As we, the civilians, inhabiting a diverse range of geographical locations, are increasingly becoming a part of the global village, the need for the ‘know-how’ knowledge of getting in touch with someone over different platforms has reached its peak. We, here at WriteCream, are here to help you with that and this week we have chosen the platform “LinkedIn”.
There are a number of reasons why one would want to reach out to someone through LinkedIn, we will take you through a few of them in this article.
How to Contact Someone Regarding a Job on LinkedIn
About 90 or so percent of recruiters look for applicants on LinkedIn and if you’ve ever dedicatedly looked for work, you know how difficult and frustrating it can be. Hence, the ultimate use of this platform. Contacting recruiters on LinkedIn might help you stand out from the crowd, provided you do it correctly; reaching out to recruiters on LinkedIn may feel a little odd but it is a perfectly legitimate step (that being its entire purpose).
When contacting a recruiter via LinkedIn, keep the following guidelines in mind:
1. Amber Naslund, lead content consultant at LinkedIn, noted after establishing a continuous presence on the network that, “Open-ended messages like ‘I was just wondering if you had any openings…’ aren’t effective because all of those facts can be found on a company’s employment page, which puts the burden of proof on the individual you’re contacting.”
2. According to Naslund, it’s best to inquire about a specific position and see if someone can connect you with a recruiter, make an internal reference, or answer any concerns you have about the position or the organisation. “When you’re looking for your next job, being respectful of people’s time, skills, and relationships may go a long way,” she mentioned.
In a few phrases, describe what you’re searching for right now, including your interest in the position.
Mention some of your most important qualifications to show why you are the best candidate for the job.
Keep your message short: a short message may pique HR’s attention in your application without causing them to become annoyed.
3. To capture the attention of the recepient, start your message with something personal: generating a personalised message can help you enhance your response rate.
Make sure you review and revise your message before posting it: a message with errors will appear unprofessional.
How to Seek Advice from Someone on LinkedIn
You should choose who the most appropriate person to approach before seeking advice. People aren’t “job oracles” awaiting your message asking for their expert counsel. Consider the type of assistance you require before contacting the most appropriate individual.
Even if the person you’re contacting is busy, they still want to provide you with the best advice they can if they can. You’ll get a meaningful response if you’re upfront and specific with your question and the reason you’re asking it. When it comes to cold outreach, clarity is crucial.
To increase your odds of receiving a response, Tim Herrera, founding editor of The New York Times’ Smarter Living, advocates being direct and upfront. You should constantly strive to be courteous and kind.
For example: “Sarah, your professional path choice has certainly been particularly interesting to me. I’m quite eager to advance my career as a [role]. Would you happen to have any chance to share with me a few suggestions on how to proceed now that you’ve already been in that position? I’d appreciate a quick call whenever it’s convenient for you.”
How to Connect with a Role Model as a Mentor on LinkedIn
Since dozens of people are vying for their attention, reaching out to your role model in your sector and capturing their attention might prove to be difficult.
Research whether someone could be willing to assist as a mentor before making a connection request. We suggest looking for a leader who can demonstrate that they are A) accomplished in the sectors you’re looking for tutelage and B) have some flexibility.
Make sure you’ve done your homework before writing to a potential mentor.
Here’s an example of a possible message: “Carol, your EdX forum articles about remote working have been quite thought-provoking! I’ve worked for a couple entrepreneurs that provide this service, and I’m looking forward to my own subsequent steps — although I could use some advice from a seasoned specialist like you. Would you be interested in talking more about this?”
How to Connect with Someone You Admire on LinkedIn
Because LinkedIn is oriented on careers, it’s critical that you and the person you respect have a professional connection. This might be anything from working in the same business to knowing a few of the same individuals, but it’s crucial to explore deeper—both on LinkedIn and on the internet in general—to identify that commonality.
Separate the introduction, body, and conclusion for your message, in which you describe who you are, why you’re reaching out, and (briefly) what you hope to get out of the correspondence. Again, brevity is the name of the game; your message should be no more than a few phrases long.
For example:
Hello, George.
It was lovely meeting you at the conference this weekend and discussing our favourite coffee companies.
I recall you saying that you wanted to launch a coffee business of your own but didn’t know where to start and needed some outside help. If you still require assistance, I would be delighted to assist you.
Please let me know if this is something that you’re interested in, and you can reach out to me at [email address]. I hope you’re having a fantastic week so far!
