How to respond to a recruiter on LinkedIn
What do you do now that a recruiter has reached out to you?
There are a number of ways recruiters do this, but there are three main reasons that a person’s profile attracts the attention of recruiters. Firstly, your LinkedIn profile is set to “open to hearing about opportunities”. Second, the skills and experience listed on your profile categorise you as a suitable match to the available vacancy. Third, you have been active online recently.
In the message you received, the recruiter will most likely send a job description and ask if you are interested in discussing the job opening further, either over the phone or in person. They want to provide you with more information about this opportunity while also learning more about you, where you are at in your career, how open you are to new opportunities and whether you would be a good match for the role they have available.
The question is, what do you do now that a recruiter has reached out to you?
Advice on how to respond to recruiters on LinkedIn
Learn about dealing with inbound correspondence from social media in this video from Hays. Find out how to politely respond to recruiters on LinkedIn today.
Step 1: Responding to the recruiter
How to respond if you aren’t interested
Don’t ignore the message, instead, thank the recruiter for getting in contact and suggest when they could check back in to see if your circumstances have changed.
If you are open to new opportunities but this role isn’t right for you, let the recruiter know what you are looking for so they can ensure that you are only contacted about relevant roles in the future.
You may also like to send the recruiter your current CV. While you aren’t looking for opportunities now, you may want their help in the future, and you don’t want to cut ties.
How to respond if you are interested
If you decide to speak on the phone, remember the next key points.
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Responding to recruiters on LinkedIn
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Step 2: Do you want to be put forward?
As the conversation draws to a close, the recruiter will ask if you are interested in being put forward for the job.
If you need more information or time to think
If you need more time to think about the opportunity, say so. If you haven’t already received any form of job description, ask if this can be sent over to you. Then draw up a list of pros and cons about the opportunity, factoring in what this role can provide you with versus your current job. Crucially, consider how the role fits with your career ambitions. You could also use this time to research the organisation, by checking out their website, as well as any social profiles. Try to get back to the recruiter within a day or ask for more time if you need it.
If you want to be put forward for the role
If this isn’t the right role for you
Don’t leave things there though. You’ve made a new contact now that could be beneficial for your career down the line. Connect with them on LinkedIn and send them an up-to-date version of your CV so that they can consider you for future opportunities that match what you are looking for. After all, you never know what jobs they might be working on when you are ready to explore your options in the market.
Having a recruiter reach out to you on LinkedIn is a positive sign. It means you have a strong profile and relevant skills in demand. Regardless of whether you are interested in the opportunity or not, by keeping the lines of communication open you will build your professional network, learn about current opportunities and gain a lifelong career partner.
Some extra tips on responding to recruiters:
- Find out about the consultant and the areas they recruit in by reviewing their LinkedIn profile and recommendations. This can give you a better idea of their area of expertise, and which other roles they may be able to place you in.
- Make sure you find a space where you can talk confidentially and take notes about the opportunity.
- Have a copy of your CV and LinkedIn profile in front of you, and be ready to talk through it, highlighting your key skills and experience.
- Prepare some questions about the role and organisation, depending on what your career priorities are. For instance, does the organisation offer training and progression opportunities? How does the organisation describe its culture?