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Every recruiter has a “one that got away” story — that perfect candidate who just seemed to slip through their fingers. But when that ideal candidate doesn’t even respond to your first outreach message, it can feel especially gutting. 

Top-tier talent has always been in high demand, but we’re facing an exceptionally tight labor market right now. In fact, there are two job openings for every unemployed person in the United States, giving candidates many choices when it comes to where they want to work. If you want these candidates to consider your opportunity, you need to engage them first. 

It helps if your emails and InMails (private messages on LinkedIn) stand out in a candidate’s busy inbox. If you don’t make a compelling first impression, your messages probably won’t get opened, let alone answered.

To increase your response rate and help you find your next great hire, here are 10 LinkedIn InMail best practices that can improve your cold outreach.

1. Set yourself up for success: Some candidates are more likely to respond

Right off the bat, some candidates are more likely to respond to your InMails than others:

People who follow your company on LinkedIn are 81% more likely to respond Candidates are 46% more likely to accept your InMail if they’re already connected to someone at your company Candidates who are “Open to Work” are about 35% more likely to respond than others 

Filter your LinkedIn Recruiter search results to prioritize reaching out to these candidates so you can start off on the right foot. You’ll get an InMail credit when candidates respond, allowing you to expand your reach and increase the chances of finding your next talented hire.

2. Open strong: A short, catchy subject line leaves candidates curious to see what you have to say

Your subject line is your first opportunity to grab a candidate’s attention — and it can make or break your chances of getting a response.

If a candidate is happy at their current company, they’re not exactly going to leap into action when they read a subject line like “Trying to fill X position” or “Career opportunity.” And in a candidate-driven market where they may be receiving dozens of generic-looking messages, the chances of them opening your generic-looking message are even slimmer.

It doesn’t matter how good the opportunity is if the candidate never gets as far as reading about it. This makes your subject line the most important part of your message to get right.

“The best advice I ever received was to keep the subject line short and punchy,” says Maire O’ Connor, an executive talent researcher at HubSpot. “I like to put on my candidate hat and ask myself what would make me want to open a message.”

Keep your subject lines concise. A little intrigue encourages the candidate to open the message to see more, so you don’t want to give too much away up front. And whenever possible, try to build a personal connection — like calling out a shared interest or past employer.

A subject line like “Hello from a fellow bulldog owner” immediately signals to the candidate that you’ve taken the time to read their profile beyond their job title. It also makes cold outreach feel a lot warmer, motivating the candidate to at least see what else you have to say.

3. Use your network: Try to highlight connections you have in common

If you reference a common former employer in your first message to a candidate, your chances of getting a response leap by 27%. And something similar happens when you mention a mutual connection.

“Make sure to use your network first by checking if you have a connection in common,” says Calvin Liu-Navarro, head of technical recruiting at Dandy.

If you regularly recruit candidates in the same industry and region, there’s a good chance that you do share a mutual connection. First things first, check if anyone who works at your company also happens to be connected with the candidate. Mentioning that employee’s name is a quick way to let the candidate know that your company is worth checking out — because if their friend enjoys working there, they probably will too.

If that strategy doesn’t work out, see if you share any connections with the people who have endorsed the candidate’s skills or given them a recommendation. Calling out this kind of connection — like mentioning that the candidate’s former coworker recommended them for their amazing coding skills — can also serve as a sincere form of flattery, making it extra effective.

If you don’t share any connections, it’s not the end of the world. There are other ways to build candidate relationships.  

4. Make a connection: A few personalized touches can increase response rates by 15%

Even if you have a great subject line, a candidate is unlikely to respond — or even read as far as the final line — if your message was clearly copied and pasted.

“You never want someone to think they’re getting spammed,” cautions Maria Mencias, a senior recruiter at identity and access management company Okta.  

You can still use a template. But the last thing you want is for your message to feel like a template. Luckily, it only takes a few tiny tweaks to dispel that feeling.

Call out a specific article or blog post the candidate has written and shared on social media. Reference something from their background, like a company they once worked for or an initiative they pioneered. It doesn’t have to be something groundbreaking — even a reference to an unusual hobby they list on their profile will do the trick.

Again, this strategy works because it shows you’ve done your research. People like to feel noticed, and pinpointing something specific shows you’re really paying attention.

“A few personalized touches,” Maria says, “really help make your message feel tailored to them.”

LinkedIn data shows that personalized InMails perform about 15% better than ones sent in bulk, so it’s definitely worth taking the extra time. For in-demand candidates in particular, it might be the thing that sets your job opportunity apart from a dozen others clamoring for their attention.

5. Recognize the candidate’s skills: A little sincere flattery goes a long way

While you’re considering ways to personalize your messages, don’t be afraid to add a little flattery into the mix. When people feel that their skills and efforts are being recognized, they’re more motivated to help others — which, in this case, means responding to your message.  

So, let the candidate know what makes them special. After all, you went to all the trouble of sourcing them, so something must have caught your eye. Be sure to give specifics to show that you’re sincere. Don’t just say “your background is impressive” — mention what exactly is impressive about it and why.

Better yet, draw an explicit line between the candidate’s achievements and the reason you’re interested in them — like spotlighting a rare skill that your company needs or expressing that they were referred to you by people in the know.

“Make sure that whatever skill or accomplishment you recognize aligns with why you’re reaching out,” advises Cam Pezet, senior campus recruiter at LinkedIn. “Otherwise, it may cause confusion and drive a potential candidate to not respond.”

In fact, LinkedIn research found that over half of all candidates expect recruiters’ messages to contain specifics about why their particular accomplishments make them a good fit for the organization. So if you don’t take this step, don’t hold your breath for an enthusiastic response.

6. Seal the deal: Candidates want to know what’s in it for them

Just as you have criteria for evaluating a new employee, your candidates have criteria for evaluating a new job. Pique their interest in your opportunity by sharing some details around what’s in it for them.

It may be difficult to decipher what would be most appealing to each candidate, but you can still make some headway with a few educated guesses.

LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends 2022 found that job seekers’ top priorities when picking a job were:

Work-life balance Compensation and benefits Colleagues and culture

These are a good starting point to discuss what your organization can offer. Briefly share some key information to entice your candidates to respond to your InMail message.

7. Share next steps: It’s the candidate’s turn to make a move

Adding a simple next step or call to action tosses the ball into the candidate’s court, encouraging them to pick it up and toss it back to you. Share your calendar availability to schedule a call or ask the candidate to offer a few times that work.

Be polite and respect that they probably have other things going on, especially if they’re currently employed elsewhere and potentially have childcare or eldercare responsibilities at home. 

Most LinkedIn InMail responses arrive pretty quickly: 65% arrive within 24 hours and 90% arrive within one week. 

8. Be direct and succinct: Messages under 400 characters prompt higher response rates

Less is more, as the saying goes. And when it comes to cold outreach, that’s definitely true.

LinkedIn data reveals that InMails under 400 characters tend to be met with response rates that are 22% higher than the average response rate for all InMails. Messages that are over 800 characters, on the other hand, see below average response rates — so keep your InMails short and sweet.

Write just enough to communicate key details and encourage them to reply back to learn more. A small taste can leave them curious to find out more, even if they’re not actively looking for a new job.

9. Time it right: Avoid sending InMails on Friday and Saturday

Sending your InMails at the right time can help you get your message in front of your candidates when they’re most receptive and most likely to respond.

The worst days? Friday and Saturday. InMails sent on Saturday get 8% fewer responses and those sent on Friday receive 4% fewer responses than the average of all InMails. 

Rather than sending InMails late in the week, schedule them to go out Sunday through Thursday when you’ll have a better chance of engagement. And if you’re recruiting for an industry or function with low InMail response rates, consider sending messages on Sundays when only 2% of InMails are sent. That may help your message stand out for the most in-demand candidates. 

10. Test your messaging: Small tweaks can make a big difference

When was the last time you updated your candidate outreach templates? If it’s been a while, try testing out a new LinkedIn InMail template to see how it impacts response rates. 

For example, if your company is now offering remote work, see if mentioning your flexible work policies makes a difference in response rates. If your company shares salary ranges with candidates, include them in your InMail message to see if more candidates reply.

Make it a practice to periodically tweak your LinkedIn message to better promote your opportunities and optimize your response rates. 

Final thoughts: A well-written LinkedIn InMail makes a lasting first impression

You only get one chance at a first impression. Make it a good one by following these simple LinkedIn InMail best practices and strategies.

For more tips, checklists, and tactics, download our ebook The Secrets to Optimizing Your Outreach.

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