Connecting with recruiters on LinkedIn can be an effective way to find new job opportunities and advance your career. However, sending an appropriate and professional connection request is key to making a good first impression. In this article, we’ll provide tips and example messages for reaching out to recruiters on LinkedIn in a strategic way that gets you noticed.
Why Connect with Recruiters on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn has become one of the top platforms recruiters use to source and vet candidates. According to LinkedIn’s 2020 Global Talent Trends report, LinkedIn sourcing accounts for 69% of quality hires. With over 740 million members, LinkedIn provides access to a massive pool of potential candidates.
As a job seeker, connecting with recruiters on LinkedIn can provide several benefits:
– Gain visibility – Having connections with recruiters makes your profile more likely to show up in searches they conduct for roles.
– Get insider info – Recruiters can provide insights on job openings, skills in demand, and hiring timelines for companies you’re interested in.
– Be top of mind – Maintaining connections keeps you on recruiters’ radars for future opportunities.
– Skip job boards – Connecting directly lets you circumvent the job board application black hole.
– Convey interest – Reaching out directly shows recruiters you’re interested in opportunities at their company.
How to Find Recruiters to Connect With
With all those benefits, connecting with recruiters is a no-brainer. But finding the right ones to reach out to is key. Here are some tips for identifying relevant recruiters to connect with on LinkedIn:
– **Search by company pages** – Check the list of employees under the LinkedIn pages of your target companies and look for recruiters.
– **Join industry groups** – Join relevant industry and alumni groups on LinkedIn and network with recruiters who are also members.
– **Follow companies** – Follow your target companies to see job posts and identify internal recruiters.
– **Check recent activity** – Look for recruiters liking and commenting on posts in your network and groups.
– **Use advanced search** – Search using keywords like “recruiter” or “talent acquisition” and filter by location and industry.
– **Look at job posts** – Note the recruiter name listed on ads for openings you’re interested in.
Focus your efforts on in-house recruiters at companies you want to work for or staffing agency recruiters that specialize in your industry and location.
How to Craft an Effective Connection Request
Once you’ve identified relevant recruiters to connect with, it’s time to reach out. Make a good first impression and get their attention by following these best practices:
– **Personalize each request** – Mention why you want to connect with this particular recruiter based on their experience and company.
– **Be concise** – Get to the point instead of a long, generic message. A few sentences is plenty.
– **Highlight what you offer** – Explain your background and skills and how they relate to the types of roles the recruiter fills.
– **Have a specific ask** – Don’t just ask to connect. Also ask for a short informational interview or offer your resume.
– **Use a warm but professional tone** – Be friendly but avoid overly casual language.
– **Mention any common ground** – Point out shared groups, schools, locales, interests, or connections.
– **Follow up after connecting** – Send a message thanking them for connecting and reiterate your interest.
Here are some example connection request messages using these strategies:
| Example Message |
|---|
| Hi Jane, I noticed that you work in talent acquisition at XYZ Company. I’d love to connect, as I have 5 years of experience in social media marketing and community management roles. I’m very interested in social media coordinator openings at XYZ Company. Would you have time for a quick phone call to discuss what skills you look for in candidates? I’d be happy to send over my resume as well. Looking forward to connecting! |
| Hello Mike, I see that you recruit developers for ABC Agency. I have been working as a front-end developer for 3 years and have experience building responsive websites and web apps in React and Angular. I would appreciate the opportunity to connect and learn more about developer roles at ABC Agency. Please let me know if you would be open to a short informational interview. I look forward to networking! |
What to Include in Your LinkedIn Profile
To catch a recruiter’s eye, make sure your LinkedIn profile showcases your qualifications and skills. Include the following key sections:
– **Headline** – Summarize your experience and skills (e.g. Senior Product Marketing Manager).
– **Summary** – Provide an overview highlighting your background, accomplishments, and career goals.
– **Experience** – List your work history with concise descriptions of responsibilities and achievements.
– **Skills** – Add keywords recruiters search for.
– **Education** – Include your degrees, institutions, and dates attended.
– **Certifications** – List any relevant certifications and additional training.
– **Recommendations** – Request endorsements and recommendations from colleagues and managers.
– **Portfolio** – Add examples of your work such as publications, presentations, or projects.
– **Links** – Share links to your website, GitHub, or other professional profiles.
Keeping your profile up-to-date and optimized with keywords makes it easier for recruiters to quickly see your qualifications and experience.
Following Up After Connecting
Don’t let new connections with recruiters sit idle. Follow up periodically to stay top of mind. You can:
– **Send new messages** – Check in and express continued interest in opportunities or ask about hiring needs.
– **Share updates** – Notify recruiters of new skills, accomplishments, certifications, or roles that may interest them.
– **Comment on posts** – Engage with content they share and post thoughtful comments to stand out.
– **Reply to outreach** – Promptly respond if they contact you about an opening that’s a potential fit.
– **Say thanks** – Show appreciation if they share insights, pass along your resume, or help in any way.
– **Connect on other channels** – Follow recruiters on Twitter or connect on Facebook to strengthen the relationship.
By proactively following up and nurturing your connections, you’ll increase the likelihood that recruiters reach out when roles arise that match your background.
Avoiding Common Mistakes
While connecting with recruiters on LinkedIn can accelerate your job search, there are some common mistakes to avoid:
– Sending generic connection requests instead of personalizing each one
– Coming across as desperate instead of professionally interested in opportunities
– Having an incomplete profile lacking key details about your background
– Not following up after connecting to further build the relationship
– Messaging recruiters too frequently and appearing overly aggressive
– Communicating unprofessionally or using poor grammar/spelling
– Exaggerating your skills or experience on your profile
– Contacting recruiters about openings completely unrelated to your credentials
Making a solid first impression and maintaining professionalism is key to developing productive recruiter relationships on LinkedIn.
Conclusion
Connecting with recruiters on LinkedIn provides a unique opportunity to get your resume directly in front of hiring decision-makers. By personalizing connection requests, highlighting your best qualifications, and following up strategically, you can stand out from the competition. Nurturing relationships with recruiters aligned to your professional goals will be well worth the effort during your next job search.
