InMails: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

InMails: The Good, The Bad,
and The Ugly

Meet Your Presenters
Tara Hartnett
Relationship Manager
Kristen Widman
Success Manager

What We’ll Cover Today
The Good
What works to
generate interest
from candidates
The Bad
Why
candidates
don't respond
to certain
approaches
The Ugly
How not to use
the InMail
system
Names, photos, titles & companies have been changed to protect the innocent & guilty alike

Knowledge
The definitive professional
publishing platform
Network
We connect the world’s
professionals
Identity
The professional
profile of record
Professionals Come to LinkedIn to Develop
Their Careers

Passive Talent
Not as passive as you think
Passive candidates may be
• Reaching out to personal network
• Open to talking to a recruiter
• Completely satisfied; Don’t want to move
Active candidates may be
• Actively looking
• Casually looking a few times a week
30%
Active
70%
Passive
Tiptoer: Thinking about changing jobs and reaching out to close associates
Explorer: Not looking for a job but willing to discuss a new opportunity with recruiters
Super Passive: Happily employed and not interested in a new opportunity
Source: LinkedIn Talent Trends Report 2015.

When Sending InMails to
Passive Candidates…
Do
• Start a conversation
• Make it feel personal
• Include a strong subject line
• Be brief and to the point
• Mention shared connections
Don’t
• List all job specifics
• Include job title or req ID in
the subject line
• Use jargon & biz-speak
• Ask for a resume right away
Lindsey Stevens 3
Personalize you InMail
Mentioning what you have in
common can boost your response
rate
Lindsey Stevens
Marketing Director…
Connections in common
Patty Meyers
Senior Consultant at Novella
Matt Chang
Account Executive at Tyler Inc
Derek Bell
Regional Sales Manager at Future
Co

Always Avoid Jargon
Put yourself in your audience’s shoes…
Instead of Try
“Lead the business and drive change to meet
performance goals.”
"You'll be in charge of a team of 50
salespeople and responsible for increasing
revenue by 10% in your first year."
“Leverage assets to work across business
units.”
"When you're not rolling up your sleeves and
analyzing sales data with your team, you'll be
coaching territory directors on how to perfect
their negotiating skills."
“Work in a cross-functional team to implement
practical solutions.”
"You will get hands-on leadership training
and learn how to motivate your team to
exceed their sales goals."

The Good
What works to
generate interest
from candidates
SourceIn, LinkedIn’s Premier Staffing Event
InMail best practices panel
39%
response
rate

First Attempt
Tara Hartnett
Technical Recruiter at Dynamic Technology
InMail
Tara Hartnett
Front-end Developer
Opportunity!
Front-end Developer Opportunity!
Hi Peter,
I wanted to reach out to you today in regards to your PHP
background. My client in the western suburbs is looking for a
LAMP Developer with CodeIgniter for a 4+ month contract.
Must be a US citizen.
They are seeking a candidate that has experience building
web applications using PHP in an enterprise environment
using both MySQL and Oracle databases. The contracting
resource will collaborate closely with staff in the assessment,
analysis and requirements gathering for the project and will
assist in 1) devising and inserting IT-based tools to replace
more manual procedures within and between existing
applications and 2) adding a user-friendly, user-specific,
feature-laden portal that encompasses all of the web-based
office applications. Are you currently open to new
opportunities? If so, I'd love to set up a time to speak about
your background and the above opportunity! Also, if you know
anyone who may be looking for a new opportunity, feel free to
send my information to your network. We do offer cash for
any referrals that we place!
Thank you,
Tara Hartnett
Technical Recruiter
Dynamic Technology
Tel 408.555.2345
The Ugly

Getting Better…
Tara Hartnett
InMail
Tara Hartnett
Innovative, Front-end
Developer Opportunity!
Innovative, Front-end Developer Opportunity!
Hi Brad,
I hope you had a great holiday weekend! I want to reach out
to you today in regards to your resume! I have an opportunity
for a Front-end Developer with a client in Chicago, IL!
They are seeking a Senior Software Engineer who can deploy
innovative solutions for a variety of projects! The focus of this
role will be mostly front-end development (HTML, CSS,
JavaScript) on responsive/adaptive website projects! Some
experience with J2EE and Java on the back-end is preferred!
Are you currently looking for new opportunities? If so, it would
be great to set up a time to speak about your background and
this role in more details!
I look forward to hearing from you!
Thank you,
Tara Hartnett
Technical Recruiter
Dynamic Technology
Tel 408.555.2345
The Bad

Got It
Tara Hartnett
InMail
Tara Hartnett
Have you thought about
your next step?
Have you thought about your next step?
Hi Tony,
Congratulations on your 4 year work anniversary! I am
reaching out to you today as I noticed your impressive
background in UX web development. As the economy picks
up, IT is projected to be one of the fastest growing industries
in 2015.
If you’re looking to make a career change, I have a remote
Web Developer role that gives you the opportunity to work
with JavaScript and AngularJS, which would be a great
addition to your portfolio.
Are you open to a conversation? If so, please hit reply and
let’s set up a time discuss further.
Best,
Tara Hartnett
Technical Recruiter
Dynamic Technology
Tel 408.555.2345
The Good

Growth Opportunity
Sarah Madan
Technical Recruiter at Ahead Recruiting
InMail
Sarah Madan
Fast track to leadership!
Opportunity to own…
Fast track to leadership! Opportunity to build a
team below you
Hi Joan,
Even with thousands of restaurants at our fingertips, doesn’t it
always feel like our favorite spots – our neighborhood gems!
– are the ones that don’t deliver? This startup is the solution.
With your background at LinkedIn, you would be the perfect fit
for their city manager role!
• Extremely flexible hours: work from anywhere at any time!
• Rare opportunity to build out your city’s FIRST TEAM
• Proven success & profitability in San Francisco and NYC!
• Competitive salary, full benefits & transportation cost
coverage
Let’s schedule a time to chat this Monday! Are you available
between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.?
Sarah Madan
Technical Recruiter
Ahead Recruiting
Tel 408.555.5678
The Good

C-level Opportunity
Leslie Lever
Technical Recruiter at Staffing Partners
InMail
Leslie Lever
COO Opportunity
COO Opportunity
Good afternoon,
We have been retained to fill a CEO assignment for a
privately-owned student loan collector on the West Coast,
and I was hoping you may have some ideas or suggestions.
My contact information is below for your reference. Is there a
good time for me to contact you to discuss this opportunity in
more detail?
Leslie Lever
Technical Recruiter
Staffing Partners
Tel 408.555.1111
The Bad

Sales Opportunity
Kean Sumner
Senior Recruiter at STW Staffing
InMail
Kean Sumner
Let’s Connect
Let’s Connect
Tara,
I recently came across your profile as we have a few
connections in common and was intrigued by your current
role and some of the success you've had up to this point. I
would love to connect to chat about your career path and to
fill you in on an amazing opportunity that just opened up at
one my client’s company on the account operations team.
A couple good articles to add a little color on our client’s
company:
Business Today article - #1 company to work for to advance
your career - http://www.businessinsider.com -
bestcompaniesforadvancingyourcareer
A short video...http://www.youtube.com/watch?stwstaffing
Connecting for a quick 5-10 minute call in the next few days
would be great. Shoot me the best number to give you a ring
at, assuming you have interest. I look forward to hearing from
you.
Kean Sumner
Senior Recruiter
STW Staffing
Tel 408.555.6789
The Good

Middle Management Opportunity
Nancy Klein
Senior Recruiter at KTR Partners
InMail
Nancy Klein
Are you ready for your
Next Play?
Are you ready for your next play?
Hi Kim,
Very nice to meet you via LinkedIn. By way of introduction, I
am a senior executive recruiter in the technology practice at
KTR Partners.
We recently launched a search for a Manager, Industrial
Design for one of our large client’s Design Product Group -
encompassing the entire existing and future product roadmap
for the company's high-end consumer and enterprise
products. This individual will lead a globally distributed team of
senior design leaders in defining the vision and design
strategy for mobile, PC, hybrid and enterprise devices.
Our client’s leadership team has been ramping up investment
in all areas of design, including the opening of design centers
all over the world. As the leader of the Industrial Design team,
this individual will play a key role in the evolution of the
company.
Based on your background, I thought that this role could be an
interesting fit for you or, if not, for someone you might highly
recommend. Either way, it would be great to connect as I lead
many senior design searches for our firm each year.
Would it be possible to find a few minutes for a call? Thanks
in advance.
Nancy Klein
The Good

I'd love to interview you!
Hi Tara,
You have a very impressive professional background. Based on your
experience I think you could be a great fit for People Inc. Our largest
business unit has a strategic and consultative Sales Management
position available in our New York office. This position involves the
coaching and management of 15+ Business Development/Account
Management staff.
Before you file this message away with the others, take a look at
what makes a sales management career with People Inc truly
unique:
5. FUN! – Our Sales Team loves coming to work each day. People
Inc’s collaborative environment rewards hard work and strong
performance.
4. Exposure to C-Suite Executives – this is your opportunity to
directly impact the business decisions of leading global organizations
through the coaching and development of your direct reports.
3. Opportunity for Advancement – People Inc loves to promote from
within. Development opportunities to senior sales and sales
management roles.
2. Work/Life Integration – Our Virtual Sales Process (phone, Webex,
Go-to Meeting) means no travel required for you or your direct
reports.
1. Compensation – People Inc offers competitive base salaries +
annual bonuses + countless company perks + full benefits, 401(k)
with employer matching & ample PTO.
Let's set-up time to chat! I'm happy to share the full job description
and answer any questions you might have. I look forward to your
response.
Sales Manager Opportunity
Steve Adams
Senior Recruiter at People Inc
InMail
Steve Adams
I'd love to interview you!
The Bad

High Demand Skills Opportunity
Stephanie Homes
Senior Recruiter at Start Now Recruiting
InMail
Stephanie Homes
Follow up
Follow up
Hi Mary,
I just wanted to reach again in case you hadn't had a chance to see
my first e-mail. I'd love to chat regarding a Principal Software
Engineer opportunity at a fast paced start up. Please let me know a
good time for a quick chat. Looking forward to connecting soon!
Thanks,
Stephanie
1 attachment
JOB Overview.pdf
Stephanie Homes
Start Now Recruiting
The Bad

C-level Opportunity
Robert Camper
Recruiter at Quality Search
InMail
Robert Camper
Confidential: A C-level
Position to Discuss…
Confidential: A C-level Position to Discuss With
You
Ann,
First, apologies for the unsolicited message but I was hoping
to get your thoughts on a current search. We have been hired
to recruit a CFO to a global, publicly-traded company with
close to $3B in annual revenues. The company would prefer
to remain confidential at this but highlights include:
• Ideally, sitting public company CFO but will consider large
divisional CFO (or strong Treasurer/CAO)
• Significant experience in managing financial operations
within a global manufacturing business
• Ability to oversee accounting, capital markets, Tax, Treasury
and Investor Relations
• Appetite for growth with a focus on M&A/Corporate
Development
• Desire for international travel
• Role could be based in either Texas or Europe
I would be happy to discuss the details with you, as well as
send you a full position description. If you’re interested, let’s
set up some time to talk. Does next week work?
Robert Camper
Quality Search
408.555.9999
The Good

Account Manager Opportunity
Mike Sander
Technical Recruiter at Search Technology
InMail
Mike Sander
Job Opportunity - Great
Fit
Job Opportunity - Great Fit
Check this out. You would be a great fit!
Account Manager
Search Co - Santa Monica, California
I will be happy to refer you. Just click on Yes on the Job
Description page and it will notify the hiring manager that I
made the introduction. They will take it from there.
http://SearchCo.com/jobs/ITconsulting
Mike Sander
Technical Recruiter
Search Technology
Tel 408.555.7789
The Ugly

Contract Opportunity
Terry Minder
Senior Recruiter at HERE Services
InMail
Terry Minder
Hey Tara
Just ran across your info on LinkedIn and wanted to reach out. I'm a
Recruiter in New York and have a client in the loop that's looking to
hire a Contract Recruiter. They're a huge international law firm and
are looking to hire someone with a couple years of agency
experience. It'll start out as a one year contract and will likely
eventually go full-time, but they don't have headcount approved right
now - hence the contract route. Anyways... not sure if you're happy in
your current role or if you're looking to make a move over to the
corporate side, but thought I'd drop you a line. Interested in
chatting?
Best,
Terry Minder
The Bad

High Demand Skills Opportunity
Dominic Sanders
Senior Recruiter at Search Savvy Partners
InMail
Dominic Sanders
Principal Engineer at a
high growth company!
Principal Engineer at a high growth company!
Hi John,
I am hoping to interest you in a principal/senior role with the
world’s largest online credit marketplace. They’re completely
rebooting the 2.7 trillion dollar financial industry. Since their
($9 billion!) IPO in May 2014, they have been on an incredible
growth trajectory. They’re looking for a highly motivated
software engineer like yourself who’s interested in developing
scaling products and solutions.
I took it upon myself to share your profile with the Engineering
Manager and needless to say he was impressed with your
background and experience at LinkedIn - hence the reason for
my note. I am sure you are busy, but I would value the
opportunity to speak with you about your career plans and
some of the cool initiatives the team is working on.
Would you be open to having a 15 minute conversation next
week?
Thanks,
Dominic
408.555.8888
The Good

Inside Sales Opportunity
Hi Sara,
I am a Direct Hire Recruiter for CrossLine Group and have an
opportunity for an Inside Sales Representative in the Chicago
suburbs that I thought you may be interested in. I have included the
details and job description below for your review. If this is an
opportunity you would like to pursue, please send me a copy of your
resume in MS Word format to erika@crosswiregroup.com. I look
forward to hearing from you!
DIRECT HIRE INSIDE SALES:
Location: Chicago, IL
Shift: 8hr shifts-Monday through Friday-1st shift
Pay: Base + Commission structure at $17.50/hr plus commission.
(Earning potential up to targeted 60K-65K + in first year).
Earnings is driven by sales performance so the potential to earn
more is unlimited.
Industry: Healthcare –Medical Waste Division
Perks:
-Industry leader
-Medical/Dental coverage, 401k, vacation and personal days, 8 paid
holidays, tuition reimbursement programs, and successful employee
stock programs.
-Multiple opportunities for job advancement within.
-Monthly sales contests and incentives.
-Excellent culture in a fun and friendly environment.
Job duties:
-B2B inside sales, Prepping sales contracts, generating leads, full
sales process over the phone.
-Performance based and metrics driven environment.
-Inbound and outbound sales calls to potential new/existing
customers.
-Retain customers who are “at risk” of cancelling service.
-Ongoing sales training and professional development.
-Build a pipeline of potential business.
Erika Vans
Client Services Consultant at CrossLine Group
InMail
Erika Vans
The Bad

Sales Opportunity
Sol Rains
Technical Recruiter at DEW Search
InMail
Sol Rains
Networking help staffing
consultant search
Networking help staffing consultant search
First, thank you for taking the time out of your busy day.
I want to first let you know I am not trying to recruit you. I don't
use LinkedIn that way. I do believe in the power of
networking. I am hoping you might have a referral that would
be intrigued by a new recruiting or sales opportunity.
We are looking to add a perm recruiter and culture fit to our
growing team at DEW. After spending a big chunk of my
careers at some of the top IT staffing firms in the country. I
wanted to be more then just a number and wanted to work for
a company that truly cared about the employee and was
flexible on hours not just face time or the bottom dollar. Were
more interested in the right personality and drive the skill set
we can teach.
I can only promise you like the last two people referred to that
currently work for us. They will thank for years to come. From
flexibility to being part of not just a team but also a family. If
you know an individual looking for a change please let me
know. Or if you just want to network and use me as a trump
card in your back pocket send me your email address and I
will send you an invite.
Have a great day!
Sol Rains
The Ugly

Prospective Client
John Deller suggested we meet
Hi Sarah,
Hope you are well!
John Deller was a good friend of mine back at school. I have recently
helped his company as well. He spoke very highly of you.
Your background is quite impressive!I am the President at XYZ Inc.,
and had to reach out given your background. We help companies
build top performing sales teams.
John Deller thought there could be some synergy between our
firms. Are you available next Friday at 8:00am for coffee? I can
always jump on the phone if that is easier.
Looking forward to meeting with you!
Regards,
Michael Rome
President
XYZ Inc.
408.555.4567
Michael Rome
President at XYZ Inc.
InMail
Michael Rome
John Deller suggested we
Meet
The Bad

Prospective Client
Michael Rome
President at StaffRight
InMail
Michael Rome
Go Flyers!
Go Flyers!
Hi Sarah,
I saw that you went to Dayton. Always heard great things
about that school, but never had the chance to visit!

I am the President at StaffRight., and had to reach out given
your background. Sales Rep to VP of Sales in 6 years? Talk
about impressive!
I saw on your website that Culture fit is very important when
considering new hires. Culture fit is important to us as well,
and something we actually measure when helping our
clients build top performing sales teams.
There seems to be some synergy between our businesses,
and would like to explore it further with you. Are you
available next Friday at 8:00am for coffee? I can always jump
on the phone if that is easier.
Looking forward to meeting with you!
Regards,
Michael Rome
President
XYZ Inc.
408.555.4567
The Good

Internal Opportunity
Kaylen Arthur
Recruiter at TR Recruiting
InMail
Kaylen Arthur
Exciting Growth
Oportunity!
Exciting Growth Oportunity!
Hi Stephen,
Director, Client Services
(Business Development Consultant)
Fast Growing Dynamic Entrepreneurial Environment!
Chicago.
Our company is experiencing record breaking sales growth
with an increase of 40% year over year! We are expanding
our team and seeking an influential player to increase
revenue by securing new business and expanding our
existing client base. Join this dynamic and innovative sales
technology organization and embrace the challenge to sell
executive level, project-based financial engagements!
Are you highly competitive? Are you a motivated, self-starter
sales hunter?
TR Management Solutions, a division TR Recruiting,
specializes in the placement of Senior Finance, Accounting,
Program and Project Management Professionals on a project
and consulting basis to support mission critical client
initiatives. Management Solutions works from the inside,
developing a thorough understanding of client challenges,
environment and end-game. Our highly skilled Business
Development Managers sell complex, project-based financial
engagements with strong gross margin potential!
If you seek a higher base salary and want to work for a
smaller firm with less restructuring then TR Recruiting is for
you.
The Ugly

What Does a Great InMail Look Like?
Kaylen Arthur
Recruiter at TalentFirst Recruiting
InMail
Kaylen Arthur
Interested in expanding
your skillset?
Interested in expanding your skillset?
Hi Adam,
I’m a Recruiter in the sales and technology space and
reaching out to you about a potential sales opportunity in
Chicago for a client of mine. With your extensive sales
background at JCM, your profile caught my eye. I think you
may be a great fit for the role.
Here’s a little background for you:
My client is in the software technology space. They help the
world’s biggest brands by providing a game-changing CRM.
They are seeking an influential player to increase revenue by
10%. This will give you the opportunity to secure new
business and add high profile clients to your resume.
With 12 years of experience under your belt, I’d love to hear
more about what you do in your current role and your career
goals. Let’s set up an initial phone call and I can share more
information.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
Best,
Kaylen
TalentFirst Recruiting
888.777.6666
The UglyThe great

Art of Sending Bulk InMail
1. Don’t send more than 10 at a time
2. Filter by school, company, and groups to personalize bulk
message
3. Compliment sincerely on experience or mention the specific
industry they’re in
4. Utilize templates – have a template created for specific filters
you utilize often (school, industry and company)

Checklist before hitting send
• Leverage personal profile information
• Include what’s in it for them
• Write to be mobile ready
• Make it 500 characters or less
• End with a clear call to action
• Ask yourself – would you open, read,
and reply?

InMails: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to InMails: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Similar to InMails: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

InMails: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly