InMail Tips: How to Approach Top Talent via LinkedIn
LinkedIn has become a fundamental resource for connecting with a diverse pool of experienced professionals. The platform provides a way to search for and approach executives via InMail – a premium feature that allows hiring authorities and executive recruiters to send messages to members who are not in their social network.
Our executive recruiters share their tips on how to reach out to quality candidates via LinkedIn InMail:
Personalize. The candidate is less likely to respond if the message appears to be sent to the masses. State the reason why the message is relevant to them, whether it be their specific industry experience or skillsets that would make a great fit for the position.
Be clear and concise. The message to the candidate should be brief and to the point. Having an InMail with too many paragraphs can overwhelm the recipient and obscure the basic message.
Emphasize through format. Bold, underline, or italicize key phrases and sentences that candidates should take away from the overall message. Also, be mindful about the amount of emphasis included in the message. Too many font changes defeats the purpose of highlighting the important areas of the InMail.
Feature main components of the job description. If the candidate is interested in the position, they will want to learn more about the role and responsibilities before fully committing to the hiring process. When including a job description, the message must quickly highlight the basics of the job: who (to the degree possible or a generic expression), where (location), what (job title), and why (compensation and other unique aspects of the position).
Have a call to action. Tell the recipient what they need to do to express interest in the assignment. In addition, encourage them to connect with you on LinkedIn in case there may be future opportunities that may be of interest to them. Even if the recipient is not interested at this time, keeping in touch with them is a great way to develop long-term relationships and potential referrals.
Provide contact information. Include an email address or phone number after the closing of the message for the recipient to have as reference. Ease of access is vital, and the more the merrier.
No initial response? Follow up. Candidates who do not respond back to an InMail can imply that they are not interested in the position, but that is not always the case. It is possible that the candidate was distracted or too busy to respond back at the time. A one-time follow-up is reasonable and worth it.
LinkedIn offers a key channel and the simplicity to easily advertise hiring companies and attractive career opportunities to top talent. It is crucial to follow these precise, yet simple and effective recommendations, in order to enhance correspondence and improve your rate of response.
* Bristol Associates, Inc. is proud to report that our current LinkedIn InMail response rate is 46%, and over 71% of our recruiting assignments come from existing clients.
Bristol Associates, Inc. is an executive search firm with over 50 years of excellence in recruiting nationwide. Bristol specializes in recruiting for the Casino Gaming; Hotels and Resorts; Travel, Tourism, and Attractions; Facilities and Concessions; Food and Beverage Manufacturing; Restaurant; Hospital and Healthcare; and Nonprofit industries.
If you’re interested in working with Bristol Associates, click here if you’re an employer or here if you’re a candidate.
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