Getting contacted by recruiters on LinkedIn or via email can be flattering, but also overwhelming, especially if you aren’t currently looking for a new job. However, completely ignoring recruiter messages is usually not the best approach. While you may not be interested in a new job opportunity right now, politely declining keeps the door open for future possibilities with that recruiter or company.
Should you respond to recruiter messages?
In most cases, yes, you should respond to recruiter outreach in some form. Even if you are 100% not interested in hearing about a new job opportunity, replying to the recruiter with a “thanks, but no thanks” type of message is the professional thing to do. It builds goodwill and allows you to politely decline rather than just ignoring the message altogether.
However, if the recruiter message seems spammy, overly generic, or suspicious, it’s fine not to respond. Use your best judgment. Legitimate recruiters will have taken the time to personalize their message and demonstrate that they have actually looked at your profile.
How to politely decline a recruiter opportunity
When writing back to a recruiter to decline discussing a new job possibility, you want to tread the line between politeness and directness. Here are some tips:
- Thank them for reaching out and for thinking of you
- If needed, briefly explain why you aren’t interested in hearing about new opportunities right now (happy in current role, just started a new position, etc)
- Express appreciation for them keeping you in mind for the future
- Wish them the best of luck in their search
Here are some template responses you could use:
Example 1: Currently happy in role
Hi [recruiter name],
Thank you for reaching out! I’m flattered you thought of me for this opportunity. However, I’m very happy in my current role at [company] and not actively looking to make a change at this time. I appreciate you thinking of me, though. Please do keep me in mind for any future opportunities that may be a great fit!
Best regards,
[Your name]
Example 2: Recently started new position
Hi [recruiter name],
Thank you for getting in touch! I appreciate you reaching out about this opportunity with [company]. However, I just recently started a new position with [current company] a few months ago and am committed to growing my career here for the time being. I’d be happy to connect again in the future, as I am always open to learning about new opportunities that come my way down the line. In the meantime, please feel free to keep me in your network!
Best,
[Your name]
Example 3: Offer to connect in future
Hi [recruiter name],
Thank you for reaching out and for considering me for this [role] position at [company]. I’m truly flattered. At this time, I am not actively searching for new opportunities. However, I would be happy to connect in the future as my career progresses and if you come across a role that may be a great fit. Please don’t hesitate to keep me in mind!
In the meantime, I wish you the best of luck with your search. Please let me know if there are any other ways I may be able to assist.
Regards,
[Your name]
What if you want to keep the door open with the recruiter?
Even if the timing isn’t right for a new job opportunity today, you may want to politely decline while still keeping the lines of communication open with the recruiter. This is a great approach if it’s a recruiter you’d like to build an ongoing relationship with.
Here are some tips for keeping the door open for future opportunities:
- Express appreciation for them reaching out and interest in your background/skills
- Say you aren’t able to explore new opportunities right now, but wish to remain connected
- Offer to reach back out yourself down the line if your situation changes
- Ask if you could learn more about the company/role for future knowledge
- Mention you’d be open to connecting by phone briefly if they’d like to share more context
This type of response shows you are engaged and interested in building an ongoing recruiter-candidate relationship, even when declining a specific role opportunity now.
Can you ignore a recruiter message?
Generally speaking, it’s better not to ignore a recruiter outreach altogether. At minimum, take the time to politely decline the role if it’s not of interest currently. However, if the message seems overly generic, spammy, or suspicious, it’s fine not to reply.
Here are instances when you can likely get away with not responding:
- The message is addressed “Dear candidate” or uses another generic greeting
- The opportunity described doesn’t fit your background or stated interests
- The recruiter makes egregious spelling/grammar errors or uses copied and pasted text
- The message comes from a personal email instead of a company domain
- You received the exact same message multiple times
Use your best judgment. If the recruiter took the time to personalize their note and address you by name, it’s always better to politely respond, even if declining. But if it’s a generic spam message, feel free to ignore it.
What to do if a recruiter won’t take no for an answer
In most cases, recruiters will graciously accept your “thanks, but no thanks” decline and move on. However, some recruiters may be overly persistent, continuing to reach out repeatedly even after you’ve indicated you aren’t interested.
Here are some tips if a recruiter won’t take no for an answer:
- Clearly reiterate that you are not interested in new opportunities at this time
- Suggest connecting at a future date of your choosing (in 6 months, next year, etc)
- Politely insist they remove you from their active outreach list
- Use stronger language like “I must decline” or “I am afraid I cannot entertain new opportunities now”
- If messages continue, consider blocking the sender
The vast majority of recruiters are respectful professionals who will understand your stance. But occasionally you may need to be very clear and direct if one persists despite your efforts to politely disengage.
Key takeaways
Here are some key tips for how to effectively and politely decline a recruiter opportunity that isn’t the right fit currently:
- Always respond to sincere, personalized recruiter outreach, even if declining
- Be polite, direct, and professional in your response
- Thank the recruiter for considering you and keep the door open to future opportunities if desired
- Provide brief context on why the timing isn’t right if needed
- Ignore generic, spammy recruiter messages with no personalization
- Reiterate your stance clearly if a recruiter persists after declining
- Consider blocking them if needed as a last resort
Declining recruiters appropriately and professionally ensures you maintain positive relationships and your personal brand. Though you may not be interested today, you never know when that same recruiter may reach back out down the line with your dream job opportunity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it rude not to reply to a recruiter?
It’s generally best not to ignore a recruiter message completely, especially if the message is personalized and sincere. A polite response declining the role is the preferred approach in most cases, even if you are not interested in the opportunity.
What is the best way to decline a recruiter on LinkedIn?
On LinkedIn, it’s best to send an InMail or personal message to the recruiter politely declining and thanking them for reaching out. Keep it professional. Something like “Thank you for contacting me. I’m flattered, but not looking for new opportunities at this time. I appreciate you thinking of me!”
Can you ignore third party recruiters?
Third party recruiters can usually be ignored if the message is generic and spammy. However, if it’s a thoughtful, personalized outreach, it’s better to politely respond declining rather than ignoring altogether.
Is it unprofessional to not respond to a recruiter?
Ignoring a sincere, personalized recruiter outreach could be seen as unprofessional, yes. That recruiter is taking time to reach out, and may view non-response as rude. In most cases, taking a minute to politely decline is worth preserving that relationship.
What should you not say to a recruiter?
Avoid being overly casual, confrontational, or unprofessional in your response. Don’t vent about frustrations with your current job. Stick to polite but direct phrases. Simply say you are not interested in new opportunities versus listing negatives about your employer.
Sample Email Templates
Here are some sample email templates you can use to politely decline a recruiter opportunity:
Currently Happy in My Current Role
Subject: Re: Job Opportunity – [Role Name]
Dear [recruiter name],
Thank you for reaching out to me about the [role name] position with [company name]. I appreciate you thinking of me.
After reviewing the opportunity, I have decided to decline moving forward in the process. I am currently very happy in my role at [current company] and feel it is the best place for my career growth at this time.
Please do keep me in mind for future opportunities that arise. I am always open to learning more. Thank you again for your consideration.
Best regards,
[Your name]
Not Looking for New Opportunities Currently
Subject: Re: [Role Name] Position
Hi [recruiter name],
Thank you for contacting me about the [role name] opening at [company name]. I appreciate your outreach.
At this point, I am not actively exploring new career opportunities. However, I am flattered you thought of me for this role. I will be sure to reach back out if my situation changes in the future.
Please keep me in mind if you come across any other roles that may be a good fit! I am happy to stay connected.
Best,
[Your name]
Recently Started A New Position
Subject: Re: [Role name] at [company name]
Hi [recruiter name],
Thank you for reaching out regarding the [role name] role with [company name]. I appreciate hearing from you.
As you may know from my LinkedIn profile, I recently started a new position as [current role name] at [current company]. I am excited about this new opportunity and want to devote my focus here in the near term.
Please do keep me in mind for future openings. I’m always open to learning more, even if the timing isn’t quite right today.
Thanks again, and best of luck with your search.
[Your name]
I hope these email template examples help give you some language to clearly and politely decline recruiters when needed. Feel free to customize based on your specific situation.
Conclusion
Politely declining recruiter outreach you aren’t interested in is an important professional skill. With the right approach, you can maintain positive relationships and your personal brand for the future. Simply ignore generic spam messages, but take the time to reply thoughtfully to sincere inquiries, even if you ultimately pass on having further discussions.