Recruiters are hired by organizations to attract and process prospective employees. Recruiters offer a multitude of benefits to job seekers, as they can provide information on job openings from their various clients. For this reason, they’re a great resource for securing a new job or discovering a new opportunity.
LinkedIn is the best resource for getting in touch with recruiters. If you’re not sure how to get started – look no further. Here are some starting points for reaching out to recruiters on LinkedIn.
Optimize your LinkedIn
Before you start adding recruiters, you should make sure your profile is set up for success. This means you have a headshot, professional summary, and updated work experience. If you aren’t at the “All-Star” status, it’s time to get started. When you connect with them, include a personalized message. Statistically, these messages have a much higher acceptance rate.
Depending on what industry you’re in, you shouldn’t go around adding every headhunter you find. Just like you, recruiters often hire within certain niches. If you work in hospitality, find a recruiter that is specialized in that industry. If you’re in civil engineering, find a recruiter that specializes in that industry. Look up the firm’s website and their LinkedIn to find what markets they hire in. Recruiters have a proper understanding of what you do will be the ones that match you to the best roles.
This is also the time to build relationships. If you already have recruiters in your network, start providing recommendations for roles they’re filling. If you do this, you’re more likely to pop up in the head when they’re filling a search. You can also make yourself stand out by not exclusively messaging when opportunities arise, and engaging with them through mutual connections or LinkedIn posts.
Know what you’re looking for
Make it clear what you want from the start. Reaching out to a recruiter with a vague idea of your career goals can be a time consuming for everyone involved. If you want to get the most out of your interaction, you want to make sure that the recruiter can identify roles that suite you. Each recruiter is working on multiple job searches, so if you’re looking for a specific role – clarify which position you’re referring to. Recruiters want to find talent and they want to get to know you. Because they’re dealing with thousands of candidates, specific reasoning will benefit you both.
If you’re reaching out because you’re unsure about current openings, you can usually find this information online. Recruiters post about their current searches on LinkedIn. You can also use the agency’s website to find fitting opportunities and the appropriate recruiter to reach out to.
Asking for more information on an opening or requesting feedback on your candidacy are completely valid reasons to reach out. Even if there isn’t a job available, you should still reach out if you have specific roles in mind. Plus – If a recruiter accepted your LinkedIn request, know that they’re already expecting you to reach out to them.
Keep it short and sweet
You don’t need to provide lengthy information in your initial contact. If you’re a viable candidate, a recruiter will set up a phone call where you’ll get the opportunity to share details about yourself and your job search.
Ideally, your message should be readable in 30 seconds or less. An example of a concise message on LinkedIn is:
“My name is _ and I’m interested in XYZ opportunity. I’m reaching out to introduce myself and learn more about this role. Attached is my resume. Do you have time for a call tomorrow? I’m available anytime after 3 PM.
Thanks in advance for your time.”
Personalizing your message is even better. Do you have any shared connections or interests? Tailored outreach with a warm intro is easy with a little research. Finish your message off with a clear objective or call to action. You can also add a brief snippet on why your background and experience would be beneficial.
Let them know your availability if you’re planning on scheduling a call. If the recruiter doesn’t reach back, don’t be afraid to send a follow-up. Worried about what not to do? Here’s a list of things to avoid sending.
Stick with it and eventually, you’ll find that recruiters are reaching out to you.
If you’re looking for new opportunities, you can check out our searches here or email info@jdisearch.com.