Do you remember the good old days when your DM’s were hot with recruiters trying to grab you from your role and tempt you into something new and exciting?
It was great wasn’t it?
Being headhunted was a lovely feeling but I bet you’re wondering why, now that you need those DM’s, it seems to have gone a lot quieter?
It’s simple really.
Because so many talented people are out there seeking opportunities, recruiters have less of a need to do this.
People are applying for roles with the skills they’re looking for, so less DM’s are needed.
All is not lost though.
There’s a way to flip this around.
What if you are the one sending the DM’s?
That’s right, you take matters into your own hands and start the conversations…
It’s a tactic I coach on regularly and honestly, some of the results surprise even me when I see them come to life.
This article is all about how to up your LinkedIn DM game so that you can go head hunt some companies to work for and secure that role.
Who should I target?
It’s hard to know who to target and the best approach to do so, so in this article I’m going to hone in on three different categories and give you a DM strategy that works for each group.
This goes way beyond the “any jobs?” message and is aimed at sparking connections and conversations so that you can be memorable in a world where DM’s are very busy.
The goal is to be different to get the right attention.
Let’s break this down for each category.
Recruiters and Hiring Managers.
- Find the roles that you are interested in applying for and get your application in.
- Use LinkedIn to search for recruiters in that company, preferably related to the role you’ve applied for.
- Equally, try to find someone in a senior position for the role you wish to target.
- Send the recruiter/hiring manager a connection request, no initial message is needed at this stage.
- If they accept, follow up with a DM that sparks a conversation. An example could be as follows.
Hi [name]
Pleasure to connect with you.
I’m [insert name], an [insert your role] and I’ve been following the work that [insert company] does for some time now.
I noticed you had a vacancy for {insert the vacant role] which I’ve submitted an application for.
I wondered if there was anything further you could tell me about the role, such as [insert industry related question relevant to the role that isn’t clearly noted on the job description]?
Thanks
{Your Name]
If they reply, start to build rapport based on their response and if the conversation continues, ask if they’d be willing to have a quick discussion via a call to learn more.
Existing LinkedIn Connections
- Consider those in your network who at one point in your professional career, you had a strong connection with. For example, former colleagues you’d a good working relationship with, former people you’ve met at networking events or courses or even friends and former university peers you were previously close with.
- Investigate what roles or companies they are working for now, and if they are in your target market, reconnect with them.
- Once connected, send a DM that could look something like this.
Hi [name]
Great to reconnect with you. [Insert something that prompts nostalgia like a reminder of the time you met/worked together].
I see that you’re now working for [Insert Company] doing the role of [Insert Role]
How’s it been going for you?
If they reply, start to build rapport based on their response and if the conversation continues, let them know you are open to new opportunities and ask them for a call to see if you can learn more about what it’s like to work in their company / type of role.
New LinkedIn Connections
- Consider the companies you wish to work for and the roles you wish to target.
- Use LinkedIn’s boolean search function to search for people in those roles. This could be as simple as searching for “[Role, Company, Location]
- Send a connection request to those who match the search criteria.
- Once connected, send a DM that could look something like this.
Hi [name]
Thanks for accepting my connection request.
I’m [insert name], an [insert your role] and I’ve been following the work that [insert company] does for some time now.
I noticed you’ve been working for them for the last [insert time based on LinkedIn profile].
What’s the environment like there?
Thanks
{Your Name]
If they reply, start to build rapport based on their response and if the conversation continues, let them know you are open to new opportunities and ask them for a call to see if you can learn more about what it’s like to work in their company / type of role.
Why go with this specific approach?
Depending on who you are targeting, DM’s can be flooded with people like yourself with good intentions who are spamming their inbox.
If you send an unpersonalised AI written template, it’s likely to get lost in the ether completely as this lacks the personal touch you need to succeed with this tactic.
If you still have the personal touch, but you simply ask them to keep you in mind for opportunities, this is easily forgettable as they get on with their day.
By starting a conversation and building rapport, you become more memorable and become harder to say no to.
By asking for a call, you’re going a step beyond what they’d expect and by this stage, you have built rapport so it feels like less of an unreasonable request.
If they don’t have time for a call, they might still point you in the right direction and/or remember you should an opportunity come in the future.
Either way, you’ve created a memory vs being simply another DM and that is the goal.
You’ll notice that at no point have I recommended that you ask about vacancies. Explain your situation, and let them lead with how they can help. This is much more organic and yields better results when sending these messages, particularly with those you’ve not had a former connection with.
What if I don’t get the response I would like?
We all know what it’s like to get these types of DM’s, so if you try this approach and you get no response, it’s unlikely that a chaser message will be worth the time and effort for you to track and chase down.
Instead, focus your time and effort on finding more relevant people to target and send that initial connection request or DM too.
If you start a conversation and it begins to go cold, or you pitch for a call and get no response, a chaser message a few days later is perfectly acceptable (we all get distracted in life!) If they stop engaging, it’s likely that there’ll be no further response.
Start with former connections as the prior connection will increase the response rate and feel like more of a safe space to test out this approach.
Then move onto the hiring managers/recruiters and new LinkedIn connections. For this group, 1 in 20 are likely to respond…but the ones that do can lead to great conversations.
Your challenge…
If this concept is new to you, I would challenge you to identify 5 former connections, 5 hiring managers/recruiters and 5 new LinkedIn connections and get started! I’d love to hear from you to see how it went.
Trust me, I see this work with the people I coach on a regular basis.
It’s your turn to try something different and take matters into your own hands.
Be the head hunter in this market and get started!
Would you like to chat through how this approach could work for your specific circumstances?
Book a free, no-obligation 30-minute consultation with me and tell me your story. Let’s see if I can help you shift the dial and secure your new career.
