INSTRUCTIONS
This document provides sample collateral for the following types of communication to former employees:
· Alumni newsletters (page 2)
· Online alumni communities (page 3)
· Outreach to individual alumni (page 4)
Review the instructions for each piece of collateral. Replace text in [red brackets] with information specific to your organization, and make other necessary alterations. Copy and paste the text into your own alumni communications.
ALUMNI NEWSLETTER COMMUNICATION
Invitation to Subscribe to an Alumni Newsletter—The following scripting is a sample invitation to former employees to opt into an alumni newsletter, to be sent after employees have departed. As an alternative, include a check-box option to receive the alumni newsletter in exit communications.
SUBJECT: Keeping in Touch
Dear Alumni,
As a former [Organization Name] employee, we invite you to participate in the [Organization Name] Alumni Newsletter. As a participant, you will receive regular e-mail updates on:
· [Organization Name] in the news
· Relevant events
· Opportunities for your involvement
We hope the newsletter gives you a sense of where we are heading and recognizes the work done by alumni like you as we move forward as an organization.
We invite you to respond to this note expressing your interest in receiving the Alumni Newsletter and look forward to personally welcoming you to the alumni community.
Warm regards,
[Organization Name] Alumni Newsletter Team
First Edition of Alumni Newsletter—The following scripting helps you kick off a new alumni newsletter. Use a similar format for subsequent newsletters.
SUBJECT: [Organization Name] Alumni Newsletter—Inaugural Issue!
Dear Alumni,
Welcome to the [Organization Name] Alumni Newsletter. While we are working toward what promises to be a very bright future at [Organization Name], we recognize the value of employees like you: high-performing contributors who helped build what we know today. This forum helps us keep you up-to-date by sharing some of the newsworthy accomplishments, relevant events, and opportunities for your involvement.
In this issue:
· [Newsworthy Item #1]: [Brief description and link to further information]
· [Newsworthy Item #2]: [Brief description and link to further information]
· Upcoming Events: [Brief description and link to full calendar]
· Alumni Directory: [Brief description and link to directory]
· Access to Discounted Courses: [Brief description and link to further information]
· Network With Us: [Brief description and link to social networking groups for alumni]
· A Reminder of Our Career Opportunities: As a leader in the industry, we have many exceptional career opportunities. We encourage you to visit our careers site: [link to careers Web site].
· Refer a Friend: As an alumnus/a, you know what kind of person succeeds at [Organization Name]. If you know anyone who fits that description, refer them! [Instructions on submitting a referral.]
Thank you for expressing interest in the Alumni Newsletter. If you know of other [Organization Name] alumni who should be kept up-to-date with organizational news, events, and opportunities, please pass along registration information to them.
ONLINE ALUMNI COMMUNITIES
Alumni Community Features—Consider including some or all of the following features in your alumni online community.
· Goal of the Alumni Program
· [Organization Name] in the News
· Alumni Directory
· Marketplace
· Social Networking Groups for Our Alumni (e.g., Facebook group)
· Featured Jobs and Career Center
· Events Calendar
· Discounted Courses
· Alumni Referral Program
Alumni Community Welcome Page
· Use the internet to search for best-in-class examples of alumni networks.
Invitation to Alumni Community—Add this scripting to your standard exit interview e-mails and/or interviews to promote your online alumni community.
As you prepare for the next stage in your career, we want to begin by thanking you for your contribution at [Organization Name].
Please review our invitation to join the Alumni Community. This network provides a valuable opportunity to build contacts among the thousands of professionals who have been part of [Organization Name] and keep up with news and events related to [Organization Name].
To ensure that you are able to continue your relationship with us, please take a few minutes to register via the following link: [link to Alumni Community registration].
OUTREACH TO INDIVIDUAL ALUMNI
Sample Notice to Managers of Departing Employees—This e-mail template is useful if you have decided to maintain proactive contact with select departed employees. If you have engaged a vendor to maintain contact with alumni or if there is a fee for the departed employee’s manager, include these items as necessary.
SUBJECT: Your Former Employee
Dear Manager,
Your direct report recently departed the organization. While he/she may opt into our Alumni Community to receive general updates about the organization, you may wish to have us maintain contact with your direct report over the coming years to identify opportunities to rehire the individual.
Through periodic conversations with the departed employee, we learn about their career activities, possible reasons for returning to our organization, and other information relevant to rehiring them.
Due to the considerable amount of time involved in keeping track of departed employees, we must limit our list to those departed employees who possess scarce skills or are a critical resource to our organization. If you are unsure whether your departing employee is “key talent,” review the possible indicators below.
If you would like us to maintain contact with the departed employee, please reply to this e-mail as such, and briefly explain why the individual is key talent.
Warm regards,
Recruiting
Possible Indicators of Key Talent
1. If I were to leave to go to another agency, is this one of the handful of employees that I would want to take with me?
2. Would the knowledge and skills possessed by this individual significantly contribute to another agency?
3. Is this person one of my top performers in the given skill area?
4. Do others actively seek this person out for counsel/coaching in his/her area of expertise?
5. Have I flagged the person in the past for performance-based bonuses? Is that assessment still valid?
6. Does the replacement cost for this person exceed 150% of salary?
7. Is the individual considering more than three job offers?
Sample Proactive Outreach Scripting to Alumni—If you have members of your recruiting team, hiring managers, or a vendor reaching out to individual alumni, use the following scripting as a template.
SUBJECT: Checking In
Dear [Name of Alumnus],
You may remember me from your departure from [Organization Name] in [year alumnus departed]. You were a valued contributor while at [Organization Name], and I gather that you have continued your record of high performance in your activities since.
I thought this might be a good time to contact you again to keep you informed about where we’re heading, catch up on your achievements since leaving [Organization Name], and raise the possibility of you re-joining us if the time is right for you.
Feel free to suggest an appropriate time for us to speak, or drop me a note or a copy of your resume if that is more convenient for you. (Also, please don't hesitate to let me know if you'd prefer that we not contact you again in the future.)
Best,
[Recruiter Name]