Recruitment & careers

Internship application received

Confirms that an internship application has arrived and sets expectations for the reply.

Subject: We’ve received your application, [first name]

Application shortlisted

Tells a candidate they have been shortlisted and what the next stage will be.

Subject: Good news about your [position] application

Candidate outreach

A short, personal first note from a recruiter or hiring manager to someone who hasn’t applied.

Subject: The [role title] role on our [team name] team

Campus recruitment invitation

A formal letter to a university placement cell proposing campus recruitment, with roles, eligibility and dates.

Subject: Campus recruitment at [institution name]

Internship programme announcement

Announces an internship intake to career centres and students: who it’s for, how selection works and how to apply.

Subject: Internships at [company name]: applications open

Referral thank-you

Thanks someone for referring a candidate and tells them, discreetly, where things stand.

Subject: Thank you for referring [candidate name]

Job application received

Confirms a job application, gives the candidate a reference and says when they’ll hear back.

Subject: Your [role title] application at [company name]

Application under review

A status update while an application is still being reviewed, with a new date to expect a reply.

Subject: Your [role title] application is still in review

Application on hold

Tells a candidate that hiring for the role is paused, what it means for them, and when they’ll hear next.

Subject: Your [role title] application is on hold

Reference check request

Asks a referee, with the candidate’s agreement, for a reference by form or by call.

Subject: Reference request for [candidate name]

Document request

Asks a candidate for the documents the next stage needs, with a deadline and a link to upload them.

Subject: Documents for your [role title] application

Background verification notice

Explains an upcoming background verification: what it covers, who carries it out and the consent needed.

Subject: Next step: your background verification

Application unsuccessful

A kind, plain decline after an application review, before any interviews.

Subject: An update on your [role title] application

Talent pool invitation

Asks a strong candidate, by reply, for permission to keep their details and contact them about future roles.

Subject: Future [talent area] roles at [company name]

Application withdrawal confirmation

Confirms that an application has been withdrawn at the candidate’s request, and leaves the door open.

Subject: Your [role title] application is withdrawn

Job posting share

A short personal note sharing an open role with a contact, asking them to pass it on to anyone who might be a good fit.

Subject: Could you share our [role title] role?

Recruitment agency brief

Briefs a recruitment agency on a role: location, salary range, what you’re looking for, how to put candidates forward and the agreement that covers the search.

Subject: Role brief: [role title], [team name] team

Application incomplete reminder

Reminds an applicant that their application is missing details, lists what is still needed and gives a date to finish by.

Subject: Your [role title] application isn’t finished yet

Candidate no-show follow-up

A kind note to a candidate who missed their interview: no blame, a way to find a new time, and an easy way to withdraw.

Subject: We missed you at your [role title] interview

Background check cleared

Tells a candidate their background verification is complete with nothing further needed, and what happens next.

Subject: Your background verification is complete

Employee referral bonus

Confirms the referral bonus an employee has earned for a hire: who joined, the amount, when it’s paid and any conditions, with a link to the referral policy. Review with HR/legal before sending; send individually.

Subject: Your referral bonus for [candidate name]

Hiring intake summary

Plays back the role profile, must-haves, interview stages and panel agreed at the intake meeting, and asks for corrections before sourcing starts.

Subject: Agreed plan for the [role title] search

Hiring pipeline update

Reports progress on a search to the hiring manager or agency client: candidates at each stage, market feedback, risks and the decisions needed from them.

Subject: Update on the [role title] search

Job requisition approval request

Asks a budget holder to approve a new or replacement hire, with the role, level, salary band, business case, the date a decision is needed and a link to approve.

Subject: Approval needed: [role title] hire for [team name]

Job requisition approved

Tells a hiring manager their requisition is approved, as requested or with conditions, names the recruiter who will run the search and asks them to book the intake meeting.

Subject: Approved: [role title] hire for [team name]

Candidate outreach follow-up

One brief follow-up to someone approached about a role who hasn’t replied, adding one new detail about the role and making it easy to say no.

Subject: Following up about the [role title] role

Application closed after no response

Closes an application after several attempts to reach the candidate went unanswered, listing what was needed and how to reopen it by a date.

Subject: Closing your [role title] application for now

Candidate complaint acknowledgement

Acknowledges a candidate’s complaint about how they were treated in a recruitment process, giving a reference, who will look into it and when they’ll hear next.

Subject: Your complaint about our [role title] process

Candidate experience survey

Asks someone whose recruitment process has ended, hired or not, how it went for them, saying the survey is optional, how long it takes and how the answers are used.

Subject: How was applying to [company name]?

Consideration for another role

Asks an applicant whether they’d like to be considered for a different open role that may suit their experience better, describing the role and what happens to their original application.

Subject: Would you consider our [alternative role title] role?

Equal opportunities monitoring request

Invites an applicant to complete an optional equal opportunities questionnaire, explaining how the answers are used, how long they are kept and that any question can be skipped.

Subject: Optional: our equal opportunities questionnaire

Application status correction

Corrects a recruitment email sent in error that gave the wrong status, and states what was wrong, the correct status and what happens next.

Subject: Correction: your [role title] application status

Feedback for an unsuccessful candidate

Replies to an unsuccessful candidate who asked for feedback, with the points noted against the role’s criteria and an offer to answer questions, without reopening the decision.

Subject: Feedback on your [role title] application

Vacancy withdrawn notice

Tells candidates in process that a role has been cancelled, that this is not a decision about them, and what happens to their application and details.

Subject: The [role title] role has been withdrawn

Candidate shortlist review request

Sends a hiring manager the screened candidates for a role, each with a short screening note, and asks who to interview by a date.

Subject: Shortlist ready for review: [role title]

Screening call invitation

Invites an applicant to book a short call with a recruiter, says what it will cover (motivation, availability and practicalities) and how to choose a time.

Subject: A short call about the [role title] role

Pre-employment check query

Asks a candidate with a conditional offer to explain or correct something a pre-employment check returned, before anything is decided: what to clarify, where to see the result and the date to reply by.

Subject: A question about your pre-employment checks

Referee details request

Asks a candidate at the reference stage for their referees’ names and contact details, says which kinds of referee are needed and asks them to confirm the referees have agreed to be contacted.

Subject: Your referees for the [role title] role

Employee referral drive

Asks colleagues to refer people for a set of open roles, with what makes a good referral, how to submit one and the referral reward by reference to the policy.

Subject: Referrals wanted: [drive focus] roles

Agency approach about a client role

A recruiter’s first note to someone about a confidential client’s role, which keeps the client unnamed, says where their details came from and promises nothing is shared without consent.

Subject: A [role title] role with a client of ours

Agency candidate registration confirmation

Confirms that a candidate has registered with an agency, with their consultant, the preferences on record, when they’ll next hear and the privacy notice.

Subject: You’re registered with [company name]

Candidate not progressed by client

Tells an agency’s candidate that the client won’t take them further, passes on any feedback the client gave and offers to talk about other roles.

Subject: [client company]’s decision on the [role title] role

Candidate offer response to client

Tells an agency client how a candidate has responded to their offer (accepted, declined or asking for changes), with the details and next steps.

Subject: [candidate name]’s response to your offer

Client feedback request on a candidate

Asks an agency client for a decision and feedback on a submitted or interviewed candidate by a date, explaining plainly where the candidate stands.

Subject: Your feedback on [candidate name] for [role title]

Candidate submission to client

Submits one candidate to an agency client with the recruiter’s summary, notice period, salary expectation, consent date and terms reference, and a secure link to the CV.

Subject: Candidate for [role title]: [candidate name]

Client offer relayed to candidate

Passes a client’s verbal offer to an agency candidate: the headline terms as the client gave them, any conditions, when the written offer follows and when to reply.

Subject: An offer from [client company] for [role title]

Consent to represent request

Asks a candidate to confirm by reply that the agency may submit them to a named client for a named role, with the CV version and what will be shared.

Subject: Before we send your CV to [client company]

Placement confirmation to candidate

Congratulates a placed candidate and sets out what happens before they start: what the client will send, what to do meanwhile and when the agency will check in.

Subject: Congratulations on your new role at [client company]

Placement confirmation to client

Confirms a placement to an agency client: the start date and salary the fee is based on, when the invoice follows, the replacement period, by reference to the terms, and any checks still open.

Subject: Placement confirmed: [candidate name], [role title]

Campus drive arrangements confirmation

Confirms the arrangements for an agreed campus recruitment drive with the placement office: the schedule, the rooms and equipment needed, the panel attending and the student list required.

Subject: Campus drive on [drive date]: arrangements

Campus drive results for the placement office

Tells a placement office which students will receive offers or move to a further stage after a campus drive, when offer letters follow and who to contact.

Subject: Campus drive results: [institution name]

Careers fair follow-up

A recruiter’s note to a student or graduate who shared their details at a careers fair, pointing to the programme or roles discussed and how to apply.

Subject: The programme we discussed at [event name]

New role invitation to a past finalist

Invites a strong past candidate who agreed to stay in touch to consider a new opening, saying what is different and what, if anything, carries over from their earlier process.

Subject: A new [role title] role, and I thought of you

Talent pool consent renewal

Asks someone in the talent pool whether you may keep their details before the retention period ends, and says plainly what happens if they don’t reply.

Subject: Keep your details in the [company name] talent pool?

Talent pool roles digest

A regular round-up of open roles for people who joined the talent pool, with one featured role and a link to every opening. Send it as a campaign.

Subject: Roles open now at [company name]: [digest period]