When applying for open job positions, you can reach out to recruiters or hiring managers online for different reasons. However, you can’t just slide into their DMs without a proper approach or having all your ducks in a row, lest you end up blocked. You need to understand the right way to reach out to recruiters while remaining professional to achieve what you want, which I’m assuming is either a job or a networking connection. So let’s dive in and show you how to do that.
Hiring managers can hire candidates through online search engines, social media pages, networking events, job fairs, job postings, and online searches. As such, when you reach out to recruiters, it is best to use the right channels and draft the right messages to boost your chances of getting responses.
Read also: Becoming the smartest job seeker, like Mark.
Understand how recruiters work
A hiring manager’s job is to know everything about each role in order to find the right candidate. This also helps them sell the role to candidates who are a good fit so they can accept an offer. Thus, recruiters are partly strategists, therapists, coaches, cheerleaders, and salespeople to both other hiring managers and candidates.
Now imagine doing all this for multiple open roles at once. Recruiters typically engage many candidates at a time, so if they responded to everyone who sends them random inquiries online, they wouldn’t have time to fill open roles. This is why you need to be targeted and strategic in your approach when you reach out to recruiters.
Know your reason for reaching out to the recruiter
Before contacting a recruiter, ensure you’re thorough and deliberate about the questions you’ll ask. First, think about why you want to reach out to the recruiter and exhaust any publicly available and relevant info. Make sure you’re contacting them for reasons instrumental to the success of your job application. So, this is not the time to start asking about their hobbies and interests.
Carefully look through your application, the job description, and your communication to ensure you’re professional and addressing the matter at hand. If your approach is purposeful and defined when you reach out to recruiters, it enhances your chances of getting a helpful and quick response.
Determine the type of recruiter you’re targeting
This is another key step when contacting recruiters. Once you understand the types of recruiters, you can develop your strategy and position yourself accordingly. This also lets you find out the roles they’re hiring for so you can make the right inquiries. The main types of recruiters to contact for employment opportunities include:
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External recruiters: These recruiters work with companies externally and can recruit across various divisions in different companies or specialize in specific business areas.
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Internal recruiters: Internal recruiters work within a specific company area and might not respond if you ask about other departments. You have a better chance of getting a response with a referral from a mutual acquaintance or a past employee than a generic email.
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Executive recruiters: These types of recruiters can be external or internal and mostly hire for senior roles. This means they source thoroughly for the right candidate and can even get applicants for confidential openings that haven’t been posted publicly.
Be specific and keep it simple
Being specific in your communication when you reach out to recruiters increases the chances of getting responses. An effective inquiry can include a request for information about the hiring timeline, confirmation of a submitted application, or a request to connect with someone on the hiring team. Depending on your reasons for reaching out, the more specific your request is, the more targeted your approach will be, as opposed to making generic inquiries.
Your initial communication should also be straightforward as you establish your reason for contacting them. You don’t need to include extensive personal details like your work history. When sending your email, make the purpose of the communication clear in the subject line. Then you can include all relevant information about your request in the email body so the recruiter can properly address it.
Be respectful
When you reach out to recruiters, regard them with the same respect you’d give your actual employer. This includes accommodating their schedule, being courteous, referring to their expertise, and keeping your requests reasonable. Check your message thoroughly before sending it to ensure you’ve used appropriate language and proofread for inconsistencies.
You can also send follow-up messages without spamming the recruiter. Remember, you want to make a positive impression when communicating with hiring managers since they’re actively involved in the hiring process. So they may also subtly assess your message to determine what it will be like communicating with you in the workplace if you get the role.
Now let’s get to the good stuff! Here are 5 sample messages you can use when reaching out to recruiters online for job opportunities. We’ve also highlighted scenarios for each sample to ease things for you.
1. To ask about a current opening
Hi (Recruiter’s Name),
I’m reaching out to you directly to express my enthusiasm about the [job opening/link] at company Y. My extensive experience in [industry or skill] combined with my [hard/soft skills] and unique ability to [unique applicable skill] would make me a tremendous asset to [company name] in this role.
I hope you will seriously consider me for this position and give me an opportunity to explain further how I can bring outside-the-box value to the company.
Thank you,
(Your Name)
2. To ask if there’s any work available at a company
Dear (Recruiter’s Name),
I know that you are probably busy, so I will keep this brief. My name is xxxxx xxxxx. I am a recent Engineering graduate from Nairobi University, and I am looking for my first full-time role. I deeply admire Company x as a brand and have a profound respect for your mission to make delicious and sustainably sourced drinks. I would be delighted at the chance to put the skills I have learned to use with you. Are there any work opportunities available for someone of my skill set and experience level?
I see that you have no such positions advertised at the moment, but thought it would be worth reaching out in the event that something comes up in the near future. In any case, I would love to connect with you to stay abreast of new openings at company x.
Many thanks for your time and consideration.
Yours sincerely,
(Your Name)
3. To ask if you are eligible for a role
Dear (Recruiter’s Name),
Please excuse my reaching out unintroduced. I saw you are the Hiring Manager at XYZ Communications and thought you might be able to help me. I am very interested in applying for the Social Media Manager role you have advertised. However, my CV is not an exact match for the requirements laid out. I have three years of experience in a managerial role rather than the five stipulated in the advert, although I do have other relevant skills that might counterbalance this.
At a glance, would you still encourage me to apply for the position, or is this qualification non-negotiable? I completely understand that you might not want to provide a judgment on this with only a brief overview of my situation, but any insights you can share would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
(Your Name)
[PS: Make sure you attach your CV with this one!]
4. To ask another question about a role you’ve seen advertised
Dear (Recruiter’s Name),
I wondered if you might be able to help me. I noticed that The ABC Company has recently placed an advertisement on Fuzu for a UX Designer. I have a question about the position and thought you might be well-placed to advise since you are the Head of Employee Success.
Do you know if there is a capacity to sponsor visa applications for this role? For context, I am a citizen of Indonesia.
Many thanks for your time in answering my question.
Yours sincerely,
(Your Name)
5. To ask an independent recruiter for help in your job search
Dear (Recruiter’s Name),
Please excuse my messaging you out of the blue. I noticed that you are a top recruiter in the Trans Nzoia carpet trading industry, and have worked with a number of companies that I admire, so I thought you are a great person to reach out to! I am a Carpet Salesman with three years of industry experience and a degree in Carpet Selling Studies, and I am currently on the lookout for a new position.
I wondered if you might be able to assist me in my search. Even if I am not a suitable candidate for any open roles you have at the moment, I would be immensely grateful for any insights you can share from a recruiter’s perspective. I can be reached at candidate@gmail.com if you would prefer to have this discussion over email.
Many thanks for your consideration.
Yours sincerely,
(Your Name)
6. To ask if a role you’ve seen advertised is still open
Dear (Recruiter’s Name),
I am hoping to apply for the position of Operations Manager which I saw Company Z had advertised on Fuzu’s jobs board. However, I noticed that the advertisement was placed over a month ago now, on February 22nd. I just wondered whether the vacancy has already been filled.
Many thanks for your help. If you are still accepting applications, then I really hope we will be in touch a lot more!
Best wishes,