Have you ever felt a rush of excitement when receiving a LinkedIn InMail from a recruiter, only to be left disappointed when you don’t hear back after responding?
If so, you’re not alone. Many job seekers experience this and it can be frustrating, to say the least.
But, what if I told you that the solution could be as simple as…ignoring those InMails?
Let’s delve into why this counter-intuitive approach might just be the game-changer in your job search.
1. The ‘Pray and Spray’ Phenomenon
Recruitment agencies often employ a ‘pray and spray’ technique, where they run a keyword search and send automated messages to all profiles in the results.
You could be one of 200 recipients of a generic message.
2. Lack of Personal Engagement
Many times, the recruiter might not have even seen your profile before reaching out.
The inMail you received might be a result of a simple algorithm, rather than thoughtful human interaction.
3. A False Sense of Hope
Receiving an InMail can be flattering and raise your hopes of a potential job opportunity.
However, it’s important to maintain a realistic perspective.
4. The Silent Treatment
You reply, eagerly waiting for a response… which never comes.
This can be disheartening and significantly affect your motivation.
5. The Blame Game
The lack of response leads to frustration, and you start blaming recruiters.
This negative mindset can affect your overall job search strategy.
6. You’re Rewarding Spammers
Every time you reply to an InMail, LinkedIn credits the sender – essentially rewarding their “pray and spray” tactics.
By not responding, you’re sending a message to these recruiters that this approach is ineffective, and that they need to put more thought into their outreach strategies.
7. It Was Never Personal
If a recruiter sends an InMail without even visiting your profile, it’s clear that they don’t really know anything about you.
Their message wasn’t sent because of your unique skills or experience, but because you fit into a broad keyword search. By ignoring these messages, you’re saving your time and energy for opportunities that truly align with your career goals.
The truth is, all this can be avoided.
If a recruiter genuinely wants to talk to you, they will make the effort to follow up.
During my early days with a recruitment-to-recruitment firm in London, I reached out to a seasoned sales recruiter. She didn’t respond immediately, even though she liked my message.
It was only after I took the initiative to follow up, that we finally scheduled a call.
During our conversation, she praised my approach but her initial silence taught me a valuable lesson:
People value earnest engagement and personalized interaction.
Her delayed response was a subtle challenge, a test to see if I was truly committed to establishing a meaningful connection. It highlighted the importance of persistence and personalization in the follow-up process.
As generative AI becomes more prevalent, personalization in recruitment messages is likely to increase.
If you receive a personalized message, by all means, respond.
However, if the message comes across as generic or impersonal, it’s best to ignore it.
Especially if your name is misspelled or there’s a blatant demand for your CV without any attempt at starting a meaningful conversation, my advice would be to walk away.
By doing so, you’ll save yourself time, energy, and unnecessary disappointment. You’ll also maintain a more positive outlook on your job search, which is crucial to landing the role you truly want.
Trust me, you’ll thank yourself later.
Let’s explore strategies tailored to your unique career journey.
Book a one-on-one coaching session with me today.
