When you are a school leaver, graduate, jobseeker or career changer, finding a job can seem like an exciting but difficult task. Even if you already have a job but want to change your career focus, finding a job in the field you want may seem frightening.
The good news is that many other people are in a situation just like you, while others have already gone through such situations and know what to do in them. One of the best ways to find a job fast is by reaching out to recruiters directly – via LinkedIn, for instance. But you should do it correctly. Hence, here are the five tips to message recruiters on LinkedIn in the right way.
LinkedIn Basics
Before getting into the tips themselves, it’s worth first understanding how exactly LinkedIn works and what you should do to get in touch with recruiters. LinkedIn has an InMail feature that can be used for messaging other users. However, there are certain messaging restrictions in the free LinkedIn version (which are not present in the paid version).
LinkedIn itself has a short guide on how to message recruiters on their platform, but even if you decide to use it, it’s worth getting to know some additional tips that will be helpful to you along the way.
1 Prepare Properly
It goes without saying that preparation is key to achieving the results you want to get – and it is no different for messaging recruiters on LinkedIn. If you really want to get that one specific job, you will need to be prepared for all kinds of situations when messaging recruiters. Here’s what you should do:
Fill out your entire profile. The more details you include, the more your profile will stand out (and act as a CV). Make sure to use the right keywords where necessary. Research the companies you want to work for and make a list of them. When you have this list, you will need to start by searching for the companies on LinkedIn and finding their recruiters to contact. Connect with the people you already know. This will make the contacting process easier as some of your friends, acquaintances, and colleagues may already be connected to the people you want to get in touch with.
2 Send Connection Requests
Now that you are ready to start messaging, you can send out connection requests to the relevant people. Search through the staff lists of the companies you chose on LinkedIn and find recruiters there. Remember that they could be listed under a variety of titles (e.g. HR Manager, Apprenticeship Manager, Early Career Talent, Hiring Manager, Recruitment Manager, Head of Talent, Director of People & Talent, or simply Recruiter).
3 Send Follow-Up Messages
After the first round of sending out connection messages, you will need to take some time to get replies from the recruiters you connected with. Meanwhile, you might want to write some articles to post on your profile with the help of LinkedIn scheduling. These articles can be a nice addition to your CV and will show recruiters that you are an expert in your respective field. Then, once you start receiving connection confirmation, you can get to the second round of sending follow-up messages.
In every follow-up message you send, make sure to thank the recruiter for accepting your request and connecting with you. You should still keep your message short, but clearly explain why you are interested in the job and how you would benefit the company. Attach your CV and mention that you already filled out the application form (if there is an open job position). But even if there are currently no open job positions at the company, you can still get in touch with the recruiters or consider writing a speculative cover letter.
4 Consider Using Templates
Speaking of the messages you send, as you start writing more and more of them, you will probably want to stick to some kind of pattern or template. You could create your own or use existing ones. Templates can be a great foundation for your writing, but you should still personalise and customise it depending on the situation.” No matter which template you choose to use, it must have these elements:
- Greeting (with the recruiter’s name)
- Stating your reason for contacting them
- Explanation of who you are
- Asking them for more information on the job or the possibility of being hired
- Asking them to connect with you
- Goodbye (with your name)
5 Develop Relationships
Last but not least, as you go about contacting recruiters on LinkedIn, there is one simple thing you should always remember: networking. Some recruiters will decline your connection requests while others will brush you off saying the company isn’t hiring at the moment, but no matter what, you need to focus on developing relationships throughout the process.
Those who told you they can’t hire might one day come back to your CV when there is an open position at the company. This is why you need to stick with them and develop a relationship with the recruiter. Perhaps one day they will be reaching out to you offering the job you wanted instead of you desperately trying to convince them to hire you.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, reaching out to recruiters on LinkedIn should not be a difficult or frightening task once you’ve had a taste of it and more or less know what you are doing. Use the tips in this article to help you get started and let you reach out to recruiters on LinkedIn in a more effective way, ultimately landing a job you will enjoy.
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