How To Respond to a LinkedIn InMail from Legal People
It’s no secret that the Australian Legal Industry is in the midst of a candidate tight market. If you are an experienced, talented lawyer with great skills then you are in demand!
Such a market means that we often need to think outside the box to source candidates beyond our own networks.
Technology and Social Networking sites such as LinkedIn assists us with this process, and we sometimes find people are not sure how to respond to an InMail on LinkedIn.
What are the Rules?
Many recruiters use a feature of LinkedIn funnily enough called “Recruiter”. This helps us expand our search beyond actively job hunting candidates to the world of the 4,500,000 Australian users on LinkedIn. Our use of the Recruiter platform gives us access to a communication tool called InMails. There are strict policies relating to the use of this system and we are not allowed to send unwanted or untargeted mass InMail messages. LinkedIn carefully monitors response rates to ensure that quality conversations are occurring on the platform.
What is an InMail?
An InMail on LinkedIn is a private message that can be sent to a potential candidate. It arrives in your LinkedIn message notifications and is labelled by LinkedIn as an InMail . Generally they will be from a profile on LinkedIn that you are not already connected to.
Why would Legal People send you an InMail?
If one of our Consultants have sent you an InMail then there is something in your LinkedIn headline, summary and work experience that is very relevant and appealing to a role we are currently recruiting for. Our InMails are personalised and targeted and drafted with care. If we are reaching out to you then we genuinely have a career opportunity that might be suitable for you. We love starting conversations on LinkedIn about your career plans and whether you are open to a new opportunity.
So, I’ve received an InMail. How Should I Respond?
There are three options when you receive an InMail message. You can read and accept it, decline the opportunity or ignore it. The message status shows as pending to the recruiter when you have not replied (or trashed it).
Consider using one of the LinkedIn templates for a really quick response. LinkedIn currently offers templates for the following:
Interested : “Thanks for reaching out! I’d love to hear more about this”
Maybe later : “Thanks for reaching out. This isn’t something I’m interested in now, but let’s keep in touch”
Or No thanks : “Thanks for reaching out, but this is not something I’m interested in”
LinkedIn makes it really easy for you to start a conversation with a new connection and to start building mutually beneficial relationships.
Be Flattered!
Effectively when you receive an InMail from us, you are potentially at the beginning of a head-hunting process. Be flattered! Even if you are extremely happy and rewarded in your current role, take a moment or two to make an informed decision about a possible alternative role. And think long term! Your future job search becomes much easier when you are already connected to and have built a relationship with a leading recruiter in your industry.
Think Long Term When You Respond
Consider for a moment whether you have heard of the consultant who is contacting you. Do they have a great reputation? Are they working for a company you are familiar with? You can view their LinkedIn profile and recommendations or their LinkedIn Company page. Consider particularly the type of roles they recruit and whether they are relevant to the geographical area you want to be working in.
We recommend then taking a quick moment to respond to their message! You are not committing to changing roles, you are just opening up lines of communication and building your network and relationships.
Our specialist recruitment consultants have local industry knowledge and are across legal industry market salaries. They also have a deep understanding of traditional and non-traditional legal career paths. At Legal People we have many exclusively listed roles with the cream of the crop of the legal industry, many of who are employers of choice. We specialise in matching talented legal professionals with the right corporate culture. We have insider knowledge of our client base and are often aware of available roles before they hit the market. We really can partner you to present the best version of yourself to the industry and reach your career goals.
Consider LinkedIn like a networking meeting or a cocktail party. If a person in real life walked up to you and wanted to talk about a potential career opportunity, you are unlikely to ignore them. Online networking should follow the same etiquette.
Something Else to Think About
There are a couple of other things to note about LinkedIn InMails.
A recruiter has an ability to track whether you have responded. You might be in the job of your dreams now, but things might change and you never know when you may need to make a great impression on that same recruiter.
Consider spending the extra minute or two to explain to our consultant what your absolute dream job and dream company might be. That way you are likely to come straight to mind when it comes up!
Are you looking for a new and challenging role in the legal industry in Melbourne? Legal People is your gateway to legal opportunities. We are specialists in the Legal Industry. We recruit Lawyers, Support staff and HR professionals in Melbourne, Australia. If you enjoyed reading this article, you can follow our Company Page on LinkedIn for regular updates. To browse our currently available roles click here.
