Her reply is the moment most recruiters send the job description, and the job description is where a passive candidate often goes quiet again. Two short messages turn “tell me more” into a booked first call instead.

What should a recruiter send after a passive candidate replies?

First, a one-line question that lets her confirm or update her reason for moving.Then, once she confirms, three things about the role that match what she told you, one that might not, and a choice of two times.

Within the hour: “Glad it landed. Before I send the details, is owning something end to end still what you would move for, or has that changed?”
Once she confirms: “Then this is worth 20 minutes. Here are 3 things about the role that match what you told me, and the one that might not. Thursday or Friday?”

Why does the first message ask a question instead of sending the role?

People tend to act on what they have just said out loud, so asking her to restate her reason makes the call feel like her idea rather than your pitch. It also catches the months in which her reason may have changed, before you send her a role built around the old one.

Naming the one thing that might not fit is what makes the other three believable. A list of perfect matches reads like a sales pitch, while one honest mismatch reads like a recruiter who was listening.

Both messages depend on having her exact words from months ago, in front of you, before you write.