How to Message Recruiters After Updating Your Profile

It's networking week! You told me you wanted to learn more about networking, so this week I've been sharing networking tips. Today we're talking about how to connect with recruiters. Well, here's how NOT to approach recruiters: “I’m looking for a job. Can you help?” "Can you help find some suitable roles in [job title] and [job title]?" "Can you find a job for me?" I am not a recruiter and I get these messages often. And not in the "I see you’re a career coach and I need help with my job search" way. I get messages that are "I think you’re  a recruiter who can help me get a job." On behalf of overworked recruiters everywhere, let me break it down ... • Recruiters don't find jobs for you. They fill jobs that are in their pipeline. • Please don’t approach recruiters in this way. You will never get a response. Recruiters are juggling dozens of roles and hundreds of contacts at once, they don’t have time to respond to messages like this. • Recruiters are busy and risk-averse. They want to put forward the best candidates, so you have to explain why you are that person. ❗ If you are contacting a recruiter about a specific role, APPLY FOR THE JOB FIRST and include in your message: "I applied on this date for this job title (include a req # if available)..." then follow my message template below. If you are cold-calling a recruiter, here’s a few things to do: 1) Do your research - Only contact recruiters who hire for your ideal company, job title, and/or industry. 2) Make your message short and to the point. Use short sentences, short paragraphs, and bullet points. (If you’re sending a direct message on LinkedIn, you are limited to 300 characters.) 3) List your ideal job title and industry. 4) Include your location. 5) Share top skills. 6) Mention your most impressive accomplishments. 7) Attach your resume. SAMPLE MESSAGE TO A RECRUITER: "Hi [Name], I’m a SaaS product manager in Boston skilled in Agile, data analytics, and market research. My products have increased user engagement 50% and brought in $3M+ in revenue. I’ve included my resume if you are recruiting for this type of role. With gratitude, - Emily" (274 characters! Woot!) If you want to send a direct message but you only see the “Follow” button or messaging is not an option, click “More” → “Connect” → Add a note to your connection request. (See attached picture.) I'm rooting for you 👊 ***** Hi, have we met? I'm Emily, and I'm on a mission to get the #greenbannergang back to work, one actionable step at a time. #networking #jobsearch #recruiters #jobhunt #jobseekers

I'm a full-time recruiter and I believe messaging recruiters on LinkedIn still works. If you want a job from a cold LinkedIn message, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲: A few days ago I shared a cold email template for reaching out to recruiters. The post got a lot of attention, and the top comment was asking for a LinkedIn template to reach out to recruiters. Here’s the thing: LinkedIn messages have a 200-character limit, meaning you can't send a lengthy pitch like you would in an email. So here's how I would send a cold LinkedIn message: "[Name], I noticed your recent posting about [role]. Here's why I'm a good fit:  - [Reason #1: Talk about how many years of experience you have, or one key experience] - [Reason #2: List 1-2 additional skills highly relevant to the role] Would love to chat more.  [Name]". If you keep the bullet points concise, you can easily keep this message under the character count. For example:  - Reason #1: "5+ years exp. in coding" - Reason #2: "Skilled in Python & Java." This is a super easy way to stand out during recruiting, and it's much more effective than a basic message that doesn't provide any tangible info. Caveat: Please only send these messages for roles you're genuinely a good fit for :) - 💡Want to learn more of the recruiting hacks I learned over 4+ years as a recruiter? Follow me Timothy for weekly recruiting tips.

Here’s exactly how I’d approach a recruiter at Google on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is the top platform for job seekers to connect with recruiters, and yet so many people get it wrong. No, you don’t have to send a 500-word message. And no, you don’t have to wait until a job is posted. Here’s the roadmap to connect with recruiters at top companies like Google, Amazon, or Microsoft: Step 1: Find the right recruiter Use LinkedIn’s search bar: “Google recruiter” or “Talent acquisition at Google.” Filter for location and department. If you're applying for a software role, look for tech recruiters. Step 2: Personalize your connection request (Day 1) Keep it short and to the point: “Hi [Name], I noticed you specialize in [specific field] hiring at Google. I’d love to connect and learn more about opportunities in [specific domain].” Step 3: Follow up after connection (Day 3) Once they accept, send a polite follow-up message: Mention a specific job listing or your interest in their company. Attach your resume. Example: “Hi [Name], thank you for connecting! I’m really interested in the [job title] role at Google. I’ve attached my resume for reference and would appreciate any advice you could share about the hiring process.” Step 4: Build a long-term connection (Week 2+) Engage with their content. Share meaningful updates on your profile about projects or certifications. The timeline should look something like this: Day 1: Send the connection request. Day 3: Follow up with a personalized message. Week 2: Engage with their posts or send an update about your progress. Remember, recruiters are busy. Not all will respond, but that’s okay. Focus on building genuine connections, not just sending messages. P.S. Follow me if you are an Indian job seeker in the U.S. I talk about job search and interview prep.

Feel like your messages to recruiters are going to a black hole? You are not alone. If you’re struggling to connect then here’s an idea for you. Ask them “are you currently hiring for any roles? And if you are I’m curious which ones to see if I can help you”? I’m receiving anywhere between 5 to 10 messages a day from candidates. Most messages are ME ME ME ME look at me look at my résumé here’s what I want here’s what I want here’s what I want. 1% of the messages have anything to do with me, the Recruiter in consideration of what I’m working on or doing To be perfectly honest I barely have enough time to go through my candidate messages for the jobs that I’m currently working on less random messages from random people on LinkedIn. I’d imagine this is most Recruiters you’re trying to reach. My best advice for wanting to reach out to hiring managers and recruiters is to be curious about what they’re working on. Literally use the word curious you are curious jobs that you are hiring for and you’re curious if they’re even hiring right now. Remember, curiosity opens doors. Instead of pushing your résumé, pull them into a conversation. Want to stand out? Next time you message a recruiter, try asking what they’re working on instead of just what you want. I’d love to hear your thoughts, what’s your go-to approach when reaching out to recruiters?

When you’re looking for work or trying to establish a relationship with a recruiter,  pay attention to how they like to be contacted. Think of us like an airport—thousands of people coming in and out, and we need to make sure we’re reviewing candidates, adding the right people to our database, and sending relevant updates. It’s a lot of work! So, those systems we have in place? They’re there for a reason. I get it, creatives, you hate filling out forms. But trust me, they’re important. So here’s what not to do: - Don’t comment on my post with your phone number. It’s not Craigslist, and it’s just strange. 😬 - Don’t send me a DM on LinkedIn with tons of copy and PDFs, then do the same thing in an email, and then submit a form on the website. That’s too much. Here’s a better roadmap: - Go to the recruiter’s website and see how they like to be contacted. Follow the directions. - Use LinkedIn DMs as a follow-up: “Hey Keva, I saw your post, I went through your channels, and I filled out the form—just wanted to say hi and give you a heads up.” This should come after you’ve requested to connect. - Don’t reach out without sending a LinkedIn connection request first. - A few days later, send a brief email follow-up: “Hey, I applied and sent a connection request. Here’s a PDF of my resume. Just wanted to say hi and I’m excited to be considered!” Short, sweet, and efficient. Don’t send the same thing three times on different platforms. It makes you look sloppy, and like you just copy-pasted everything. Customize your approach and use each platform effectively. We notice when you do it right! #CreativeProfessionals #KevaDineAgency #BFFRecruiters