Yes, it is common for recruiters to send mass messages to potential candidates on LinkedIn. This allows recruiters to reach out to a large pool of people quickly when trying to fill open positions. However, the quality and relevance of these mass messages can vary greatly.
What are mass messages?
A mass message on LinkedIn is a standardized message that is sent to multiple recipients at once. Recruiters can use LinkedIn’s messaging tools to easily send the same message to hundreds or even thousands of people on LinkedIn who match certain criteria, such as location, skills, job title, etc.
Mass messages are a way for recruiters to do an initial outreach to potential candidates for job openings. This allows them to cast a wide net and connect with more people than they could by sending individual, personalized messages.
Why do recruiters use mass messages?
There are several reasons why mass messages are commonly used by recruiters on LinkedIn:
- It’s fast and efficient – Sending individual messages to each candidate would be extremely time consuming. Mass messages allow recruiters to contact a large number of people quickly.
- It reaches more candidates – Mass messaging greatly expands the number of potential candidates a recruiter can reach out to for a given role.
- It’s low effort for the recruiter – Writing and sending hundreds of personalized messages would take a lot of effort. Mass messages require little effort from the recruiter.
- It gets candidates’ attention – Many people on LinkedIn are open to new job opportunities. Mass messages grab their attention.
Essentially, recruiters rely on mass messages to do an initial screening and identify candidates who are interested in hearing more about a job opening. It’s a way to gather relevant candidates efficiently and get them into the recruiting funnel.
What do these mass messages look like?
The specific content of mass messages can vary greatly depending on the recruiter and the role. But most share some common features:
- Generic greeting – They usually start with a generic greeting like “Hi” or “Hello” without using the recipient’s name.
- Company/role info – Details about the hiring company and the open position are provided.
- Expression of interest – The recruiter states that they noticed the recipient’s profile and are reaching out because they think the person would be a good fit.
- Call to action – The end of the message asks the recipient to take some action, like scheduling a call, if interested in the role.
Many mass messages are relatively short, generic, and impersonal. They are focused on giving the key details about a job opening and seeing if the recipient is interested in learning more. Personal details about the recipient are rarely included.
Why are some LinkedIn users frustrated with mass messages?
Though mass messages allow recruiters to be efficient, some LinkedIn users complain about receiving them for several reasons:
- Too frequent – Power users can get inundated with a high volume of mass messages, sometimes multiple per day, which can feel spammy.
- Too generic – The impersonal, generic nature of mass messages can seem lazy, thoughtless, and inconsiderate.
- Irrelevant roles – If recipients’ profiles don’t accurately reflect their current interests or experience level, they may get messages about roles they have no interest in or aren’t qualified for.
- No customization – Lack of personalization implies recruiters didn’t actually look at recipients’ profiles closely.
- Automated feel – Form letter quality of messages makes some assume it’s a bot or autoresponder rather than a real person reaching out.
Many LinkedIn users complain that the high volume and low quality of mass messages devalues the LinkedIn platform and their time. They want recruiters to take the time to personalize and customize messages.
How can recruiters improve their mass messaging?
Recruiters wanting to get better results from mass messages and reduce user frustration should:
- Segment recipients – Only send to recipients who are likely good fits for the role based on current skills, title, experience level, etc.
- Personalize – Customize each message slightly taking cues from the recipient’s profile like skills, employer, location, etc.
- Add value – Provide useful career advice and company insights instead of just pitching the role.
- Limit frequency – Avoid messaging the same recipients about multiple roles in a short period unless extremely relevant.
- Write carefully – Use a polite, humble tone focusing on how you can help rather than demanding attention.
- Follow up thoughtfully – If recipients respond and express disinterest, politely disengage instead of trying to persuade them.
Taking these steps will make mass messages warmer, more thoughtful, and better received. Though more work than totally generic messages, better targeting and slight personalization can dramatically increase response rates.
Should you respond to a mass message?
If you receive a mass message from a recruiter, here are some things to consider before responding:
- Is the role relevant? – Review the key details provided in the message. If it seems aligned with your background and interests, it may be worth exploring further.
- Do you want a new job? – If you are content in your current role and not job seeking, feel free to ignore recruiter messages.
- Is the message generic? – Impersonal copy/paste messages show the recruiter is not selective. Tread carefully responding.
- What’s your timeline? – If you’re not urgently job seeking, you may want to politely ask the recruiter to check in with you in X months.
- Is the company appealing? – Research the hiring company’s reputation. Make sure it seems like a good cultural fit.
In general, it makes sense to respond if you are actively job seeking, the opportunity seems intriguing, and the message shows at least some sign of personalization. But use caution with ultra generic messages for roles or companies you are not interested in.
Key takeaways
- Mass messages allow recruiters to contact many more candidates efficiently but can feel impersonal.
- Overuse and misuse of mass messages frustrates some LinkedIn users who feel spammed.
- Segmenting recipients, adding personalization, and thoughtful follow up can improve response rates.
- Only respond if the role, company, timing, etc. seem potentially appealing based on the initial message.
