Email template · Recruiting events and campus
Hiring event invitation email
In short
A hiring event invitation email asks candidates to attend a walk-in interview day, open house or virtual hiring event. It needs the roles and pay, the date, time and address, what to bring, how long it takes and whether offers are made on the day. Below are four templates, subject lines, an SMS and tips for raising show-up rates.
When to send it: Send the invitation 7 to 10 days before the event, a reminder 2 days before and a text on the morning of the event. For same-week events in hourly hiring, send it 3 to 4 days out and lean on SMS.
Hiring event invitation email: 4 versions
On-site walk-in hiring event
SubjectHiring event [Date]: [Job Title] jobs at $[Pay Rate]/hr, interviews on the spot
Hi [First Name], We're hiring [Number] [Job Title]s at our [Location] site and holding a walk-in hiring event: - **When:** [Day, Date], [Start Time] to [End Time] - **Where:** [Address]. Free parking at [Parking Details]; bus routes [Routes]. - **Pay:** $[Pay Rate] per hour, plus [Shift Differential / Benefits] - **Shifts:** [Shift Options] What to expect: a short interview (about 20 minutes), a site tour, and for many people a conditional offer the same day. Please bring a photo ID and [any other documents]. No resume needed. Save your spot so we can keep wait times short: [RSVP Link]. Walk-ins are welcome too. If you need an accommodation to attend or interview, reply to this email and we'll arrange it. See you there, [Your Name] [Title], [Company] [Phone Number]
Virtual hiring event
SubjectJoin our virtual hiring event on [Date]: [Job Title] roles
Hi [First Name], Thanks for your interest in [Company]. We're hosting a virtual hiring event for [Job Title] roles on [Day, Date] from [Start Time] to [End Time] [Time Zone]. Here's how it works: 1. Register here: [Registration Link] 2. Join at any time during the event. You'll start with a [Number]-minute overview of the role, pay and schedule. 3. You'll then be placed in a short one-on-one video interview with a recruiter. You'll need a phone or computer with a camera and a quiet spot. If you'd rather do your interview by phone, just say so when you register. Talk soon, [Your Name] [Title], [Company]
Open house (professional roles)
SubjectYou're invited: [Team] open house on [Date]
Hi [First Name], We're opening our [Location] office on [Day, Date] from [Start Time] to [End Time] for people interested in [Team / Job Family] roles. You'll meet the hiring managers, hear about the projects they're staffing, and can have a short first conversation about open positions, including [Job Title 1] and [Job Title 2]. No formal interview, no pressure. Bring a resume if you have one handy. Please register so we have a badge ready for you: [Registration Link] Best, [Your Name] [Title], [Company]
RSVP reminder
SubjectTomorrow: [Company] hiring event at [Start Time]
Hi [First Name], A reminder that you're registered for our hiring event tomorrow, [Day, Date], at [Address], from [Start Time] to [End Time]. Bring your photo ID. Plan for about [Number] minutes. Parking is at [Parking Details]. Can't make it? Reply and we'll book you for an interview another day instead. [Your Name] [Company]
Subject line ideas
- Hiring event [Date]: interviews on the spot
- Now hiring [Job Title]s at $[Pay Rate]/hr: walk-in event [Date]
- Join our virtual hiring event on [Date]
- You're invited: open house at [Company]
- Walk-in interviews this Saturday at [Location]
- Tomorrow: [Company] hiring event at [Start Time]
- Save your spot: [Number] jobs, one afternoon
SMS and WhatsApp version
Hi [First Name], [Company] is hiring [Job Title]s at $[Pay Rate]/hr. Walk-in interviews [Day] [Start Time]-[End Time] at [Address]. Bring photo ID. Save your spot: [RSVP Link]. Reply STOP to opt out.
Placeholders to replace: [First Name], [Job Title], [Number], [Location], [Day, Date], [Date], [Start Time], [End Time], [Time Zone], [Address], [Parking Details], [Routes], [Pay Rate], [Shift Differential / Benefits], [Shift Options], [RSVP Link], [Registration Link], [Team / Job Family], [Your Name], [Title], [Company], [Phone Number]
Who gets invited
The best invitation lists are warm: applicants from the last 60 to 90 days who didn't finish the process, silver-medal candidates for similar roles, former seasonal workers eligible for rehire and people who registered at a recent career fair. A cold blast to a purchased list rarely fills a room. Segment by distance and role: a candidate 40 minutes away may still come for a $22 forklift job but not for a part-time cashier shift.
Include current employees, too. Ask them to forward the invitation to friends and point it at your referral program. In contact center hiring, referred candidates often show up at higher rates than any other source.
What the invitation has to say
Put pay and shift options in the subject line or first two lines; for hourly roles they decide whether someone comes at all. Then the essentials: date, start and end time, full address with parking or transit, what to bring, how long it takes and whether offers can happen on the day. If you're offering on-the-spot conditional offers, say so, and also say what the offer depends on (background check, drug screen). Overpromising "hired on the spot" and then running a two-week process damages your reputation in a local labor market quickly.
An RSVP link isn't optional. Even if you take walk-ins, a simple registration form lets you plan interviewer staffing, send reminders and collect phone numbers for texting.
Planning for no-shows
Expect a large gap between registrations and arrivals. A common rule of thumb for hourly hiring events is that 30 to 50% of registrants show up, with better rates when the event is close to the RSVP date and reminders go out by text. Worked example: a distribution center needs 60 hires for peak. If 50% of registrants attend and 60% of attendees get and accept an offer, it needs about 200 registrations, so it should invite 600 to 800 people.
Reminders matter more than the original invitation: one 48 hours out and a text on the morning, with a reply option to rebook.
On-site and virtual formats
On-site events work for roles where seeing the workplace helps candidates decide, like warehouses, manufacturing and hospitals. Virtual events work better for contact centers with remote agents, for multi-site hiring and for reaching candidates who can't take time off. Our guide to virtual career fair best practices covers platform setup and staffing.
If the event includes a group exercise or a group interview block, send a separate group interview invitation email to those who register so they know what to expect.
Fairness and accessibility
Offer a way to request accommodations in every invitation, as the ADA requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations in the hiring process. Choose an accessible venue, have interpreters available if many candidates speak another language, and don't use the event to ask questions you wouldn't ask in a normal interview. Use the same structured questions and scoring at every interview table so on-the-spot decisions stay consistent.
After the event
Within 24 hours, send everyone a next step: offers and onboarding instructions, a scheduled final interview, or a respectful no. Send the people who registered but didn't come a short note with another interview option. The career fair follow-up email has templates for those messages.
Frequently asked questions
What should a hiring event invitation email include?
The roles and pay, date, start and end time, address with parking or transit details, what to bring, how long it takes, whether offers happen on the day, an RSVP link and a way to request accommodations.
How do you write a walk-in interview invitation email?
Lead with the role, pay and date in the subject line. In the body, give the times, address, documents to bring and expected length, and say whether you can make conditional offers on the day.
How far in advance should you send a job fair invitation to candidates?
Seven to 10 days for most events, with a reminder 2 days before and a text on the morning. Same-week hourly events can be promoted 3 to 4 days out.
What is the difference between a virtual hiring event and an open house hiring event?
A virtual hiring event runs online, usually with a short overview and one-on-one video interviews. An open house hiring event is in person and tends to be more informal, focused on meeting managers and seeing the workplace.
How do I improve show-up rates for a hiring event?
Invite warm candidates, put pay in the subject line, require a simple RSVP, text reminders 48 hours before and on the morning, and offer an easy way to rebook.