Reach Out to Recruiters on LinkedIn (The Right Way)!

Jeff -

tl;dr

Your message to the recruiter should end with a request to put you in touch with someone who is currently working in the role you’re applying for

Watch it in action

The game-changing tip

There are 3 good reasons why your message to the recruiter should end with a request to put you in touch with someone currently working in the role

  1. Recruiters want to help those who help themselves. It’s good to show you are proactive when it comes to the job search process.
  2. You show that you are able to problem solve effectively—a skill applicable to all industries
  3. You come off as humble - You convey the fact that you don’t know enough about the role but you know that the quickest way to find out is to connect with someone working in that exact capacity
💡
Pro Tip: You should ALWAYS make an effort to connect with someone working in the position you’re applying for

Here’s a 3-step process you can follow

👋 Step 1 - Connect with recruiter first

To receive an engaged response from your connection request, you should write a message where you:

  • Relate to the other person in some way
  • Use compliments
  • Add value

For example, if I were interested in a Product Marketing position at Apple, I might first try to connect with the recruiter by writing the following message:

🗒️
Hi Annie, I see that we’re both working for MNC tech companies and based out of Shanghai. I also noticed you pursued your bachelor’s degree at UNNC, where our company recently ran a college outreach program. Would love to connect if possible!

🗣️ Step 2 - Ask recruiter for introduction

Now that you’ve connected and established some rapport, you can send a longer message without coming off as too direct or aggressive.

Continuing with the Apple example:

🗒️
Hi Annie, thanks for accepting my connection request! I saw the Product Marketing Manager job posting from 2 weeks ago and I am currently doing a bit of research on the role to see whether I’d be a good fit.

Would you happen to know anyone on the team I could have a casual chat with to better understand the position?

As a fellow Product Marketer working in the tech space myself, I’d love to learn more about the day-to-day and team culture before I bother you with specific questions on the application process

Thank you!

Some points to keep in mind:

  • Try to distinguish yourself from other candidates by relating your previous experiences to the job posting
  • Show consideration for their time by mentioning how you want to learn more on your own before following up
  • The million dollar question—asking to connect you with someone on the team

👣 Step 3 - Follow up with recruiter

The goal is to let the recruiter know that your desire to join the company is now stronger than ever.

Here’s how I would follow up:

🗒️
Hi Annie, just wanted to close the loop and let you know my conversation with Jane went very well!

Thank you again for putting us in touch. I had no idea that the iOS App store was creating so many opportunities for Greater China app developers while adhering to Apple’s strict Privacy policies.

Chatting with Jane has only solidified my interest in joining Apple’s Product Marketing team in Shanghai and I would love to send over my resume for your review if convenient.

I sincerely believe the stakeholder management skills I have developed during my time as a Product Marketer at Google would transfer over well to this role at Apple.

Remember to…

  • Show the recruiter that your values are aligned with that of the company
  • Reinforce your interest in joining their team and ask to send over a resume as a next step
  • Bring up a specific skill that the recruiter might be looking for in a strong candidate

And if you get rejected?

Most recruiters will provide you with alternatives, such as:

  • A 30 minute chat for the role you want
  • Having them forward your resume to a hiring manager

These will STILL help you stand out from the crowd. Anything is better than reaching out to the recruiter aimlessly and hoping for a response.

For more tips on how to job search like a pro…

Don’t forget to check out this post to improve your resume and increase your chances!