Send LinkedIn Messages to Get Jobs without Applying
I have a question for you:
What type of LinkedIn messages are you sending?
If you send messages like the one below:
Hi [Name]
I hope you are well.
I am a [occupation] and I’m looking to transition into [occupation.]
Would there be any openings in your company that you could share?
Thank you, have a great day.
You are part of the 99%. You’re not standing out.
Before asking for something you must earn it, for as little as it might seem.
After many failures, I got my last two jobs using LinkedIn messages only. No online application. Just a couple of LinkedIn messages, bum, interviews and job offers.
I used the right words, energy and selling points. I showed my enthusiasm without saying “I am enthusiastic” and I showed my skills through my actions.
Here how you can do the same:
Step 1: Research the hell out of them
You must become a private investigator and read everything about them. Why?
If you want something out of someone, you must invest first.
Read their LinkedIn profiles,
Google their names,
Read their blogs,
Listen to their interviews
Take note of what you find, especially
An interesting career pivot or move
non-traditional background
An article they wrote
Something from their personal website
Record your findings in a excel spreadsheet.
Step 2: First Message
Use the information that you find to craft the first message.
Make it all about them
Make it personable by introducing yourself
Mention your key finding, hopefully you have something in common
Compliment their career changes, promotions, article, etc.
At the end, ask for a 5 minute call to learn more about them
Try to say the words “expert” and “expertise”, as they have a positive impact on the brain
For example, if the person made a career move.
“Hi Camilla,
My name is [Your Name] and I found your info while I was looking for people who changed career from a non-traditional background into IT. Your experience moving from manufacturing to software really caught my attention.
I'm sure that move wasn't easy! I'd love to hear more about your journey, some of the obstacles you faced, and ask you a few questions.
I know you're busy and your time is valuable, so no need to respond in depth. If you do have a few minutes to chat, I'd be really grateful. If not, no worries! Either way, have a fantastic week.
Cheers,
[Your Name]”
Wait to see their response and go from there.
Step 3: Second message
Whether they respond or not, we’re going to send them a second message 😅
Continue your message line around the points of connection between you and them.
Show yourself curious and ask them about their role:
The challenges they're facing
The goals they have
The initiatives their team is rolling out
Step 4: Finding a problem
Use their feedback to fuel up your research about problems and issues.
You only need to find one “problem” and make it slightly better. You do not need to reinvent the wheel.
Make a question in Quora
Read product reviews from customers on Facebook
Watch interviews on YouTube,
Read about CEO and board of directors
If you’re serious about it, read financial statements here Seeking Alpha | Stock Market Analysis (for public companies)
Make a list of issues and add them to the spreadsheet that we spoke before.
Step 5 - Make a pitch with your idea
How can you show your passion to fix this one problem?
Brainstorm ideas and solutions, and select one or two ideas supported by industry data.
Examples:
A. You are an Enironmental Engineer and walk past the company building where you want to work. You smell off and notice that the waste is producing bad smell towards the neighbourhood. You research and find a specific bin that contains a absorbent material in the internal walls of the skip. You present that idea in your pitch.
B. You are a UX/UI Designer and want to offer freelance job to a small company. The have an astrology app that you really don’t think is intuitive and accessible. You use your tools and design a whole new home page, while maintaining the branding colours. That will go to your pitch.
Once you have an idea, make a 3-4 slide pitch/presentation deck
- First slide:
The main value that you can add
Your proposed idea or solution
Statistics or industry data to back up the issue and why is worth solving it
- Second slide:
How you would implement the idea,
Assumptions
- Third slide
Your past work emphasising transferrable skills
Highlight main achievements
Why you are the best fit
- Fourth slide
More background and qualifications.
Note, you can always make a pitch deck even if you don’t do any research or have any idea.
You can adapt your past projects to present in the slides so they are relevant to the company that you’re interested in.
Step 6: Share Your Pitch Deck
Send the pitch deck to your contact with a brief message saying:
Hi [Name],
I’ve been thinking a lot about our conversation last week. Especially [Challenge, Goal, Initiative].
I put together a deck with some quick ideas for you, attached here.
Let me know if you want to chat through it!
Cheers,
[Your Name]
Step 7: Request Referrals
After your contact sees the deck, you make the request.
“Do you know of any open roles where I could be a fit?”
If there are no open roles you can say “I’d appreciate if you keep me in mind”
Some contacts will offer to refer you in without even having to ask
The ones who did not offer referral, you can say?
“Would you be open to refer me in?”
Many will say yes.
Step 8: Prepare for Interviews
With an “insider support”, you will head to the interviews with a higher chance of success.
You will be able to highlight the value that you bring by addressing real company problems.
Bad news:
It’s a bit of work and effort from you!
You should plan to target at least 10 companies and 10 contacts at each = 100 first messages!
One doesn’t “see” how close we are in the recruiting process, because it’s a parallel route.
Good news:
You only need one to bite
From the ones that bite, you have extremely high chances of getting the job offer
This is the actual way that employes hire, because they get to see the value that you can give to them before they pay you
All the ideas and research you did will set you up for success if you start working for that company,
You gain skills by doing it
You can use your research and ideas to show results to other companies!
Final thoughts
Even though this seems like a lot of work for free, trust the numbers (Glassdoor) and my own experience when I say that you will find work faster if you go down this route.
You don’t have to stop applying online though. You should continue applying online with your CV but only in the 20% of your free time. While you use LinkedIn messages on the 80% of your free time.
Start sending this killer LinkedIn messages and you will find your dream job in no time.
I would love to hear how you go!
