Who does not know it? As a recruiter, you have a perfect candidate, and you can’t attract them to the company for any number of reasons. But when the perfect candidate doesn’t even respond to the first LinkedIn InMail, it’s especially annoying.
There can be many reasons for a failure to respond. If necessary, users simply do not check their messages. Possibly, they are limited to LinkedIn and Co. active. or they just don’t feel like answering. With numerous LinkedIn InMails, which that land in your inbox every day, no one can blame you.
Still, as recruiters, we need to get candidates to read and respond to our messages. But how exactly do we go about it?
“Stand out” is the key word here. In a competitive talent market, it is necessary that our LinkedIn InMails Stand out in an applicant’s crowded inbox. Find out exactly how we do that and how you can attract the next great candidate to your job in our 5 tips for successful LinkedIn InMails.
1. find a strong entry point
A catchy subject line in your LinkedIn InMail makes candidates curious about what you have to say. Your subject line is the first opportunity to grab an applicant’s attention. It decides significantly on the response rate. Candidates who are happy in their current company will not take action on the subject “We are looking for a job in X” or “Career opportunity”.
Our tip: Keep the subject lines of your LinkedIn InMails in a nutshell. A little incentive encourages applicants:inside to open the message to learn more, so you shouldn’t give too much away.
2. establish a connection
Personal words in the LinkedIn InMail can increase the response rate by 20%.
Even if you have a great subject line, it’s unlikely an applicant will respond or even read the first few lines if your message was obviously copied and pasted.
Mention in your Inmail A specific article or blog post that the applicant has written and shared on social media. Reference something from his or her background, such as a company he or she once worked for or an initiative where he or she did community service. It doesn’t have to be anything groundbreaking – a reference to an unusual hobby that the applicant states in his or her profile is also sufficient.
People like to feel noticed. When you act on what they say in their profiles, you show that you are really paying attention. You can still create a template for your LinkedIn InMails use This should simply not look like a template.
LinkedIn-Studies show that response rates increase by 20% when the InMails are personalized. Especially for in-demand candidates, this could be the deciding factor that sets your job offer apart from a dozen other offers.
3. recognize the skills of the applicant
Think about how you want to use your LinkedIn InMails make it more personal. Don’t be afraid to mix a little flattery into the mix. When people feel their skills and efforts are recognized, they are more motivated to help others – which in this case means responding to your message.
Let the applicant know what makes them special. At least you took the trouble to write to him. So you must have noticed something positive. Be sure to include details to show you mean business. Don’t just write “your career is impressive,” but mention in the InMail what exactly is impressive about it.
Better yet, make a clear connection between the applicant’s accomplishments and why you’re interested in them – for example, by highlighting a rare skill your company needs.
In fact, research from LinkedIn has found that more than half of all candidates expect the LinkedIn InMails from recruiters include information about why they are writing to the candidate and why the candidate is a good fit for the company or the job.
4. be direct and understandable
Formulate in your LinkedIn InMail clear next steps and remember that messages between 200 and 400 characters lead to higher response rates. So keep it short and sweet.
Add to the InMail a clear call to action so that applicants feel encouraged to respond.
5. use your network
If you regularly hire candidates from the same industry and region, there’s a good chance you’ll have common connections with more contacts. Check if there are colleagues working in your company who are also related to the applicant.
The mention of these employees in the LinkedIn InMail is a quick way to let candidates know that your company is worth checking out: After all, if their LinkedIn connection likes working there, he probably will too.
You don’t have any contacts in the company? Check if you have connections to the people who have confirmed your candidate’s skills or given a recommendation. If you mention that a former colleague recommended him because of his excellent programming skills, that is also a form of recognition and therefore particularly effective.
Conclusion:
Even if your LinkedIn InMail no matter how good it is, there will be many candidates who do not respond. So don’t be disappointed by few answers. Not everyone can be interested in your position.
Nevertheless, stay positive and continue to try to send candidates personal LinkedIn InMails to send you opportunities for further development. After all, what you’re offering isn’t bad, you just have to sell it in a palatable way.
Respect that applicants will certainly have other responsibilities besides work, such as childcare or caregiving responsibilities at home. Bear with them if they take a little longer to respond.
