How to approach Recruiters on LinkedIn – a guide for Civil Engineers

We are not encouraging you to spam recruiters with phone calls, texts, and emails until they respond. If you use the spam approach, most will become annoyed and not want to talk to you – not a good first impression! What we mean is using multiple channels of contact over time and giving at least 48 hours for a response before attempting to contact again.

For example, you can first try contacting a recruiter through a phone call and leaving a voicemail message. If, after 48 hours you have not received a response, you can try calling again or you can send a follow-up email or a LinkedIn message.

Contacting Recruiters Via LinkedIn

It is always a good idea to connect with recruiters within your industry. Even if you are not actively looking, our Recruiters constantly share information about new job openings.

If you are not connected, find the recruiter on LinkedIn, and click ‘connect’. Before the request is sent, LinkedIn will prompt you to send a message; this is your opportunity to introduce yourself and why you want to connect. Sending a personalised message with your request increases the chances of acceptance.

Here is an example connection request message:

Hi *recruiter name*, I came across your opportunity for *job title* and would love to connect to discuss the role further. Here is my number *insert contact number*, please call me when you can. I am looking forward to hearing from you.

If you are already connected with the recruiter, you can go on to their profile and select ‘message’ to send them a direct message. Remember to include your contact number and attach a CV for their review; this will speed up the process as they will usually ask for your CV before talking to you.

Here is an example for a LinkedIn direct message:

Hi *recruiter name*, I came across your opportunity for *job title*. Please see my CV attached. I would love to discuss the role further. Here is my number *insert contact number*, please call me when you can. Looking forward to hearing from you.

We have given more examples of appropriate messages to recruiters at the end of this article.

Click here to visit LinkedIn.

Contacting Recruiters Via Email

• Introduce yourself and why you are contacting them.
• Include your best contact number and times that are most suitable for contact.
• List any questions you have around the job opportunity or industry, giving the Recruiter the ability to prep for your phone call.
• Include your name and job opportunity in the subject line.
• Attach your CV, preferably in Microsoft Word format.

Contacting Recruiters Via Phone

• Find a reason to call, ask an intelligent and specific question.
• If they don’t answer the call, leave a voicemail (no voicemail equals no return call).

Registering Your CV

Click here to register your CV. While you are waiting for a response from a recruiter, it is a good idea to remain proactive. Registering your CV adds your details to our database and allows recruiters to assess your skills and experience against all current job openings.

Job Application

Unfortunately, due to the high volume of job applications, recruiters are often unable to provide feedback to every job applicant. In general, recruiters will only contact you if they believe you might be the right candidate for the current roles they are trying to fill. However, if you want some advice on becoming a stronger candidate, try contacting them through some of the above mentioned, more direct channels.

Dos And Don’ts

Do your research.

Do not call asking ‘Do you have any jobs?’ We have all our positions listed on our vacancies list here, so asking what jobs are available demonstrates laziness. Doing some research will show initiative, and the recruiter will be more open to having a discussion with you.

Be honest.  

It is important to stay truthful throughout the entire recruitment process. If you lie about your work history, experience or qualifications, you risk being blacklisted.   

Be brief.

When making initial contact with recruiters, be brief and to the point. State why you are contacting them, why you might be the right person for the role they are advertising, and how they can contact you.

Be professional

While you might be desperate for a job, it is important to stay professional throughout the entire job searching process.

• Don’t stalk recruiters and bombard them with messages every day.
• Don’t try to connect with recruiters through their personal social media accounts on platforms such as Facebook.
• Always be on time.
• Dress smart.
• Be courteous.
• Be careful with what you post on your social media.
• Do not badmouth recruiters.
• Embrace feedback if you receive it.
• Check for spelling, punctuation, and grammar mistakes when sending emails.

Do not send your CV to multiple recruiters at the same time.

Working with multiple Recruiters can present many problems and even sabotage your chances of getting a job. When your flood the market with your resume, there is a great risk that a hiring manager will receive it from multiple Recruiters, and it might be too difficult to sort out who is representing you and who should get the placement fee.

Here are some more examples of appropriate messages to send to recruiters:

*Remember to update details so the message is relevant to your situation.

Respected Sir/Madam,

1. I have recently moved to Australia/New Zealand on a *visa type*. I am finding it hard to secure a job in my field of expertise even though I have ‘insert years of experience in the *industry* as *job title*. Would you be able to provide some advice on increasing my chances of finding a relevant job?
2. I am currently working for *company name* as a *your title* and came across your job advert for *job opportunity*. I was hoping you would have a few minutes to discuss the job requirements and answer the below questions. My number is *contact number* and the best time to contact me is *contact time*. Please also see my CV attached.

*list questions in dot point format*