Draft communication people want to read
Course overview · 8 min reading + 5 min practice, estimated
Give the message a reason
Useful outreach explains why you are contacting this person, what is relevant and the next small step. Personalisation should connect to the role or business need. Avoid flattery, invented familiarity and claims about private intentions.
Ask for a draft you can review
Provide a confirmed fact, an actual offer and a desired tone. Ask for a short draft that uses only the evidence supplied. Review names, facts, claims and the appropriateness of the contact before sending. Keep your organisation’s contact preferences and outreach policies in the process.
Improve from real feedback
Review responses for relevance and misunderstandings. A high response rate is not useful if people were misled. Keep what helps recipients understand the opportunity, remove pressure and clarify vague promises.
Put it into practice
Draft an 80-word message about a fictional specialist search. Underline every factual claim and identify its source. Remove any unsupported claim.
Use fictional information and keep your work in your own notes.
Sources and further reading
Original Academy teaching and fictional examples. These references provide context, not endorsement. Edition 2026.09; updated 2026-09-24.
- GOV.UK: Responsible AI in recruitment
UK guidance on procuring and deploying recruitment AI.
- NIST: AI Risk Management Framework
Voluntary framework for organising AI risks and controls.