LinkedIn is a great platform for job seekers to reach out to recruiters and hiring managers. But it’s important to know how to approach these professionals correctly if you want to have a successful relationship.
First, make sure you attach a brief message to your connection request. This will increase your acceptance rate.
Make a Connection Request
Whether you want to reach out to a recruiter for career advice or to get a job, a LinkedIn connection request is the best way to go about it. But, you should make sure that your message is well-written and is focused on the person you are contacting.
Start by introducing yourself. Explain what drew you to their profile and why you would like to connect with them.
Your initial message should be short and to the point, demonstrating that you have taken the time to research them and understand their company and role. It also shows that you are genuinely interested in them as a potential employer.
If you have a lot of people to connect with, consider using a tool that can create request message templates for you. This will save you a lot of time and help you to stand out in your prospects requests list.
Send a Message
Reaching out to a recruiter on LinkedIn can be a powerful way to find new opportunities. But you’ll need to be strategic with your approach.
First, you need to understand why you want to connect with them on the platform. Is it to inquire about a specific position, check if they have any openings, do general networking, or ask about internships?
Next, you’ll need to craft your message. Keep your message brief, yet effective, to ensure that you get the attention of the recruiter.
Using InMail is one way to do this on LinkedIn, but you can also send a direct message to a member. You can use up to 200 characters in the subject line and 1900 characters in the body.
Follow Up
After you send the first message to a prospect, it’s important to follow up on their response. In most cases, a follow up email will generate a higher response rate than the first one.
When you follow up, make sure to provide value for your prospects. This can be in the form of information, tips, or a lead magnet that is relevant to them.
To get the best results, use a cold email outreach software that allows you to create unique follow-up sequences with different settings. This will cut costs, save time massively and maximize your follow-up success.
In addition to the content of your follow-up, you should also take care of the formatting and style of the message. It’s important to write the letter in a professional manner and avoid spelling or grammar errors. Using a tool like Grammarly can help you ensure that your message is free of mistakes.
Nurture the Relationship
If you’re a recruiter, it’s important to nurture the relationship with candidates that didn’t make it into the final hiring round. This helps them feel valued and keeps them interested in your organization, even if you don’t have an open job for them at the moment.
A good way to nurture your relationships with candidates is to send them personal messages on LinkedIn. This makes them feel like you’re actually a real person rather than just a cold-calling email address.
You can also extend your value by boosting leads’ status updates and articles with helpful comments. This builds trust and allows you to sell your services without appearing overly pushy.