Should you reach out on LinkedIn when you apply for a job? Definitely.

For a while now, LinkedIn has been an incredibly helpful tool for your job search. You can use it to figure out who a hiring manager might be and effectively tailor your cover letter. You can use it to understand where you might fit into the organization and the types of people that work for the company. And, you can use it to reach out to a hiring manager or recruiter to share that you applied, increasing the chance that a human reviews your application. 

The last 12 months in particular, we’ve witnessed even more success stories of clients who have sent tailored, effective outreach notes through LinkedIn and gone on to interview for and get job offers. 

Here are a few examples to give you ideas of when and how to effectively leverage a LinkedIn message in your job search.

Example 1: Susan

Susan was looking to change her role and her sector (what we call a ‘Double Pivot’). While sustainability was the common theme of the work, she was shifting from government to private sector. When a role came open at a Fortune 500 company in sustainability, she used LinkedIn to find the hiring manager. 

She reached out on LinkedIn with this message:

Hi Jen - I’m currently leading private sector engagement for [government agency] in the lead up to [major sustainability/climate initiative]. I’d love to chat with you about the Sustainability Manager role you’re hiring for.

They set up a call for Wednesday and she prepped as if it was an interview; reviewing her most transferable projects, experiences and skills that directly tied to the role so she could effectively introduce herself on the quick networking call. The hiring manager suggested she apply. 

She applied Thursday. On Friday morning she got an automated response telling her she wasn’t a match for the role - even after making major changes to her resume and writing a kick ass cover letter. She sent the automated response to the hiring manager she spoke with earlier, and they back channeled to the recruiter. 

Before she knew it, she had an interview scheduled for the next week. Susan - who starts in the role in a few weeks with a killer compensation package - will probably never apply to a job again without using LinkedIn to stand out.

If Susan hadn’t reached out to the hiring manager on LinkedIn, she would not have gotten a first round interview. 

Example 2: Meghan

Meghan was looking to stay in a similar kind of role (programs and events) but shift from museums into education tech companies. She used LinkedIn to find the hiring manager (who had posted the job posting on their own profile advertising it). She applied, and then used direct language from the job description to send the following message through LinkedIn:

Dear Ben,

I saw your job alert for a [job title at company], and I wanted to reach out to share that I've applied for this exciting position. With 10+ years of experience working in education at renowned cultural institutions, I source, pitch, and book talent all the time in order to bring our programs to life*. I currently manage [portfolio of programs] at [big name institution], where I oversee 100 programs a year. I'd love the opportunity to share more with you about my experience and discuss the position with you.

Thank you for your consideration, I look forward to hearing from you. 

Best,
Meghan

*Source, pitch and book talent was language that came directly from the job description. 

She secured an interview a few weeks later. 

While it’s possible your resume might be pulled without reaching out, why take the risk? It doesn’t hurt to reach out.  

In both these first two examples, both job seekers crafted short, impressive sentences that showed they could do the job. And if you have the chance to drop in a highly recognizable event, employer name or something you’ve worked on that would be recognizable to others, it certainly can’t hurt.

Example 3: Laura

Laura had quite a challenging job search - she was looking to return to the type of role she’d been in 5+ years ago, but wanted to change fields. She was also orchestrating a geographic move to a different part of the country. 

Laura saw an opportunity that was posted a while back, but being so excited about the company, she found the hiring manager and reached out on LinkedIn to see about starting a conversation, knowing the job likely was already filled. Here was her outreach: 

Good morning Betsy, 

I recently saw your product developer position at [boutique company] and noticed it was posted 4 months ago. I imagine the role has likely been filled, but I still wanted to reach out as [company] really excited me. I have just relocated from New York to Miami to be closer to family and have been actively looking for positions in consumer goods having previously worked for fashion accessory and footwear brands including Gap and Merrill. I held roles in product development, production, merchandising and sales so have a well-rounded understanding of getting goods to market. My passion is in development and collaborating with design and factories to build a product from concept to creation so the open position at [company] really resonated. I would love the opportunity to chat with you about [company] and also be considered for the product developer position if the role is still available. 

Look forward to hearing from you. 
All the best, 
Laura

Laura and Betsy connected, and Laura used their conversations as a way to hear about the company’s pain points. After showing her value, they both considered what her joining the team might look like. And after a few conversations, Laura was offered a product development role at the company -- at a salary 35% higher than the original role was listed at. 

Even if a role is no longer available, reaching out on LinkedIn allows you to tap into the hidden job market and potentially create a role for yourself. You never know what can happen when you make a connection and effectively share your experience in a way that addresses someone’s pain points. And you might even end up in a better position than the initial job posting you came across. 

Example 4: Tonya

Tonya always found LinkedIn overwhelming, impersonal, and felt awkward using the platform. Her confidence was low after a 10+ year career break and only a few (not so great) part-time roles the last few years.

After many applications without getting noticed, she was so excited about one specific role at an organization she admired that she decided to go for it and reach out on LinkedIn. Late one night, over a glass of wine (as she tells it), she sent the hiring manager this note:

Hello Ms. Smith, 

I hope you don’t mind me reaching out to you through LinkedIn. I’m applying for the HR Associate job at [org name], and I wanted to take a minute to say hello. I’m a big fan of your organization, and my skillset seems like a great fit for the role. I am a SHRM member and am currently enrolled in NYU’s Graduate HR Management Certificate Program. I’ve gained practical administrative and program management experience that includes HR areas, and I am known for my ability to connect, communicate, and bring together a diverse group of people to achieve a common goal. I would be delighted to set up a meeting to discuss how I can be of benefit to [organization. Thank you for your time, and I’m looking forward to learning more about the position. 

Sincerely, 
Tonya Richardson

The hiring manager offered to connect with her, and after a few conversations, she got the job and starts in a few weeks. 

Once more time for the cheap seats in the back!: If you don’t reach out, your application might get noticed, but it’s highly likely it wouldn’t. Reaching out through a LinkedIn message gives you a leg up to make a connection, and highlight your experience and interest. 

I’ll leave you with one other thought:

Even in this economy, hiring managers are stretched thin with openings on their team. Recruiters still have many searches and roles to fill. These folks need the right people in the right roles, and they need them now. If you’re a great candidate for a role, and you can communicate in a few short, impressive sentences that you have the transferable experiences and skills, they’ll be happy to look at your application if it helps save them time sifting through all the resumes they’re getting.

Target the right people, craft great outreach notes, and reach out on LinkedIn! 

Need More?

Wondering if your LinkedIn profile is ready for recruiters to look at? Boost your LinkedIn Profile Part I and Part II.

Need to create a great application fast? Read this. 

Secured an interview with your awesome outreach? Prepare for an interview with our Interview Skills Course!