Last week, an email landed in my inbox. It read:
“Mike, I’ve attached my CV. if you have roles that fit then I can talk this week.”
Now, I don’t know about you, but that’s not exactly the stuff of networking romance, is it?
I read it and my initial thought was: aren’t you going to at least buy me a drink first?
Honestly, Katie, Joe and I get emails like that every week.
So I think it’s worth reminding people…
Recruiters are not vending machines.
You don’t shove in your CV, press B7, and out pops your dream job.
We’re people. We’re here to help. But the “got any jobs?” approach isn’t the way to go about it.
Like with any cold email, you need to give a little before you can take.
SO, here are five tips to do it better (and they’ll work for any recruiter, not just me):
1) Give context.
Say who you are in one line: “I’m a Group Treasurer at XYZ plc with 10 years in cash management and funding.”
I shouldn’t have to go digging to find this out.
2) Be specific about what you want.
Don’t just say “any jobs?”. Because if all you want is a faceless list of roles, LinkedIn already does that.
Try: “I’m interested in senior corporate treasury roles in London, ideally in the £120–150k range.”
3) Show you’ve done your homework.
Make your first line in your email something that can ONLY relate to that recruiter. So if it’s me, let me know if a specific podcast or LinkedIn newsletter helped you.
I’m not looking for praise (although I’ll never turn it down 😉), but this signals you know who I am and you’ve not just blanket-blasted recruiters.
4) Keep it tight.
3-4 sentences. That should be your entire email. I should be able to read it and get a good idea of who you are in less than a minute.
If I want to know more, that’s what the attached CV is for.
5) Remember, you’re writing to a person!
The best candidates – the ones who get the most out of working with me – are the ones who treat it like a conversation, not a transaction.
So, there you go…
Do these five things, and I can almost guarantee you’ll get a reply from any decent recruiter.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
“Hi Mike, I really enjoyed your recent podcast with Tony Masone – great insights on how treasurers can grow into broader leadership roles.
I’m currently a Treasury Manager at XYZ plc with 10 years in liquidity and cash management, and I’m now exploring senior treasury opportunities in London around the £90k–100k range.
I’ve attached my CV and would love to chat if you think there could be a fit.”
Even if we don’t have a role for you right now, you’ve started a relationship and that’s the real win.
We love building those relationships because you’re the lifeblood of what we do. Let’s make it a win-win for both of us.
Best regards,
Mike
