What to know when messaging potential employers

Recruiters and hiring managers are the traditional gatekeepers of employers. You will likely want to reach out to them to submit your application, follow up or emphasize why you’re the perfect candidate for a specific position. Unfortunately, you may not always get a response. If you do, it may not be the one you want.

In fact, one of the most common complaints I hear from job seekers is that their messages to recruiters and hiring managers go unanswered. If this has happened to you, I can guarantee that you are not alone.

“I advise my clients to expect probably two to three responses for every 30 messages that you send out,” said Rosie McCarthy, who is the founder of Badass Careers and a 2020 LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers. 

While there is nothing anyone can recommend that will guarantee a response, there are a few steps you can take that will increase the odds of a recruiter or hiring manager replying to your message.

In fact, scores of LinkedIn members offered up their suggestions for reaching out to recruiters and hiring managers in the comments of a recent post. You can see all of their responses by clicking here.

Don’t take silence personally

One of the most important things to address before we dive too far into this topic is that you shouldn’t take a lack of response personally. Recruiters and hiring managers have a lot on their proverbial plates. Like any professional with an overflowing inbox, they may not always respond to each message.

“No one is on the other side thinking, ‘what a loser to reach out to me. How dare they!’ No one's thinking these things,” said McCarthy, who previously worked in recruiting and human resources.

Instead, she said recruiters and hiring managers likely read the messages, plan to get back to you when they have more time but then work and life get in the way.

Get to the point

Once you accept that you’re not guaranteed a response, it’s time to think about the actual message you plan to send off to the recruiter or hiring manager.

McCarthy says it’s important to remember when writing your message that the person who receives it is very busy. Writing a long message with broad or general questions is likely not a good strategy.

The recruiter or hiring manager may be checking LinkedIn or their email during a short coffee break or between meetings, she says. Sitting down to write a response to a long message that asks general and broad questions can feel overwhelming if you need to add it to your already long to-do list.

McCarthy said it’s best to be direct — especially with recruiters — and address these points. “You've got this role open. You need it filled. I think I could do an amazing job at it. And then a call to action.”

She suggested that you be specific when making your case for the job. Don’t just say you’re motivated or a good communicator, she said. Recruiters want to know what specific skills will make you succeed in that job. 

Additionally, she said it’s important to end with a specific call to action, such as a question that won’t take too long to answer. For example, you can ask something about the company’s culture or even for a 10- to 15-minute call. “It's just an excuse to start the conversation,” she said.

Once you send off the message, she said it’s OK to follow up twice. 

Always try reaching out

McCarthy said you should always try reaching out to the recruiter or hiring manager with a well-craft message. It can help bump you into the top-tier of candidates for the job.

Of a job with 300 applicants, she said maybe only 10% are good candidates. “Out of the big pool of candidates, only some are great, only some are excellent and it doesn't take much to get there.”

Then, if you get into that top tier of candidates, she said you’d be competing with 30 people instead of 300.

Reach out to others

You don’t have to limit yourself to hiring managers or recruiters, said McCarthy. 

“A lot of people shoot straight for the top and actually there's a lot of power in internal referrals,” she said. You could try reaching out to people who are doing a job similar to the one you want or people who are a couple of years ahead of you. 

If you can make an impression on them, McCarthy said they may forward your application or documents to their contact in talent acquisition or human resources.

What’s your advice for reaching out to recruiters or hiring managers? Join the conversation.

? Want even more #GetHired?

I go live each Friday at 12:00 p.m. ET from the LinkedIn News page to discuss important issues affecting job seekers and to answer your questions about looking for work. I spoke with Talent Paradigm’s Lindsay Mustain on the most recent episode. You can watch it below or by clicking here.

Coming up...

I’ll be chatting with Kamara Toffolo, who is a resume writer and job search consultant, on the next #GetHired Live. Click here to RSVP and submit your questions.

? The follow-up

Career changes are gaining popularity as the pandemic forces people to reevaluate their professional goals. Yet, many people struggle to make the move to a new field. Natasha Stanley, who is the head coach at Careershifters, said in the last edition of #GetHired that there are a few steps people can follow to make a career change a bit easier. She suggests job seekers be open to new experiences and talk to other people about their jobs. Stanley said job seekers should use conversations to learn about careers and fields. They shouldn’t wait for permission to start doing the work. Also, they should create a support network for themselves. Here’s what people are saying about the advice.

? Other news to help you #GetHired:

Tech may have a job for you. Several sectors within the technology industry have grown over the past year — despite the pandemic. Riva Gold, my colleague, recently talked with Leah Brighton, founder at Mirae Talent & Executive Search, for Get Hired: Canada about finding a job in tech. Specifically, Brighton suggests looking for areas of growth, putting your skills into action and networking. Here’s what people are saying about her advice.

Looking for job search and career experts around the globe? I unveiled the latest class of LinkedIn’s Top Voices in Job Search and Careers late last year. Since that is an English-language list, my colleagues around the globe have been looking for job search and career experts in their regions of the world who are also worth highlighting. They recently unveiled their lists! You can find these voices from France (by clicking here), Italy (by clicking here) and Spain (by clicking here). 

Here’s who’s hiring right now. As I’ve said before, we’re doing our best to connect you with companies that are still hiring during these troubled economic times. Part of that effort is a regularly updated list of companies we know to be hiring. Some of those include Amazon, Walmart and CVS Health. Click here to see more.

? Up next:

One of the traits of successful companies is that they are welcoming to people from all backgrounds and actively create an inclusive environment. We’ll be talking about the research behind this in the next edition of #GetHired. Additionally, we’ll talk about how you, as a job seeker, can find out about the diversity of a company’s workforce and how it fosters an inclusive environment. Let me know what you think in the comments of this post by clicking here.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to reach out to me if you have ideas on topics or questions I should address in future editions of #GetHired. You can also email me at GetHired[at]LinkedIn.com.