How to reach local recruiters who specialize in your field

Want to hook up with recruiters in your area who are looking for someone just like you in your field or industry? You can! And you don’t have to wait for them to find you. Reach out to them on LinkedIn and either invite them to connect or send them a LinkedIn InMail message.

Here’s how:


Click the into the Search box. Select People.
Click All filters.

1. Type your industry or field in the Keyword box. Examples: Agriculture or Accounting
2. Type the word Recruiter in the Title box
3. Put your zip code in the Postal Code box
4. Click the Search button

By clicking Search, you will generate up to 10 pages of search results with 10 people per page. Scroll through the list looking for current recruiters who specialize in your industry or field.

With a free (basic) account, you can view up to 10 pages of results with 10 people per page. You can view even more people if you have a premium account. 

Click on a target person’s face or name in the list to access and become familiar with his/her profile. If the person is a 2^nd degree connection, you can view his/her full profile to learn more about the person. If the person is a 3^rd degree connection or just a LinkedIn group member with you, you will only be able to see part of his/her profile and just the first letter of his/her last name. To learn the person’s last name, simply type known information into the Google search box. Example: Kathy Communications Director Getajobtips.com … by doing so, you can almost always learn the person’s last name.

Type known information into Google or other search engine to learn a person’s last name. 

Next, look to see if the recruiter has a premium account. They will have a gold "in" symbol near their name. If so, visit their profile and click the "Message" button on their profile. If the recruiter does not accept free messages, invite the person to connect by clicking the blue Connect button. 

Highlight and delete the default invitation message and replace it with brief text about why you want to connect. You only have 300 characters to relay your message and you cannot include an email or web address.

Example message: [NAME], I see from your profile that you recruit for [TYPE] positions in [CITY]. I am a proven [TITLE] with [MENTION IMPRESSIVE EXPERIENCE]. I also have [IMPRESSIVE SKILL(S)]. Please contact me about available opportunities. [YOUR NAME]

Find more people by changing the wording in the Title box. For example, instead of Recruiter, try Recruiting Manager, Headhunter, or Staffing. You can also expand your search by using different keywords in the Keyword box. For example, instead of Financial Analyst, you might try Accountant. Just don't put all of the keywords in at one time and/or all of your searched-for recruiting titles ... do one at a time or you will limit your results too tightly. 

Not all recruiters will accept your connection request, but many will and connecting with them can quickly help you learn about open positions in your industry and field. Once you have made the connection, keep in touch so that the recruiters will remember you for their open positions.

The bottom line: Invite recruiters to connect! Doing so can make a huge difference in your job search. -- Kathy

What questions or comments do you have about connecting with recruiters? Share them! 

Related articles

Contacting recruiters on LinkedIn
Enlisting a recruiter to help
Getting a recruiter interested in you
Getting a recruiter to help you
Preparing to meet with recruiters
Traits recruiters seek in candidates

Inviting people to connect

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