How to Contact Recruiters

Last Updated: March 12, 2023 References

When you’re hunting for a new job, you can reach out to recruiters directly to find open positions that fit your skill-set and experience and improve your chances of being considered for a desirable position. But how do you contact recruiters on LinkedIn and other platforms politely so you're more likely to hear back? Don't worry—this article will show you how to contact recruiters the right way and avoid common mistakes people make when reaching out to recruiters.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Finding Recruiters to Contact

1
Get the email address of a recruiter for the best chances of getting in touch. Emailing a recruiter will give you the highest odds of getting a response since they receive lots of messages via social media every day. Use all the outlets available to you such as social media, asking contacts you have, or networking via LinkedIn and professional groups to acquire the email of an individual recruiter.^{[1]
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- If you can’t get the email of an individual at a specific company, you can try to get an email for the department that takes care of recruiting at a company you are interested in working for.
2
Contact a company via social media and ask them for a recruiter’s contact info. Follow a company you want to work for or a recruiting agency on Twitter and then ask them how to get in touch with a specific recruiter. Go to the company’s Facebook page and leave a comment or send a message asking what the best way to get in touch with a recruiter is.
- For example, you can say something like: “Hi @microsoft, I’m interested in following up about a public relations job at your company. How can I best contact a recruiter?”
- The company may respond back with an email address you can contact, or they may tag a specific recruiter who has a Twitter. Either way, this is a good start to finding a recruiter to get in touch with.
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3
Join relevant groups on LinkedIn to find recruiters. Some companies and recruiting agencies have career groups online that allow you to interact with and contact people who work at the company without being connected. Join any such groups and actively participate in conversations to try and find recruiters to contact directly.
- For example, if an employee at a marketing agency is sharing content like blog posts or articles on the company’s group, then you could comment something like: “This was a great read! I am very interested in working on SEO and SEM projects like this and would love to learn about digital marketing careers at your agency. Who can get I get in touch with to discuss opportunities?”
4
Connect with a recruiter on LinkedIn to send a direct message. This is a good alternative if you are unable to find an email address for the recruiter. Send the recruiter a connection request with a brief message explaining why you would like to connect with them and wait for them to accept it.^{[2]
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- Search your LinkedIn network for connections at a company you want to work for. Look through your connections to see if anyone you know works at a company you are interested in or if you know any recruiters in your field. Search using keywords like “recruiter at Amazon” to find recruiters and see if you have any connections in common.
- If you identify any connections at the company you want to work at, you can reach out to them and ask if they can provide you with the contact info for a recruiter there or make an introduction. You can also mention these connections in your initial message on LinkedIn or in your first email.
- Make sure that your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and polished before you send off any connection requests to recruiters to grab their attention with your profile.
Tip: Don’t send recruiters a connection request right away. Wait until you have finished doing your research and are sure this is the best way to contact them.
5
Network with recruiters in professional groups related to your field. Search Google for the websites of trade, industry, and professional association groups for the industry you want to work in. Join any relevant groups you can find and try to network with recruiters who are members.^{[3]
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- For instance, if you want to work in public relations, you can join the Public Relations Society of America to try and find recruiters in the industry. If you work in project management, you could join the Project Management Institute.
- You don’t necessarily have to join an association to contact recruiters. Some of these websites have open job postings that you can apply to, sometimes by email which may put you in direct contact with a recruiter.
6
Try calling companies directly to get in touch with recruiters over the phone. Call the main line for a company you want to work at and ask to be connected with the HR or recruiting department. Some lines at bigger companies have an automated company directory that will allow you to select the department you want to get in touch with.^{[4]
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- Use this method as a last resort. Most recruiters prefer to be contacted by email or via social media first, rather than being put on the spot during an unexpected phone call.
- Make sure to read the job description carefully if you are calling about a specific position. Many job descriptions state specifically not to call about the position and to only communicate via application portals or email.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Writing Messages That Get Responses

1
Do your research before contacting a recruiter. Show recruiters you are serious by not sending them a generic message. Do your homework on the company you want to work for or about the companies the recruiter works with. Take notes on some details to include in your message to show you’ve taken the time to send them a message that isn’t just a template.^{[5]
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- For example, if you are applying for a marketing position, you could try to find some of the most recent marketing campaigns the company you want to work for has done. Then, you can mention a specific campaign you saw, state what you liked about it, and emphasize your interest in being part of a team that does such interesting work.
2
Look for common interests, connections, or affiliations to use as an ice breaker. Check all of the recruiter’s profiles on social media that you can find to try and identify things in common that you can mention when you reach out. Things like shared LinkedIn connections, affiliations with professional organizations, and educational institutions you both attended are all things to look for.^{[6]
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- If you have any shared connections, you can even ask these people to send the recruiter a message beforehand to let them know that you plan on reaching out to them. This will help increase the odds that they read and respond to your message.
3
Send recruiters a personalized direct message or email. Address the recruiter by name and explain why you're reaching out and what your objective is. Then mention any of the common interests, connections, or affiliations that you identified.^{[7]
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- For example, you might say something like: “Hi Abel, my name is Sarah Wilkinson, and I found your email while searching for recruiters at Google. I have 2 years of digital marketing experience and I am currently looking for a new marketing coordinator role. I was wondering if you have a few minutes to chat about opportunities at Google this week? P.S. I noticed we both attended Washington State University and got degrees in Communication! Go Cougs!”
- Personalize the messages you send to recruiters. You want to be someone that a recruiter remembers. You can do it by making the recruiter feel valued for taking the time to consider you.^{[8]
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  Expert Source
  
  Pete Canalichio
  Brand Strategist & Licensing Expert
  Expert Interview. 20 January 2023.}
- Be respectful, call them by their name, and show an interest in who they are.^{[9]
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  Expert Source
  
  Pete Canalichio
  Brand Strategist & Licensing Expert
  Expert Interview. 20 January 2023.}
- Give the recruiter something unique about you that will connect with them and connect with the potential position you are to get.^{[10]
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  Expert Source
  
  Pete Canalichio
  Brand Strategist & Licensing Expert
  Expert Interview. 20 January 2023.}
4
Include all the basic info about yourself so they don’t have to look anything up. Include your name at the beginning of your message and mention where you currently work (if employed), your past experience, and what you are looking to do next in the message as well. This will allow the recruiter to make a quick decision about whether they would like to continue a dialogue with you without needing to spend time researching your qualifications.^{[11]
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- After your intro, say something along the lines of: “I currently work as a freelance graphic designer, and I am seeking to move into full-time employment as a graphic designer in a position that will allow me to grow as part of a bigger team.”
5
Be direct and clear about what you want and why you’re contacting them. Recruiters know why most people are contacting them, so don’t be vague in your message. Get straight to the point and tell them what job or type of role you are interested in and what you want to get out of contacting them.^{[12]
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- For instance, you can say something like: “I’m writing because I saw that you recruit graphic designers for tech companies, so I wanted to introduce myself and see if you would have time for a quick chat to tell me a bit more about the types of companies you work with and any open roles you are currently looking to fill.”
6
Write a message short enough to be read in 2 minutes or less. Recruiters review applications and messages from applicants all day long, so they don’t have time to read long ones that aren’t direct. Keep your message short and sweet so that they will actually read the whole thing and hopefully respond.^{[13]
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- Long messages are much more likely to be opened and then left for later, which means that they will probably be forgotten and you won’t receive a reply. If your message can be read in under 2 minutes and is straight to the point, it is much easier for recruiters to send you a quick response to get the dialogue flowing.
7
Be respectful of the recruiter’s time by offering flexible times to talk. Make it easy for the recruiter to choose a way to continue the conversation with you. Offer flexible days and time slots that you are available for them to choose from and leave them the final decision.^{[14]
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- For example, tell them something like: “I know you’re busy, but I was hoping you might have a few minutes to discuss the roles you are recruiting for over the phone this week. I am available all day tomorrow or on Thursday any time after 1 PM. Do you have any time open this week that lines up with my availability?”
Tip: If you don’t hear back, you can politely follow up and reference your last message. Say something like: “My name is Zoe and I emailed you last week about a graphic designer position at your company. I just wanted to make sure my email didn’t get lost. Do you have any availability from Tuesday-Friday this week for a short phone call to discuss the opportunity?”