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Do’s and Don’ts for Connecting with Recruiters—Spend Your Energy and Time Wisely

Jan 04, 2025
Do’s and Don’ts for Connecting with Recruiters—Spend Your Energy and Time Wisely

By Jessye Kass Karlin is the Founder of Jessye Kass Consulting

 

“Message recruiters” was the networking advice you received… but what does that mean? 

“I always write to recruiters, and I never hear back!”

“Recruiters never respond to me!”

Have you said this or heard this before? 

If you’ve felt frustrated by tons of advice about your job search, you’re not alone. If you feel demoralized by your search, you’re not alone. If you have been frustrated by not hearing back from recruiters when you send outreach, you are also - not alone. It is CONFUSING and hard to know where to direct your energy in a job search that can, at times, feel endless.

Your time is valuable and important. This article aims to help you make the most of your time to get better outcomes when reaching out to recruiters and maximize your effectiveness.

How to (and How Not to) Connect with Recruiters

Here’s some advice on how to think about this process, what to do, and what not to do. 

Unfortunately, due to the number of messages received, your approach to messaging recruiters will affect whether you get a response. 

Job searching is an exhausting process. You have limited energy and time, and you want to be thoughtful about where you spend that time. Messaging a bunch of recruiters your resume may feel productive, but the return on investment (ROI) for such outreach is often extremely low. Instead, focusing on well-targeted personalized messages AFTER YOU HAVE APPLIED will yield better results and help you conserve your energy. 

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Recruiters (myself included) who often receive dozens or even hundreds of messages daily simply don’t have the bandwidth to respond to every inquiry. So, it’s crucial to make your message count. Remember: recruiters are hired by clients looking to fill a role, so while we may be a great representative for you - we are not talent *agents* - we work for the organization that wants to hire us to find you. 

Here's a guide on how to connect with recruiters effectively and how to avoid approaches that won’t get you far. Hang in there, job seeker! You’ve got this! 

Examples of Ineffective Approaches (Grades C-F)

These common mistakes will almost always result in your message being ignored:

“Hi, I’m Fred, a data analyst. Do you have a job for me?”  

Grade: F  | Result: Ignored 

Why it won’t get responses:

  • It is vague and lacks critical information (like location and experience) 

  • We don’t have jobs for you. We may be hiring roles you are a fit for, and we may not. Do some research on our website or LinkedIn pages to find out what types of roles we recruit for and what is currently active. 

  • It shows a lack of research or preparation, and it is not at all specific to the recruiter or what they recruit for. 

 

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“Hey Jessye, I’m Fred. I have 6 years of experience in data analysis. Take a look at my resume and let me know if you have a role for me.”

Grade: D | Result: Ignored 

Why it won’t get responses: 

  • It’s still vague! There is no location information or further information about what you’re seeking. There is not enough detail about what you bring to the table in terms of experience or skills. 

  • It’s asking the recruiter to look at your resume - which is an ask - without a relationship and usually without knowledge of the recruiter’s specialty areas. 

  • For me, this kind of message is definitely a “D” because I do not recruit for tech roles! 

    • Research the recruiters you message, and contact folks in your industry. You’ll almost always be ignored if your inquiry isn’t relevant to the field the recruiter is in - do your research. 

 

“Hi Jessye! I’m Tito, and I have been working in [unrelated to the recruiter’s field] for a decade. Can we set up a 30-minute phone call this week so I can tell you more about my qualifications?”

Grade: C- | Result: Ignored

Why it won’t get responses:

  • Whoa there, Tito! We just met via message, and you want me to set up a 30-minute call? That is a big ask and is unlikely to yield results.

  • You’re not working in my industry. 

  • Recruiters don’t have time for unsolicited phone calls or casual interviews. These requests tend to come off as presumptuous. 

 

“Hi Jessye! I’m Tito. I am located in TX, and looking for work in TX or OK. I’ve been working in [field adjacent to recruiter] for 7 years now. I saw the [XYZ] role you posted recently, and while it’s not a fit for me, can you please reach out if you see any jobs that are a good fit for me? I have attached my resume.” 

Grade: C+ | Result: Likely Ignored

Why it won’t get responses:

  • “Reach Out if You Have Something for Me.” This puts the onus on the recruiter to do the work. For me, I have thousands of people in my network and talent pool, and I’d love to remember all of you - but I can’t. 

    • If I’ve already interviewed you and met you, I may be able to keep you in mind - but if you’re cold emailing and asking me (or others) to keep you in mind and reach out if we “have a role,” you’re going to hear a lot of crickets. 

  • It’s possible you’ll hear back as this message gives:

    • Clear info on location and background

    • It is related to the field in which the recruiter recruits

    • The recruiter may have an upcoming or current related role, and they may glance at your resume

Tips for Effective Approaches when Contacting Recruiters

To make your outreach effective, take a targeted, thoughtful approach. My number one recommendation would be to only reach out to recruiters after you’ve applied to a role.

Here’s how to maximize your chances of a meaningful connection (and a reply):

  • WHO: 

    • Reach out to recruiters IN YOUR INDUSTRY. 

    • Use the search tool on LinkedIn. Search: Recruiter AND [your industry] (add #hiring if desired).

    • Use the capital AND in between terms to improve your search (Boolean search is the term). You can even add desired roles: Recruiter AND Director of Operations AND nonprofit. 

    • Research recruiters before you reach out, it will increase your chance of a response.

  • WHAT: 

    • Be Specific About Your Qualifications and Location: Let the recruiter know who you are, where you’re based, and what you bring to the table. This makes it easier for them to match you with potential roles.

    • Share your relevant experience: Briefly (seriously, be pithy!) describe your qualifications (years of experience, key skills, impact/results).

    • Key success: Highlight a key success. Now is your time to stand out - but with a carefully crafted and brief message. 

    • Add a personal touch to your message so it doesn’t feel like a copy-paste job. This helps you stand out in a sea of generic messages.

  • WHEN:

    • For the best results, reach out to a recruiter after you’ve applied to a role they are recruiting for!

    • While you can reach out to recruiters in your industry if there is not a current role you’ve just applied for, it will have a lower response rate and is not AS effective. 

    • When reaching out before an application is submitted, but sure to show that you’ve:

      • Researched them as a recruiter and are in their industry

      • Shared relevant info needed (see WHAT section) 

  • WHERE:

    • Using LinkedIn inbox is fine, but if you can find their email address, that will yield more positive results (as long as you’re following the rest of the advice). 

    • Try commenting and engaging with their posts on LinkedIn first before sending a message so they recognize your name.

Examples of More Effective Approaches (Grade A)

Grade A | Result: Likely response (dependent on recruiter and role!) 

“Hi Jessye, Hope this finds you well today!

  • I’m a digital marketing manager with 5 years of experience building campaigns to raise revenue for consumer goods. 

  • My biggest success was increasing profit by 13% last year through a new campaign. 

I’ve recently applied for the Marketing Director position at XYZ Org, and I’d love to connect to explore whether my background fits what you are looking for. Wishing you all the best in the search!”

Why it is likely to get a response:

  • Clear explicit info on what roles and expertise this candidate has to offer.

  • Successes are stated to show impact.

  • Recently applied for a role they’re recruiting for (so there is no need for location info!)

  • Does not act entitled to the recruiter’s time.

  • Quickly scannable.

  • Improvements: connection to the role/XYZ Org or a personal touch could be added

 

Grade A- | Result: Possible response 

“Hi Jessye, I noticed you focus on social impact roles. Over the last 9 years, I’ve worked in nonprofits in program development and volunteer management. I do not see any roles currently posted that would be a good fit, but given the synergy in your work and what I am seeking, I thought I’d reach out in case it would feel useful to you to chat more!

I am looking for roles:

  • As a Program Manager or Volunteer Manager

  • Hybrid or In-Person in NYC or Remote

Key successes:

  • Increased volunteer retention by 67% by overhauling the volunteer training program and adding group supervision for volunteers

  • Designed an outdoor drop-in service program for participants in a low-threshold program

I understand your time is valuable. Would love to connect if it felt right to you. Here’s my email as well: email@emailing.com”

Why it is possible to get a response:

  • Clear, explicit information and recognition of the industry. 

  • Not entitled to the recruiter’s time or asking them to keep you in mind for anything.

  • Alternative contact method provided.

  • Quickly scannable.

  • It won’t 100% get a response, but if you have time and energy, this will be your best approach if you haven’t already applied for a specific role. 

Conclusion

Reaching out to recruiters can have mixed results, but it can be useful. On average 10-30% of those I interview will have reached out to me after they’ve applied. What will also support you is diversifying your job search (ie, where you apply, how you alter your resume, where you search for roles, etc.). You can also consider finding a mentor or coaching to support your search! Pay it Forward Coaching offers free coaching, and many career coaches offer great options (learn more about how to pick the right career coach).

Networking, particularly with recruiters, can sometimes seem confusing or inaccessible. Hopefully, with these tips, you’ll be better prepared to make your messages the strongest they can be! In your job search, every bit of energy counts. A well-thought-out message is much more likely to get a response, saving you and the recruiter time. By focusing on specific connections and applying before reaching out, you’ll find your efforts pay off far better than sending out mass, vague inquiries or requests for roles. Your time is limited and valuable as well  - use it wisely! 



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Jessye Kass Karlin is the Founder of Jessye Kass Consulting, providing talent acquisition consultancy services, HR consulting, professional development services and individual/group coaching. Empathy, communication, and equity are the three key pillars of her work. 

 

For more tips, follow Jessye on LinkedIn

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