You can reach out to recruiters on LinkedIn or email as part of your job search strategy. There are external recruiters – those who send candidates to companies – and internal recruiters – usually on the HR staff. Some companies use both, some use only one.
Reaching out to recruiters is a chancy proposition, though, because some recruiters will welcome your message while others will ignore it. External or internal, recruiters work for the client, not for you. They will not act as your representative. So don’t rest your job search success on reaching out to recruiters.
If a recruiter has a current search for which you might be a good fit, chances are they’ll want to talk with you to explore whether you are worth a fuller interview. Some recruiters will talk with you because you might be right for a client sometime in the future. And a very few recruiters will talk with you because one of their very good friends recommends you to them.
I’d start with LinkedIn, because your profile serves as your on-line resume. You don’t have to send a resume. And your message will have your title attached to your name, so if you’ve clearly articulated your field and skills, it is shorthand for a recruiter to see if s/he wants to read further. Here are some scenarios:
1. If a recruiter has looked at your LinkedIn page (and uses their name instead of being anonymous), you have an opportunity to reach out to them. Here is a script for doing so:
Dear [name],
I saw that you visited my LinkedIn profile. Thank you. I wonder if there is any way I might be of service to you. I see that you recruit for companies that need someone with my background and skills. Is it possible for us to have a conversation about your needs and how I might be a match?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best,
[name]
2. If you are connected to any recruiters (1st degree), you can send them a message.
Dear recruiter,
Thank you,
I’m writing to see if there is any way I might be of service to you and your company. I see on your company website that there are several areas in which my skills and experience could be of value to you. Is it possible for us to have a conversation about your needs and how I might be a match?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best,
[name]
When connecting via email, you can adapt these scripts, and add more information about why you think you could help the company – essentially writing a cover letter. You’ll need to attach your resume, as well.
If a friend refers you, use that person’s name in the very first paragraph, as in “so-and-so recommended that I reach out to you for advice and guidance in my job search.”
If you don’t hear back, you can try one more time, and then stop. Don’t bug the recruiter. There may be some day in the future when s/he does have the right job for you and you want to be remembered in a positive light.
Hi Julie,
This article helped me a lot to know about job seekers. I have one question, I am working as recruiter for IT firm. I use to send lot of emails to resources to know their interest. May i know any nice template, which will attract, job seeker interest? Appreciate your help. Thank you!
Suresh Valluri
Hi Suresh,
what a wonderful question. I know that the IT field is very competitive, and qualified people can pick and choose where they work. The key to having someone open your email is to identify their needs and wants, and address those in the opening or subject line. Think back to conversations you’ve had with candidates. What were the two or three items that were most important to them?
From my own clients, I know that tech people like high compensation, flexible schedules, and being respected. So a subject line might be “Competitive compensation, great schedule and work environment.” This has to be true, of course!! People are very smart and they also use Glassdoor.com and other sites that rate companies, so you will be found out if you misrepresent the reality of your company.
Assuming you do offer those assets, you can then go into more detail in the body of the email. Here’s a sample structure:
Dear [name],
I’d love to talk with you about a terrific job opportunity with my company [name of company].
We’re hiring a [title], who will [brief description of duties]. Our compensation package is very competitive, and we value our employees.
I hope you are interested in learning more about this position, for yourself or perhaps you know someone who might be right for the position.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best, Suresh
Thank you so much, this helped me alot; wonderful
I just had a question and i’d appreciate if you can help me out
I would like to pursue an Investment banking career after i am done my graduate school (MSc Finance) and I am sending messages to people that are currently Investment Bankers for suggestions and guidance about the industry.
What can I put as my subject line that will attract the person to read the message?
Thank you so much in advance,
Aisha
Hi Aisha,
thanks for the compliment and the question. It’s smart to focus on getting your email read in the first place by people with whom you want to network and get information from about the investment banking industry. If you are being referred by someone, I’d put their name in the subject line, as in “Jane Doe recommended I contact you.” The personal reference is most likely to get an email opened. If you are an alumna of the same college or university, mention that in your subject line, as in “Columbia MBA student requesting informational interview.” If you are doing a “cold call” email, I suggest a direct approach, as in “Information interview request” or “I’d value an informational interview with you” Or “Student seeking your expertise.” Having not tested any of these, I don’t know how they’ll work. My experience is that when people approached me for networking interviews, I appreciated the direct ask. I always responded to alumnae from my college. A final tip: I responded 100% to people who took the time to write a personal note, complimenting the organization, my work, and saying why they wanted to network with me. Emails are very easily lost in the electronic noise, while handwritten notes always get to the person because they are so rare.
Good luck! Julie
This post was very helpful and landed me an interview as well!!!
Thank You,
Angel
Hi Angel,
what great news! I’m so glad the post helped you land an interview. And thank you for letting me know. It means a lot to me.
Best, Julie
This is the most absolute best!
Hi Quiana,
I’m so glad you found it helpful! Good luck to you.
Best, Julie
Class article! Helped me a lot 😉 Thank you 😛
Thank you so much, Kasia. I’m glad it was helpful. I think so much of job search is about knowing the right things to say 🙂 Best, Julie
Thanks for sharing some wonderful suggestions. I am sure the script can be used many job seeker like myself as an amazing guideline while searching for opportunities through various channels.
Dear Hamid,
I’m so glad the post was helpful. Good luck in your job search!
Julie
Good article. I’m going through many of these issues as well..
glad it was helpful, Carley.
Hi Julia,
I enjoyed your article. Recently I was contacted by a recruiter with a potential opportunity that I’m extremely interested in. She left it at “please let me know if you are interested in learning more about this role.” I would really like to make a stellar impression in my first correspondence with her. Do you have any advice on the best way to respond in this situation?
Thanks!
Hi Paige, sorry I didn’t see this earlier! I hope you replied already.
The best way to respond to this kind of inquiry is to say “Dear so and so, I was delighted to receive your message regarding the position xyz at abc company. I definitely am interested in learning more about the position. As you may have seen from my LinkedIn profile, I have extensive experience in the field of xxx, and I would love to put my skills to use to help your client. Please let me know next steps, and if you would like to see a copy of my resume. Thanks again for reaching out and I look forward to hearing from you soon.”
This script immediately conveys enthusiasm and then reaffirms the enthusiasm. It is brief, yet makes a mention of your LinkedIn profile, which you need to have! More and more often, recruiters use that profile to determine whether they want to reach out to you (in addition to their regular networking among contacts for “who do you know who could…”). If you were contacted by someone who didn’t see your LinkedIn profile, you’re directing them there. You then take this communication opportunity to sell yourself as a fit for the position. You are proactive, asking about next steps. Finally, you reinforce your interest by encouraging them to contact you soon.
Good luck!
Julie
Thank you for the fantastic article! It can be so helpful to have a baseline script to use for foundational comparison. With tailoring, I think these will be very helpful.
Dear Dave, I’m so glad they were helpful. I find it’s always helpful to have a script. Job search is not your full-time job, so it helps to get tools from those of us who work in the field. Are there any other situations for which you’d like a script? I can address them in the future. Good luck in your search! Julie
Hi Julia,
I really appreciate your examples on making the connection with Recruiters and you said, “is a chancy proposition”, agreed. Keep of the excellent work!
Chris
Thanks, Chris! Glad you liked the post. I’d love to know how much success you have. Best, Julie
Thank you for the useful script.
glad it was helpful!