With the rise of social media platforms like LinkedIn, it’s easier than ever for job seekers to directly reach out and communicate with potential employers. However, there are some important dos and don’ts when it comes to contacting recruiters or hiring managers on LinkedIn that job seekers should keep in mind.
The Pros of Messaging an Employer on LinkedIn
There are some potential benefits to messaging an employer directly through LinkedIn:
- It allows you to make a more personal connection and stand out from other applicants.
- You can express interest in new job openings or opportunities that may not have been publicly posted yet.
- You can provide additional context and information about your background and qualifications.
- It demonstrates initiative and interest in working for that particular company.
Overall, thoughtfully reaching out to an employer through LinkedIn messaging can help get your foot in the door and lead to more job opportunities if done properly.
How to Craft an Effective Message to an Employer
When reaching out directly to an employer on LinkedIn, follow these best practices:
- Personalize the message – Address the recruiter or hiring manager directly by name and avoid generic greetings.
- Keep it brief – Get to the point within the first paragraph and aim for 3-5 sentences maximum.
- Highlight your interest – Express what excites you about the company and role and why you would be a great fit.
- Mention a connection – If a mutual connection referred you or you share connections, briefly note that.
- Include relevant details – Provide context around your background that makes you uniquely qualified for the opportunity.
You want the message to spark interest and lead to further conversation.
Sample LinkedIn Message to Employer
Here is an example of a short but effective message to send to an employer on LinkedIn:
Dear [name],
I noticed that [company] recently posted an opening for a [position title] and I’m very interested in applying. As a [your current role] with over [X] years of experience driving [results], I believe I would be a great fit for your team. I’m particularly drawn to the opportunity based on [company or role detail] that aligns with my background in [relevant experience].
I have long admired [company’s] culture and success in [industry], and would appreciate the opportunity to discuss the role and my qualifications further. Please let me know if you have time for a quick phone call to talk more about the position.
Best regards,
[Your name]
This provides enough personalized details and context to give the reader a sense of who you are and why you’re interested.
When Is It Appropriate to Message an Employer?
As a general rule, it is appropriate to reach out directly to an employer on LinkedIn if:
- They have a public job posting listed that you are interested in and qualified for.
- Your network includes employees or former employees at the company who can make an introduction.
- You have been referred by an employee at the company.
- You have existing domain expertise or connections that are especially relevant for that company.
- You are following up after meeting an employer at a career fair, networking event, or interview.
The key is having a clear, relevant purpose for connecting and adding value, not just asking about job openings in general.
When to Avoid Messaging Employers on LinkedIn
You should avoid directly contacting employers on LinkedIn if:
- You have no existing connections to the company and are cold contacting them out of the blue.
- You are spamming your message to dozens of employers at once.
- You have no clear rationale for why you are a good fit for that company specifically.
- You are repeatedly messaging an employer who has not responded.
- The hiring manager’s profile says they do not accept LinkedIn messages.
Spamming employers with generic messages will likely be ignored and could even hurt your chances by coming across as desperate or thoughtless.
Tips for Following Up After Messaging an Employer
When you’ve taken the step to message an employer or recruiter on LinkedIn, follow these tips for effective follow up:
- Thank them for any response and reiterate your interest in the company and opportunity.
- Be patient and allow at least 1-2 weeks for a response before following up again.
- If they connect with you, send a message to start a dialogue and offer to provide any additional information needed.
- Suggest a quick phone call or virtual coffee chat to continue the conversation.
- Check the job openings on their website for any new roles that could be a fit.
- Follow up with new, relevant updates or messages periodically to stay on their radar.
Following up and sustaining the conversation shows persistence and drive. But also know when to move on if an employer remains unresponsive after several follow up attempts.
Should You Message Multiple Employers at Once?
When used selectively, messaging multiple employers on LinkedIn can significantly widen your access to opportunities. However, there are some cautions when taking this approach:
- Tailor each message – Never copy/paste the exact same message to multiple employers. Personalize the message to each recipient every time.
- Prioritize the most relevant targets – Focus first on messaging employers where you have the strongest existing connections or domain expertise.
- Don’t spray and pray – Messaging dozens of employers simultaneously with a generic note is ineffective. Be selective and thoughtful in who you contact.
- Manage volume – Only message multiple employers if you have the bandwidth to follow up and continue the conversation. Too many messages spread you too thin.
Messaging just 5-10 targeted, highly relevant employers per week is better than contacting 50 employers randomly. Quality over quantity.
Pros of Messaging Multiple Employers
- Increases visibility of your interest to more companies
- Maximizes chances of getting positive responses
- Allows you to test different types of messages and targeting
- Surfaces more unknown roles and opportunities
- Broadens range of potential job options
Cons of Messaging Multiple Employers
- Takes more effort and organization
- Harder to follow up and sustain conversations
- Risk of coming across as spammy or lazy if not personalized
- Scattered focus instead of targeted focus
- Employers may communicate with each other
How Long Should You Wait for Employer Response?
When reaching out to employers directly on LinkedIn, it’s important to give them a reasonable window of time to respond before following up. Here are some general guidelines:
- 1-2 weeks – Wait this initial period to allow for evaluation and scheduling before your first follow up.
- 1 month – If you’ve followed up 1-2 more times after the initial period with no response, wait at least this long before reaching out again.
- 3 months – Set this as the maximum timeframe to continue periodic follow up efforts before moving on.
However, also look for signs that additional follow up may be counterproductive, like:
- The employer views your profile but does not respond.
- Their profile says they do not accept LinkedIn messages.
- They state they are only considering candidates referred by current employees.
Knowing when to walk away gracefully is key so you don’t waste time and effort.
Following Up without Being Annoying
To follow up effectively without irritating the employer, focus on:
- Short check-ins – Briefly reiterate interest in the role and offer to provide any other details needed.
- New information – If you have substantive updates on your experience, share those to show you are progressing.
- Thanking them – Express your appreciation for their time and consideration.
- Patience – Wait the recommended timeframe before each new follow up attempt.
With persistence balanced with politeness, you can maximize your chances of a response.
What to Do If You Get No Response
If an employer completely ignores your LinkedIn messages, take these constructive steps:
- Review the roles and requirements carefully to assess fit – You may be better suited for other openings.
- Focus efforts on other employers and don’t get tunnel vision.
- Seek feedback from colleagues on how to improve your messaging and targeting.
- Evaluate if you need to expand your network with more employer contacts.
- Join industry groups and communities to increase visibility.
- Be patient and look for other potential openings down the road.
Lack of response is not automatically a definitive rejection. Keep networking and developing your relevance to increase future opportunities.
When to Move On From an Employer
As a rule of thumb, you should move on from an employer and stop additional messaging efforts if:
- You have messaged them more than 3 times with no response over 3+ months.
- They directly state that they are not interested in hiring you.
- They view your LinkedIn profile but ignore your message.
- The job requirements change to no longer match your background.
- You accept another offer or change job search priorities.
At a certain point, continuing messaging efforts crosses over into pestering. Know when it’s time to walk away and refocus your job search elsewhere.
Conclusion
Messaging employers on LinkedIn can be an effective way to get your foot in the door if executed thoughtfully. Personalize each message, target employers strategically, follow up politely, and focus on value-add. With the right approach, LinkedIn outreach can provide a hiring edge. But also know when persisting will not be productive. By balancing persistence with professionalism, job seekers can unlock new career contacts and opportunities.