Cold messaging recruiters on LinkedIn can be an effective way to get your foot in the door for job opportunities, but it needs to be done strategically. Simply spamming recruiters is unlikely to get results. However, taking the time to craft customized messages and reach out to recruiters who are likely hiring for roles relevant to your background can pay off.
What is cold messaging recruiters on LinkedIn?
Cold messaging refers to reaching out to someone you have no existing relationship with. In the job search context, it means sending unsolicited messages to recruiters or hiring managers on LinkedIn regarding job opportunities. This is different from applying directly to a posted job where they are expecting applicants.
Some examples of cold messages are:
- Introducing yourself to a recruiter and expressing interest in opportunities at their company
- Following up after meeting a recruiter at a career fair to stay on their radar
- Asking a recruiter with an interesting career background for informational interview advice
The goal is to make a positive first impression and get on the recruiter’s radar for job opportunities down the road.
Does cold messaging on LinkedIn work?
Whether cold messaging works depends on a few key factors:
Your message
A generic “I’m looking for opportunities, here’s my LinkedIn profile” message is unlikely to get a response. Strong cold messages have an introduction, customize why you are reaching out to that particular person, mention shared connections when possible, and have a specific ask like exploring job opportunities or requesting advice.
Targeting the right people
Only message recruiters who likely work on jobs you are qualified for. View their profile to see what companies, roles, and industries they focus on. Avoid messaging recruiters who clearly won’t have relevant roles.
Your LinkedIn profile
Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and represents you in the best possible light. Recruiters will check out your profile before responding.
Following up
Don’t spam the same recruiter repeatedly, but do follow up if you don’t hear back within 1-2 weeks. Recruiters are busy and messages can get overlooked.
Timing & persistence
Cold messaging takes time to get results. Focus on quality over quantity of messages. It may take networking with 50+ recruiters before landing a job interview.
Tips for effective cold messages to recruiters
Here are some best practices for cold reaching out to recruiters:
Personalize each message
Take the time to write original messages, not copy/paste templates. Mention something that drew you to their particular company or role.
Keep it short
Get to the point within 2-3 sentences. Recruiters are busy and want to know immediately why you are reaching out.
Highlight relevant experience
Draw a clear connection between your background and the types of roles the recruiter places for. Explain how you are a strong match.
Mention connections
Name drop any shared connections or associations you have with the recruiter’s company. This gives an additional reason for them to reply.
Have a specific ask
Don’t just say you are broadly interested in opportunities. Ask for a specific informational interview, feedback on your resume, advice on landing roles at their company, etc.
Follow up
If you don’t hear back after 1-2 weeks, send a polite follow-up expressing continued interest in any open roles.
Thank them
Always say thank you for their time and consideration, even if they don’t reply. Leaving things cordially open builds your brand.
Mistakes to avoid when cold messaging
While cold messaging can be effective if done correctly, there are also some common mistakes to avoid:
Sounding robotic/spammy
Generic messages that could be copy/pasted to anyone come across poorly. Always personalize with specific details.
Being too vague
Clearly explain who you are, your background, and the types of roles you are targeting in your message.
Attaching your resume unprompted
Wait for the recruiter to request your resume rather than attaching it unsolicited, which can come across as presumptuous.
Not having a strong LinkedIn profile
Recruiters will look at your profile, so make sure it is polished and professional before reaching out.
Being too aggressive
Avoid demanding a response or using high-pressure sales tactics. Relationship building takes time.
Spelling mistakes
Careless errors in a message raise doubts about your communication skills and attention to detail.
Messaging recruiters in irrelevant roles
Only target recruiters placing candidates for jobs closely aligned with your qualifications.
Tips for getting a recruiter to respond to your LinkedIn message
Here are some proven ways to boost your odds of a recruiter responding:
Message recruiters for your target companies
Focus on companies you want to work for where the recruiter places similar roles to ones you are qualified for.
Craft the perfect subject line
Summarize your background and interest in the company in a compelling subject line like “Yale Engineering Undergrad Interested in Roles at XYZ Corp”.
Reference any in person meetings
If you met the recruiter at a career fair or other event, mention that interaction in your message.
Leverage shared connections
Name drop any mutual connections to establish common ground.
Share your LinkedIn profile
Include a link to your profile and say you would appreciate any feedback.
Follow up if needed
Don’t harass the recruiter, but following up once shows ongoing interest.
Show you understand their business
Include a sentence or two demonstrating knowledge of the company’s products, mission, culture, etc.
Ask for a quick phone call
Suggest a 15-20 minute phone call to learn more about the company and potential fit.
What response rate can you expect from cold messaging?
The response rate for cold messaging recruiters varies greatly depending on the quality of your messages and targeting. Here are some guidelines on realistic response rates:
- Poorly crafted generic messages: Less than 5% response rate
- Average personalized messages: 10-20% response rate
- Strongly customized targeted messages: 25-40% response rate
You can improve your odds by carefully crafting each message, avoiding copy/paste templates. But even following best practices, expect that most messages will get ignored or skimmed over. Patience and persistently networking over time drives success.
How long should you wait for a response before following up?
When cold messaging recruiters, the ideal follow up timing is:
- 1 week – Follow up if actively job searching and urgent need
- 2 weeks – Ideal follow up window, not too pushy or impatient
- 3-4 weeks – Maximum follow up window, after this moves to cold again
Here are some guidelines on when following up is appropriate versus excessive:
| Time Between Messages | Appropriate to Follow Up? |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 week | Too soon, comes across as pushy |
| 1-2 weeks | Ideal and justified follow up window |
| 3-4 weeks | Maximum appropriate follow up period |
| More than 1 month | Best to move on and avoid repeat messaging |
The bottom line is you want to follow up but not excessively bother the recruiter. Use your best judgment based on your urgency and how your prior exchange went.
What metrics determine if cold messaging works?
The key metrics to track when cold messaging recruiters are:
Response rate
What percentage of your messages receive any reply from the recruiter.
Conversation rate
For messages that get a response, what percentage convert into a meaningful conversation.
Conversion rate
Of conversations, how many lead to phone screens, interviews or job offers.
Offer rate
The percentage of messages that ultimately result in a job offer. This can be less than 1% for cold outreach.
Time-to-respond
How long it takes for recruiters to respond to your initial messages and follow-ups.
Recruiter saturation
At what point additional outreach stops yielding results due to contacting all relevant recruiters.
Tracking these metrics allows you to refine your approach over time and maximize the return on time invested.
What tools can you use to optimize LinkedIn outreach?
Tools that can optimize and automate parts of the LinkedIn outreach process include:
LinkedHelper
– Auto-sends customized connection requests
Seamless.ai
– Automates finding recruiter contact info and messaging scheduling
MeetLeon
– AI assistant for scheduling meetings and follow-ups
Upwork
– Hire freelancers to research target companies and recruiters
Nimble
– CRM for tracking your networking and messaging
Zapier
– Connects LinkedIn with email, calendars, spreadsheets, docs
The right tools can save hours of manual work. But focus first on mastering great personalized messaging before trying to automate outreach.
What recruiting trends does cold messaging need to consider?
Some recent recruiting trends to factor into a cold messaging strategy include:
Rise of AI resume screening
Tools scan resumes before a human recruiter, so optimize for keywords front and center.
Shorter attention spans
Recruiters spend less time on any one message, so clarity and brevity are key.
Candidate experience focus
Companies aim to provide positive interactions even with cold outreach replies to build their brand.
HR automation
More recruiting steps handled by software means adjusting messaging and follow ups.
Expanding social networks
Beyond LinkedIn, consider social sites like GitHub or networking apps to find contacts.
Remote hiring
With remote work, companies broaden their hiring geography making messaging more competitive.
Following recruiting and HR trends allows your messaging and approach to stay effective over time as the landscape evolves.
Conclusion
Does cold messaging work? The answer is yes, when done correctly for the right roles and companies. But simply spamming recruiters is unlikely to yield results. You need to be strategic with a high-quality approach.
Best practices include personalizing, targeting appropriate recruiters, writing concise compelling messages, and tactfully following up. It also requires closely tracking response metrics and trends to continually refine and improve. With a deliberate approach, cold messaging can expand your job opportunities and land new roles.