Email template · Sourcing and outreach
LinkedIn recruiter message
In short
A LinkedIn recruiter message is a short InMail or connection note asking a candidate if they'd be open to a specific role. The best ones are under 100 words, open with a reason that's specific to the person, give the role, level and pay range, and end with an easy yes-or-no question. Below are four templates, subject lines and a text version.
When to send it: Send InMails on Tuesday to Thursday mornings in the candidate's time zone, as soon as you've confirmed the profile fits. Use a connection request when you want an ongoing relationship rather than a single pitch.
LinkedIn recruiter message: 4 versions
InMail: passive candidate
Subject[Job Title] role, [Work Arrangement], [Pay Range]
Hi [First Name], Your move from [Previous Role] to [Current Role] at [Current Employer] caught my eye, especially [specific detail from profile]. I'm hiring a [Job Title] for [Company], [short company description]. You'd own [one-line scope] and report to [Hiring Manager Title]. Range is [Pay Range], [Work Arrangement]. Open to a 15-minute call to hear more? A quick "not now" is helpful too. [Your Name]
Connection request note
SubjectConnection request (no subject line)
Hi [First Name], I recruit [type of roles] for [Company] and your [specific skill or experience] stood out. Would like to connect and share a [Job Title] role when you have a minute. [Your Name]
Follow-up after connecting
SubjectThanks for connecting
Thanks for connecting, [First Name]. Here's the role I mentioned: [Job Title] at [Company]. [One-line scope.] [Pay Range], [Location or Remote]. Full details: [Job Link] If it sounds interesting, I can set up a short call with you this week. If not, I'd still like to keep in touch for future [type of roles] openings. [Your Name]
Open to Work candidate
SubjectSaw you're open to [Job Title] roles
Hi [First Name], I noticed you're open to [Job Title] roles in [City]. We're hiring for one now at [Company]: [one-line scope], [Pay Range], start date around [Start Date]. Your [specific experience] lines up well with what the hiring manager asked for. Can I send you the details or set up a quick call? [Your Name] [Phone Number]
Subject line ideas
- [Job Title] role, [Work Arrangement], [Pay Range]
- Your [specific skill] experience
- A [Job Title] role you might like
- Saw you're open to [Job Title] roles
- Quick question, [First Name]
- [Company] is hiring a [Job Title] in [City]
SMS and WhatsApp version
Hi [First Name], it's [Your Name], a recruiter at [Company]. I sent you a LinkedIn message about a [Job Title] role ([Pay Range], [Work Arrangement]). Easier to talk here? Happy to share details. Reply STOP to opt out.
Placeholders to replace: [First Name], [Previous Role], [Current Role], [Current Employer], [Job Title], [Company], [Hiring Manager Title], [Pay Range], [Work Arrangement], [Job Link], [City], [Start Date], [Your Name], [Phone Number]
InMail versus connection request
They do different jobs. An InMail goes straight to the inbox with a subject line and room for a few short paragraphs; LinkedIn caps the body at roughly 1,900 characters, though you should use a fraction of that. It suits a direct pitch to someone you'd like to speak with this week. A connection request carries a short note (the limit is a few hundred characters and lower on free accounts) and, once accepted, lets you message freely and see more of their network and activity.
In practice, sourcers often run both: InMail for top-priority profiles on an open requisition, connection requests for building a pipeline of people they'll want in six months. LinkedIn Recruiter also returns InMail credits for messages that get a response within its stated window, so a decline still has value. Ask for a quick no.
Anatomy of a message that gets answered
Think of it in four lines.
- Why them. One specific detail from their profile, not a compliment. A promotion, a stack, a certification, a team they built.
- What the role is. Title, scope in one line, who they'd report to.
- The facts. Pay range and location or remote status. Leaving them out is the most common reason good candidates don't reply.
- An easy ask. A yes-or-no question or a 15-minute call.
Cut everything else: the company's founding story, a list of benefits, "I came across your impressive profile." On a phone screen, anything past about 100 words gets skimmed. Personalized InMails generally see noticeably higher response rates than mass ones, which is worth tracking as your own candidate response rate by template and by recruiter.
Finding the right people before you write
The best message can't fix a bad list. Spend the time on search: titles plus the real skills the hiring manager cares about, current and past employers in the right industry, and location or time zone. Boolean search strings work in both Recruiter and standard search, and an X-ray search through a search engine can surface public profiles you won't see otherwise.
For more on sourcing across job boards, communities and social platforms, see our guide to talent prospecting across multiple platforms.
Following up and moving off LinkedIn
Many people check LinkedIn messages once a week or less, so a single InMail undercounts interest. Wait four or five business days, then send one short follow-up in the same thread with one new fact, such as the hiring manager's name or the interview timeline. If you can find a work-appropriate personal email, a parallel recruiter outreach email often gets a faster answer.
Once someone replies, move the conversation to email, phone or text. LinkedIn threads are hard to search and easy to lose, and scheduling inside them is slow. Our recruiter follow-up email page has templates for the second and third touch, and a multi-channel outreach sequence keeps LinkedIn, email and text steps in one place so nobody gets three messages on the same day.
Mistakes that cost replies
- Generic openers that could go to anyone.
- Pitching the wrong level because you matched on title alone. A "Senior Analyst" at a 20-person firm and at a global bank are different jobs.
- Messaging someone's current colleagues in bulk. Word travels, and it looks like you're raiding a team.
- No pay range. It forces a call just to learn whether the role is viable.
- Too many follow-ups. Two is plenty on LinkedIn. More starts to feel like pressure, and people can report messages as spam.
- Ignoring "Open to Work" signals. Candidates who've flagged that they're looking respond far more often; reach them first.
Frequently asked questions
How do you write a LinkedIn message to a candidate?
Start with one specific reason you're contacting them, describe the role and level in one line, give the pay range and location, and end with a simple question like whether they're open to a short call. Keep it under 100 words.
What should a recruiter write in a LinkedIn connection request?
A one- or two-sentence note: who you are, what kinds of roles you recruit for, and the specific thing in their profile that made you reach out. Save the job details for after they accept.
How long should a LinkedIn InMail be?
Aim for 60 to 100 words. LinkedIn allows much longer messages, but most are read on a phone and long InMails get skimmed or ignored.
When is the best time to send LinkedIn InMails?
Weekday mornings, especially Tuesday to Thursday, in the candidate's time zone tend to work well. Test against your own audience, since shift workers and some industries check messages at different times.
Should I follow up on an unanswered LinkedIn message?
Yes, once or twice, about four to five business days apart, each time adding a new detail. If you have another channel such as email, use it for the second touch.