LinkedIn has become an indispensable tool for job seekers and recruiters alike. With over 722 million users worldwide, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform. For job seekers, LinkedIn provides an opportunity to build an online resume, connect with professionals in your industry, and discover job opportunities. For recruiters and hiring managers, LinkedIn is a goldmine for finding qualified candidates.
One of the key features of LinkedIn is the ability to directly message other users, including recruiters and hiring managers. This allows you to introduce yourself, inquire about open positions, and send your resume directly to someone who may be interested in hiring you. However, LinkedIn does limit the number of messages you can send unless you upgrade to a premium account.
So do you need a LinkedIn Premium subscription in order to effectively message recruiters? Here is a detailed look at how messaging works on LinkedIn and whether Premium is necessary to connect with recruiters.
Messaging on LinkedIn
On LinkedIn’s free tier, you can receive unlimited messages but can only send a limited number per month. The exact limit depends on your account status:
| Account Type | Messages per Month |
|---|---|
| Standard (free) account | 15 |
| Student account | 20 |
| Pro (paid) account | Unlimited |
As you can see, free LinkedIn members have a very limited number of messages they can send. Once you hit the limit, you will not be able to initiate any new conversations until your allotment resets at the start of the next month.
With a Premium account, you can send unlimited messages. This removes the message cap restriction so you can connect with as many recruiters and professionals as you would like.
Do You Need Premium to Message Recruiters?
Messaging recruiters is one of the main reasons people consider upgrading to Premium. But is it necessary to have unlimited messaging in order to effectively connect with recruiters on LinkedIn?
Here are a few factors to consider:
Number of recruiters you want to message
With the free version, you can only message 15 recruiters per month. If you are actively job searching and want to reach out to a large number of recruiters, you will very quickly run up against this limit.
To put it in perspective, if you messaged just 2 recruiters per week, you would hit the 15 message cap in less than 2 months. For active job seekers, getting limited to 15 messages can be very restrictive.
Responses from recruiters
Messaging recruiters is unlikely to generate instant responses and job interviews. It may take back and forth communication before a recruiter engages. Out of the 15 messages you can send, only a handful may result in an ongoing conversation.
Once you hit the 15 message limit, you cannot respond to any additional recruiter messages until the next month. This essentially cuts off any promising conversations mid-way through your job search.
Timing of your search
When you are most active in your job search matters. You may be highly engaged for a period of 2-3 months when looking to switch jobs. But once you’ve secured a new position, you likely won’t need to message recruiters again for months or years.
Paying for a full year of Premium may not make sense based on your messaging needs during a short, focused job search. But paying monthly could get costly if you hit the messging limit each month during your search.
Type of recruiters
Not all recruiters on LinkedIn are actively hiring. Some may be company recruiters responsible for very specific positions. Others are independent recruiters who work on commission to fill openings for multiple companies.
Active, independent recruiters are more likely to respond to your messages than passive recruiters. Out of your allotment of 15 messages, you may only get a handful of useful responses.
When Premium Is Worth It
For most users, the free version of LinkedIn is sufficient. But there are some instances when upgrading to Premium makes sense if you want to message recruiters:
- You are in an active job search and need to contact more than 15 recruiters per month
- You are getting positive responses and want to continue conversations past the 15 message limit
- You are looking to change careers and need to do substantial networking
- You are in a very competitive field where personal outreach is expected
- You are a recruiter or hiring manager using LinkedIn for recruiting
Premium also offers other benefits like viewing full profiles, seeing who viewed your profile, expanded search filters, and access to online courses. The unlimited messaging capability may be the deciding factor for some job seekers, but the other perks are nice add-ons.
Tips for Messaging Recruiters on a Free Account
If you don’t want to pay for Premium, here are some tips for messaging recruiters with a free account:
Be selective
Since you only have 15 messages per month, make them count. Thoroughly research recruiters and only message ones that align with your industry, interests, and qualifications.
Personalize your messages
No generic “Hello, I saw you were a recruiter” messages. Personalize each message with why you are interested in and qualified for opportunities they may have.
Follow up strategically
If a recruiter responds, thoughtfully continue the conversation. But avoid burning through messages on back and forth pleasantries.
Use customized connection requests
You can send customized connection requests to avoid tapping into your 15 messages. Include a short blurb on why you want to connect.
Watch your message volume
Keep track of how many messages you have left each month. Hold some in reserve for any late-month responses.
Maintain your network
Stay connected with recruiters you have messaged after your search by liking and commenting on their posts.
Conclusion
While Premium provides unlimited messaging, reaching out to recruiters on a free LinkedIn account is still possible. To maximize your free 15 messages per month, be selective in who you contact, personalize your messages, and leverage other connection tools. Upgrading to Premium certainly makes networking and messaging easier, but is not strictly required to connect with recruiters.
With a smart, focused approach, you can use LinkedIn’s free version during your job search to surface promising opportunities and get on a recruiter’s radar. Combine messaging with other job hunting techniques for the best results.
