How to reach out to a recruiter
Recruiters can be a valuable resource for job seekers. They are trained to find candidates for open positions and often have access to jobs that aren’t listed online or elsewhere. Here’s how to network with a recruiter and increase your chances of getting a new job.
Consider the recruiter’s company and your professional goals.
If you’re interested in working with a recruiter, it’s essential to understand that they are not your new best friend and are not looking out for your best interests. Recruiters are paid to do a job in order to help their company, not you. They have no obligation to be friendly or helpful if it doesn’t benefit them directly.
What does this mean? Well, if you’re looking for a new job or considering switching jobs or careers altogether, then recruiters can be a fantastic resource for helping with the process, but only if done correctly!
If done incorrectly (which is often), then recruiters can cause more harm than good by making false promises and misleading candidates into taking offers that aren’t perfect ones at all but which have been heavily promoted by their employer through expensive marketing campaigns designed especially for this very purpose – namely getting desperate candidates who feel pressure from their current employers because those employers won’t give them raises, etc., so they jump ship instead because “it feels better somehow.”
Decide to whom you want to speak.
Once you’ve decided to whom you want to speak, it’s time to pick up the phone, email, or LinkedIn message them.
If the recruiter’s name is not apparent from the job listing or company website, look for a link that says “Contact” or “Careers.” If there isn’t one, search for their name on LinkedIn and see what comes up; sometimes, recruiters will have their own pages with contact details.
Once you know who you’re talking to, send them an introductory email to explain why you’re reaching out and why they should take your call/respond to your message.
Choose a suitable method for contacting the recruiter.
The best way to contact a recruiter depends on the circumstances. If you have a lot of time and want to put some thought into the message you send, email is a good option. If you don’t have much time and need something quick, calling or messaging on social media could be better.
It’s also important to remember that recruiters are people too! This means they won’t always respond immediately because they’re busy with other things in their lives. In addition, recruiters might not always answer every question right away because they want to make sure they give accurate answers—they don’t want to tell candidates “yes” if there isn’t any hope for them getting hired (or at least being considered), so it’s best if you don’t expect them to answer quickly every single time.
Introduce yourself, and ask for the recruiter’s assistance.
- Introduce yourself to the recruiter.
- Ask the recruiter for his or her assistance.
- Explain your situation as clearly and simply as possible to make it easy for the recruiter to understand why you are contacting them. This should include information about what type of job you are looking for, how long you have been searching for employment and any relevant education or experience that might be helpful to them in understanding what you can offer an employer. Be sure not to leave anything out! If gaps in your resume or any other part of your career history might be relevant here, this is an excellent place to mention them (even if it seems insignificant). It’s better than leaving things out; recruiters will appreciate knowing everything about potential candidates instead of having “holes” where important details may otherwise fit nicely into some kind of storyline later on!
Identify a specific job you want to apply for if you have one in mind.
Once you’re ready to set up a meeting with a recruiter, it helps to have either a specific job in mind or some sense of what kind of work you’d like to do. If possible, identify a specific job. This will help guide the conversation and ensure that the recruiter has time and space in their schedule for you.
If you don’t already have one particular role in mind, take this opportunity to ask for advice! Recruiters can be great resources for figuring out what kinds of roles are suitable for your career goals and experience level.
Tell the recruiter why you think you’d be a good fit for your target job.
If a recruiter calls, it’s probably because they think you’d be a good fit for the job they’re recruiting for. If this seems like a good fit to you, explain why! You can also subtly hint that you’re interested in their company or the industry by asking questions about them. For example:
- “I’ve been following your work with [company X] and am interested in what they do.”
- “I’m excited about this role because it combines my experience with [skill Y] with the chance to learn more about [industry Z].”
You don’t need much time here—just a sentence or two should suffice.
Ask if the recruiter would like any further information about you.
- Ask for the opportunity to speak with the recruiter directly: “So, what do you think? Are we in the ballpark of what you’re looking for?”
- Ask for their contact information: “Can I have your email address to send my resume over, and we can keep in touch?”
- Ask their permission to contact them again in the future: “Do you mind if I follow up with you next week? It would be great if we could talk more about this role.”
Keep your message brief and to the point.
Keep it short and to the point. Recruiters don’t have time to read long messages, so keep things brief. Make sure you don’t ramble on about how excited you are to work for the company or how interested in their open positions you are; recruiters know that already from the job description. Also, avoid using emoticons (like :), smiley faces, or other types of emoji because they may look unprofessional and can come off as childish or unprofessional.
Don’t use an overly formal salutation like “Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms.,” either—just write “Hi [name],” and get right into addressing why you want to work there personally and professionally (we recommend starting with what stands out most about the position). Finally, don’t use too many words—keep it short! A recruiter doesn’t need a closing like “Thank You For Your Time And Consideration Of My Application. Sincerely Yours.”
Thank the recruiter for his time and attention after introducing yourself.
Thank the recruiter for his interest in you, for taking the time to meet with you, and answering all of your questions.
Thank the recruiter for his willingness to help you land a job at this company. He has more power than he may realize at first glance; recruiters can introduce candidates who are not necessarily qualified but have good energy (the recruiter may also be able to provide contact information)
Thank him profusely—he’s helping you get closer to that dream job!
Recruiters are there to help you, so you must communicate effectively with them!
Recruiters are there to help you, so you must communicate effectively with them! Recruiters are not there to make your life difficult. They are not there to make you feel stupid or wrong about yourself. They’re not there to put you down or make fun of your application materials or tell you all the things that went wrong with it (even if they do).
If a recruiter says something like this in response to one of your questions:
“I can’t answer that question.”
or “What on earth makes you think we’d be interested in someone like *you*?”
or “How did *you* get into college? We never took applications from people like *you*. Ever.”
then it’s time for some critical self-reflection about how well *you* are communicating with these recruiters!
FAQ
When should you contact a recruiter?
If you’re ready to start applying for jobs, it’s time to reach out. Recruiters are good at what they do and can help guide you through finding the job that fits your needs and interests best. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the different jobs available in this market, so make sure that when you contact recruiters, they know exactly what kind of position(s) you’re looking for. This way, they’ll be able to focus on companies who fit those criteria while also sending opportunities their way!
How do you start an email to a recruiter?
- Start with a greeting.
- Introduce yourself and explain that you are seeking a position at the company, again referencing the job title you’re interested in.
- Include your resume in the message so that they can learn more about your background and any other information they need to know (e.g., salary requirements).
- Ask for their help! Recruiters want to make sure everyone gets placed appropriately; this way, everyone wins!
How do you directly reach out to a recruiter?
Recruiters are not always available to answer the phone. If you can’t get through, leave a message with your name, contact information, and the best time to reach you. Then try again later or send an email or LinkedIn message. You should also be prepared for the recruiter to contact you!
Is it OK to contact a recruiter on LinkedIn?
Yes, it’s perfectly acceptable to contact a recruiter via LinkedIn. Recruiters love receiving messages from candidates (and not just because they’re busy people). However, you should do so strategically to ensure that your message is customized for the recruiter to whom you are writing.
Here are some tips for getting started:
- Use a personal message instead of a generic one. Generic messages like “I saw your profile on LinkedIn and thought I’d reach out” or “You may be interested in my experience as a blah blah blah” are dull and obvious—and they’ll go straight into the trash folder where they belong (or worse, get passed along to another recruiter who doesn’t care about them either). Instead of saying something like that, take some time before sending your first message by carefully reading through their profile and showcasing how well matched you are for the job opportunity with an opening note about why this particular job would be suitable for both parties involved.
- Make sure your message is relevant to the recruiter’s interests and yours! If nothing about this particular job opening excites them personally or professionally, then there’s no way they’re going to respond enthusiastically back! If anything seems “off” about any given post, maybe something was posted too soon after being approved by management? Or maybe it seems too basic/generic? Or maybe even just kind of boring… Then chances are pretty high that other recruiters won’t respond either, so make sure everything looks good before posting publicly online!
Is it OK to call a recruiter?
The answer is yes! It’s OK to call a recruiter.
There are a few ways you can contact a recruiter:
How do you write a message to a recruiter?
- To get your message to the right person, you’ll need the recruiter’s name, the company they work for, and their contact info. If you don’t know any of these things, it’s okay to say that in your message. You can also include any other relevant information (like a personal connection or specialized skill) that would make you an ideal candidate.
- Write a friendly greeting—like “Dear [recruiter’s name]”—and address them by their first name if possible (e.g., “Dear Joe”).
- Make sure that all links are working correctly! Recruiters often receive hundreds of emails per day and will only read those with fully functional links before moving on to another email from another candidate who may have more experience or better qualifications than yours but doesn’t have broken links in his/her message.
How do I impress a recruiter via email?
- Be specific about the position you’re interested in.
- Explain why you would be a good fit for that position.
- Include your resume (this is important).
- Ask if the recruiter has any questions.
- Thank him/her for his time and attention to your query!
How do you tell a recruiter you are interested in a position?
Here are some ways you can let a recruiter know you are interested in a position:
- Send a short email. Email is the most common way to contact a recruiter, so if you want to get noticed and stand out from other applicants, make sure your email is concise and clear. In your subject line, mention the position you’re applying for; this shows that you’ve done your research on their company and career opportunities! Be concise in writing about what attracted you to this job—and how your skills fit with those listed on their website—but don’t include long lists of qualifications or past experiences unless they ask for them in their job description or ask questions during the screening process.
- Send a short message on LinkedIn. Another way to reach out is through LinkedIn messaging: if possible (and appropriate), try talking directly with someone who works at the company where they’ve posted this job opportunity instead of going through an intermediary like Monster or LinkedIn itself (which may alert them too soon!). This could lead directly into further conversations about whether he/she thinks this role would be proper for both parties involved; it will also help build trust between potential employer/employee because he/she has seen firsthand how well-written your application materials were before even meeting face-to-face!
Conclusion
Following the steps in this article can help you make a good impression on recruiters. Remember that if you’re ever stuck, you can always ask for help from others!
