Zumwald to present ‘Write to Persuade Passive Candidates’ at GCHRA Feb. 24

ENGLEWOOD, Ohio, Feb. 4, 2015 − Teresa Zumwald, owner and president of Zumwald & Company, LLC, will present “Write to Persuade Passive Candidates” at the Greater Cincinnati Human Resources Association (GCHRA) 8−9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, at Interact for Health, 3805 Edwards Road, Suite 500, in Cincinnati.

The presentation is part of GCHRA’s Staffing & Recruiting series and is pending approval for 1.5 General HRCI Credits.

Here’s what Zumwald will cover:

If part of your job requires you to recruit passive candidates, you have a sales job on your hands. Because passive candidates aren’t eagerly looking for work or to make a change, you have to get their attention and entice them to respond so you can start the conversation. The challenge feels daunting, but the hunt is so worth it since passive candidates – already excelling in a role you need to fill – can be the very best hires.

But first things first: You must write a snappy email or LinkedIn message that leaves a lasting impression. And you only have one shot to convince a particular passive candidate (who may be quite happily employed and very well-compensated) to stop, look and listen to you. But how?

During part 1 of this session, you will learn:

The psychology of persuasion
Elements of persuasive writing
What to do FIRST (before you write the first word)
What to do LAST (before you hit “send”)

Part 2 of this session will be a writing workshop. We’ll take a look at samples of your writing to passive candidates (emails and LinkedIn messages) and discuss what persuades – and why – and what we can improve – and how.

To ensure the writing workshop is highly relevant, we are asking each attendee to email our presenter a writing sample of an email or LinkedIn message – crafted for a passive candidate – no later than Feb. 10. (Please note that no names of individuals or companies will be revealed.) The presenter will review selected writing samples during the workshop portion so we can learn what persuades (and why) and what we can improve (and how). Email your samples to Teresa Zumwald at teresa@zumwaldandcompany.com.

Zumwald says she uses persuasive writing techniques every day in her work crafting speeches as well as leadership, corporate and marketing communication materials for her B2B clients at Zumwald & Company, a communication consulting firm founded in 1989. In every instance, her communications must inspire diverse audiences to take an action or make a change, she said.

The cost of the program is free for GCHRA members and students and $20 for non-members.

Register by Feb. 19 to reserve your space for the event, which opens at 7:30 a.m. with registration and a continental breakfast.

Interact for Health is located in The Rookwood Tower in Norwood. Parking is free.

For more information about GCHRA, visit http://gchra.shrm.org/. ■