Beware Recruiters — The Do’s and Don’ts of Using LinkedIn InMail
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2025 9:01 am
I remember shortly before I graduated from college I updated my LinkedIn profile. I was getting ready to be recruited by the top companies and I knew this was necessary in today’s world of active sourcing, skill shortage and GenY. The final step was to change my LinkedIn Summary and Status Update– the first thing that a recruiter or any other interested person would see on my profile.
Confident in my updates, I closed my computer and waited for the messages to roll in. Having received quite a few LinkedIn InMail after the updates, I’d like to share some Don’ts that I picked up and offer some Do’s in case you you’re using them as a recruiter.
Don’t: Use the wrong subject line or miss one completely
Subject Line: Job XYZ, Your Job at Company X, Looking for a job? Those subject lines feel united kingdom phone number library at best like spam. It might as well look like the prescription med ones you occasionally find in your spam folder and no one is going to open those or consider it an objective recruiting process. Never leave the subject line blank or generic. It’s unprofessional and won’t catch anyone’s attention.
Do: Give a compliment
Awesome Profile! or You have amazing experience listed in your profile! Offer something that the person is interested in (namely themselves). You might call this cheesy, but it works if you’re goal is to start a conversation or build up a relationship with the potential applicant.
Don’t: Provide an impersonal introduction or fail to include first names
Dear First Name (fail to actually insert the name), Dear potential applicant or Hello! It’s impersonal if your potential candidate immediately thinks that this message goes out to 500 other people. They want to feel special.
Confident in my updates, I closed my computer and waited for the messages to roll in. Having received quite a few LinkedIn InMail after the updates, I’d like to share some Don’ts that I picked up and offer some Do’s in case you you’re using them as a recruiter.
Don’t: Use the wrong subject line or miss one completely
Subject Line: Job XYZ, Your Job at Company X, Looking for a job? Those subject lines feel united kingdom phone number library at best like spam. It might as well look like the prescription med ones you occasionally find in your spam folder and no one is going to open those or consider it an objective recruiting process. Never leave the subject line blank or generic. It’s unprofessional and won’t catch anyone’s attention.
Do: Give a compliment
Awesome Profile! or You have amazing experience listed in your profile! Offer something that the person is interested in (namely themselves). You might call this cheesy, but it works if you’re goal is to start a conversation or build up a relationship with the potential applicant.
Don’t: Provide an impersonal introduction or fail to include first names
Dear First Name (fail to actually insert the name), Dear potential applicant or Hello! It’s impersonal if your potential candidate immediately thinks that this message goes out to 500 other people. They want to feel special.