How to respond to a recruiter on LinkedIn. 5 professional examples

You’re seeing red....that is, a small red notification that has suddenly appeared at the top of the screen. Someone has reached out to you on LinkedIn and you click it to find out what the inside scoop is. The message is simple, polite, and to the point. It’s a recruiter telling you all about a fabulous new vacancy and why you might just be the perfect candidate for the role. 

So, what do you do next? If this is the first time that this scenario has cropped up, you may not be sure how to respond to a recruiter on LinkedIn. What’s more, what you say will depend on a) whether you are interested in the position and b) how you want to proceed. 

Before you start typing your response, take a look at our guide to replying to a LinkedIn recruiter. We cover: 

• How to reply to a LinkedIn recruiter if you are interested in the role (+ examples)
• What to say if you want to politely decline but still keep the door open
• Tips and advice to help you when you’re responding to a recruiter on LinkedIn.

How to reply to LinkedIn recruiter if you’re interested. 5 examples

As good fortune would have it, you are looking for a new job. You may have been browsing vacancies online or simply started thinking about what the next steps are. Whatever the case, this LinkedIn recruiter dropped into your inbox at just the right time. Let’s take a look at four ways that you may choose to respond to them while keeping this professional. 

1. Fact finding

Let’s say that the recruiter has reached out to you, but they have been somewhat vague about the position. If that is the case, you need to do some serious fact finding before you can move forward with them. It’s important to ask the big questions up front so that you don’t waste your own or the recruiter’s time. Let’s take a look at an example of how to do that. 

2. Arranging a call 

If you are interested in the vacancy that the recruiter is hiring for and you want to know more, it may be smart to arrange a call. Taking things “offline”, so to speak, is a quick way of getting the answers you need and speeding up the process. Show the recruiter that you are open to hearing more about the job opportunity and give them a window in which to speak. 

3. Moving things to email 

If the recruiter has given you a decent overview of the job, salary, and benefits, and you’re interested, you need to let them know. However, many people don’t check LinkedIn on a regular basis, and so email tends to be a preferred means of contact. When it comes to how to respond to a recruiter on LinkedIn, you can keep things short and sweet. Let them know that you are interested in the vacancy and that they can share more information via email. 

4. Asking about other opportunities 

If you’re searching for a new job but you’re not sure about this specific one, seize the opportunity to connect with a recruiter. You can be honest and then share details about what you are looking for. Of course, it takes a certain level of finesse to get this right. Take a look at our example of how to respond to a recruiter on LinkedIn about this below.

How to reply to LinkedIn recruiter when you’re not interested 

But wait, what if you don’t want to move jobs at the moment? If you’re happy where you are and you want to stay put, you may not be interested in what the recruiter has to offer. 

Still, ghosting them is bad form. You never know when you may be looking for a new job. Frankly, it makes no sense to cut off potential connections. For that reason, you need to politely let the LinkedIn recruiter know that you are not interested in the role currently. 

5. Politely declining 

The truth is that many of us struggle with the word “No”. When it comes to declining an offer, however unappealing, you may find it tricky to muster the courage. Keep in mind that you don’t need to over-explain yourself. Stick to a short and sweet message that does the job. 

Simple tips for responding to recruiter on LinkedIn

In the above sections, we’ve given you five examples of how to reply to a recruiter on Linkedin. Whichever approach you choose, there are some tips that you should remember: 

• Always say thank you. When a recruiter reaches out to you on LinkedIn, you should thank them for their interest. Usually, this will be the first line of your response. It shows that you haven’t taken their message for granted and is simply polite.
• Ask questions (if you need to!). If the LinkedIn recruiter has not given you enough information, now is the time to ask for it. Remember, they reached out to you. You’re not going to put them off by enquiring about more details.
• Be direct but not rude. First up, you need to let the recruiter know whether you are interested in the vacancy. Don’t beat around the bush here — let them know what you are looking for. However, avoid being too curt as this can come across as rude.
• Suggest the next step. If you are wanting to move things forward, you may want to give the recruiter your phone number or arrange a time to speak. Being proactive shows them that you are serious about finding the right job for your next move.
• Follow up. When you’ve replied to a recruiter on LinkedIn, the waiting game begins. Should you get radio silence, there’s no harm in following up with a quick message.

Key takeaways 

• Whether you’re job seeking or not, you should always respond to LinkedIn recruiters. It’s smart to make connections with people who are in the know, after all.
• What you say in your response will depend on what you are hoping to gain from the interaction. Take a look at our key examples and decide what works for you.
• Make sure you are polite and show your appreciation for the message.
• If you haven’t heard anything in a few days, you should follow up with the recruiter!