When you send an InMail message to someone on LinkedIn, the status may show as “Pending” for a period of time before the recipient opens and responds to your message. There are a few common reasons why an InMail might be stuck in the “Pending” status instead of showing as “Read”:
The recipient hasn’t seen your InMail yet
The most common reason an InMail is still pending is because the recipient simply hasn’t seen it yet. Many LinkedIn members don’t check their InMail inbox every day. If it’s only been a day or two, give the recipient more time to see your message.
The recipient’s InMail inbox is full
LinkedIn members are given a limited number of InMail credits per month, and if they exceed that limit, their inbox will stop receiving new messages until the oldest ones are opened or deleted. So if you’ve sent an InMail to someone who gets a lot of messages, their inbox may already be at capacity.
In this case, your InMail will remain in pending status until the recipient clears out room in their inbox. You may want to try contacting that person through a different method if possible.
Your message triggered LinkedIn’s spam filters
Occasionally InMails get flagged as spam by LinkedIn’s filters, even when the content is legitimate. This can happen if your message contains certain words or links that are commonly used in spam messages. Sending multiple InMails in a short period can also look suspicious to the filters.
When this happens, your InMail won’t show up in the recipient’s inbox at all until LinkedIn determines that it’s not spam. The pending status indicates your message is stuck in limbo. Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do except try resending it or contacting the recipient another way.
You don’t share any connections with the recipient
LinkedIn limits the number of InMails you can send to members who are not in your network. If you don’t have any shared connections with the recipient, your message may remain pending indefinitely unless the recipient chooses to accept it.
To avoid this, try finding a shared connection who can introduce you to the person you want to contact before sending an InMail. This gives you the best chance of your message being seen and accepted.
The recipient’s account privacy settings
Some LinkedIn members configure their account settings to automatically decline InMails from people outside their networks. So even though your message goes through from your end, it gets rejected on the recipient’s end and remains perpetually pending.
There’s no indication to you that your InMail was auto-declined. All you can do is try contacting the person through other means if possible, or connecting with shared connections first before messaging.
How long should an InMail stay pending?
There’s no definite answer, but here are some general guidelines on when a pending InMail has waited too long:
- 1-3 days – No cause for concern yet, give the recipient more time
- 1 week – Follow up with another method of contact if possible
- 2+ weeks – The recipient likely won’t see your message at this point
However, you should also consider the recipient and how frequently they use LinkedIn. For someone who logs in every day, a 3-day pending InMail may be too long. For someone who rarely checks messages, even a couple weeks could be normal.
Use your best judgment based on what you know about the recipient’s LinkedIn activity. If in doubt, try other contact methods so your message isn’t stuck in limbo indefinitely.
What to do if your InMail stays pending too long
If your InMail has remained pending for what seems like too long, here are some things you can try:
- Send a follow up InMail in case they missed the first one
- Connect with shared connections who can introduce you
- Try contacting the recipient by email or phone if you have that information
- Consider if it’s worth contacting them on a different social media platform
- Connect with other people at the same company who may be able to facilitate an introduction
The key is persistence and utilizing any connections or contact info you have for the recipient. With enough effort, you can hopefully make contact even if your initial InMail goes unanswered.
Why pending InMails can be frustrating
It’s understandable to feel frustrated when an important InMail sits pending with no response. Here are some reasons why:
- You have no idea if or when the recipient will see it
- It feels like your message is being ignored, even if it’s not
- You don’t get the instant gratification and response you hope for
- There’s no clear reason why it’s still pending
- You invested time crafting a thoughtful, personalized message
Pending InMail can be a black hole – you put effort into contacting someone but don’t know if your message will ever emerge on the other side. That uncertainty can be annoying.
Best practices to avoid pending InMail frustration
To reduce frustration with pending InMail, keep these tips in mind:
- Only send InMail to active LinkedIn users who regularly check messages
- Personalize your messages so they’re not seen as generic spam
- Follow up after a week if your important messages are still pending
- Be prepared for some messages to go unanswered – don’t take it personally
- Have backup contact methods for your most important outreaches
Set expectations that InMail is not foolproof. Following best practices improves your chances of connecting but pending messages are always a possibility.
Sample InMail scenarios and pending status explanations
Here are some sample InMail scenarios with explanations for why they might show a pending status:
InMail Scenario | Reason for “Pending” Status |
---|---|
InMail to a recruiter about a new job posting | Recipient hasn’t checked InMail inbox yet |
InMail to a former coworker you lost touch with | Recipient’s inbox is full and not accepting new messages |
InMail to an industry influencer you admire | Message triggered LinkedIn’s spam filters and didn’t go through |
InMail inquiring about services from a small business owner | You don’t share any connections with this recipient |
InMail to a famous celebrity or public figure | Recipient’s account has privacy settings declining unknown InMails |
As you can see from these examples, there are many possible reasons an InMail may show as pending. Don’t assume your message is being ignored or rejected. Follow up politely using other channels if you can.
Key Takeaways
To summarize what a pending InMail status means on LinkedIn:
- “Pending” means your message hasn’t been opened or responded to yet
- Common reasons include recipient being inactive, full inbox, spam filters, no connections, or strict account settings
- Follow up after 1 week if an important InMail is still pending
- Try alternate contact methods like email or phone if available
- Don’t take it personally if some InMails go unanswered – it happens
With persistence and some trial and error, you can learn to improve your InMail open and response rates over time. Pending messages are frustrating but often simply mean more effort is required.