What image does the word ‘pitch’ conjure for you? Likely, a one shot opportunity—like the curveball that wins the baseball game, or a persuasive product presentation on Shark Tank.

Employers and recruiters should adopt a similar, one shot attitude when engaging with job applicants. Great candidates have a wealth of career opportunities to consider. Your competition is boosting their chances by putting their best recruiting pitch forward.

For a startup hiring their first employees, a recruiting pitch is a seriously considered asset. The future of your startup depends on how well you can convey what you can offer that other, more established companies can’t.

A bigger business should also refine their employer pitch from time to time. Hiring can fragment as companies grow, with each team leader citing different reasons for why people should work at their company. Mature companies may also be recycling a recruiting pitch that, after many years of use, is stale and out of touch with the candidates they want to hire. This results in an inconsistent, less compelling and less credible employer brand experience that puts people off.

The best recruiting pitches are personalized, concise, compelling and transparent. Here are the elements of a good recruiting pitch and some pointers for getting started.