7 Secrets to Attracting Recruiters on LinkedIn

What do recruiters want?

It’s the question every job seeker wants answered.

So I went straight to the source and asked for some tips from two active LinkedIn recruiters -- Zachary Simon, Director of Global Executive Talent Acquisition for Eaton Corporation, and Cyndi Klein, Technical Recruiter for Rackspace Hosting. Zach and Cyndi generously answered all of my prying questions and shared the following insider tips:

1. Incorporate crucial keywords into your profile.
“Make sure you incorporate a lot of keywords for the kind of job you’re looking for,” says Cyndi. “As a recruiter, I run Boolean searches through LinkedIn and I look for the key requirements of [each available] job. I look for very specific skills, so have these in your profile.”

For example, describe that you have experience as a “systems administrator for Linux” not the more generic “support technician.” If you’re not sure what skills or terms to use, look for the keywords mentioned in the job postings for positions you want and the LinkedIn profiles of people who currently have those jobs.

Cyndi also advises that job seekers focus on what you’ve done in your current or past jobs to make an impact. In other words, your LinkedIn profile should focus on your accomplishments and not your tasks. Zach agrees and reminds job seekers that tone matters as well: “Convey your expertise in what you do and your enthusiasm for your role and your results.”

2. Display a professional photo.
Recruiters using the LinkedIn Recruiter tool won’t be able to view your photo in their searches; however, recruiters and hiring managers may come across your profile while interacting in groups or elsewhere on the site. This means your profile photo needs to make the right first impression. “Don’t use a casual, too personal picture on LinkedIn,” says Zach. “Recruiters won’t be impressed with a picture from a family picnic or of you at a sporting event.” (I agree, unless you are a caterer in the former example or work in the sports industry in the latter.) Stick with a professional headshot of you alone, preferably with a smile, and you’ll be just fine.

3. Get the right recommendations.
“I am not impressed with profiles that have too many recommendations,” says Zach. “To me, it looks like the person is constantly asking for these and it looks a bit self-indulgent.”

So, what’s the right number? My best advice is to have at least one recommendation for each job you list on your profile. Beyond that, only post recommendations that will impress recruiters and hiring managers (remember that you don’t have to display every recommendation you have; be strategic).

To Cyndi, this means having recommendations from former bosses and some peers. “Make sure people are recommending you who really know you or are people you’ve had an impact on,” she advises. “I look at recommendations to tell if someone is going to be a good cultural fit. I look for mention of soft skills, like being good with customers or having a good work ethic. You have to be able to do the job, but I want to know what it’s really like to work with you.”

4. Show off group memberships.
LinkedIn group memberships are another way recruiters assess job candidates. Zach advises job seekers to join LinkedIn groups that are “relevant to your work, your education and even outside interests, such as community activities and philanthropies.” Why do recruiters care about your affiliations? “Your groups can be a reflection of your priorities,” he explains.

This is especially important for career changers, recent grads and people who’ve been out of work for a prolonged period. Group memberships can show you are active in an industry even if you’re not currently working in it. For instance, if you’re trying to transition from sales into a career in financial analysis, you should drop out of sales-related groups and join groups related to finance and accounting. This shows that you’re serious about the career change (and it also helps your networking efforts).

5. Be in good company.
Be aware that recruiters are looking beyond the content of your LinkedIn profile. They’re looking at your list of connections as well. According to Cyndi, “Make sure you’re connected to people who are relevant [to your career interests].” Cyndi likes to hire professionals who are well networked in their industry, so she advises job seekers to “connect with all of your peers.” This also increases your chances of a recruiter finding your profile while looking at the profile of one of your colleagues.

6. Make the employer feel special.
When I asked Cyndi for her biggest pet peeve as a recruiter using LinkedIn, she didn’t hesitate with her answer. “The worst thing is when you can tell someone is sending mass emails,” she says. “Customize your approach to each position or person,” she recommends. “We don’t want someone who just wants to get a job anywhere. We want someone who is passionate about working here. Make us feel special!”

This means always customizing any cover letters you send through LinkedIn and even tweaking your profile when you apply for a position to highlight the qualifications a specific employer is seeking. For instance, you could change your profile headline to feature some keywords that match a particular position description or rewrite the first paragraph of your Summary statement to highlight those keywords and relevant experience. This will help your profile stand out for the position you want, but it won’t exclude you from consideration for other jobs.

Whenever you send a connection request or InMail message, always, always, always customize your message to the person you are contacting as well. Generic connection requests and template emails won’t impress anyone.

7. Reach out
Finally, don’t be afraid to reach out directly to a recruiter on LinkedIn. Cyndi says that Rackspace recently hired two people who reached out to the company’s recruiting managers on LinkedIn.

How do you do this effectively? Cyndi advises that you only send a message to a recruiter when you feel you’d be a good fit for a specific position the company has posted. If this is the case, first submit your resume for the position and then send a message to the specific recruiter who has posted the opportunity (you can find this information on the LinkedIn job posting). “Be direct and to the point,” says Cyndi. “For example, you might write, ‘I just applied for XYZ position and I wanted to reach out to you directly to let you know I applied.’” This isn’t a guaranteed strategy, of course, but in today’s challenging economy, every bit of extra effort counts.

Do you have a question you’ve always wanted to ask a recruiter? Share your question below and we will include some of your queries in an upcoming LinkedIn for Job Seekers webinar.