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How to Reach Out to Candidates on LinkedIn

September 28th, 2016

With 450 active members on LinkedIn, the most popular global professional network is a gold mine for recruiters.

However, it can still feel awkward at first to talk to candidates on LinkedIn. The thing is, the professionals on LinkedIn actually expect to be checked out by recruiters from time to time. It is one of the interesting reasons that people put up their profiles on LinkedIn in the first place. But if you are a recruiter struggling with the daily aspect of connecting with new candidates on LinkedIn, here are some ways to succeed without feeling and sounding awkward.

Connect Through Mutual Contacts

Just as you would in the real world, you must approach new connections in a similar fashion on LinkedIn. Look through your directory of contacts here and then browse through their connections to find candidates in your target market. Then ask your connection to put you in touch with these candidates. It’s far better to be introduced by a mutual connection then to send out a message to someone unknown.

Use Career Groups to Reel in Candidates

Instead of creeping up on candidates, why not attract them to you? This can happen naturally by inviting people to join your career network on LinkedIn. Create groups in targeted areas and then ask people to join. Let them know you are a recruiter who likes to share new job leads and what’s trending in the industry.

Have a Standard Message to Send to New Connections

Create a standardized message that you can send out to candidates to introduce yourself in a friendly, creep-free way. Let the person know that you are a real human being and that you are interested in their background. Find something that you like about them such as a recent article they published or a company that they worked for. Then invite them to connect with you to learn more about career opportunities.

Give Something Valuable to Candidates

Show some respect by thanking candidates for their response with a free downloadable career resource. For example, an interview cheat sheet or a checklist can be a nice freebie. This can help you to stand out in a favorable way and you never know where this resource will be shared.

About Staffing Resources

Staffing Resources, established in 1985, is one of the leading Atlanta staffing agencies and a certified Female Business Enterprise. We provide a wide range of full and part-time employees to businesses, associations, government and non-profit organizations in the metro Atlanta area. Looking for a new employment opportunity in Fulton County? Contact our team today!

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