LinkedIn has become an invaluable tool for networking and job searching. With over 722 million users worldwide, LinkedIn provides access to a massive professional network. One of the most effective ways to use LinkedIn for your job search is by reaching out directly to hiring managers at companies you want to work for. But knowing what to say in your initial outreach message is key.
When reaching out to a hiring manager on LinkedIn, you want your message to grab their attention and motivate them to respond. At the same time, you need to be respectful of their time. Striking the right tone and keeping your asks simple and direct are important.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about crafting an effective outreach message to a hiring manager on LinkedIn.
Should you reach out to a hiring manager on LinkedIn?
Reaching out directly to a hiring manager (rather than just applying through a company’s website) has a number of potential benefits:
– It allows you to make a personal connection and get on the hiring manager’s radar early in the process. This can help ensure your application gets proper attention.
– It shows initiative, enthusiasm, and interest in working for the specific company/team. Hiring managers want to see this.
– It gives you an opportunity to pitch yourself for the role and share key details the hiring manager would not get from just seeing your resume.
– It enables you to ask questions about the role, team, goals for the position, etc. This helps you determine if it is the right fit.
– It builds your professional network, regardless of whether you get the job. The hiring manager may remember you for future roles.
So in most cases, yes, it is recommended to reach out to a hiring manager directly on LinkedIn when you see a job that interests you. However, there are a few exceptions where it may be better not to reach out:
– For extremely competitive positions that are likely to already have hundreds of applicants. Outreach likely won’t help you stand out in these cases.
– If the job posting explicitly says not to contact the hiring manager directly and to only apply through the company website. Don’t ignore these instructions.
– If you have zero connections to the company.Cold outreach to a complete stranger may hurt more than help.
As long as you avoid these situations, reaching out about an open position to a relevant hiring manager is worth doing.
How to find hiring managers to contact on LinkedIn
To reach out to hiring managers about job openings, you first need to find the right people to contact. Here are some tips for identifying relevant hiring managers on LinkedIn:
– Search by company and location. Use LinkedIn’s search bar to find people who work at the company and are based in the location you are interested in. Filter by selecting “People” in the search options.
– Check the job posting. Some postings list a hiring manager and their contact info. But even if they don’t, look for names and titles mentioned in the posting that could point you to the right person.
– Look for seniority. Titles like Recruiter, HR Manager, Talent Acquisition Manager indicate the person is involved in hiring. Manager, Director and VP titles also typically have hiring responsibilities.
– Find people in the department. Look for profiles of people who work in the department for the role you want and who mention hiring or talent acquisition in their role description.
– Review LinkedIn profiles. Spend time browsing the profiles of people at the company to identify those who fit the criteria above. Their profile may also list if they have active job openings.
– Use advanced search. You can enter keywords like “hiring manager” and filter by company name to surface potential contacts.
The key is identifying the 1-2 people at the company who are likely directly involved in hiring for the role you want. With some digging on LinkedIn, you can usually find them.
Tips for your outreach message
Once you’ve identified the right hiring manager to message, it’s time to craft your outreach note. Follow these tips:
Keep it short and focused. A couple paragraphs at most. Don’t make them read a novel.
Personalize the message with specifics about why you are reaching out to them in particular. Use their name.
Mention the open role you are interested in. Include the title or job ID.
Explain briefly why you are a great fit for the role in 1-2 sentences. Focus on your most relevant qualifications and skills. Provide context, not just a list.
Include a call to action, such as requesting a phone call to further discuss the role and your background. Offer availability for a quick chat.
Attach your resume in case they want more details. Make it easy for them to review your background.
Proofread before sending! Make sure there are no embarrassing typos or errors.
Avoid generic flattery, gimmicks, or hard sells. Don’t beg for the job. Keep it professional.
Thank them for their time and consideration, even if they don’t respond. Leave the door open.
Following this template will ensure your message hits the right notes without being overly salesy or annoying.
Sample outreach messages
It can be helpful to look at examples of effective outreach messages. Here are a few samples:
Subject: Exploring Open Marketing Coordinator Role
Dear Sarah,
I hope your week is going well! I am very interested in the Marketing Coordinator position your team recently posted. As an experienced marketing professional with 5 years in content development and campaign management, I believe I would be a great fit. I have followed ACME’s work for some time and have been impressed with the success of your latest product launches. I would love the opportunity to bring my social media strategy and digital marketing skills to help ACME continue growing. Would you have 15-20 minutes for a quick phone call this week to discuss the role and my qualifications? I have attached my resume for your reference. I look forward to hearing from you!
Best,
[Your name]
Subject: Stock Analyst Opening – John Smith
Hi John,
I saw the job posting for Stock Analyst at Wells Fargo and immediately thought it would be a great match given my background in financial research and equity valuation. Specifically, my experience developing valuation models and authoring detailed industry reports would enable me to contribute on day one. I am confident I have the skills and experience your team needs. Are you available for a 15 minute intro call later this week to discuss the role? I can share details of relevant projects and answer any questions you may have. I look forward to connecting further!
Regards,
[Your name]
Subject: Applied for Project Manager Role
Dear Mr. Jones,
I recently applied for the Project Manager position your team posted on Green Energy Corp’s website. As someone with 8 years experience successfully managing complex technology implementations from end-to-end, I know I would thrive in this role. I wanted to reach out directly because I am very interested in working for Green Energy Corp specifically. The company’s mission to make solar energy affordable and accessible deeply resonates with me. Beyond my PM experience, I believe my technical background in solar engineering could be a unique asset to your team. I would love to schedule a quick call to introduce myself and discuss the position. Please let me know if you have any time this week or next for a brief phone call. I look forward to speaking with you.
Thank you,
[Your name]
These examples illustrate concise, professional messages that grab attention and make a case for your fit. Feel free to customize them for outreach emails to hiring managers about roles you apply for and are excited about. The key is keeping it short and focused while highlighting the specifics of why you’re a great match.
When to send your message
Timing is an important factor when reaching out to hiring managers:
– Connect right away. Reach out as soon as you see a new job post that interests you. Being one of the first candidates they hear from can help you stand out.
– Avoid bad timing. Don’t message on weekends, holidays, or before 9 am or after 5 pm unless they indicate otherwise on their profile. Stick to normal business hours.
– Follow up if needed. If you haven’t heard back after 1 week, consider a brief, polite follow-up reiterating your interest in the role. But don’t stalk them with constant messages.
– Act fast. Many roles close quickly. You want to connect with the hiring manager early so your message doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.
– Note response times. Pay attention to how quickly others seem to get responses from a particular hiring manager. If they are very slow, follow up sooner rather than later.
In general, sooner is better when it comes to outreach. Late messages are less likely to receive a response after a role has closed or they are already inundated with applicants. But be mindful of their availability and preferences as well.
Following up if you get no response
What should you do if a hiring manager doesn’t respond to your outreach message? Here are some tips:
– Wait 1 week before following up. Give them reasonable time to see and respond to your initial note. Avoid pestering them.
– Send a simple follow-up. Say something like: “Hi [name], I just wanted to follow up on the message I sent last week regarding the [role name] position. Let me know if you would like to schedule a quick call to discuss. I’m excited about the opportunity and very interested in the role.”
– Only follow up 1-2 times max. If they ignore multiple messages, take the hint and move on. Continued outreach is annoying, not persistent.
– When following up, re-attach your resume in case they misplaced it or forgot who you are. Make it easy on them.
– If they respond saying the role is closed or they’re not moving forward with you as a candidate, politely thank them for letting you know and move on. Don’t argue or negotiate.
– Don’t take lack of response personally. Hiring managers are busy. Keep applying to other roles.
A reasonable 1-2 follow-ups are fine. But at a certain point, pestering a hiring manager becomes detrimental, so know when to cut your losses. Keep networking and applying elsewhere.
Mistakes to avoid when reaching out
While outreach to hiring managers can pay off, there are some critical mistakes you need to avoid:
– Mass blasting generic messages. Personalized notes show you took time to research the manager and role.
– Making it all about you. Focus on how you can contribute to the hiring manager and the company. Don’t just brag about yourself.
– Getting too informal. This is a professional business context, so avoid overly casual language or references.
– Asking about salary or benefits prematurely. Wait for a mutual conversation to discuss specifics.
– Exaggerating or lying about your qualifications. Be prepared to back up anything on your resume.
– Sending sloppy messages riddled with errors. Proofread! Make sure your outreach is polished.
– Attaching extra documents they didn’t request. Keep it simple. Send only what they ask for.
– Stalking or harassing the hiring manager. Persistence can cross the line if you don’t respect their time.
– Taking rejection personally. Not every outreach results in an interview. Stay positive.
Do your research, mind your manners, and focus on how you can add value rather than what you want from the company. This will ensure your outreach makes a great impression.
Key Takeaways
Reaching out to hiring managers on LinkedIn is an effective way to get your foot in the door for job opportunities. But you need to do it strategically. Keep these tips in mind:
– Do your research to identify the right hiring managers to contact about open roles.
– Keep your outreach messages brief, personalized, and focused on your fit and value-add.
– Emphasize why you’re interested in the company and role in your message.
– Politely follow up if needed, but don’t stalk or harass hiring managers who don’t respond.
– Avoid common mistakes like overselling yourself or coming across overly casual.
– Be patient and persistent, but also know when to move on if outreach isn’t working.
– Use a professional, respectful tone focused on mutual benefit, not just what you want.
With the right strategy, outreach to hiring managers can get your resume reviewed and help score an interview. But poor outreach risks annoying the very people you want to impress. Mind your manners and your messaging, and your chances of success will be much higher.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I send a LinkedIn connection request or message them directly?
In most cases, it’s better to send an initial message directly rather than a connection request out of the blue. The message gives context for why you want to connect. Then, if the hiring manager responds positively, you can request to connect on LinkedIn after that initial exchange.
How do I get their contact info to reach out?
Focus on messaging hiring managers through LinkedIn rather than getting their email address or phone number. Sending InMail through LinkedIn allows you to message anyone, even if you’re not connected. Only seek direct contact info if they explicitly provide it on their profile.
Is there a chance my message might annoy the hiring manager or hurt my chances?
There’s always a chance a hiring manager may be annoyed by unsolicited messages about job openings. However, as long as your outreach is respectful and professional, it shouldn’t decrease your chances if done thoughtfully. The potential benefits usually outweigh the small risk of annoyance.
What if they viewed my message but didn’t respond?
In many cases, a hiring manager may open a message but not respond right away, or at all. If they opened it, they likely read your note but weren’t ready to engage for whatever reason. Don’t take lack of response personally. Just move on and keep applying to other openings.
How do I get a hiring manager’s phone number?
Avoid asking for a hiring manager’s direct phone number unless they voluntarily provide it. Messaging them through LinkedIn is less invasive. If they want to talk by phone, they can offer to exchange numbers. Don’t overstep boundaries by requesting personal contact info without permission.
