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How To Reach Out to a Recruiter on LinkedIn (Samples and Tips)

LinkedIn reported that more than 740 million users from over 200 territories and countries around the world used LinkedIn in 2021, making it the top professional social networking site. More than 58 million companies are listed on LinkedIn, and some 95% of recruiters use LinkedIn to find job candidates, with 87% of recruiters regularly using it (we’re one of them!).

LinkedIn is where you want to be if you’re searching for a new job. But, as one of the 50 million candidates searching for jobs on LinkedIn weekly, how can you make sure you connect with a LinkedIn recruiter and stand out?

Table of Contents
Steps To Take Before Reaching Out to Recruiters on LinkedIn
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How To Find Recruiters on LinkedIn
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How To Reach Out to a Recruiter on LinkedIn
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Example Notes to Recruiters on LinkedIn
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How To Respond to a Recruiter on LinkedIn
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How to Connect with an Advantis Global Recruiter
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Steps To Take Before Reaching Out to Recruiters on LinkedIn

Before you consider how to message a recruiter on LinkedIn, you want to ensure you’ve taken a couple of preliminary steps to get the most out of your efforts.

Checklist of what to do before reaching out to a recruiter on LinkedIn.

First, make sure your profile is current and up to date. Fill out all sections and optimize your title, headshot, and banner with keywords based on your industry or the industry you’re hoping to land a job in. All sections should be completed, including your employment history, summary, education, certifications, and so on. On LinkedIn, checking the #OpenToWork option within your profile is also how to let recruiters know you’re available.

Once your profile is completed, research the companies you’re interested in working for, including their available positions. This will allow you to focus on recruiters and the best contacts to reach out to for those organizations. Also, be sure to research recruiter firms that can help you land jobs for your companies of interest.

How To Find Recruiters on LinkedIn

To find external recruiters on LinkedIn, first, make sure the drop-down box next to the search bar on the platform is set to “people.” Then, type headhunter, recruiter, or recruitment into the search bar. To focus your search on your industry or location, add a keyword, like “Accounting Recruiter” or “Washington D.C. Headhunter.”

How To Reach Out to a Recruiter on LinkedIn

Checklist for how to reach out to a recruiter on LinkedIn.

Keep it focused and brief. When you reach out to a recruiter on LinkedIn, you want to be sure to keep your message focused and brief. If your profile is optimized as it should be, then you won’t need to go into a lot of detail about your experience. Instead, develop a brief value proposition with a couple of references to your experience to share when you reach out to recruiters.

Use a call to action (CTA). The closing of your message to a recruiter should include a call to action. “Please review my profile” or “Let’s connect” are two CTA examples.

Proofread. As with any professional communication, proof it before you hit send.

Include your contact information. Include your telephone number and email in your LinkedIn message to recruiters to provide easy reference.

Example Notes to Recruiters on LinkedIn

When thinking through what to message recruiters on LinkedIn, remember that the initial outreach message to non-connections only allows 300 characters. For messages after a connection request is accepted, you can use up to 1,900 characters in the body and 200 in the subject line. For follow-up messages, be sure to attach your current resume or CV.

Here are some examples of initial and follow-up messages you can use as templates to tweak for your own purposes.

Initial Outreach Message – Example 1

Hello [recruiter’s name],

I noticed you are a recruiter working in the [industry type] industry. I wanted to reach out to inquire about us possibly working together. I’m a [role title] with a proven track record in [brief value proposition] and am currently open to new opportunities.

Let’s connect,

[your name]

Initial Outreach Message – Example 2

Hello [recruiter’s name],

I noticed you mentioned you’re a recruiter working for [name of company] in the [name of area] region. I am a [role title] in [name of city], and I’m considering my next career move. May I send you my resume to see if there’s a possibility of us working together?

Let’s connect,

[your name]

Initial Outreach Message – Example 3

Hello [recruiter’s name],

I’m a [role title] working in the [industry type] sector. I’m just looking to connect here on LinkedIn with other industry professionals. Please check out my profile to see if there’s a way we can support each other!

Let’s connect,

[your name]

Follow-Up Message After Accepted Connection – Example 1

Hello [recruiter’s name],

Thank you for accepting my recent connection request. I am open to being considered for any [role type] roles in the [industry type] industry and [region name] region. I am also open to relocation. Feel free to check out my LinkedIn profile in case I might be a good fit for any of your current job postings. I’ve also attached my resume for your reference.

May we schedule a time to connect and discuss?

Regards,

[your name]
[telephone number]
[email address]

Follow-Up Message After Accepted Connection – Example 2

Hello [recruiter’s name],

Thank you for accepting my recent request to connect. I would like to put myself out there for consideration for any [role type] roles available at the following companies that you recruit for: [company names]. Feel free to check out my LinkedIn profile in case I might be a good fit for current or future open positions at these organizations. I’ve also attached my resume for your reference.

May we schedule a time to connect and discuss?

Regards,

[your name]
[telephone number]
[email address]

How To Respond to a Recruiter on LinkedIn

If a recruiter has taken the time to respond to you, even if it’s to say they aren’t interested at this time, you want to make sure you reply back with a professional response. Your response should align with what their message states. For example, if they do want to schedule a time to connect, then agree and confirm your availability. Or, if there isn’t any interest right now, be sure to still thank them for their time. Timely communication indicates you are serious about working with them and gives them a reason to keep you in mind for future openings, too.

How to Connect with an Advantis Global Recruiter

Advantis Global recruiters are active on LinkedIn and can help you get a new job in a new industry that has better pay and potentially be a career advancement or more senior position based on your desires in the job market. You can also submit your resume or apply for a job on our website or on LinkedIn to connect with one of our recruiters.

Get connected with a recruiter
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