The holiday season is a rare opportunity for recruiting agencies. It’s a time when inboxes are flooded with cheerful messages, yet the right email can help you stand out, strengthen relationships, and set the tone for a productive year ahead.

But here’s the problem: most recruiting firms either don’t send anything at all—or they send a generic “Happy Holidays” that gets lost in the shuffle.

Your prospects and candidates don’t need another snowman GIF. They need a reminder that you’re a trusted partner who understands their challenges and values their success. And that’s where email done right becomes a powerful relationship-building tool.

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to craft and send impactful holiday emails using TE Recruit®, the all-in-one ATS and CRM for recruiting agencies. You’ll learn:

• Who to email during the holidays (and who not to)

• How to segment and prepare your database in TE Recruit™

• The rules of email deliverability and compliance

• What to say—and creative ideas that stand out

• Mistakes to avoid when holiday emailing

By the end, you’ll have a practical playbook for holiday recruiting emails that build goodwill, strengthen your brand, and keep your agency top of mind well into the new year.

Why Holiday Emails Matter for Recruiting Agencies

Holiday emails are more than just seasonal greetings. They are:

• A touchpoint with active clients. A reminder that you’re not only a recruiter, but a partner invested in their success.

• A thank-you to placed candidates. Recognition for trusting you in their career journey.

• A re-engagement strategy. A gentle nudge to previous clients who may not have worked with you recently.

• A branding opportunity. The chance to show your agency’s personality, values, and culture.

And here’s the reality: email marketing works. It’s one of the most cost-effective ways to connect with your audience. But to do it well, you need the right strategy, message, and technology.

Step 1: Decide Who Should Receive Your Holiday Emails

Not everyone in your database is a good candidate for a holiday greeting. Sending a heartfelt message to someone who doesn’t know you—or hasn’t interacted with your agency—can feel disingenuous. Worse, it can get your emails marked as spam.

Here are the priority audiences:

1. Active Clients
   Companies you’re currently working with should be at the top of your list. A holiday email is a chance to thank them for their trust and remind them of the value you deliver.

2. Recent Clients
   Organizations you’ve worked with this year, even if not actively now. A seasonal check-in could rekindle the relationship.

3. Placed Candidates
   Candidates you’ve successfully placed in roles. This builds loyalty, opens the door for referrals, and maintains connections as they advance in their careers.

4. Warm Prospects
   Decision-makers you’ve engaged with but haven’t yet closed. Holiday emails can humanize your agency and spark follow-up conversations.

Who not to email?
Everyone else. Resist the urge to blast your entire database. If they don’t recognize you, the message may backfire. Think of it like sending holiday cards: you wouldn’t send them to every contact you’ve ever met—you’d send them to the people who matter most.

Step 2: Organize and Segment Your Database in TE Recruit™

Your recruiting software is your secret weapon for targeting the right audience. In TE Recruit™, you can prepare your list in two main ways:

Option A: Use Database Fields

If you’ve coded your records consistently (client type, candidate status, placement details), you can run advanced searches to pull exactly the right audience:

• Clients marked as “Active”

• Candidates with status = “Placed”

• Hiring authorities tagged in company records

This requires clean data entry, but once you’ve built the habit, pulling a holiday list takes minutes.

Option B: Use Hotlists

For agencies less rigorous about coding, hotlists offer flexibility. Throughout the year, you can drop:

• Placed candidates into a “2024 Placements” hotlist

• Top prospects into a “Warm Clients” hotlist

• Most placeable candidates into an “MPC” hotlist

When the holidays arrive, simply select the hotlist and send.

Pro Tip

Start now. Even if your database isn’t perfectly organized, segmenting today will save time later and create a habit that pays dividends year-round.

Step 3: Understand TE Recruit™ Email Capabilities

Sending emails from TE Recruit™ is simple but powerful. Here’s what you should know:

• Email Templates: Create reusable templates for different audiences (e.g., one for clients, one for candidates). Test and tweak before sending.

• Personalization: Merge fields allow you to insert names, company info, or job details for a more authentic touch.

• Compliance Built-In: Every mass email includes an automatic unsubscribe link. You stay compliant with anti-spam laws without extra effort.

• Individualized Sending: Even mass emails go out as separate, personalized messages—protecting your email reputation.

• Scalable Limits: Standard accounts include 500 monthly messages, with cost-effective scaling for larger sends.

In short, TE Recruit™ equips you with enterprise-level email capabilities without the need for a separate marketing tool.

Step 4: Craft the Right Holiday Message

This is where many agencies stumble. A generic holiday email gets deleted. A thoughtful, well-crafted one builds connection.

Here are proven content ideas from recruiting marketing experts:

1. Express Gratitude

• “Thank you for trusting us with your hiring needs in 2024.”

• “We’re grateful for the chance to help you achieve your career goals.”

2. Highlight Community Impact

• Showcase volunteer work, charitable donations, or local initiatives your agency supports.

• Example: “For every placement made this December, we’re donating $100 to Toys for Tots.”

3. Share a Year-in-Review

• Number of candidates placed

• Number of clients served

• Milestones your agency achieved

4. Offer Helpful Tips

• A “12 Days of Job Search Tips” series for candidates

• Hiring insights for clients preparing for Q1

5. Keep It Human

• Include a real team photo (holiday sweaters, office decorations, or a virtual team gathering).

• Use warm, authentic language rather than stiff corporate copy.

Step 5: Avoid Common Holiday Email Mistakes

Before you hit send, watch out for these pitfalls:

• Over-sending. Stick to one thoughtful email, not a barrage of seasonal messages.

• Ignoring segmentation. Don’t spray and pray—send only to the people who matter.

• Spammy subject lines. Avoid all caps, excessive punctuation, and overused words like “FREE” or “DISCOUNT.”

• Using generic imagery. Stock photos don’t connect. Use real people and authentic visuals.

• Forgetting the CTA. Even holiday emails can guide readers to your job board, website, or recruiter team.

Step 6: Make It Engaging

Email deliverability and engagement go hand-in-hand. Here’s how to maximize your results:

• Clear Subject Line: Keep it simple and relevant. Example: “Thank You for a Great Year” or “Warm Wishes from [Your Agency].”

• Recognizable Sender: Send from a recruiter’s name, not “info@company.com.”

• Concise Copy: 50–100 words is plenty. Holiday emails should be short, warm, and personal.

• Engagement Elements: Include one clear call to action (visit your job board, refer a friend, schedule a call).

The Payoff: Why This Matters Beyond the Holidays

A well-executed holiday email strategy does more than spread cheer. It:

• Keeps you top of mind. Clients and candidates remember you in Q1 when hiring needs spike.

• Strengthens loyalty. Gratitude deepens trust with existing relationships.

• Generates referrals. Placed candidates may recommend friends or colleagues.

• Differentiates your brand. Few agencies put effort into meaningful holiday communication—yours can stand out.

Done right, holiday emails are the bridge between this year’s successes and next year’s opportunities.

Putting It All Together

Here’s your holiday recruiting email checklist:

• Identify the right audiences (clients, placed candidates, warm prospects)

• Segment your database using TE Recruit™ fields or hotlists

• Build reusable templates and personalize with merge fields

• Craft messages that thank, inform, and humanize

• Avoid spam traps and over-sending

• Include one clear CTA

Follow these steps, and your holiday email won’t just brighten inboxes—it will strengthen relationships and set your agency up for success in the new year.

Ready to Elevate Your Holiday Email Strategy?

The holidays are a perfect time to show gratitude, build trust, and stay top of mind with your clients and candidates. But without the right technology, it’s easy to miss the mark.

That’s where TE Recruit™ by Top Echelon comes in.

As the top-rated all-in-one ATS and CRM for recruiting agencies, TE Recruit™ makes it simple to:

• Segment your database with precision

• Create and personalize holiday email templates

• Send compliant, individualized emails at scale

• Track engagement and strengthen your recruiting relationships year-round

Request a demo of TE Recruit today and discover how the right recruiting software can transform not only your holiday emails—but your entire candidate and client communication strategy.