Have you come to the realization that your job search might be taking a little too long? It's time to start thinking outside of the box and try something new.
You can level up and accelerate your job search by connecting with recruiters via LinkedIn. Recruiters are always looking for talented people, and they appreciate being contacted by qualified job seekers.
To do it right, you need to know how to find recruiters via LinkedIn and what to write in your LinkedIn messages. Here, we'll cover everything you need to know before you start connecting with recruiters:
What to write in a note to a recruiter? (LinkedIn message templates)
Before we dive deep into the topic, let's quickly answer the most important question.
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First off, is it OK to reach out to a recruiter on LinkedIn?
Recruiters use LinkedIn to expand their network, looking for new talent on a daily basis.
While on the lookout for potential candidates that could match active job openings, recruiters network with other professionals and build their candidate database for any future vacancies.
If you contact them via LinkedIn and they are looking for similar professional profiles, there's a high chance that they will get back to you with more information about open positions. Even if it doesn't result in a job match straight away, many of them will appreciate your effort and might contact you in the future.
These connections are mutually beneficial, so feel free to contact recruiters on LinkedIn to let them know about your skills and experience.
Now, let's find out how to identify and contact them!
How to find a recruiter?
Right now, more than 770 million professionals, in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide, are using LinkedIn.
With these staggering numbers, LinkedIn is the largest network for career development that helps professionals to find the right job, connect and strengthen professional relationships, and learn the skills they need to succeed in their careers.
It provides information about individuals and companies, including the company's employee list.
With a professional network like this, it has never been easier to find and connect with people behind job opportunities -- not only with recruiters but also hiring, recruitment and HR managers.
Yet, many job seekers overlook the power of LinkedIn in making those connections and using them to accelerate job hunting efforts.
To contact recruiters on LinkedIn and consequently increase your chances of getting noticed, you simply need to find profiles of recruiters by doing a LinkedIn search.
LinkedIn has several filters that help narrow down your results and zero in on the most relevant options -- it's not hard at all! We've covered the exact steps to help you do it.
Follow these steps to find recruiters.
Step #1. Go to the search box.
Find the search box at the top of the LinkedIn page.
Step #2: Enter the keyword and hit enter (or click the search button).
Enter the keyword 'recruiter' into the LinkedIn search bar.
Or, you can look for alternative job titles recruiters may have, such as recruitment specialist, recruitment advisor, talent acquisition specialist, staffing specialist, hiring coordinator, or headhunter.
In this case, we're going to search for the term 'recruiter'.
To start the search, click on the 'Se
As you can see from the results below, LinkedIn has returned a helpful list of professionals with job titles related to recruiting.
The next step will help you identify a recruiter in your target company.
Step #3: Apply filters.
LinkedIn will provide a list of people, jobs, groups and companies with the keyword 'recruiter' in their titles.
As you can see, there are over two million results for this search.
Apply additional filters to narrow down the list depending on your preferred:
connection level
location
current company
past company
school
profile language
Pro tip: You can use the same approach to find a hiring manager and send them a LinkedIn message regarding open opportunities.
That's it! In three quick and easy steps you got the names of recruiters. Now, let's contact them!
How to contact recruiters?
Once you have identified recruiters on LinkedIn, it's time to contact them.
To do so, go to the person's profile and click on the button 'More'. There, you'll be able to choose from a couple of options, depending on your LinkedIn membership.
You can approach recruiters via LinkedIn by adding a note to a connection request or sending them an InMail message, if you have Premium LinkedIn profile.
Option A. Send a personalized connection request.
If you have a free version of LinkedIn, the only way to send a message to a recruiter is by adding a personalized note to a connection request.
So, after you have identified recruiters you'd like to get in touch with, approach them with a personalized message.
Click on 'Connect' (in the pop up window) and then 'Add a note.'
LinkedIn allows only 300 characters in these messages, so make sure your message is concise and professional to grab the reader's attention and make an excellent first impression.
Option B. Send an InMail message.
InMail messages is a premium feature on LinkedIn that allows you to send a direct message to another LinkedIn user that you're not connected to.
Compared to connection messages with a 300-character limit, LinkedIn InMail messages give you more space for your sales pitch as they can have 200 characters in the subject line and up to 2000 in the body.
Read on to learn how to write compelling and professional messages.
What to write in a message to a recruiter?
To contact recruiters on LinkedIn, you can write your own personalized notes. However, writing these messages takes time and may be nerve-racking and paralyzing, causing you to give up on the whole idea.
A more efficient approach is to use pre-made templates. They help you overcome writer's block, find the right words and get one step closer to your dream job.
LinkedIn Communication Templates & Message Examples
Here you can find communication templates for general connection requests, requests related to specific job opportunities and follow-up messages.
1. Reaching out to a recruiter to connect
Here is the word-for-word template you can use to connect with recruiters on LinkedIn.
Hi (name), I hope you're well! I'm (your name), (relevant background or your job title) from/at (location/company). I've noticed that you're recruiting for jobs in (industry/location). I'd love to get connected to learn more about available opportunities. Thank you, (your name)
You can use this template if you'd like to stay in the same industry and even if you're looking to change your career path.
Example #1: Staying in the same industry
Hi Ben, I hope you're well! I'm Anna, a Key Account Manager at XYZ Company. I've noticed that you're recruiting for jobs in the FMCG industry. I'd love to get connected to learn more about available opportunities. Thank you, Ana
This example is concise, polite, and friendly - yet professional. It works perfectly when you have an industry or location in common with the recruiter.
Example #2: Changing career
Hi Ben, I hope you're well! I'm Anna, a former sales manager looking to transition into HR after completing HR CIPD certificate. I've noticed that you're recruiting for entry-level jobs in HR and I'd love to get connected to learn more about available opportunities. Thank you, Anna
This example is perfect for job seekers who are looking for a career change. It provides a snapshot of your background and motivation to change your career path, while being concise, friendly and professional.
2. Reaching out to recruiter regarding an open job
If you're looking for a new job and have identified a perfect opportunity, you can also use LinkedIn to get recruiters to notice your job application.
In this case, use the following template:
Hi (name)! My name is (your name), and I'm very excited to see that (company) is hiring for (job title). As an experienced (job title), I'm planning to submit my resume today. Once you receive my application, please let me know if you'd like to know more about my experience. Thank you!
Example:
Hi Liv! My name is Anna, and I'm very excited to see that Company XYZ is hiring for a Sales Manager. As an experienced sales professional, I'm planning to submit my resume today. Once you receive my application, please let me know if you'd like to know more about my experience. Thank you!
Again, this template works perfectly as it's concise, specific and professional. It showcases your enthusiasm for the role and puts you on the recruiter's radar.
Alternatively, you can send them a note after submitting your application:
Hi (name)! My name is (your name), and I'm very excited that you are hiring for a (job title) at Company X. As an experienced (job title), I've just submitted my application and I'd love to connect with you. Please let me know if you have any questions about my application. Thank you!
Example:
Hi Liv! My name is Anna, and I'm very excited that you are hiring for a Sales Manager position at XYZ Company. As an experienced sales professional, I've just submitted my application and I'd love to connect with you. Please let me know if you have any questions about my application. Thank you!
With this message, you're coming across as a professional, proactive and motivated candidate who has not only put effort into submitting an application but also went that one extra mile to connect with people hiring. This message will put you on top of the list of applicants.
Don't forget to follow up after you get connected.
If a recruiter has accepted the connection request, make sure to send a follow-up message. You can ask for an informational interview or simply send a thank-you note. The latter works better as you're not starting off your relationship by asking for something.
Pro tip: You can apply the same approach to identify a hiring manager for each job opportunity you're interested in. Follow the steps above and send short messages to hiring managers as well.
What do recruiters want to see in these messages?
The best LinkedIn messages attract attention by being personalized and informative, making the recruiter feel like you're interested in their company and role more than just "checking boxes" of your target list.
So, these are the two most important things they want to see when you approach them.
They want to see that the message is personalized.
Including personal names is a simple yet effective way to grab the recipient’s attention. So, instead of sending messages that start with generic greetings such as 'hello' or 'hi there', always add the recruiter's name to it. You get extra points if you refer to their company, open job or something you have in common (e.g. a mutual connection, college, group) in your message.
They want to get insight into your experience.
Recruiters are always on a mission to find qualified people who might be a good fit for opportunities they are recruiting for. However, they don't have time to go through everyone's profiles in depth.
Therefore, it helps them if you summarize your expertise in one sentence and link it back to their vacancies. And by providing them with this insight, you're also helping yourself by increasing your chances of getting noticed.
Other Message Templates for Communication with Recruiters
Often, recruiters reach out to people who may be a good fit for the opportunity they are filling based on their LinkedIn profiles.
If a recruiter reaches out to you, use these two email templates depending on your aspirations:
If you are interested in the opportunity:
Hi (name), thank you for reaching out. The opportunity sounds amazing and I'd love to hear more! Do you need any additional information from me at this time? I look forward to hearing from you regarding the next steps. Thanks!
If you are NOT interested in the opportunity:
Template 1: Hi (name), thank you for reaching out. While this opportunity sounds interesting, I’m not currently looking for a new role. I appreciate you taking the time to contact me. If anything changes on my end, I'll feel free to reach out. Good luck with finding the best candidate!
Template 2:
Hi (name), thank you for reaching out. The job and company sound amazing. However, I am not looking for new opportunities at the moment. I appreciate that you reached out to me and wish you a lot of success in finding a great candidate for this role. Thank you!
Do’s and don’ts when contacting a recruiter
Before messaging recruiters, there are a few more practical tips to remember.
Do's
Be polite. It goes without saying, yet, in the era of online communication, it has become more important than ever to remember that there is a real person on the other end of your contact. Also, don't be too casual. Be polite and introduce yourself online the same way you would do in person at a professional event.
Keep it short and sweet. Be concise with your message. Getting straight to the point will ensure you are not wasting anyone's time. Recruiters get hundreds of messages, so being direct makes it easier for them to sort through their inbox.
Do your research. Personalized messages are always the best way to contact someone. If you are interested in an opportunity, do your research before contacting the recruiter. By adding relevant information about your background and how it links to opportunities they are hiring for, you can give them some context and showcase your motivation.
Focus on recruiters in your network. The chances you'll get a positive response from a recruiter are higher if you have mutual connections or if you have something else in common, such as the city you come from or the college you attended.
Have your resume ready. If you reach out to a recruiter and they come back to you saying they are interested in your profile, the first thing they'll ask for will be your resume. Prepare it in advance and keep it at hand. For a competitive edge, use a professional resume template or hire a professional resume writer to write your resume.
Don'ts
Don't contact recruiters if your LinkedIn profile is not up to date. If you reach out to a recruiter, be prepared for them to scroll through your LinkedIn profile. Make sure it's ready for scrutiny. Add at least basic elements, including a profile photo, headline and list of previous employment.
Don't write long messages. Sending a lengthy message talking about yourself will not catch the recruiter's attention. Instead, send a short note to introduce yourself, including a brief description of your professional experience or skills.
Don't send a generic note. Recruiters get a lot of messages and if you contact them with something like: "Hi, I'm looking for a new opportunity!", you won't get far. Instead, you should contact them with specifics about companies or jobs they are recruiting for and how it matches your expertise to show them you actually did research before reaching out.
Don't be pushy. Anyone can accidentally miss one message. So, you can follow up once to your first message if you don't receive a reply. But regardless of how eager you are to get in touch with them, don't send multiple messages in a row.
Don't give up. Most recruiters send and receive dozens, if not hundreds, connection requests and LinkedIn messages per day. If you don't get a reply from a recruiter, don't take it personally. Most recruiters have extremely busy LinkedIn inboxes, so sending them multiple messages will not increase your chances of contact.
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Final Thoughts
Recruiters' inboxes are busy with countless messages they receive every day. If you want to connect with them effectively, make sure to contact them via LinkedIn the same way you would approach someone in person.
The more personalized your contact is with them, the better chance you have of standing out, securing more interviews and landing a job faster.
Here are the main tips to follow:
Do's
Be polite.
Keep your messages short.
Do your research about the recruiter, company and potential jobs.
Focus on recruiters in your network.
Have your resume ready.
Don'ts
Don't contact recruiters if your LinkedIn profile is not up to date.
Don't write long messages.
Don't send a generic note.
Don't be pushy.
Don't take it personally if you don't receive a reply, and don't give up.
Use templates from this blog post to ensure your communication is concise, professional and personalized.
But don't stop there! Read about other job search methods you can start applying today to accelerate your job search and land a new job faster.
Also remember - despite a polished LinkedIn profile, recruiters will always ask for your resume too. Make sure you have it ready. Explore the best resume writing services or craft a perfect resume on your own using a professionally designed resume template.
Ana Colak-Fustin
Hi—I'm Ana! A recruiter, HR consultant, and founder of ByRecruiters.com. My career advice and job search tools have been featured in Yahoo News, The Muse, Jobscan, A Better HR Business, and other global media. Over 8,000 professionals have used my resume templates to land new jobs and power up their careers. Ready to join them? Your success story starts here.