This is an issue we’ve been dealing with for several weeks, and it’s likely going to get worse. The introduction of DKIM/DMARC updates has set the stage, and by April 1st, the cracks started showing with a slow rollout. But let me be clear: by June 1st, the challenge becomes significant. For headhunters, this isn’t just about sending emails—it’s about ensuring they land effectively.
Key Principles to Adopt
Consistent Volume: Much like balancing your candidate outreach, the consistency of your email volume becomes crucial.
Segmentation Is Key: Just as you wouldn’t send the same message to a CEO and a junior developer, segmenting your audience matters more than ever.
Metrics Monitoring: Keeping an eye on stats by domain (like Gmail or Yahoo) is akin to tracking which industries are responding best to your outreach.
Enhanced Tracking: Incorporating tools like GPMT for Google can be a game-changer, akin to using advanced CRM features to track client interactions.
Five Critical Considerations
Terms and Privacy: Ensure your website and landing pages clearly display your terms of service and privacy policy. It’s about transparency, much like the clear communication you maintain with clients and candidates.
Real Replies: Your reply-to address should lead to an actively monitored inbox. There’s nothing worse than a client or candidate feeling ignored.
Link Integrity: Every link in your email should be scrutinized. Avoid third-party redirects that might tarnish your reputation—think of it as ensuring your candidates are as reputable as they appear on their resumes.
User Engagement: How recipients interact with your emails influences their future deliverability. Design your emails to encourage positive engagement—similar to crafting a job description that gets candidates excited.
Domain Visibility: For significant outreach (over 5k emails), keeping your WHOIS information public can be crucial for trust and transparency, much like being upfront about your agency’s role and methods.
Remember, no matter how polished your emails are, they’re useless if they don’t reach the inbox. It’s a harsh reality that many are facing—and it’s not limited to your usual marketing teams.
Start with the Basics
Educate yourself using publicly available documentation and tools.
Discuss these changes proactively with your team—ignorance is not bliss in this scenario.
The quicker you adapt, the smoother your transition through these updates will be.
As daunting as these changes might seem, they are manageable with the right approach. Consider this a call to arms: the summer ahead could be tough, but with preparation and strategy, your headhunting efforts can continue to thrive, even in a challenging email landscape. Don’t wait for the storm to hit—start reinforcing your strategies now!
Stop working in a silo! Get the support you need from expert coaches and a group of high performing peers. Learn more below.
Tricia Tamkin, headhunter, advisor, coach, and gladiator. Tricia has spoken at over 50 recruiting events, been quoted in multiple national publications, and her name is often dropped in groups as the solution to any recruiters’ challenges. She brings over 30 years of deep recruiting experience and offers counsel in a way which is perspective changing and entertaining.
