Use Gmail's AI to Draft Candidate and Client Emails Faster

What This Does

Gmail's built-in AI drafts full email responses from a brief description — reducing your email triage and response time by 30–50% without adding any new tools or subscriptions.

Before You Start

• You use Gmail (personal Google account or Google Workspace)
• You're on a recent version of Gmail in a desktop browser (not older mobile app)
• Cost: Free — included with all Gmail accounts

Steps

1. Open a new email or reply

Start a new email (click Compose) or open an existing email and click Reply. Look at the bottom of the compose window for the pencil icon with a sparkle — that's the Help me write feature.

What you should see: A compose window with a sparkle/pencil icon in the lower toolbar.

Troubleshooting: If you don't see the sparkle icon, make sure you're using Gmail in a desktop browser (not mobile). It may also appear after clicking the three-dot menu at the bottom of the compose window.

2. Tell Gmail what you want to say

Click the sparkle/pencil icon. A text box will appear asking "What would you like to write?" Type a brief description of what you want to communicate — not the full email, just the key points.

Example descriptions for common recruiter emails:

• "Reply to a candidate who applied for our warehouse supervisor role — phone screen scheduled for Tuesday at 2pm, ask them to confirm"
• "Follow up with a client we submitted 3 candidates to last week — check if they've reviewed the submittals and ask when they want to schedule interviews"
• "Decline a candidate who applied — they're not qualified for the current role but we'll keep them in mind for future opportunities"

3. Review and refine the draft

Gmail will generate a complete email draft based on your description. Review it — most drafts are 80–90% ready to send. If you want changes:

• Click Refine this draft and choose options like "Make it shorter," "Make it more formal," or type a custom instruction
• Edit the draft directly in the compose window like any normal email

What you should see: A complete, professional email draft you can review and send in under 60 seconds.

4. Use Smart Reply for quick responses

For simple inbound emails (candidate confirming a screen, client acknowledging your update), Gmail will show 2–3 Smart Reply suggestions directly below the email. Click one to compose a reply pre-filled with that response. Customize one or two words if needed, then send.

What you should see: Short suggested replies in blue pill-shaped buttons below each email you receive.

Real Example

Scenario: A candidate emailed asking what the next steps are after their phone screen yesterday. You need to send a quick follow-up, but you have 12 other emails waiting.

What you type in Help Me Write: "Reply to candidate asking about next steps after their phone screen. Tell them their profile was submitted to the client today and we expect feedback within 3 business days. Let them know we'll reach out with an update."

What you get: A professionally worded, complete email with appropriate warmth and clear information — in about 30 seconds instead of 3–4 minutes of typing.

Tips

• Be specific in your description — "Follow up with client" gives mediocre results; "Follow up with client who hasn't given feedback on 3 submitted candidates from last Tuesday, ask politely for feedback by Friday" gives a great draft.
• Use Help Me Write for routine communication (confirmations, follow-ups, status updates) and write your own drafts for relationship-critical emails (first BD outreach, counter-offer conversations, delivering bad news).
• Smart Reply is best for quick acknowledgments. Don't use it for emails that need personalization or nuance.

Tool interfaces change — if a button has moved, look for similar AI/magic/smart options in the same menu area.