
Issue #142 published 23 Apr 2020
Brilliant post by CEO coach Dave Bailey on one of the most challenging aspects of business - how to deliver constructive feedback. Relevant to recruitment or anybody who wants to get better at giving / receiving hard truths. Read it here
Issue #130 published 23 Apr 2020
We’re addicted to our smartphones more than ever before but for the first time ever, the volume of voice calls has dropped says this report from Ofcom. The ‘forced synchronicity’ of an unscheduled phone call is becoming rude. Massive implications for recruiting, especially for the 'just get on the phone’ agencies out there.
Issue #95 published 23 Apr 2020
Recruiting has historically been a telephone based job, but as ever fewer people pick up, we’ve got to change up our game. Great post from the Guardian on why it’s the ‘end of the line’.
btw: I’m a fan of the video note - rich media asynch communication. WhatsApp me those if you want to chat. 
Issue #90 published 23 Apr 2020
Matt Charney is an infrequent but outstanding writer. This piece breaks down survey data conducted by his employer,  Allegis Solutions, gives a high level overview of the tech you need to have in the modern recruitment stack. And guess what? It’s SMS. 
Issue #90 published 23 Apr 2020
Jake Jorgovan is a lead generation machine who occasionally produces gems like this post. Packed full of practical tips on how to better LinkedIn, which we recruiters need to do because we always try to close too soon. 
Issue #83 published 23 Apr 2020
Good writing is a dying art in the corporate world. Given the asymmetrical nature of letter writing - even in e-form - it’s essential we get better at it. Great, actionable advice in this FastCompany post. 


Issue #19 published 23 Apr 2020
InMails aren’t emails, though some of the content concepts are undoubtedly the same. Good post here from Linkedin’s own Neha Mandhani on how to improve the all important open rate. 
Issue #41 published 23 Apr 2020
Email remains the No1 method for prospecting and first contact outreach. Does the timing matter? Valuable synthesis from Optinmonster (don’t you love the name) who have aggregated research email providers and create this insights report. Answer is: depends on audience. H/T brainfooder Jan Tegze for the share in the fb group.
Issue #170 published 23 Apr 2020
Can something be useful and depressing at the same time? The answer must surely be ‘yes’ as this research post from Buzzsumo tells us. It’s all about marketing, which apparently is what recruitment is nowadays. Here are the headlines words that matter. 
Issue #39 published 23 Apr 2020
Brilliantly insightful posts on the seemingly mundane is something speciality of the super smart Jan Tegze. You should probably read this, follow him and adjust your website colour scheme.
Issue #88 published 23 Apr 2020
Brainfooder Adam Gordon has a pretty clear idea - when you are hiring for ‘qualified volume’ or evergreen roles which your company will always be hiring for. Main takeaway: different hiring strategies for different roles. Have a read here. 
Issue #101 published 23 Apr 2020
We need to get better at written communication. Make every word count folks and respect the readers time by providing information not platitudes. 
Issue #55 published 23 Apr 2020
Email messaging has consistently been amongst the most popular posts in brainfood. This one from Vengreso has some excellent tips. You’re going to need to get past the annoying presentation here - the content is well researched, well linked and practical enough for recruiters to use straightaway
Issue #65 published 23 Apr 2020
With informational overload as default to daily experience, it’s critically important to write in plain language that makes it easy for the intended recipient to read. This US government website - amazingly - does a great job of providing quick tips for those looking to improve their written communication in 2018. 
Issue #64 published 23 Apr 2020
Are you thinking of implementing a CRM? This report from our buddies at Talentry might be an important read for you in this case. Accessible research on the impact of CRM implementations, expected challenges and techniques to build the business case.
Issue #160 published 23 Apr 2020
Avoiding misunderstandings in email is a top priority in the software development world. Complete with example scripts, this superb post on how to write better email is imminently adaptable for us in recruitment and HR. Must read
Issue #148 published 23 Apr 2020
Actually a pretty decent idea from Google - you can now drag and drop historical emails into the one you’re currently composing. Makes the retrieval of threaded conversations much easier in gmail. Also, I suspect some enterprising soul will find a way to do some creative storytelling with this feature. Have a read of the Verge’s review here and, if you’re on gmail, give it a go
Issue #169 published 23 Apr 2020
If we’re all in the attention economy, it makes sense for us to better understand how the brain does it - by eliminating inputs, rather than highlighting them. Long but accessible read on the neuroscience of attention - so have at it.
Issue #155 published 23 Apr 2020
As recruiters, we are often interlopers in the spaces which in-community members might feel are sacred. A good (or bad?) example here, a job advert posted as a github repo. Sometimes a creative idea is ….also a terrible idea. Take a look at the thread H/T to ‘foodie Pedro Oliveira for the share.
Issue #134 published 23 Apr 2020
Can neuroscience rescue us from the ‘engagement’ crisis? It might at least give us some improvements on how we can better communicate. Focused on presentations (so definitely one for the public speakers here) but also relevant for anyone sending email or writing job ads. Digestible and valuable read folks, so have at it
Issue #134 published 23 Apr 2020
The fact this is a disguised product pitch for Lemlist (which is a pretty awesome product in any case) actually makes this post by brainfooder Guillaume Moubeche even better. So much to see here: great hook, strong message composition, integration of rich media, plus being rock solid advice. Give it a shot folks
Issue #183 published 23 Apr 2020
Post GDPR, I’m thinking that everyone’s inboxes are going to get less busy. Meaning the timing might be perfect for those that can craft an intelligent cold email. Absolutely enormous post here on how to do just that - some readers might find some of the techniques a little spammy, but dig through, cos there’s gold here.
Issue #85 published 23 Apr 2020
Email is still king when it comes to candidate engagement. But are we ignoring potentially important factors such using the right font? Amazing post here from Magemail which you can read as a history of typography, a vilification of comic sans or a practical how-to on improving outreach response rates
Issue #147 published 23 Apr 2020
Writing quality messaging copy is essential to a being a great recruiter. And yet have you ever received any training on copy writing? Here’s a a great tactical how-to post which you can use to instantly get better today - because it matters. 
Issue #20 published 23 Apr 2020
Now something you can use to get better. Slightly outdated, but great research nevertheless from Yesware, on which email subject lines get opened. 
Issue #20 published 23 Apr 2020
Email marketing, and email engagement begins before the message. This is an outstanding post by Ivanna Tabachuk on how to make the subject a core part of your message - even, the whole thing itself. Must read for anyone interested raising your engagement rates. PS: you might also be interested in Friday’s Brainfood Live on this topic
Issue #172 published 23 Apr 2020
Nice piece of research from Entelo on the do’s and dont’s of email outreach: the main message? You got to soft pedal it folks. H/T to brainfooder and recruiting legend Glen Cathey for the share. 
Issue #84 published 23 Apr 2020
Interesting bit of research from Grammarly on how we feel about email. We don’t like it much, generally, and find the inbox a stressful place to work. How can we make email better? Maybe BLUF for a start. H/T to Denis Dinkevich for the share
Issue #154 published 23 Apr 2020
Jonathan Kidder is back on the blogging groove. Recruiting Brainfood is better for content like this - a clever way to improve your email conversion rate by writing in the language of the audience.
Issue #154 published 23 Apr 2020
Absolutely massive interactive report on global email benchmark and engagement by SendGrid. As email remains the No1 method of contact for recruiting matters, this is an essential read. Caveat: Sendgrid is primarily used for newsletter / transactional / notification type email, rather than custom send out
Issue #168 published 23 Apr 2020
Are you thinking about starting a newsletter in 2020? Obviously I am strongly recommending that you do so. You will find this recommendations post by Kickbox valuable - 8 tips from newsletter experts on the how, after you’ve got yourself your why. Super prep for 2020 - have a read here
Issue #168 published 23 Apr 2020
Matej Matolin is one of the most innovative recruiters operating today. I’ve been super impressed with his often radical yet humane techniques in hiring software engineers. Here he is with this newsletter technique - pretty much the application of brainfood directly for hiring. Must read
Issue #149 published 23 Apr 2020
Everyone loves a method post, especially if there’s decent data supporting the claim. Check out this post from OH subscriber Ben Slater from our buddies @Beamery. Might help you write  a better email. 
Issue #40 published 23 Apr 2020
Hiring is all about making intimate connections. The science of it is not well understood. This is a decent summary of a scientific paper on how to do it. The full report of scientific paper is downloadable
Issue #40 published 23 Apr 2020
“A strategy guide for using a semi-pointless social network in all the wrong ways”.
Funny, sad and true. But hey, it’s a game you do have to play. Check it out here.
[spoiler: might not be nice to us recruiters]
Issue #94 published 23 Apr 2020
Yulia Bondar is back with Part 2 of her brave attempt at providing practical tips for recruiters on cross cultural communication. She doesn’t ‘beat about the bush’ on this, which is perhaps supporting evidence of her central thesis. Read Part 1 here and Part 2 here
Issue #94 published 23 Apr 2020
Sometimes you read a classic and then you realise that you never put into practice the things you should have learnt from it. Check out this classic from Leo Wildrich written whilst he was still at Buffer, on the psychology of language. 
Issue #46 published 23 Apr 2020
Great post from Karolina Szczur on what a developer wants to see in a job advert. Some good tips here which recruiters can adopt. As a bonus, it’s great to see JobLint, made by my mate Rowan Manning get a shout out!
Issue #32 published 23 Apr 2020
Folks, can we write better email please? Some great observations on the banality of written communications these days. Highly relevant to everyone in this group - our outreach needs to get better. 
Issue #50 published 23 Apr 2020
‘Foodie Martyn Redstone rightfully posted in this into the brainfood fb group last week - it’s so good that I’m giving it the appropriate platform on this newsletter here. What can we learn about messaging from Product Marketing? A lot I think. Have a read here.
Issue #140 published 23 Apr 2020
Sobering read on the impact of recruiter outreach. For every one of the engagement tricks that ‘works’ there are likely many more that generate this type of result. We need a paradigm shift away from outbound to inbound. Might have to do a Brainfood Live on this topic at some point.
Issue #163 published 23 Apr 2020
Digital Psychology
ENGAGEMENT
The idea that we are not rational actors making decisions based on the logical calculation of self interest has probably been one of the revelations of our current moment. This wonderful website uncovers how we really make our decisions. Beautifully presented interactive, which as recruiters & talent professionals, is more useful to us than we might first think. H/T to brainfooder Denis Dinkevich, who is relentless in sharing great content. Check out Digital Psychology here.
Issue #97 published 23 Apr 2020
BitBounce
ENGAGEMENT
There is no surer sign that we are in an engagement crisis when we encounter anti-recruiter countermeasures such as this. BitBounce is a email blocker which holds your outreach message until you pay for the receiver for it to be delivered - pay in bitcoin, naturally. H/T to ‘foodie Pedro Oliveira for the share. Competition for attention will only get more fierce.
Issue #144 published 23 Apr 2020
We know that more is less on Twitter. This marvellously brief tweet from parody account I Am Recruitr says all it needs to in 14 characters, never mind 140. We got to improve our outreach folks……and really stop using this cliché
Issue #127 published 23 Apr 2020