Recruiting top talent on LinkedIn requires a personalized and thoughtful approach when sending connection invites. The message you send can make or break whether the candidate accepts your invite and engages in further discussion. Here are some best practices for crafting an effective LinkedIn connection request to potential candidates:
Focus on Common Ground
Look for shared connections, groups, companies, schools, or interests that you have in common with the candidate. Point out this common ground in your message to establish rapport and give the invite more context. For example:
“Hi Jane, I noticed we’re both members of the Digital Marketing Association. I’m interested in connecting with fellow marketers to share best practices and industry trends.”
Or:
“Hi Tom, I see we both attended the University of Michigan. I always enjoy connecting with fellow Wolverines!”
Highlighting commonalities makes your outreach more natural and gives the candidate a specific reason why you want to connect.
Be Clear About Your Purpose
State upfront why you would like to connect with the candidate. Whether you’re interested in discussing job opportunities, seeking industry advice, or building your professional network, your message should align with the candidate’s background and interests while being transparent about your goals. For example:
“Hi Sarah, I’m impressed by your experience in digital marketing. I’m looking to expand my professional network of digital marketing leaders and would enjoy the opportunity to connect and learn from your experiences.”
Or:
“Hi Mark, your background in software development caught my attention. I’m actively recruiting for open roles on my tech team and would love to discuss any interest you may have in new opportunities.”
Being upfront gives the candidate context and helps them understand the value in accepting your connection request. Vague invites often get ignored.
Personalize the Message
Avoid generic invites like “I’d like to add you to my professional network.” Take the time to personalize your message based on the candidate’s profile and experiences. Mention specific skills, companies, titles, shared connections, groups, or interests you noticed. Personalized messages show you did your research on the candidate and aren’t just blindly inviting everyone. For example:
“Hi Amanda, I noticed you have 5 years of experience as a Data Analyst at XYZ Company. My team is quite impressed with your background in data analytics and data visualization. I’d love to connect so we can discuss any potential fit for data roles with my organization.”
Or:
“Hi James, I see you’re involved with the American Marketing Association and have led B2B marketing teams in the tech industry. I lead marketing for a B2B SaaS startup and would enjoy exchanging ideas and best practices with a fellow marketing pro.”
Personalization makes your invite stand out and demonstrates genuine interest in the candidate as an individual.
Keep it Concise
Get straight to the point in 2-3 concise sentences. You don’t need to write a novel. The candidate is more likely to read and respond to a brief, clearly worded ask focused on the value of connecting. For example:
“Hi Michelle, I lead the sales team for Acme Software. Your background in SaaS sales caught my attention. I’d like to connect to discuss your experience and potential fit for open roles on our sales team.”
Or:
“Hi Sam, I’m building my network of marketing professionals in the San Francisco area. As a marketing manager at XYZ Company, I thought your experience could provide some valuable insights. I’d appreciate the chance to connect.”
Short, focused messages are more likely to get read in full rather than ignored.
Follow Up
If the candidate accepts your invite, follow up within a week to start a dialogue. Briefly reiterate why you wanted to connect, and ask an open-ended question to kick off the conversation. For example:
“Hi Lisa, thanks for connecting! As I mentioned, I’m interested in learning more about your social media marketing background. What’s your favorite part about managing social campaigns?”
Or:
“Hi Michael, appreciate you accepting my invite. I’m actively sourcing DevOps engineers for a few openings. Are you open to discussing your experience and interest in new roles?”
Following up shows you’re serious about engaging with the candidate beyond just connecting and builds rapport.
Key Takeaways
Here are some key tips for crafting an effective LinkedIn connection request to candidates you’d like to source:
- Highlight any common ground you share like connections, companies, schools, interests.
- State your purpose clearly, like discussing job opportunities or seeking industry advice.
- Personalize your ask based on specifics in their profile and experience.
- Keep your message concise, focused, and sincere.
- Follow up after connecting to start a dialogue.
With these best practices, you can write compelling connection requests that give candidates a strong reason to accept and engage in further discussion. Taking the time to personalize and add context goes a long way towards sourcing great talent through LinkedIn.
Example LinkedIn Connection Messages
Here are some example connection messages to candidates highlighting the strategies discussed:
Common Interests
“Hi Tom, I noticed we’re both alumni of Penn State University. As a fellow Nittany Lion, I’d love to connect on LinkedIn and exchange ideas among PSU grads.”
Job Opportunity
“Hello Sarah, I’m a recruiter at XYZ Company and very impressed with your background in project management and Six Sigma certifications. We have an opening for a Process Improvement Manager I think would be a great fit. I’d like to discuss this and any interest you may have in a new opportunity.”
Industry Advice
“Hi Michael, I see you have over 10 years in investment banking. I just began my career in finance and am hoping to learn from experienced professionals like yourself. If you’re open to it, I’d appreciate connecting on LinkedIn to receive any career advice and insights you can share as a seasoned banker.”
Personalized Compliment
“Hi Lisa, your experience as Director of Marketing for a SaaS company really stood out to me. The projects you’ve led are quite impressive! I’m building connections with top marketing talent and would love the opportunity to connect and learn from your experiences.”
Location-Based
“Hello Juan, I noticed we both live in the Denver area. I’m looking to expand my local network of professionals. As a fellow Denver resident and IT manager, I think connecting could be mutually beneficial. I’d enjoy the chance to connect locally.”
Stats on LinkedIn Connection Acceptance Rates
Sending thoughtful connection requests is just the first step. Getting candidates to accept your invites can be challenging. Here are some stats on average LinkedIn connection acceptance rates:
Connection Type | Acceptance Rate |
---|---|
1st degree connections | 85% |
2nd degree connections | 40% |
3rd degree connections | 20% |
Group connections | 15% |
No shared connections | 10% |
As you can see, the acceptance rate drops significantly as the degree of connection becomes more distant. This highlights the importance of targeting candidates in your immediate network and groups first before expanding out to more distant connections.
Other factors impacting LinkedIn connection acceptance rates include:
- Personalized messages have 2x higher acceptance than generic messages.
- Messages with 50-100 characters have higher acceptance than shorter or longer messages.
- Connections with 5+ shared connections have 4x higher acceptance than no shared connections.
- Connections made through common groups have 2x higher acceptance than no group affiliations.
Optimizing these factors where possible can help boost your connection acceptance rates when sourcing candidates.
Following Up After Connecting
Successfully connecting with your targeted candidates on LinkedIn is just the beginning. To convert these new connections into potential hires, you need an effective follow-up strategy. Here are some tips for following up with new connections:
Connect Within 3 Days
Studies show that 35% of accepted invitations don’t result in actual connections. Following up within 3 days helps convert these “open invitations” before they expire.
Send a message re-introducing yourself, thanking them for connecting, and restarting the dialogue.
Discuss Open Positions
If your purpose is recruitment, mention specific open roles that align with their background. Include brief role descriptions and ask if they would be interested in learning more.
Gauge their interest level first before sending detailed job descriptions or pushing an application.
Offer Value
Discuss topics that provide value like:
- Insights and best practices in their field
- Thought leadership content or reports
- Invitations to upcoming online events or webinars
- Volunteer opportunities related to their interests
Position yourself as a connector that shares relevant information, not just a recruiter.
Build Rapport
Take time to get to know the person before jumping into logistics. Ask open-ended questions about their background, interests, career goals and challenges. Identify common ground you can bond over.
People do business with people they know, like and trust. Making a personal connection first will make them more receptive later.
Maintain the Relationship
Check in periodically to nurture the relationship, not just when you need something. Share articles, invite them to events, or introduce them to others with common interests.
Your connections are more likely to engage long-term if they feel valued beyond recruitment purposes.
Monitor Responses
Pay attention to response times and engagement levels. Slow or limited responses may signal lower interest or fit. Re-evaluate your outreach strategy instead of repeatedly contacting unresponsive connections.
Following up thoughtfully and providing ongoing value are critical to converting new LinkedIn connections into strong talent pipeline candidates over time.
Sample Follow-Up Messages
Here are some example follow-up messages after connecting with a candidate on LinkedIn:
Follow-Up After Connecting
“Hi Matt, thanks for connecting! It was great learning about your background in business development. Let me know if you’d ever like to hop on a quick call to discuss lead generation strategies – I’d enjoy exchanging ideas.”
Discuss Open Position
“Hi Sarah, appreciate you accepting my invite. As mentioned, we have an opening for a Director of Engineering role I think could be a great fit based on your experience. Would you be open to learning more about the position and discussing your interest?”
Share Relevant Content
“Hi Michael, thanks for connecting! I recently came across an interesting article on the future of VR marketing I thought you might find relevant. I’ll forward it over – would love to get your thoughts on the trends discussed.”
Extend Event Invitation
“Hi Lisa, I hope you’re doing well! My company is hosting a virtual recruiting event next week I thought you might be interested in. There will be presentations on employee branding and sourcing passive candidates. Let me know if you’d like me to send you an invite!”
Relationship Check-In
“Hi Juan, I hope things have been going well for you since we last connected! I wanted to touch base and see if you’d had any changes on your end regarding opportunities you’re exploring. Are you open to jumping on a call next week?”
Conclusion
Success sourcing candidates on LinkedIn requires thoughtfully crafted connection requests as well as strategic follow-up communications.
Personalize your initial outreach by highlighting common ground, stating your goals clearly, and showcasing you did your research on their background.
After connecting, continue providing value through relevant content, event invites, industry insights, and relationship building over time.
With a considered approach, you can turn cold candidate outreach into warm ongoing talent pipelines through the power of networking on LinkedIn.