LinkedIn is a job seeker’s friend. With over one billion users in 200 countries, it continues to be the go-to network for job hunting. According to the site, 65 million users looking for jobs visit LinkedIn weekly.

Recruiters routinely scour LinkedIn for new talent, and contacting them using LinkedIn’s InMail is one of the best ways for a job seeker to connect with them. But recruiters are bombarded with messages, so reaching them can be tricky. The advice below can help job seekers take advantage of LinkedIn’s broad reach.

1. Only target recruiters relevant to the type of position you want, and personalize the message. Generic messages waste everyone’s time.
2. Research recruiters before approaching them. Examine their personal history, interests, and education to find a common point of connection. However, don’t forget the ultimate goal is to show the recruiter how your skills can fill an employer’s need.
3. Remember that recruiters work for the client, not the applicant, and will be turned off if you ask for too much, too soon. Asking for a job in the first correspondence is ill conceived. Conduct background research by going to the firm’s LinkedIn page to determine if there is a specific job that fit your skills and future goals before contacting the recruiter.
4. Submit your application materials before reaching out to a recruiter and always attach your résumé to the message to make recruiter’s job easier.
5. Mention a specific job. A recruiter’s mission is not to find you a role; it is to fill a costly vacancy in the organization.
6. In the opening lines, tailor the message to the specific position. Mass generic copy-and-paste messages are obvious and waste time.
7. Be concise and avoid irrelevant details. Recruiters are busy and don’t have time to wade through wordy prose. Nevertheless, they do need specific information such as the job seeker’s location, whether the applicant wants contract work or a permanent position, skills relevant to the position, and expected salary.
8. Explicitly state why you are a good fit for the position. Include skills and experience that illustrate how you can add value to the organization.
9. Be prepared for an actual conversation. Recruiters prefer speaking to an individual rather than DM-ing back and forth. Provide times you are available to take a call.
10. Follow up about a week after sending the first message. Don’t overdo follow-ups, though. Too much can be as bad as too little.

Finally, make sure your LinkedIn profile stands out. Putting the “open to work” frame around your photo makes a candidate 40 percent more likely to catch a recruiter’s eye.

Liu, J. (2024, January 16). 10 things you should do when messaging recruiters on LinkedIn. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com