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.
This is awesome. Thank you so much!
You’re so welcome! Hope it is helpful.
Hi,
Content is very helpful
Thanks
Hi Mayuri, I’m delighted you find the content helpful. Good luck in your search! Julie
Hi really great article and very helpful. I saw one opening in one of the company and applied but no response yet. I contacted a person who is working in the same company via LinkedIn inmail and he accepted my request. Now I want to send him a referral request so that he can refer me in his company.
I will appreciate any help
Hi Amit,
Instead of asking him for a referral to the job, I’d ask him for an informational interview to find out more about his experience in general and especially his experience with the company. When someone doesn’t know you, even if s/he connected with you on LinkedIn, s/he will not feel comfortable recommending you for a job in their company. Their personal reputation is on the line. So the better approach is to get to know them a bit by asking about their experiences and career path, tell them about your skills and the kind of value you can provide their company, and ask for their advice and guidance. Then if a job comes up at their company, you can ask if s/he would be comfortable recommending you for the position. Always say “I understand completely if you are not comfortable doing so. Wish me luck!” Good luck to you in your search. Best, Julie
Hi really great article and very helpful. I saw a recent posting for a job that I am really interested and it is with my previous company I worked at. How do I introduce myself to the recruiter as former employee and tell them I am interested in the role they have advertised.
Thanks for your help
Hi Kay,
Great question! Your approach will be different depending on how you left the company and what the new position is. If you left under your own steam and for a better position, I’d pitch yourself as someone who knows the company, has developed more skills and will bring a new perspective along with great familiarity to the company. It’s important to say why you left and it needs to be something like an opportunity to grow and advance that you couldn’t pass up, but you always regretted leaving the company because it’s so great. Mention your specific skills as related to the position (top 3 or 4 only), and say why you’re now in a position to return and add value to the company and help it even more to achieve its goals.
If you left because you were let go, it will be very hard to get a recruiter to listen to you – unless it was a layoff. If the management has changed, then you have a better chance because the people with memories might be gone. If you were fired, there’s no going back, I’m afraid.
Good luck!
Julie
Hey, I am looking for entry level jobs for Electrical positions and I have experience of 1 year in product development. so how do I reach out to recruiters? Because i see something is missing in my messaging as very less are responding back
Hi Pavan,
Remember that recruiters work for the employer and for themselves, making money by placing someone in a job. Your mission is to tell them how you can meet an employer’s needs. If you’re looking for entry-level jobs, I’d emphasize your education and the fact that you have a year of experience in product development, which means you can immediately add value to any employer.
A couple of things to remember:
1) Take your time! Your communications need to be professional and proofread. As an example, your message to me could have started “Hi Julie” instead of Hey (I know this is a blog, so I’m not criticizing you – I’m just using it as an example of how to be careful about how you appear online). And there is an ‘i’ instead of ‘I’ which tells me you wrote this very quickly. Take your time when you write to a recruiter so you are putting your best foot forward.
2) Be clear about the positions you want. You say “electrical positions” which could mean being an electrician, an electrical engineer, or something completely different. It matters, because with just a few exceptions, recruiters don’t recruit for entry-level jobs. In the tech industry, they do. So manage your expectations about whether they will respond to you. Use a cover letter and apply for entry-level positions you find on Indeed.com, Glassdoor.com, and Dice.com, among other sites. You will probably get a better response from those applications.
Good luck, Pavan!
Julie
Hey, I am looking for entry level jobs for account manager positions and I am an intentional student with experience in PR and digital. so how do I reach out to recruiters for a position I have no experience in.?
Hi N, the key is to identify the skills you already have that also apply to account management. Those transferable skills may make you a more interesting candidate for an entry-level account manager job. You also have to have a compelling reason for wanting to make the career shift – is it more in line with tasks you really enjoyed in past jobs? Are you loving your classes in that area? And finally, saying that you are in school to learn about the field is always a good sign. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is stuffed with keywords found in account management job postings, and it’s more likely for a recruiter to find you. You might reach out to recruiters in account management for an informational interview – or to someone who is in a position to hire account managers. Many advertising agencies use recruiters, and perhaps someone inside the company will refer you to the recruiter. If a recruiter thinks you’ll make them money through them placing you, they may be willing to talk to you. Good luck! Julie
Hi Julie,
Thank you for the wonderful article and spreading the knowledge. I am searching for a software developer position and I email recruiters the following message, could you please evaluate if it is alright :
Hi Michelle,
I am currently a Masters student at ABC in Computer Science. I have prior internship experience and over 30 projects across web application development, backend and mobile development. My core competencies are as follows:
Languages : Java, PHP , Javascript, CSS, Python, JQuery
Web : SOAP, REST, MVC, Bootstrap
Databases : MySQL, PostgreSQL
My skill set closely aligns with that of the job description and I would be able to actively contribute to the software development that this position demands. Please contact me if you have any positions that fit my description.
Best Regards,
cba
OR would something as simple as this template be recommended :
Hi,
I am asd. I am a MS CS student at asdf. I am actively looking for Full-time Software Developer roles starting January 2017.
My previous work experience includes a summer internship at xyz and a year of Mobile development experience for abc.
I have Bachelor’s degree from XYZ. I will graduate from Stony Brook in December,2016.
Please let me know if you have any open positions for my profile. I have attached my resume for your reference.
Thanks and Regards,
ABC
Please feel free to suggest anything else you feel fit to send recruiters. Thank you so much for helping us out.
Hi Roy, first, apologies for not responding sooner – it’s been a busy several weeks! Second, I like elements of both letters, and would combine them like this:
Dear [name],
I’m actively looking for full-time Software Developer roles, now that I’ve gotten my Masters in Computer Science.
I have experience as an intern at xxxe and worked at xxx on over 30 projects across web application development, backend and mobile development. My core competencies are:
Languages : Java, PHP , Javascript, CSS, Python, JQuery
Web : SOAP, REST, MVC, Bootstrap
Databases : MySQL, PostgreSQL
I welcome the opportunity to talk with you about any opportunities you have that can benefit from my skill set and experience. I’ve attached my resume, and my LinkedIn profile is http://linkedin.com/in/roy…… You also can reach me at xxx-xxx-xxxx. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Thanks,
Roy xxxx
I hope that helps. People like to know what you want to do and why you are qualified to do it, which is why I combined the two letters. And making it easy for them to contact you shows you as a problem-solver – always a good trait.
Good luck!
Julie
Great article thank you.
do you have cover letter templates when you applying directly to the employer?
Hi Nilam,
I’m so glad you liked the article and hope it was helpful. I do have cover letter guidance – not templates – that I offer to my coaching clients, because it’s pretty complicated. I include some guidance in my ebook. And you can check my posts on cover letters to see guidance I provide to all readers on how to construct a cover letter.
Good luck! Julie
Unfortunately I made a mistake and got a ticket of consumption and possession of alcohol tonight. Does that automatically disqualify me to be in the armed forces.
Hi Nicholas,
I did a bit of research on this and the answer is “maybe.” The core message I got is that you would need to be honest with the recruiter about getting the ticket, have paid the ticket, and not get in trouble for alcohol again. They hate lies more than anything and if you lie and are found out later, you would get a dishonorable discharge. If you test positive for alcohol during the recruitment process, you won’t get it. Drugs, too. And if you do get accepted and later get in trouble for alcohol, the past offense may result in a dishonorable discharge. Here’s the url for the list of what disqualifies you to be in the Army. http://army.com/info/usa/disqualifiers The other services are either the same or much stricter than the Army. Good luck! Julie
Hi Julie,
This is a very helpful article. I have one more question. I want to reach out to a recruiter with whom I was in contact before. That recruiter was about to set up an interview with the hiring manager but before we could have decided on a date/time I got a job offer from some another company. Since I got an offer from the other company I very honestly explained the situation to the recruiter (that I have a job offer at hand and the company offering me the job has given me 3-4 days to accept it and that I will most likely accept it).I ended the communication with the recruiter on a positive note.
Now i have been laid off from that job due to poor financial condition of the company (along with 7-8 other employees). I want to reach out to that recruiter again because she was ready to set up an interview for me the first time. The good thing is that I see a couple of job openings on their company website that are an exact fit for me (one of the open positions is exactly the same we were discussing last time before I joined the other company). I have already applied online to all the positions that matched my skill set.
I need a little help drafting an email so that I can reach out to her and let her know that I am again in the market looking for job. I think letting her know (that we were previously communicating) I may have an upper hand in getting the interview call.
I will appreciate any help
Thanks,
D
Hi Divya, Very interesting question. First, it’s great that you were honest with the recruiter, and that it was another job offer that made you decline the interview. You respected the recruiter’s time, while subliminally reinforcing that you are a desirable candidate. Second, I’m sorry you lost your job. That’s hard, I know. And third, you’re smart to want to reach out to the recruiter. I’d suggest something like this:
“I’m reaching out to let you know that I’m in the market for a new position. Unfortunately, the company I joined (xx amount of time) ago suffered financial losses, so that means my services are no longer needed. I enjoyed our conversations about the xx job, which was a wonderful opportunity except for the timing, and would love to connect with you about any positions you’re handling for which I might be right. I see on your firm’s website that you’re handling the same position again, as well as a few others that are a great fit for my skills and abilities. Would you be open to a conversation about my ability to help your clients reach their goals? I’m attaching my updated resume, that contains my most recent position. You can reach me at xxx-xxx-xxx and [email protected]. I look forward to talking with you!”
This is honest and humble (at least that’s the intent). I hope this works!
Best, Julie
Hi Julie,
Great article, I’m found it to be extremely help, thank you.
I’m currently in a situation where I’ve been in retail banking working as an financial Advisor for a great portion of my life and now realizing I would like to transition into a completely different industry (IT) and try something completely out of my comfort zone, project Coordinator/ PM.
I ‘ve been helping my in laws with their business and did something quite similar to a PC role and enjoying it more than I thought!
I’m also working on my CAPM and also enrolled in Scrum & Agil classes. however, I am having difficulty landing a interview. What is the best way to approach or reach out to a recruiter or hiring manager? Hence, no experience in the IT world.
Warm Regards,
Pon
Hi Pon,
congratulations on doing so much to lay the groundwork for shifting into a new industry and career. I hope you are adding your current classes to the Education section of your resume, because that will help. One other thing that could help is adding the work you are doing for your in-laws’ business to your Experience section. You do not have to say it is your in-laws’ business or that you are unpaid. You are working and getting experience, plus making an impact. I think of it as an unpaid consulting gig. Call yourself a Project Coordinator if that’s what you are doing. Articulate the project(s) and the impact your work has had on the business.
Regarding moving into IT, IT project management involves knowledge that can be very specific to technology, software, programming, engineering etc. It can be difficult to move into that field without some demonstrated IT experience. I’d recommend taking an IT project management class, or a class on front-end web development – something that will show that you understand the field, its terms, what is involved in software development lifecycle or product development or app development. Once you have that, it will be easier to market yourself to a recruiter. And if you include that education and some keywords from that kind of class in your LinkedIn profile, you will have recruiters begin to seek you out. There is huge demand for people to work in IT – more for coders and engineers, but project managers as well.
Good luck!
Julie
Hi Julie,
Your article is superb. And It was a great help. I was wondering if you can guide me how to approach a cold call phone script. I mean the best way of talking to recruiter directly over the phone without getting hanged up. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I would love to follow your preferable script.
Thank you so much for your time.
Warm Regards,
Jahnabi
Hi Jahnabi,
the best way to get through to a recruiter is to focus on a job or the field for which they are recruiting. Recruiters are paid by the employer, so it is in their best interest to find the best candidate. If you have the background they want, many will be willing to talk to you. So the approach has to be substantive.
Here’s a script that might work: I’m calling because I have the xx, yy and zz skills NAME is looking for to bring his/her clients. I’d love to talk briefly with him/her about how I could help him/her meet his/her client’s needs. Would that be possible?
If you’ve done your homework about the recruiter and his/her clients, you have a 1 in 4 chance of getting a conversation. Your chances go up if you have already sent your resume/CV and can say “I sent my resume last week via email, and my name is xxx.” If you haven’t sent one, you can ask to whom you should send it. “I know s/he is very busy and I’d like to send my resume first, so s/he has a better idea of my skills and experience. Where should I send it?”
Remember that recruiters are in the business of finding talent. If you are professional and respectful in your approach, you probably will be able to get a 5 minute conversation with a recruiter in your field. Remember too that if you don’t have the skills and experience, the recruiter will not speak to you no matter what. So make sure you do your homework and have a resume that backs up your verbal claims.
Good luck,
Julie
Thank you for posting this. It’s concise but goes to the point and it’s useful. I’ll follow your advice.
Hi E.E., I’m so glad the post was helpful. Good luck! Julie
Hi Julie,
inappreciate the informative article, but more than that I wanted to compliment you on taking the time to give a meaningful response to each and every comment made to your article. Well done!
Keep up the good work.
Kind regards,
Shar
Hi Shar,
I so appreciate your comment – I care a lot about my readers and use comments as a great opportunity to add more information, clarity and value. So I’m happy you recognize it. Thank you!! Julie
Hi,
My friend gave my introduction to recruiter. He said to recruiter that he will forward his resume. I am an engineer. Can you please advise me how to respond correctly with shorter way?
Dear Sawant,
If I read your question correctly, you want to know how to correspond with the recruiter to whom your friend is sending your resume. Once you know your friend has forwarded your resume, you can write directly to the recruiter and say “Dear [name], my colleague [name] recently forwarded to you my resume for you to consider. I am an engineer who specializes in [fill in the details]. I’m hoping to be considered for positions such as [fill in the details]. I believe my abilities will be of great use to your clients. Would it be possible for us to have a short conversation about my skills and experience, and the kind of positions for which you recruit? I am available on [give 3 blocks of time you are free, on different days, e.g. 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday]. You can reach me at [telephone number] in addition to email. Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to talking soon.”
I hope that helps! Good luck.
Julie
What should be the title of the mail while inquiring about the job to recruiter? Thanks in advance and tour article is indeed very informative.
Dear Sana,
If you are applying for a specific job, put the title of the position in the email subject line. Recruiters will be on the lookout for candidates to fill their open positions. If you are doing a cold approach to the recruiter, the subject of the email needs to be something about your value and skills. If you’re a project manager who has a PMP, I’d say “PMP who will make your clients happy.” If you’re an account manager, perhaps “My customers love me and so will yours.” It’s a little cheesy and perhaps full of bravado, but for those very reasons it may be irresistible for a recruiter. Remember that they work for employers, not for you, and they only make money when they place someone in a job. By focusing on your impact on the recruiter’s client, you’ll be appealing to their bottom line.
Good luck!
Julie
It was very useful scripts. Thank You!!
Thanks, Neena. I’m glad they are helpful. Best, Julie
Thank you Jerickson for all your advice, I have found this very useful.
Much appreciated
Itohan
Hi Itohan, I’m glad the information was useful. Good luck in your job search. Best, Julie
Many thanks, quite useful information you have provided in few lines.
Thanks so much, Abdul! Good luck in your job search. Best, Julie
Dear Julie,
Thanks for wonderful advices. You covered every szenario, however I
would like to ask you for a favor by looking over the message below before I sent it.
Thanks in advance
Dear XXX.
I am really glad that I could finally connect to you as a specialized recruiter in the field matching to my skill sets.
Please feel free to call me any day after 2 pm UK time at …..
I am looking forward to our conversation to discuss my needs and how I might be a match to your clients.
Hi JJ, I’m glad you like my advice 🙂 It’s very nice to be appreciated.
Regarding your note, I think it is important to focus on the recruiter and the needs of his/her client – not your needs. Employers, and the recruiters who work for them, are only interested in how candidates will meet their needs, solve their problems, achieve their goals. The unspoken assumption is that you are looking out for your own needs, so don’t bother the employer with them.
Also, remember that every communication with a potential employer is an opportunity for you to market yourself. So mention some of your skills and why they are a match to the recruiter’s clients. For examples, “I look forward to discussing with you how my skills in engineering and project management can help your clients in the technology sector.”
One final point: if you are looking for work that requires fluency in English, I would double-check your grammar. Perhaps a friend could help you.
Good luck! Julie
Thanks so writing a really helpful article! I was wondering if you could offer me some advice about how to best write an email to recruiters who’s client base is Advertising & Marketing. I have been working in the commercial photo industry for 6 years and as a production manager at high end retouching studio for past 3 years but recently have been drawn to advertising. I’m trying everything I can to get my foot in the door so I’ve reached out & had really successful informational interviews with some of the best people in the industry. Each person has been really generous & shared with me contacts for several recruiters. What would be an appropriate subject line for this type of email? “Referred by John Doe – Seeking Account Executive Positions ” or “Production Manager with 6 Years Experience”
for the Main body I was thinking something like this would work at getting the recruiters attention.
”
Dear John,
I hope this email finds you well.
John Doe, Group Account Director at XXX, recommended I contact to you for advice and guidance in my job search. I’m reaching out to explore potential opportunities you may have for someone with my background and qualifications. I’m a Production Manager with 6 years of experience, currently working at XXX and am very interested in exploring opportunities in the Advertising industry. I’m extremely enthusiastic about working the industry because it’s the business of being creative in order to influence; it combines my interest in psychology, the behavior of people, pop culture and strategic thinking – specifically about what’s going to hit a cultural nerve.
In my current position, I work directly with ad agencies and global brands, so I understand their needs and what challenges they face. I manage the day-to-day operations of the studio and the production of all our retouching jobs for global ad campaigns and editorials. I work directly with photographers, print producers, photo editors and art directors on intensive retouching projects. Beginning with concept development, strategic planning, budget and turnaround negotiation, coordinating deliverables to managing the production schedule. I implement the art direction of each project by directing the retouching team and oversee all our projects to ensure that that the final artwork produced exceeds clients’ expectations; fostering a stronger relationship for future business.
I’ve attached my CV which outlines my relevant work experience in creatively driven environments; specially with client relations, production/project management, sales, strategic planning and budget/turnaround negotiation.
May we schedule some time to talk about how I might be right for one of your clients?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you,
John Doe ”
I would welcome any advice or feedback you have. Thanks!!
Hi Cindy,
I’m delighted to read that your search is yielding some great contacts. For your email subject line, I’d go with the “John Doe recommended I contact you” because a personal connection always trumps a blind pitch. If the recruiter respects John Doe, then there’s a better than even chance s/he will contact you. Recruiters like to pick up the phone, so be sure to include your phone number in your email.
Re the email itself, it’s got some good stuff in there about your experience and abilities. I’d love to see you say why you are right for advertising. Something like “Based on my research, I have the skills and experience ad agencies need in a Production Manager. As Production Manager at a photo studio, I’ve developed the systems and processes for making sure our production operations go smoothly, meet tight deadlines, and deliver excellent product so we can wow our clients.” The question you always have to answer is “so what if I do these things? What’s the impact I have on the company’s bottom line?” I call it the “so what” test. Another thing to remember is that all recruiters are asking themselves “what’s in it for me?” of WIIFM. By stating right up front that you know something about what ad agencies need, you’re starting to build the case for a recruiter sending you to his/her clients – because if you get placed, the recruiter makes money. The last tip is to state the obvious. You may think it is obvious that you have the skills to be a Production Manager at an ad agency. It’s not. People in general have little imagination. If people had more imagination, there would be no need for a home staging industry to show people that a room could be a bedroom. So you have to state that your skills are exactly the ones an employer needs, and that with your expertise and experience, you’ll be able to deliver great value immediately to an employer.
Good luck! Julie
PS check for typos and grammatical errors, e.g. the extra “to” in the first line, second sentence. These little things are noticed by employers and will count against you. The recruiter or employer will ask “If you can’t take the time to be careful on a job application, how will you perform on the job?” Treat the application as your first day on the job and make sure you make a good first impression.
This is awesome. It has helped me in connecting with recruiters.
Very aptly written.
Dear Kunal,
I’m so happy to hear that this post helped you connect with recruiters! Thanks for letting me know.
Good luck in your search.
Best, Julie
Thanks alot for this amazing article. I’m sure many job seekers will get benefited by this. Keep up the good work.
Thanks so much, Rohit! I appreciate your kind words. Julie
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
Hi Julie,
Great article, I’m found it to be extremely help, thank you.
I’m currently in a situation where I had been asked to send resume by recruiter who reached me via LinkedIn about a month ago.
How to write a cover letter reminding him about the conversation that happened a month ago and send him my resume.Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I would love to follow your preferable script.
Thank you so much for your time
Hi Manu,
I’m very glad you found the article helpful. Re sending a cover letter reminding the recruiter you talked a month ago, I think you need to acknowledge that you realize you are late in responding, due to either family or work-related reasons.
BTW, my reason for not responding sooner to this message is that I have been ill for the past month and not looking at my website. So apologies for not responding sooner.
And then I’d say something along the lines of “I know I am too late to be considered for the position you were recruiting for, yet I am very interested in that kind of position and believe my skills will benefit any employer with such a job opening. I hope we can talk soon about my expertise and experience, and how I might be right for other positions for which you are recruiting.”
I hope that works!
Best, 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!