Recruiting is no longer just about “jobs” in 2025. It’s about the experience we create for candidates and how that experience impacts the company’s brand. Trust is built before the first day of work, and sometimes even after a rejection.
At EvoTalents, we believe that a recruiter’s job is not just to “close a position,” but to build relationships with people. Here are a few principles that guide us when communicating with candidates from the experience of our recruitment partner Victoria, who shared her personal life hacks.
1. Personalization always works
Candidates sense when you look at them as a person, not just a “CV.” A small detail in a conversation can change the tone of the entire interview.
"Personalization is important. Get hooked on a post on LinkedIn [some meme, the candidate's thoughts that resonate, mayve you studied at the same uni, or lived in the same city, especially if it's a town/the same region ("Hello from Volyn" - a little corny and at the same time cute)]. Or get info from About and talk about it at the interview. It immediately gets warmer."
2. Small talk matters
A short conversation before the main questions relieves tension and helps you find common ground more quickly. It seems like a small thing, but it builds an atmosphere of trust.
"I always do small talk at the beginning of the call - I ask how the candidate is doing, how their week was, etc. Which is super banal, but potentially gives you the opportunity to continue the conversation in order to create an emotional connection. For example, the candidate replied that everything was great, because he was in the mountains > I continued that I went there a week ago, so he also advised me on cool locations and recommended trying the most delicious cake. We talked about music with another person and his band, where he is a guitarist, I also told him about my singing past. Well, long story short, it never hurts to add a positive."
3. Rejects are also about humanity
Rejection is the moment of truth. A candidate feels most strongly whether your company values their time and effort. A personalized rejection can turn a negative experience into a neutral one, and sometimes even a positive one.
"As for rejections, they are also personalized. After a rejection at the technical stage, I always collect feedback from interviewers. It is important to convey to candidates not a formal "no", but specific insights that will help them understand their own areas of development. This increases trust in the company, and also maintains a strong candidate pool for future opportunities. I also often mention their hobbies that we talked about on the call, wish them success in developing in that area, etc., it smooths out the corners a little. "
4. Respect for the candidate's time
A well-timed "we're still waiting for a conclusion" between stages sometimes is much more important than disappearing and coming back with a great answer later. Timely feedback has always been and remains one of the most central components of successful communication during recruitment.
"And the banal things, such as trying to give feedback on time [if it's delayed, I keep the candidate informed so they don't think we've forgotten about them], taking into account the candidate's wishes regarding call slots, for example."
5. There is no universal script
Each person is unique. Some people need lightness and humor, while others need a more formal tone. The recruiter's task is to feel what style of communication will be appropriate.
"It is also important to understand that each candidate will have a different approach. Because if a person is super-restrained emotionally, then it is clear that jokes and interactives will not work here. Not their story. And that is absolutely okay, because we are all different."
Conclusion
Trust starts with the details: from the first “hello” on LinkedIn to the way you submit a rejection.
Communication is a technique. Trust is a relationship. And it is the relationship that determines whether a candidate will come back to you tomorrow or recommend you to their colleagues.
At EvoTalents, we build partnerships with both clients and candidates. Because we believe that every conversation can become the basis for long-term cooperation. This is what an IT Recruitment Agency looks like when it operates as a true partner, not just a vendor.
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- Will take a look on your recruiting processes,
- Will share ideas for improvement,
- Will tell you how we work in partnership with our clients.
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