4 LinkedIn Outreach options and when to use them
Category: Tips and Advice
Publish date: 30/09/2022
By now, we all know how valuable LinkedIn is for networking and finding suitable career opportunities post-discharge. But it isn't always clear how best to pursue these opportunities. With so many different correspondence options available on that online platform, it's important you understand which one to use in any given situation to maximize your chance of a successful interaction.
1. Connection request This is a short message (only 300 characters including spaces) that invites someone to become a 1st degree connection. Feel free to send a connection request to ex-colleagues and individuals you know to be recruiters, without any context; and of course, once you’ve landed in a role, you can begin sending them out to your new colleagues. However, if you’re trying to connect with a hiring manager or cold contact, it would be best to accompany the request with a personalised message explaining why you're reaching out - so as to avoid the recipient declining the invite due to not knowing you.
2. Group message Group messages act like emails, are free, and are appropriate for almost any scenario; after all, you've already established that you share a common interest by being in the same group on LinkedIn. You can of course join a group for the sole purpose of messaging someone, but you'll have to wait 4 days from joining to use the message feature – so why not immerse yourself in the group for a few days and see what everyone’s talking about.
3. InMail Sending InMail requires you to have a Premium (paid) account. They enable you to communicate with people without having their contact information and messages are sent directly to whichever email the recipient has connected to LinkedIn. You may not need a Premium account forever, and it may prove more worthwhile paying for it just while you’re actively job searching. During this time, you'll find InMail useful for establishing connections with prospective employers, as recipients are far more likely to perceive your message as legitimate when you're paying for the luxury of being able to contact them.
4. Introduction An introduction request can be sent to an unknown individual via a mutual contact. This is a great route to take when trying to 'get your foot in the door' and start a conversation. LinkedIn has an official introduction option when visiting a contact’s profile, or if you don’t feel comfortable doing it that way, but you know someone that works with them – perhaps a fellow Service leaver – you can ask them to facilitate the introduction for you. That’s the beauty of LinkedIn, there are so many options available.
For more insight into using LinkedIn for building your network throughout your transition, don’t forget you can access the LinkedIn and Online Networking Resettlement Guide, book onto the webinar of the same name, and use the LinkedIn resources in myCareerPath. And as always, your Career Consultant will be on-hand to give you guidance as well.