Reaching out to a recruiter on LinkedIn before applying for a job can be a strategic move for job seekers. With competition fierce for many roles, taking the initiative to directly contact the hiring manager or recruiter could help get your resume reviewed faster and make you stand out from the crowd. However, there are also risks and downsides with preemptively messaging recruiters. Understanding the pros and cons can help you decide if networking with recruiters before submitting an application is right for your situation.
Potential Benefits of Messaging Recruiters First
Here are some of the main upsides of proactively contacting recruiters about job openings:
Gets Your Foot in the Door
Messaging recruiters, especially ones who work in-house at the company with the opening, can help you start a relationship and open the door for further discussions. Your message puts you on their radar screen and gives you a chance to express interest and highlight your fit before they even look at applicants. This makes you more than just another name and resume in the pile when applications start getting reviewed.
Allows You to Customize Your Pitch
When you apply normally, the recruiter just sees your standard resume and cover letter. Reaching out through LinkedIn lets you craft a customized message for that specific role and company. You can explain why you’re intrigued by the opportunity, how your background makes you an excellent match, and what excites you about potentially working there. This level of personalization allows you to position yourself strongly right off the bat.
Helps You Stand Out
Unfortunately, many applicants never take the extra step of personally engaging with the recruiter before hitting the “apply” button. By introducing yourself and your interest ahead of time, you immediately differentiate yourself from the norm. They’ll likely appreciate you making the effort to connect and taking the initiative.
Can Provide Insights to Improve Your Candidacy
The recruiter may provide tips that can help you tailor your resume or approach for that particular opening. For example, they might suggest you highlight certain skills or experiences that would be highly valued. This inside perspective enables you to craft an application capable of impressing them.
Opens the Door for Referrals
Even if the role isn’t the right fit, chatting with the recruiter could lead to referrals for other suitable openings at that company or elsewhere in their network. Most recruiters are happy to guide quality candidates like yourself to potential opportunities.
Potential Downsides of Contacting Recruiters Early
However, there are also some risks and drawbacks to consider:
May Be Seen as Overly Eager or Pushy
Some recruiters could misinterpret a preemptive InMail as being overly assertive or desperate. They may wonder why you are reaching out before even applying and make certain unfair assumptions.
Sets High Expectations
The recruiter might be disappointed or less impressed after viewing your full resume and application if the initial message oversells your qualifications. Starting the relationship off with high expectations could backfire.
Means Extra Work for Unqualified Candidates
If you are clearly not a match for the position based on the requirements, sending an InMail will just waste the recruiter’s time reading and responding to someone unlikely to make the cut anyway.
Could Irritate External Recruiters
Third-party recruiters who get paid by commission may be annoyed if you go around them and contact the hiring manager directly. This risks damaging the relationship with recruiters who could help you land roles in the future.
Application Could Get Lost in the Mix
Even after chatting, your application still has to compete against all other candidates. The pre-discussion doesn’t guarantee they will remember you or give your resume special attention.
May Be Harder to Decline Further Discussions
If the role isn’t a fit after you talk more with the recruiter, it can be awkward to walk away after reaching out so assertively. The initial message starts engagement that one party or the other may need to later break off.
Key Considerations Before Messaging Recruiters
The choice of whether to contact recruiters before or after applying depends on several factors:
Type of Recruiter
Is it an internal recruiter who works directly for the hiring company or a third-party recruiter? Internal recruiters are usually fine with candidate outreach, while external ones may guard their roles more closely.
Existing Relationship
Have you previously connected with this recruiter? If you already have a rapport, then further discussions are more natural. But cold contacting someone you’ve never met requires more care.
Urgency of the Job Opening
How long has the role been posted? If urgently needing applicants, the recruiter will appreciate a fast, enthusiastic InMail. But roles freshly listed may not yet be accepting interest.
Your Qualifications
How well does your background actually fit the job description? If you’re highly qualified, stating your interest upfront can work in your favor. But a lack of fit means you probably shouldn’t be taking up their time yet.
Volume of Applicants
Some roles receive hundreds of applicants quickly. In these cases, messaging early helps the recruiter learn who you are before getting overwhelmed with submissions. But openings with minimal applicants have less urgency to connect.
Customization Required
How much tailoring and customization is needed based on the specific position? The more tweaking needed from your standard resume, the more beneficial it can be to ask for input from the recruiter before applying.
How to Craft an Effective Recruiter Outreach Message
If you decide preemptively messaging the recruiter makes sense, here are some tips to create an effective outreach:
Personalize the Message and Subject Line
Avoid generic InMails that could be sent to anyone. Demonstrate you researched the specific role, hiring manager, and company by including customized details on why they intrigue you. Use a compelling subject that conveys your intent.
Be Concise But Thorough
Get to the point quickly but include enough detail and examples. Summarize why you’re excited about the company and how your assets would support their needs. Provide some specifics but save deeper discussion for when they respond.
Adopt a Humble, Engaging Tone
You want to sound confident but also open-minded, coachable, and enthusiastic about learning from the recruiter. Avoid sounding overly aggressive or presumptuous.
Mention Next Steps
State you plan to apply for the opening immediately after connecting. This demonstrates follow-through and that you aren’t just fishing for contacts. Offer to send your resume or set up a call to discuss further.
Thank Them for Their Time and Consideration
Expressing gratitude makes a good impression. Recruiters often feel overwhelmed and underappreciated, so thanking them upfront increases goodwill. Just don’t overdo it.
Follow Up
If they don’t respond within a few days, send a polite follow-up message checking on the status. But don’t harass them with constant messages if they remain unresponsive.
Example Outreach Message Template
Here is an example template you can adapt when crafting an initial outreach to a recruiter:
Subject: Seeking UX Designer Role at Company ABC
Hi [Recruiter Name],
I hope your week is going well! My name is [Your Name] and I was excited to see Company ABC recently posted a UX Designer opening. I have been very impressed with ABC’s user-centered design approach and rapid growth over the past few years. I would love to partner with your talented product team to deliver intuitive, delightful experiences for your customers.
As a UX designer with 5+ years of experience at digital agencies and startups, I have consistently helped teams boost customer engagement by 40%+ through launching user-focused features aligned with business goals. My portfolio at [link] showcases my ability to conduct insightful user research, iterate effective interfaces, prototype new concepts, and work cross-functionally to bring ideas to market.
I am planning to submit an application later today but wanted to reach out first to personally express my enthusiasm. I would welcome the opportunity to connect briefly via phone or video chat to learn more about ABC’s roadmap and how I may best align and highlight my experience. Please let me know if you have time this week or early next week.
Looking forward to further discussing how I may contribute to ABC’s success! I appreciate your time reviewing my background. Have a great rest of your week.
Best,
[Your Name]
Should You Follow Up After Applying?
Once you go ahead and apply as promised in your initial outreach, should you follow up with the recruiter again afterward?
Here are some best practices on following up:
- Wait at least one week before following up to allow time for them to review applications.
- Send a polite, concise email checking on status and reiterating your interest.
- If they respond saying they’re still reviewing candidates, thank them and ask when you can check back again.
- Only follow up twice at most. More frequent contact may be annoying.
- If they go silent after multiple follow ups, accept the message and move on.
- Don’t confront the recruiter about the lack of response. Just graciously withdraw.
With persistence but also patience and politeness, following up can help advance your candidacy without being disruptive.
Key Takeaways
Here are some final key points to remember when deciding whether to reach out to recruiters before applying:
- Directly contacting recruiters can help fast track your candidacy but also risks irritating some.
- Evaluate factors like existing rapport, role urgency, and your qualifications before reaching out.
- Craft a personalized message demonstrating your fit and interest in the opportunity.
- Politely follow up after applying but don’t harass the recruiter with constant contact.
- If the role isn’t a fit after connecting, gracefully withdraw from discussions.
With a strategic, tailored approach, outreach to recruiters could provide an advantage in a competitive job market. But maintain realistic expectations, be respectful of their time, and don’t overstep if the opportunity isn’t ideal. Leverage direct contact as one way to get on a recruiter’s radar without relying on it completely.
Conclusion
Making the effort to message recruiters before hitting “apply” demonstrates initiative and genuine interest in the company and role. However, candidates should carefully evaluate when taking this extra step makes strategic sense versus just cluttering up the recruiter’s inbox. With a compelling, personalized message and polite persistence, preemptive outreach could fast track you ahead of the applicant herd. But be prepared that making your interest known early won’t guarantee you ultimate success either. Use recruiter networking wisely as one component of an overall job search strategy rather than the only tactic.