There are a few main reasons why you may be receiving messages on LinkedIn:
Recruiters are reaching out about job opportunities
One of the most common reasons for LinkedIn messages is that recruiters are contacting you about potential job opportunities. Recruiters often search LinkedIn for profiles that match open positions at their companies or clients. If your profile and experience seems like a good fit, recruiters may reach out to gauge your interest and see if you are open to new opportunities.
Some signs a LinkedIn message is from a recruiter:
- They mention a specific job opening or company they are recruiting for
- Their message is generic and copied/pasted instead of personalized
- Their profile says they are a recruiter or talent acquisition specialist
If you are not currently job searching, you can politely decline recruiter messages. But if you are open to new opportunities, engaging with recruiters on LinkedIn can be a good way to find out about positions not publicly advertised yet.
Someone wants to connect professionally
In many cases, LinkedIn messages are people reaching out to network and make professional connections. With over 850 million members, LinkedIn has become a go-to platform for building business relationships.
You may receive LinkedIn messages from:
- Former coworkers looking to catch up
- Professionals in your industry who want to connect
- People interested in learning more about your work and background
Networking messages are often personalized and ask thoughtful questions about your experience. Replying can be a good way to expand your professional circle if you have the capacity. But it’s also okay to limit responses only to people you already know or who provide tailored outreach expressing their interest in your work.
Someone is interested in your services
LinkedIn messaging allows professionals to directly contact others who offer services relevant to them. For example, you may receive inquiries because:
- Your profile mentions your consulting, freelance or coaching services
- You work at a company and someone wants to reach out about business opportunities
- You have skills or expertise that another member needs help with
Service-related messages present opportunities to attract new business and clients. Take the time to thoughtfully respond if you currently have availability in your schedule to take on new work.
You share common connections
Another trigger for LinkedIn outreach is when you share common connections with another member. LinkedIn prompts users to message shared connections to grow their networks. If someone sees you have overlaps in your contact circles, they may reach out to try to connect.
Having common connections can serve as a credibility factor. You are likely to have insider knowledge of the same companies, organizations or professional circles. Bonding over shared contacts is a way to establish trust and build rapport.
They want to pitch you something
Some LinkedIn messages have an ulterior sales motive behind them. Members may directly pitch you:
- A business, product or service they represent
- An invitation to an event, webinar or conference
- Premium job search tools and resources
- Paid advertising, marketing and promotion services
Sales outreach occurs because your profile and activity suggests you may be in the target demographic. While some pitches are legitimate, be wary of any offers that seem fake, too good to be true or ask you to provide sensitive information.
They are interested in you for dating/romance
While most relationship-focused messaging happens on dating platforms, sometimes users try to shoot their shot on professional networks like LinkedIn. Flirtatious outreach on LinkedIn is inappropriate and against community guidelines. If you receive unwanted romantic overtures, you can report or block the sender.
It is a bot or scam account
Unfortunately, spam bots and phishing scams are common on many social media and messaging platforms today, including LinkedIn. Signs of a bot or fake account reaching out include:
- No profile photo or generic stock photo
- Suspicious or oddly formatted username
- Vague complimentary opening without specific context
- Message was clearly blasted out in bulk
- Link or attachment asking you to “verify” login/personal info
Do not click unverified links or provide any sensitive data. Report fake-seeming accounts to LinkedIn so they can be removed. Only message back real people you already know and trust.
You commented on the same post
Engaging with the same posts and content can also spur LinkedIn messages between members who otherwise have no existing connection. For example, you may both add thoughts and opinions under the same article, news item or company update.
The shared interest or professional insights displayed in the comments motivate the other person to reach out directly. Continuing the conversation offline allows for more nuanced dialogue beyond the limitations of a content thread.
You share an alma mater, employer, interest or group
LinkedIn suggestions highlight other members who have educational backgrounds, employers, interests and group memberships in common with you. People who you share these profile traits with may reach out to bond over the shared affinities.
Alumni from the same school, current colleagues and connections made in industry groups or Meetups all have built-in conversation starters and rapport bonds. Keeping the message exchanges focused on the commonalities you share makes the networking and bonding sincere.
They were prompted to after viewing your profile
LinkedIn displays prompts for members to message you after they have viewed your profile. This encourages reaching out to make new connections. If someone finds your profile impressive or sees potential alignment, the prompt nudges them to initiate messaging you.
Putting thought into your profile content and presentation pays off by compelling others to want to message you. A customized “About” section, detailed work descriptions and recommendations make you stand out while showcasing your capabilities.
You have relevant skills, interests or expertise
Including your skills, interests and areas of expertise on your LinkedIn profile allows people looking for those attributes to find you in searches. When your knowledge and abilities match someone’s needs, they are motivated to reach out.
For example, you may attract messages if you list skills in high demand like programming languages, healthcare certifications, creative abilities or fluency in multiple languages. Showcasing your thought leadership makes you a go-to resource.
They want to continue an in-person conversation
After meeting people at events, conferences and industry gatherings, connecting via LinkedIn afterwards keeps the conversation going. With LinkedIn messaging, you can share resources, recommendations and insights without being limited only to occasional face-to-face interactions.
Following up helps strengthen professional bonds when you make positive in-person connections. Referencing the context where you met makes the messaging opportunity specific and more meaningful.
You have an Open Profile that encourages inquiries
LinkedIn Open Profiles make it easy for anyone to message you, even members outside your directly connections network. Keeping your profile visibility open means more unsolicited outreach, but also more networking opportunities.
An Open Profile signals you are approachable and open to connecting. You can toggle between an Open Profile or more exclusive visibility settings anytime based on your preferences.
You posted an interesting status update they want to discuss
When you post status updates with thought-provoking insights, opportunities, or questions, you may get direct messages from people wanting to continue the discussion outside of the public comments. Your prompts inspire extra engagement and conversations.
Posting news related to your industry, links to relevant articles, or updates on your business/projects attracts messaging by giving people conversation starters tied to your expertise.
You commented on someone’s post and they want to follow up
Similarly, when you engage with other people’s posts by liking, commenting, sharing or reacting, the original poster may be motivated to message you directly.
Your feedback gives them the social proof and encouragement to reach out. And moving the dialogue into private messaging lets you have more meaningful back-and-forth without character limits or losing threads in busy comment sections.
They were impressed by an article/post you shared
Posting, commenting on or sharing links to articles, research reports, videos and other content shows off your knowledge. When people are impressed by the media you share, they may message you to learn more.
Articles and posts that get traction and engagement attract the most messaging follow-ups. Driving relevant traffic builds credibility and prompts others to network.
Reason for Message | Example Message Openers |
---|---|
Recruiter reaching out | “I came across your profile and thought you would be a great fit for a new opportunity at [Company Name].” |
Connect professionally | “Hi [Your Name], I saw that you work in [Your Industry] and wanted to network.” |
Interest in your services | “Your consulting services caught my eye. Does your firm have availability to take on new clients now?” |
Common connections | “Looks like we share some of the same connections! I’d love to expand our networks.” |
Sales pitch | “We are offering a [discount/free trial/bonus] on [product/service] I thought you might be interested in.” |
Romantic interest | “You seem really cool/fascinating/inspiring! Want to grab coffee sometime?” |
Bot or scam | “Hi! You look like you need help verifying your account/identity/login.” |
Shared post engagement | “Interesting point you made about [topic], I’d love to hear more of your thoughts on this.” |
Common school/employer/interest | “Awesome to see a fellow [alma mater] grad! I’d love to connect with you.” |
Viewed your profile prompt | “I saw your profile and would be great to connect.” |
Relevant skills/expertise | “Really impressive background in [skill]. Any recommendations on getting started learning [skill]?” |
In-person meeting follow-up | “It was great chatting at [Event] last week! Wanted to continue the conversation on LinkedIn.” |
Open Profile invitation | “Thanks for having an Open Profile! I’m interested in connecting with you.” |
Comment on your status | “Loved your status update on [topic]. Curious to hear if you have any other thoughts on this!” |
You commented on their post | “Appreciate you weighing in on my post – I’d love to discuss this more over message.” |
Content you shared | “Great article! Let me know if you have any other resources I should check out.” |
How should you respond to LinkedIn messages?
Not all LinkedIn messages require a response. It’s okay to ignore messages from solicitors, recruiters if you aren’t job seeking, or contacts you don’t know who don’t personalize their outreach.
When determining how to respond, consider:
- Does the message come from someone you know? Prioritize responding to current coworkers, professional acquaintances and personal connections.
- Is the message personalized? Generic outreach copied to hundreds of people warrants less of a response.
- What is the context? Messages related to recent shared posts, groups or events merit responses.
- Do you have capacity? Only take on new messaging conversations if you have bandwidth.
When you do decide to reply, keep your response:
- Polite if declining an opportunity
- Prompt to maintain momentum
- Concise yet thoughtful
- Casual but professional in tone
And move the conversation to a phone call, video chat or offline meeting when appropriate. Replying regularly strengthens your network while advancing opportunities and relationships.
Auto-reply message templates
To save time and effort, you can also use auto-reply templates to respond to common LinkedIn messages with a saved prewritten message. For example:
Networking inquiry auto-reply:
Thanks for your interest in connecting! Due to my current workload, I am limiting new connections to people I already know well or have worked with directly. But I’m always open to engaging over shared content and posts. Feel free to reach out again in the future as our paths cross more. Best wishes!
Job inquiry auto-reply:
Thank you for thinking of me for this opportunity with [Company]. My background is best suited for [Roles] currently, but I really appreciate you reaching out! Best of luck with your search.
Sales pitch auto-reply:
Appreciate you thinking of me! However, I am not looking for any new [products/services] at this time. But I will keep your offer in mind down the road as needs come up. Thanks for reaching out.
Using auto-replies for common inquiries you cannot personally respond to saves you time while still sending a polite message to each person who messages you.
How to avoid unwanted LinkedIn messages
If you are receiving an excessive amount of undesired messages, there are steps you can take to cut down on the noise:
Adjust profile visibility
Change your profile visibility settings from Open to only allow messages from people in your network. Or further limit messages just to 1st degree connections to decrease unwanted outreach.
Add “Not Open to Recruiting Inquiries”
Add this background photo frame to your profile pic to signal to recruiters you are not open to new job opportunities or messages.
Block unwanted senders
Make use of LinkedIn blocking features to prevent specific people from being able to message you again in the future.
Limit public comments
Be selective about engaging on public posts to have more control over who can message you based on shared interests.
RemoveOpen to Work tag
Take off this tag designed to attract recruiter messaging if you are not currently job seeking.
Screen connection requests
Review connection requests thoroughly before accepting to vet who can message you directly.
Use ignore/delete
For low quality messages, use ignore or delete rather than replying to discourage more outreach.
Conclusion
LinkedIn messaging opens up networking opportunities but can also be a source of unwelcome outreach. Understanding the motivations behind LinkedIn messages allows you to respond appropriately. Establishing boundaries through visibility settings, inbox filters and selective engagement ensures you extract value from LinkedIn messaging.