How to message a recruiter (with templates for email and LinkedIn)

Recruiters read a lot of messages. The ones that get a reply have three things in common: they name a specific role, they show the match quickly, and they make the next step easy.

What a recruiter needs from you

A recruiter’s job is to fill a role with someone the hiring manager will say yes to. When your message arrives, they’re asking:

1. Which role is this about?
2. Does this person match what the hiring manager asked for?
3. What do they want me to do?

Answer those three in the first few lines and you’re ahead of most messages they’ll read today.

The structure that works

• Line 1: the role. Title, location, and job ID if there is one.
• Line 2: the match. One concrete achievement that lines up with the role’s main requirement. Use a number if you have an honest one.
• Line 3: the ask. Something small: “Could you confirm my application reached the team?” or “Is there anything you’d want me to highlight?”

Keep it under 120 words. Recruiters often read on their phones.

Template: cold email

Subject: Operations Analyst (4821): three years of logistics reporting

Hi Sam,

I’ve applied for the Operations Analyst role (4821) in Lisbon. For the last three years I’ve owned weekly operations reporting for a 40-person logistics team at Kilo, including the dashboards our director used for staffing decisions.

The role’s focus on reporting and process improvement is exactly the work I enjoy most. Could you let me know if there’s anything you’d like me to highlight for the hiring team?

Thanks, Ama Mensah [LinkedIn URL] · [phone]

The subject line does half the work. Put the role and your strongest match in it, so the recruiter knows what this is before opening it.

Template: LinkedIn connection note (under 300 characters)

Hi Sam — I’ve applied for the Operations Analyst role (4821). Three years running logistics reporting at Kilo, which looks close to the brief. Would love to connect in case you have questions.

LinkedIn limits connection notes, so cut everything except the role, the match, and a friendly close.

Template: follow-up after a week

Hi Sam — following up on my application for the Operations Analyst role (4821). I’m still very interested, and happy to share examples of the reporting work I mentioned. Is there an update on timing?

Send one follow-up after five to seven working days. If you still hear nothing, move on and put your energy into the next role; you can always reply to the thread if something changes.

Mistakes that get ignored

• No role named. “I’m looking for opportunities at your company” asks the recruiter to do your job search for you.
• The wall of text. If it doesn’t fit on a phone screen, trim it.
• Generic praise. “I’m passionate about your mission” says nothing. One specific match says a lot.
• Exaggeration. Recruiters check. Anything you claim should hold up in a screening call.
• Attaching files to cold LinkedIn messages. Offer to send your résumé instead.

When to message the recruiter vs. the hiring manager

Message the recruiter when the company runs a structured process, for high-volume roles, or when you’re unsure your application was received. Message the hiring manager when the role is specialised and you can say something specific about their team’s work. For many roles, a short note to each is fine — just don’t send them the same message.

The short version

Name the role. Prove the match in one line. Make a small ask. Follow up once.

Seeka drafts these messages for you from your real experience — an email, a LinkedIn note, and a follow-up for each job — so every message is specific to the role and nothing is invented.