Messaging recruiters directly on LinkedIn can be an effective way to get noticed and be considered for job opportunities. But simply shooting over a generic “I’m interested in opportunities at your company” likely won’t capture their attention.
You need to craft well-written, personalized messages that showcase what you bring to the table. Make their job easier by clearly explaining how your background aligns with openings at their organization.
We’ll break down how to message a recruiter on LinkedIn in this comprehensive guide, so you can maximize your chances of a response:
Table of Contents
Should You Message a Recruiter on LinkedIn?
Before mass blasting your resume to any recruiter with a pulse, let’s discuss whether messaging them makes strategic sense in the first place.
Some old-school career “experts” will tell you that messaging recruiters show “initiative” and “gumption” But unless approached thoughtfully, it can actually harm your chances by making you appear spammy, desperate, or lacking self-awareness.
Here are factors to weigh when deciding if messaging a recruiter on LinkedIn aligns with your game plan:
Also read: LinkedIn Recruiter Pricing 2023: Costs, Features, and Alternatives
Consider the Type of Job You’re Seeking
The roles best suited for a proactive recruiter outreach are usually:
- Specialized positions in high demand across multiple companies (engineers, developers, cybersecurity experts, etc.)
- Senior-level individual contributor or management roles
- Jobs requiring distinctive skill sets or niche expertise
For example, if you’re a mobile UX designer with both visual design and human factors psychology expertise, a custom-crafted recruiter message could intrigue you.
Speaking from first-hand experience, when I was looking to pivot my career from healthcare consulting to tech, reaching out to Google Cloud recruiting paid dividends. I let them know I had both strategic insights and Googliness (I swear it’s a word) to offer. And what do you know, I got an interview!
So in specialized fields with talent shortages or for senior roles, don’t be afraid to politely slide into a recruiter’s messages like a smooth operator.
Entry-Level or Generic Roles? Tread Carefully
Trying to break into competitive industries right out of college? Or have skills matching thousands of other applicants for routine corporate jobs? Then blast messaging recruiters is probably not your ticket in.
For entry-level or generic roles, recruiters are already drowned in applications. So unless you truly stand miles apart from the crowd, a cold outreach could become white noise. Focus instead on high quality applications to positions you match well with.
And if you lack experience but do initiate recruiter contacts? Personalize each one to explain exactly how your unique value prop (internships, leadership skills, relevant coursework, etc) prepares you for that specific opening or company.
Or try identifying must-have hard skills for jobs in your sphere then mastering those areas – be it Excel modeling, R programming, Adobe Creative Suite, etc. Standing out gets easier once you’re an in-demand whiz at something…even with minimal experience elsewhere.
Research Whether They Accept Unprompted Outreach
Before sliding into recruiters’ DMs like they’re Tinder matches who just dropped an especially witty pun in their bio, check their LinkedIn for clues on messaging etiquette.
Some recruiters outright state they welcome candidates to contact them about opportunities. Others prefer you to apply to postings then await their call.
And pro tip – pinpoint recruiting managers covering your target region, industry and function rather than randomly contacting any corporate recruiter you find. A sometimes city-specific, niche department head is more likely to respond given shared interests.
Also read: How to Contact a Recruiter on LinkedIn: The Complete Guide
Craft an Effective Recruiter Message
Sold on reaching out cold to recruiters despite the risks? Then it’s time to separate yourself from the hordes of other overeager applicants flooding their inboxes.
Follow these do’s and don’ts to craft well-written recruiter messages that don’t immediately trigger trash folder transport:
Personalize Every Message
Copy-pasted recruiter messages are about as effective as spam email solicitations promising weight loss miracles or discounted Rolexes. In other words – they never work.
Yet so many candidates take the shotgun approach, blasting the same generic message to any recruiter they find. Unless you actually want to test the limits of the LinkedIn message character count, customize communications.
Be Concise Yet Specific
Long-winded messages suggest overeagerness at best…and inability to express concisely at worst. Be judicious with recruiters’ time by keeping messages short, around 3-5 sentences max.
That said, specificity rules the day. Use the limited real estate to explain exactly how your background is a fit for current openings…not just that you’re “interested in a role.” Provide ample detail on relevant skills and experience.
SHOWS THIS, NOT THIS:
“As a mobile UX designer with 5 years of experience conducting user research and prototyping responsive mobile interfaces, I was excited to see ACME Corporation’s opening for a Senior iOS Developer. I have led design on commerce apps gaining over 100K downloads, and my research skills and obsession with delightful mobile experiences could be a great fit for ACME’s app dev initiatives.”
“Dear hiring manager – I saw you have an opening for a programmer and would like a job. I am a fast learner and work hard!”
Lead With What You Offer – Not What You Want
Want a sure-fire way for your messages to read strangely entitled or tone deaf? Make them all about what you want – career advancement, relocation to a new city, a heftier salary, etc.
Instead, illustrate what impressive skills and experience you offer that would bring value to the roles or company in question. Show genuine interest aligned with their initiatives versus just chasing freebies.
Showcase Aligned Credentials
Any applicant can say they have skills essential for the open reqs. You need to go the extra mile by providing credible evidence that backs it up.
Weave in metrics demonstrating excel at must-have abilities:
“As a digital marketing manager, I leveraged various social platforms and influencer campaigns to achieve 800K+ impressions and 9% engagement rates on average. Given ACME’s goals to amplify community engagement and brand awareness through digital channels, I believe my proven skills in this area could make a strong impact.”
Don’t Play Games
Maybe your shady salesperson friend told you to use sneaky tactics like name-dropping connections at the company or inflated job titles in messages. Ignore them.
Trying to dupe recruiters instantly raises credibility flags. Authenticity and transparency are key for lasting professional relationships.
Ask for What You Want…Clearly and Courteously
Don’t let fear of seeming “too forward” result in vagueness about your outreach aims. Recruiters would rather clearly understand why you contacted them and what you want to discuss.
Wrap up messages politely asking for consideration for open roles you seem suited for and if they’d be open to a phone chat or meeting.
Check (and Double Check) for Typos
Submitting messages littered with careless mistakes signals a lack of attention to detail. Triple-check for glaring typos before hitting send. Enlist others to review critically if needed.
Also read: How to Write a LinkedIn Recommendation
Recruiter Message Examples
Now that we’ve covered core strategies to optimize recruiter outreach, let’s look at strong real life messaging examples:
Paragraph Summary Message Template
The classic recruiter message format leads with a brief overview paragraph summarizing who you are, why their company interests you, and the types of openings you believe you’d thrive in.
Use the remainder of the message to dive deeper on selling points – credentials, metrics, relevant projects, etc. See a sample summary paragraph below:
“As a mobile product manager with 6 years of experience leading cross-functional teams to deliver iOS and Android apps for notable brands like Starbucks and Hilton, I was excited to discover ACME Corporation’s opening for a Principal PM. Given ACME’s strategic priorities to build best-in-class mobile products coupled with my proven track record to take mobile experiences from concept to the top of the App Store charts, I’m confident I could make an immediate and lasting impact on your initiatives.”
Bullet Point Message Template
For another communication style, bullet point messages enable concise, scannable content. Use crisp bullet points to explain your background, interests and credentials before wrapping with a request to further discuss experience aligning with the company’s needs.
- “Mobile product leader with 6 years driving full lifecycle product development and go-to-market strategies for breakout iOS and Android apps.
- Recent launches include leading Starbucks flagship mobile order and pay app to #1 in Food & Drink category with 20M+ downloads in first year.
- Passionate about building mobile products blending cutting edge design with frictionless user experiences.
- Would love to discuss experience aligning with ACME’s initiatives to expand best-in-class mobile commerce capabilities.”
Tips to Stand Out When Messaging Recruiters
Beyond thoughtfully crafted messages, several small touches could give your outreach an extra edge.
Personalize Connection Requests
Instead of spamming recruiters with generic connection invites, customize them. Briefly explain why you’d like to connect based on mutual interests or groups.
This simple effort can boost the chance of acceptances, strengthening opportunities for message exchanges down the road.
For example:
“Hi Julie, I noticed you lead campus recruiting for ACME’s University Relations program. I helped launch a similar initiative while serving as Student Body President at State College focused on helping graduates land roles at leading companies. Would love to connect to discuss best practices driving campus partnerships.”
Reference Any Common Ground
Made it to the second round for another opening at their company? Graduated from the same college? Living in the city they’re headquartered?
Politely work any common ground you share into messages to establish rapport. But avoid forcing it just for the sake of it – connections should still feel natural.
Follow Up
Recruiters are busy, so don’t take it personally if your first message goes unanswered. Follow up if there’s still alignment with the role and company direction.
Send a brief, polite nudge re-expressing interest in opportunities you could contribute to. But don’t stalk messages daily as that screams desperation.
Don’t Over-Follow Up
What separates savvy persistence from annoyance? Following up 1-2 times maximum without personalized updates.
If you continue receiving zero replies after a few courteous extra attempts months later, that likely signals definitive disinterest. Continuing beyond that point frankly harms your brand.
Also read: What should I select in my industry on LinkedIn?
What to Avoid When Messaging Recruiters
Just as proper messaging can demonstrate your communication skills, missteps could raise red flags derailing your chances:
Asking About Salary or Perks
Refrain from leading recruiter messages with questions about compensation, remote work options, or other perks. Those conversations come later if mutual interest exists in your capabilities first. Prioritize selling your experience then determine if aligned opportunities exist before discussing specifics.
Getting Too Chatty
Keeping messages crisp and professional doesn’t mean totally stiff, detached language. A conversational tone certainly helps connect.
But don’t let nerves make you ramble or treat the exchange like catching up with old pals at happy hour. Know when to stop writing.
Appearing Desperate
Show genuine enthusiasm aligned with the company’s needs…not desperation because you’ve been unemployed for ages and really need this gig to work out. Coming across as trying too hard repels recruiters.
Talking Smack About Past Employers
Even if your last boss was the demon spawn of Miranda Priestly and Joffrey Baratheon, ranting about tyrant colleagues marks you as resentful and lacking discretion. Keep venting offline.
Getting Pushy
Avoid haughty, aggressive language pressuring recruiters like “I expect to hear back about next steps by Friday.” Treat them as partners, not adversaries to strongarm.
Additional Tips for Connecting on LinkedIn
Beyond direct communication, requesting to connect on LinkedIn represents another way to get noticed by recruiters. But blind connection invitations often meet quick deletes versus acceptances.
Strategically grow your web presence and connections using the following tips:
Spotlight Your Skills
Skills sections offer prime real estate to showcase expertise critical for roles in your niche. Sprinkle in punchy keywords recruiters search to find qualified candidates with. Pro tip – tailor skills listed by job type if you apply for diverse opportunities.
For example, highlight software engineering capabilities for developer roles then spotlight project and product management accomplishments when applying for PM jobs.
Follow Company Pages
Is networking with actual employees out of reach? Company LinkedIn pages share regular updates on new initiatives, major milestones, awards won, culture trends and open positions.
Following pages of your target employers helps you keep tabs on growth trajectories, priorities and expanding departments you could contribute to.
Showcase Volunteer Work
Don’t just summarize paid roles in your experience section. Feature pro bono consulting projects, nonprofit board tenures and volunteering initiatives supporting causes advancing social justice for marginalized groups.
Why? This builds credibility that you’ll drive similar positive impact aligned with ESG goals in corporate roles balancing purpose and profits.
Grow Your Network
Aside from connecting directly with internal recruiters, grow your first-degree network by engaging with more general employees, industry thought leaders and niche experts.
Comment thoughtfully on their posts, endorse their skills if legitimate and celebrate milestones to organically establish two-way engagement over time. This expands touchpoints with contacts who could facilitate future referrals.
Pro Tip – avoid mass connection requests just to inflate numbers. Focus on quality over quantity relationships offering actual potential collaborations.
Join Industry Groups
For access to insider perspectives from professionals in your niche, join established LinkedIn Groups centering on diverse topics like careers in tech, leadership best practices, women disrupting business, and similar communities matching your experience.
Once a member, pose thoughtful questions to prompt discussions or network via direct messages with individual contributors who intrigue you.
Follow Hashtags
Keep tabs on trends impacting your domain by following select hashtags like #SoftwareEngineeringJobs, #DigitalTransformation or #UXDesign.
This surfaces fresh content centering each topic in your main feed for easy monitoring beyond just network updates. Curating hashtags aligned with your aspirations makes monitoring news ultra-targeted.
Ideal Frequency for Recruiter Outreach
Wondering how often to message new recruiter contacts before you’re labeled a spam bot? Strike a balance between assertiveness and tact with these suggested cadences:
Connection Requests
When asking to connect with new recruiting contacts on LinkedIn, limit yourself to 2-3 requests per week maximum. This prevents perceptions of spamming everyone in sight reflexively.
Direct Messages
If you have received interest about experience possibly aligning with openings, follow up within a week to discuss next steps.
Otherwise, if making initial outreach, 2-3 messages spaced 2+ weeks apart if you’re not receiving replies can strike an appropriate persistent yet professional tone.
But re-evaluate if non-responses continue months later or roles seem filled. At a certain point, move on.
Current LinkedIn Engagement Statistics and Limits
As you craft outreach strategies for recruiters and connections, keep the latest usage statistics and limits in mind as of November 2023:
| LinkedIn Feature | Limits / Stats |
|---|---|
| LinkedIn Messages per Month | 30 for Basic Account 300 for Premium Account |
| Max Characters per Message | 20,000 |
| Saved Leads on LinkedIn | 25 |
| LinkedIn Connections Cap | 30,000 |
Recent News Impacting Recruiter Outreach
When messaging recruiters, be aware of the latest landscape shifts influencing priorities and processes:
Economic Uncertainty Reshaping Hiring
Thanks stagnant GDP growth, 40-year high inflation and rising recession probabilities, most companies focus 2023 hiring on critical roles only.
Expect recruiters to prioritize candidates with niche skill sets proving immediate impact on growth goals or cost savings versus generalists or those requiring extensive training.
Talent Shortages Continue Despite Hiring Pullbacks
Unemployment hovering around 50-year lows at approximately 3.7% means talent scarcity persists, just for more specialized roles.
Our tech overlords like Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft and Meta still aim to make big splash engineering hires. Recruiters may increasingly leverage automation like chatbots for initial outreach then reserve live human interaction for advanced vetting conversations with closer candidate matches.
Flexibility and ES&G as Competitive Differentiators
Offering flexibility – many now consider hybrid policies table stakes – and leading on ethical, sustainable priorities matters more to candidates assessing options.
