45 ChatGPT Prompts for Recruiters (Job Descriptions, Outreach, and Interviews)
Recruiters write job descriptions, cold outreach, interview question sets, rejection emails, and offer letters — every single week, for every open role. All of it can be templated and sped up with AI. These prompts cover the full hiring workflow so you can spend less time writing and more time on the conversations that close.
Recruiting is a writing-intensive profession. A single open role generates a job description, a LinkedIn post, dozens of outreach messages, a multi-round interview question set, rejection emails at every stage, and an offer letter. Multiply that by the number of roles in your pipeline and the writing alone can consume half your working hours. These prompts give that time back.
Every prompt uses [BRACKETS] for variables you fill in. Copy, customize, paste into ChatGPT, and review before use.
Section 1: Job Description Writing (Prompts 1–3)
Job descriptions are the top of the recruiting funnel. A weak JD attracts too many mismatched applications; a strong one pre-qualifies the right candidates before they even apply. These prompts build compelling, inclusive job descriptions from a rough brief.
1. Job Description from a Hiring Manager Brief
Turn a hiring manager's rough brief into a compelling, well-structured job description that attracts the right candidates.
Write a job description based on the following hiring brief. Company: [NAME AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION — e.g. "a 50-person B2B SaaS company in the HR tech space"]. Role: [JOB TITLE]. Team / reporting line: [E.G. "reports to VP of Engineering, part of a 6-person backend team"]. What this person will do: [LIST THE 4–6 MOST IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITIES — be specific, not generic]. What we're looking for: [LIST MUST-HAVE SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE — separate required from preferred]. What success looks like in the first 90 days: [DESCRIBE]. Compensation range: [$RANGE — or "competitive, to be discussed"]. Location: [REMOTE / HYBRID / OFFICE — and location]. Any important culture or team context: [E.G. "fast-paced startup," "high autonomy," "direct feedback culture"]. Write a job description with: (1) A compelling 2-sentence intro that makes the right person want to read more, (2) About the role — 3–4 sentences on context and impact, (3) What you'll do — 5–7 bullet points, specific and outcome-oriented (not a task list), (4) What we're looking for — required qualifications in bullets, preferred in a separate group, (5) What we offer — compensation, benefits, and team culture, (6) A brief close. Under 450 words. Avoid: "fast-paced environment," "rockstar," "ninja," "self-starter" — use specific language that attracts the right candidate.2. Inclusive Job Description Audit and Rewrite
Audit an existing job description for bias and exclusionary language, then rewrite it to attract a more diverse candidate pool.
Audit the following job description for exclusionary or biased language, then provide a rewritten version. Original job description: [PASTE THE JD]. Audit for: (1) Gender-coded language — identify any adjectives or verbs that research shows skew masculine (e.g. "competitive," "aggressive," "dominant") or unnecessarily feminine, and suggest neutral alternatives. (2) Experience inflation — identify any requirements that are "nice to have" but listed as required, or degree requirements where equivalent experience would suffice. (3) Cultural and personality bias — flag phrases like "culture fit," "fun team player," or "work hard play hard" that can signal exclusion. (4) Unnecessarily specific requirements — years of experience thresholds, specific tool requirements that can be learned on the job, or overly narrow industry requirements. Provide: (1) A list of specific flags with explanations, (2) A fully rewritten job description that preserves the requirements and culture while removing the bias signals. Note: the goal is not to lower standards — it's to describe the role in a way that qualified candidates from all backgrounds can see themselves in it.3. LinkedIn Job Post (Short Format)
Write a short-format LinkedIn job post that stands out in a crowded feed and drives qualified applications.
Write a LinkedIn job post for the following role. Company: [NAME]. Role: [JOB TITLE]. Location: [REMOTE / HYBRID / CITY]. Key responsibilities (2–3 most important): [LIST]. What makes this role or company interesting: [DESCRIBE — the genuine differentiator, not generic "great culture" language]. Ideal candidate in one sentence: [DESCRIBE SPECIFICALLY]. Compensation (if you're sharing it — you should): [$RANGE or "competitive"]. How to apply: [LINK OR INSTRUCTIONS]. Write a LinkedIn post that: opens with something specific about the role or company that earns attention (not "We're hiring a [TITLE]!"), describes the role in 3–4 sentences with the most compelling aspects up front, states 3 must-have qualifications clearly, includes compensation if possible (it improves application quality), ends with a clear application CTA. Under 200 words. Tone: direct and human — LinkedIn job posts are competing with everything else in a professional's feed; lead with what makes this actually interesting.Section 2: Candidate Outreach (Prompts 4–5)
Cold outreach to passive candidates lives or dies by personalization and specificity. These prompts write first messages and follow-ups that earn responses because they sound like a real recruiter who actually looked at the candidate's profile.
4. Cold Outreach to a Passive Candidate
Write a LinkedIn or email message that earns a response from a passive candidate who isn't job hunting.
Write a cold outreach message to a passive candidate for the following role. Platform: [LINKEDIN / EMAIL]. Candidate profile: [BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THEIR BACKGROUND — what you know about them, why they caught your attention, their current role or company]. Role you're reaching out about: [JOB TITLE + COMPANY + ONE-LINE ROLE DESCRIPTION]. Why this person specifically: [WHAT ABOUT THEIR BACKGROUND MAKES THEM A FIT — be specific, not "your experience is impressive"]. What makes the role worth their attention: [THE MOST COMPELLING THING ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY — culture, mission, comp, growth, team]. Ask: [WHAT YOU WANT FROM THIS MESSAGE — e.g. "a 15-minute call," "a reply if they're open to hearing more"]. Write a message that: references something specific about their background, states the opportunity concisely (1–2 sentences), makes a clear case for why it might be worth their time, and ends with a low-friction ask. Under 120 words. Tone: direct and personalized — passive candidates respond to specificity and respect for their time. Avoid: "I came across your profile and was impressed," "We're growing rapidly," or anything that reads like a template.5. Follow-Up Message After No Response
Write a follow-up outreach message that re-engages a candidate who didn't respond to the first message.
Write a follow-up message to a passive candidate who hasn't responded to an initial outreach. Original message context: [BRIEF DESCRIPTION — what you reached out about and when]. Candidate: [WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THEM]. What's changed or new since first message: [IF ANYTHING — e.g. "we've updated the comp package," "we're now interviewing and I'd love to include them," "I came across a recent post they wrote that's relevant"]. Write a follow-up that: acknowledges it's a follow-up (don't pretend it isn't), adds something new or different (not just "checking in"), keeps it shorter than the original, and gives them an easy way to say "not interested" — a no is more useful than silence. Under 80 words. Tone: direct and low-pressure — the goal is to surface a real "yes" or "no," not to push.Section 3: Interview Question Generation (Prompts 6–7)
Structured interview questions produce better hiring decisions than unstructured conversations. These prompts generate complete behavioral and technical question sets with evaluator guides so every interviewer knows what a strong answer looks like.
6. Structured Interview Question Set
Generate a structured interview question set with behavioral, situational, and competency-based questions for a specific role.
Write a structured interview question set for the following role. Role: [JOB TITLE]. Key competencies to assess: [LIST 4–5 — e.g. "stakeholder communication," "prioritization under pressure," "cross-functional collaboration," "data-driven decision making," "technical depth in [AREA]"]. Interview format: [E.G. "60-minute panel with hiring manager and two team members," "45-minute phone screen"]. Interview stage: [E.G. "first-round screening," "final round"]. Write 3 questions per competency using the following mix: (1) Behavioral question — "Tell me about a time when..." (past behavior predicts future behavior), (2) Situational question — "Imagine you're in this situation..." (how they'd handle a hypothetical), (3) A follow-up probe — a specific follow-up to dig deeper into their answer. For each question set: note the competency being assessed. For each question: include what a strong answer looks like in 1–2 sentences (the evaluator guide). Add 3 general "opening" questions for the start of the interview to warm up the candidate. Add 2 "closing" questions for the end that invite their questions and assess their preparation. Under 600 words total.7. Technical Screen Question Set
Generate a technical screening question set that assesses real-world capability rather than theoretical knowledge.
Write a technical screening question set for the following role. Role: [JOB TITLE]. Key technical skills to assess: [LIST 4–5 — be specific: e.g. "SQL query optimization," "React component architecture," "statistical modeling in Python," "financial modeling in Excel"]. Interview format: [E.G. "45-minute technical phone screen before a take-home assignment"]. Experience level expected: [JUNIOR / MID / SENIOR / STAFF]. Write 2–3 questions per technical area with the following structure: (1) A conceptual question that reveals depth of understanding — not a trivia question, but one that requires genuine knowledge to answer well. (2) A practical / scenario-based question — "In your last role, how did you..." or "Given this situation, how would you approach..." (3) An evaluator note: what a strong answer looks like, what a red-flag answer looks like. Important: these questions should be useful in a conversational interview, not just in a coding environment. Avoid trick questions or gotchas — the goal is to identify genuine competence, not to catch people out.Section 4: Rejection Emails (Prompts 8–9)
Rejection emails are one of the most neglected touchpoints in the candidate experience — and one of the most important for employer brand. These prompts write rejection emails that are respectful, clear, and professional at every stage of the process.
8. Candidate Rejection Email (Post-Application, Pre-Interview)
Write a respectful rejection email for candidates who applied but weren't selected for interview.
Write a rejection email for a candidate who applied for a role but will not be moved to the interview stage. Company: [NAME]. Role applied for: [JOB TITLE]. Reason for not proceeding (internal — do not include specific reasons in the email unless HR policy allows): [E.G. "overqualified," "missing required technical skills," "stronger candidates in the pipeline"]. Whether to keep their details on file: [YES / NO]. Write a rejection email that: thanks them for applying and specifically for the time they invested, communicates the decision clearly and respectfully (no vague "we'll be in touch"), does not over-explain or give false hope, and — if relevant — invites them to apply for future roles. Under 100 words. Tone: warm and direct — a good rejection is one of the most under-rated touchpoints in recruiting. People remember how they were treated.9. Candidate Rejection Email (Post-Interview)
Write a respectful rejection email for candidates who interviewed but were not selected.
Write a rejection email for a candidate who completed one or more interview rounds but will not receive an offer. Company: [NAME]. Role: [JOB TITLE]. Interview stages they completed: [LIST — e.g. "phone screen, first-round panel, case study presentation"]. Whether you can share brief feedback: [YES — provide a brief honest note, or NO — legal or policy reasons]. Write a rejection email that: acknowledges the time and effort they invested in the process specifically, communicates the decision clearly and with care, provides brief constructive feedback if possible (without being specific enough to invite dispute), thanks them genuinely, and — if appropriate — expresses genuine interest in staying in touch for future opportunities. Under 150 words. Tone: warm, direct, and human — candidates who reach final rounds deserve more than a form rejection. This email represents your employer brand.Section 5: Offer Letters (Prompts 10–11)
The offer stage is where candidates make their final decision — and how you communicate the offer matters as much as the numbers. These prompts write verbal offer scripts that lead with the opportunity, and offer letters that start the employment relationship on a strong note.
10. Verbal Offer Script
Script the verbal offer call so you lead with the strongest version of the opportunity before getting to the numbers.
Write a verbal offer script for the following candidate and role. Company: [NAME]. Role: [JOB TITLE]. Candidate: [NAME]. Offer details: Base salary: [$AMOUNT]. Bonus or equity: [DESCRIBE IF ANY]. Start date proposed: [DATE]. Other notable benefits or perks: [LIST — e.g. "flexible remote policy," "professional development budget," "4-day work week option"]. What you know about what this candidate cares about most: [DESCRIBE — from the interview process, what motivated them about the role]. Write a verbal offer script that: opens by referencing something specific from their interview that confirms the decision was easy, presents the offer with genuine enthusiasm (not just reading numbers), leads with the non-compensation elements they care about before stating the numbers, states the full compensation package clearly, and closes by asking for their initial reaction and setting a clear next step. Under 300 words. Tone: warm and specific — an offer call is a moment of genuine excitement; the script should feel like it's coming from someone who actually wants this person to say yes.11. Offer Letter Template
Write a professional offer letter template that communicates terms clearly and sets a positive tone for the employment relationship.
Write an offer letter template for the following employment offer. Company: [NAME]. Candidate: [NAME]. Role: [JOB TITLE]. Start date: [DATE]. Employment type: [FULL-TIME / PART-TIME / CONTRACT]. Compensation: Base salary: [$AMOUNT — ANNUAL OR HOURLY]. Bonus: [DESCRIBE IF ANY — e.g. "eligible for annual performance bonus of up to [X]% of base salary, subject to company and individual performance"]. Equity: [DESCRIBE IF ANY]. Benefits: [LIST KEY BENEFITS]. Reporting to: [MANAGER TITLE AND NAME]. Location: [REMOTE / HYBRID / OFFICE — and address]. Contingencies: [E.G. "subject to background check and reference verification," "subject to right-to-work verification"]. Acceptance deadline: [DATE]. Write an offer letter with: (1) A warm opening that references their application process and expresses genuine excitement, (2) The role details and start date, (3) Compensation and benefits — clearly laid out, (4) Key employment terms and contingencies, (5) How to accept and by when, (6) A warm close. Professional and legally appropriate tone. Note: this is a template — have all final offer letters reviewed by HR and legal counsel before sending.Section 6: Screening Criteria (Prompt 12)
Consistent screening starts with consistent criteria. This prompt builds a structured scorecard that makes candidate evaluation more objective, more defensible, and less dependent on gut feeling.
12. Candidate Screening Criteria Scorecard
Build a structured screening scorecard that makes hiring decisions more consistent and defensible.
Create a candidate screening scorecard for the following role. Role: [JOB TITLE]. Must-have qualifications: [LIST — the requirements that are truly non-negotiable]. Nice-to-have qualifications: [LIST — the preferences that differentiate strong candidates]. Competencies to assess: [LIST 4–6 — the behavioral and skills-based factors most predictive of success in this role]. Interview stages this scorecard will be used for: [LIST — e.g. "phone screen," "first round," "final round"]. Create a structured scorecard with: (1) A must-have checklist — binary yes/no for each non-negotiable requirement, (2) A competency rating section — for each competency: name, a 1-sentence definition, and a 1–5 rating scale with brief descriptors for 1 (clear gap), 3 (meets expectations), and 5 (exceptional), (3) A notes section for each competency — space to capture specific evidence, (4) A holistic hire/no-hire recommendation section with a notes field. Include a brief scoring guide: what total score or pattern of scores should move a candidate forward vs. not. Under 400 words. Tone: structured and practical — a good scorecard reduces bias by forcing interviewers to anchor their judgments to specific criteria.Get all 45 prompts
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Get 54 automation templates for recruiting workflows — $29 →The best recruiters are the ones who spend their time on the conversations that only humans can have — building relationships, reading the room in an interview, and making the case for a candidate to a skeptical hiring manager. These prompts handle the writing work that surrounds those conversations so the human work gets the attention it deserves. For related content, see our guide to ChatGPT prompts for HR professionals and our post on ChatGPT prompts for virtual assistants.