The power of social platforms towards connecting people has never been in dispute. But their effectiveness in getting talent—especially elite talent—the jobs they want? That’s been met with cynicism for a long time. The pain is the same on the other side—for every IT recruiter posting jobs, the wait for applications, and sifting through a barrage of irrelevant and inappropriate applications is unproductive and highly frustrating. Can a simple message to an IT recruiter bring you closer to your dream job? At Xperti, where our talent acquisition specialists receive several resumes every day, we know a simple message can work very well. In this article, we show you how to message an IT recruiter on LinkedIn in 5 Easy Steps. Put yourself on the career path you always wanted!
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The power of social platforms towards connecting people has never been in dispute. But their effectiveness in getting talent—especially elite talent—the jobs they want? That’s been met with cynicism for a long time. The pain is the same on the other side—for every IT recruiter posting jobs, the wait for applications, and sifting through a barrage of irrelevant and inappropriate applications is unproductive and highly frustrating.
Before you go on aggression mode—searching and pinging every profile that mentions ‘Recruitment Manager’ or ‘Talent Manager’, start by doing a little homework. In the technology industry, and especially if you’re trying to find IT Jobs in USA, focused and personalized is always better.
According to our findings, social platforms are increasingly more effective in connecting IT recruiters with top talent. The key is to be clear on what your objective is. Are you a passive jobseeker looking to build a network within the IT recruitment industry, or are you in a hurry to get a job, any job? Are you already the top talent in your current role and looking to shift to a more challenging and exciting role?
If your objective is clear, your LinkedIn message will be too.
LinkedIn offers several helpful tools, even in free accounts. To locate the right IT recruiter, start by placing search filters. Our first filter choice would be degree connections (it helps to have someone or something in common), but depending on your needs and your network, you can start by filtering by location too. The second is ‘content’. Now, this is probably one of LinkedIn’s most under-used features. Content helps you search for keywords beyond profiles—find recruiters using search terms like ‘hiring’ or ‘IT recruitment’ or ‘Apply for _______’ (the role you’re looking for). So even if one of your contacts shared a job post by a third-degree hiring manager, it should show up in the results here.
These steps are backed by real digital science. A Bullhorn study tells us that 97% of recruiters use LinkedIn (and other social networking platforms) to find candidates. Of this 97 %, 64% use LinkedIn exclusively.
According to the data, yes. In an earlier blog , we mentioned how the probability of matching passive talent with jobs improves if an IT recruiter proactively messages them. It works the other way around too. Top talent is always in demand. And if you can connect with an IT recruiter personally, describe the specific skills and competencies that make your profile stand above the crowd, you’ve already positioned yourself above your competition. Here’s why: With the LinkedIn message, you’ve:
Once you get the conversation running, you’ve graduated from ‘job candidate’ to potential ‘elite talent’ just a few clicks away.
Despite the abundance of material on how to find IT jobs in USA, how to gain an edge within IT recruitment or even simple career advice, we’re surprised at how many people get this part wrong. A LinkedIn message to an IT recruiter is not the same as a job application. It is not the same as writing to someone with a product query. And while eventually it may serve as a cover letter, it is not that either.
This email is your special chance to showcase your technical expertise to someone who is very busy, but also very keen to get connected with elite talent. Your aim is to make your point as quickly and clearly as possible.
Your attention to detail tells the IT recruiter how serious you are about the role.
Before you send out that innocent-looking message, be sure to check for:
Every IT recruiter is generally inundated with resumes and applications, but rarely the right ones. More often than ever, the right ones get overlooked because they don’t ‘pop out’ in some way. The solution to this is to make your message human. Personalize it, but sincerely. Mention an interesting point in the job description or add an unsolicited (but relevant) detail about yourself. (For instance, in a line or two mention a project or even an internship that was like the advertised role).
There’s a debate in the IT recruitment industry on whether jobseekers should attach their resumes in the first message or not. At Xperti, we encourage you to do this. Why? Because it creates talking points between you and the IT recruiter. If they’re in a hurry, your attachment solves a big problem for them. So good move!
Parsing tools that most talent management professionals use will help move your application faster. Without even reading it, such a tool can categorize your application and (if the resume is optimized to meet the ATSs), even match it with another open position. Your personalized message helps cover the tools and the analytics could not. So make sure you craft your message carefully.
Right before you press ‘send’ (and this has a cultural context), there’s a fine line between communicating and overcommunicating. Err on the side of caution. If the IT recruiter mentions his/her full name in the job ad, don’t start your message on a first name basis. Don’t say “thanks” instead of the more appropriate “Thank you.”
By the same logic, if they’re on a first-name basis, and sign off the same way, don’t distance yourself with a highly formal stance. In short, just a mirror.
For the repeat offenders, here’s a newsflash: The IT recruiter knows you’re looking for a position. What he/she needs to know is the what and the where. So instead of mentioning ‘please get me a job’ in your LinkedIn message subject, write ‘Application for ‘[specific role, e.g. Java Developer]’. It helps with search, saves time, and automatically positions you above your competition in technology talent.
When an IT recruiter thinks you’re a good fit for a role, they will definitely ask for more details or require updates around the information you’ve already shared. If you’ve sent a dated resume, don’t procrastinate! Don’t leave it ‘for the weekend’. If the update will take time, message the IT recruiter promptly mentioning the delay and its reason. If possible, specify the date by which the IT recruiter can expect to get your updated resume.
Bonus tip: Remember to thank the recruiter when you do get the job!
There are, unfortunately, no available statistics to identify just how many defective messages circulate between the average IT recruiter and technology talent, but we can safely say that supply heavily outweighs demand.
Let’s start with some practical ‘real-life’ examples that Xperti talent advocates come across every day.
You found a good position.
Should you start by saying “Hi XYZ, I’m ABC, and I’m a perfect fit. Why haven’t you hired me already?” (Take it from the talent advocates at Xperti, no).
Avoid depending too much on online job application email templates. The average recruiter reads thousands of job application messages each year and will lose interest if your message sounds exactly like hundreds before it.
Remember, this person isn’t just trying to close one position. At a given point, he/she has several. In your message, reference the job title and the source, if it helps. If the job ad didn’t have a detailed JD, express your interest in knowing more about the role, and politely ask for the detailed job description. Remember to add a courteous closing. (By which we mean, the polite phrases at the end of any standard business message).
Does this sound like common knowledge? We wish it was.
Glassdoor mentions how some candidates use misleading subjects in their emails. Others still use juvenile, high-school email addresses to send their applications. Many send mass-emails to multiple employers—without researching the business of even one. And typos? They’re everywhere—but most fatally, in the recipient’s name.
Don’t share details of your personal life, and at this stage, these include health, finances, and relationships. Instead, keep it brief and specific. Use bullet points or numbers. Again, this helps them remember your query.
With this, we cover half the checklist. The other half depends on the response from the other side.
It can only go three ways. The IT recruiter:
A significant number of technology professionals make the same mistake across all three situations: They pester the IT recruiter. From hourly calls to daily application status queries, the extent to which some jobseekers will go is unbelievable. Don’t be one of them. You’re the top talent. You know better.
There’s another disadvantage of this frequent follow-up. It makes you come across as inconsiderate and needy. Inconsideration is a big no-no anywhere, but especially in IT recruitment. Neediness makes you look desperate (and therefore, disadvantaged) at the negotiating table.
Another item on the ‘don’t list’ is how to respond in case of a rejection. A Pleading is wrong, of course. But so is retaliation.
Here’s how to message an IT recruiter on LinkedIn 5 easy steps
Again, are you looking for a job, a connection or advice? Your answer will set the course for the other four steps.
Are you looking for a position in a specific firm or any firm within one industry? Are you looking for vertical growth in the same technology stack? Use LinkedIn’s special search features to get an accurate response to your query.
Get to the point, courteously and concisely. If you have any questions about the application process (or have struggled to fill the online form), this is the time to bring it up.
If the recruiter does not respond within a week, send a follow-up message inquiring about the status of your message. Wait at least another week before sending another message. Before you do, check the official position status (on the website, or hiring boards) to make sure the position hasn’t been closed already).
Remember, regardless of your job application status, you should not close the door on your relationship with hiring managers. Thank them for their effort. Be open to future opportunities. Where appropriate, ask for feedback.
Use keywords like “the best way to reach out to IT recruiters on LinkedIn” or/and “message recruiter on LinkedIn”
As we mentioned earlier, the best way to reach out to an IT recruiter on LinkedIn is to keep it small and personalized. Five focused conversations with technology talent experts are far better than having one hundred superficial engagements with IT recruitment professionals.
Acknowledge the message and thank him/her for the interest in your profile. If there’s a query, respond to it. Attach your resume, unless the recruiter categorically asked you to apply elsewhere, either by email or filling an online form.
When a recruiter contacts you, it means your profile met some or many of the requirements of an open position. Respond with interest, answer queries, and inquire when it would be best for both of you to follow up. If you are not interested in pursuing the recruiter’s position, decline respectfully.
Recruiters should have your complete, correct contact information. They should also have the most recently updated version of your resume.1. If you have a project portfolio that supports your application, share that too.2. You need to share your availability/notice period, If you’re already employed, .3. Mention if you’re open to relocation or remote work, whatever the case may be(and if the job demands it). This is the basic information that recruiters are authorized to ask for. Though not always, and highly dependent on many factors, they may need visa status, social security details and health/insurance information in the future.
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