How to message a recruiter on LinkedIn: templates

How can you message a recruiter on LinkedIn?

You have three routes on LinkedIn. You can send a connection request with a short note, send a free message once the recruiter accepts, or send an InMail without connecting. A fourth route, the Open Profile message, works only when the recruiter has a Premium account with that setting turned on.

The connection request is the route most job seekers use. LinkedIn's page on personalizing invitations to connect says free members can add a message to up to three connection requests per month, and each message can be up to 200 characters. Premium members can add a note to every request, though LinkedIn says connection request limits may still apply.

InMail is the paid route. LinkedIn's InMail FAQ describes it as a way to message a member you are not connected to, and lists 5 credits a month for Premium Career. An Open Profile message lets you contact a Premium member for free, and LinkedIn limits how many you can send in a given period.

Which route should you use?

Use a connection request with a note when you have a specific reason to contact this recruiter, such as a posted role they own. Use InMail when you already pay for Premium and the role is urgent. Save free connection notes for the recruiters who matter most, because a free account gets only three a month.

This table sets out the limits LinkedIn publishes for each route. Check the linked pages before you rely on a number, since LinkedIn changes them.

A plain connection request without a note costs nothing and has no note limit. It also gives the recruiter no reason to accept. If you have used your three notes for the month, send the request without a note and write your message after they accept.

How long should a message to a recruiter be?

Keep it short enough to read on a phone in one screen. LinkedIn's own data on recruiter InMails points the same way. In a May 2022 Talent Blog analysis of InMails sent by corporate recruiters to candidates, messages under 400 characters had a response rate 22% higher than the average.

That data covers recruiters writing to candidates, which is the reverse of your situation. It still shows how people on LinkedIn read messages. The same analysis found messages over 1,200 characters sat 11% below average, and messages sent one at a time had response rates roughly 15% higher than bulk sends.

An older 2017 Talent Blog post reported that 75% of InMails were opened on a smartphone. It also found one and two word subject lines did 13% better than average on acceptance rates. Treat both numbers as dated, and use them as a reason to keep your subject line plain.

What should the first message say?

Say who you are, which role you mean, and one fact that shows you fit. Then ask one small question the recruiter can answer in a line. Leave out your life story, your resume pasted as text, and requests to "pick their brain" for half an hour.

A good first message has four parts:

1. Who you are, in one line, with your current or most recent title.
2. The role, by title and job ID if the posting has one.
3. One proof point that matches the posting, with a number if you have one.
4. One easy question, such as whether they own the role or who does.

Here is an example connection note under 200 characters. Count yours before you send it, since LinkedIn cuts you off at the limit.

Hi Dana, I applied for the Senior Analyst role (ID 4471). I built the weekly SQL reporting my team of 12 uses. Are you the recruiter on this role? Thanks, Sam

Here is an example message for after the recruiter accepts. It can be longer, though a short version still reads better.

Thanks for connecting, Dana. I applied on the careers site on March 3 for the Senior Analyst role. In my current job I rebuilt our churn report in SQL and cut the monthly close from four days to two. If you're the recruiter on this one, is there anything else you'd like to see from me? If not, could you point me to the right person?

How do you message a recruiter about a job you already applied for?

Name the role and the date you applied, so the recruiter can find you in their system. Add one line that matches the posting's top requirement. Then ask a single question about next steps. Keep the tone neutral, because the recruiter may not have reached the applicant list yet.

Example: Hi Priya, I applied for the Customer Success Manager role on May 12. I manage 40 mid-market accounts and kept renewals at 94% last year. Could you tell me roughly when the team will start interviews?

If the role came through a person you know, mention them by name and only with their permission. The guide to getting a referral when you don't know anyone covers how to ask for one first.

How do you message a recruiter when there is no open role?

Tell the recruiter what kind of role you want, where, and why their company. Ask whether they hire for that kind of role. This message works best with recruiters who list your field in their headline, which you can see before you write.

Example: Hi Marcus, I'm a payroll specialist in Calgary with five years on ADP and Ceridian. I see you recruit for finance roles at Northwind. Do you hire payroll staff in Alberta? If so, I'd be glad to send my resume.

Before you send it, make sure your own profile backs up the message. A recruiter who reads your note may open your profile next. The LinkedIn profile optimization checklist and the page of LinkedIn headline examples help you fix the first things they see.

When should you follow up with a recruiter?

Send one follow up if you hear nothing after about a week, and stop after that. This is a habit to adopt, since LinkedIn publishes no rule on timing. Repeated nudges add pressure without giving the recruiter anything new to read.

Example follow up: Hi Dana, just checking that my note about the Senior Analyst role reached you. Happy to send anything that would help. Thanks again, Sam

Your follow up can go in the same thread, so the recruiter sees your first message above it. If the role closes or someone else gets it, a polite reply now keeps the door open for the next one. The page on following up on a job application has email versions of these templates.

What mistakes should you avoid?

Avoid sending the same message to dozens of recruiters at once, asking for a job outright, and attaching a long resume to a first message. Each of these asks the recruiter to do work for you before they know who you are. A short, specific note asks for much less.

• Don't copy and paste a generic message. LinkedIn's 2022 data found individually sent InMails beat bulk sends.
• Don't ask "Do you have any jobs for me?" Ask about one role or one kind of role.
• Don't write past the point you can prove. If the posting asks for a skill you lack, leave it out.
• Don't send a voice note or a video unless the recruiter invited one.

Is InMail worth paying for to reach recruiters?

InMail helps when the recruiter has not accepted your request and the role matters a lot. Premium Career includes 5 credits a month, according to LinkedIn's FAQ. You get a credit back only if the recipient accepts your InMail, and credits expire after 90 days, so they do not pile up.

You can check your balance from the Premium features page, as LinkedIn's page on viewing your InMail credits explains. Whether the plan is worth the price depends on how many recruiters you need to reach. The page on whether LinkedIn Premium is worth it weighs the other features too.

What should you do once a recruiter replies?

Answer within a day if you can, and suggest two or three times for a call. Prepare short answers on your background, your reasons for moving and your pay expectations before the call. Write each one down and say it out loud once, so it comes out in under two minutes.

Start with the opener most screens use, covered in the guide to tell me about yourself. The free interview question generator gives you likely questions for the role. If you want to practise out loud, Prept's Mock room times your answer, scores it out of 10 and checks it against your resume, and it is included in the free plan.

Recruiters also find people without a message. The page on how recruiters search LinkedIn explains which parts of your profile they filter on.