You’ve just received a message on LinkedIn from a recruiter saying that they have read your profile and would love to connect with you about a job opportunity. You weren’t even looking for a job!

Technology today is helping recruiters find the best candidates for a role and identify you as a suitable match to an available vacancy more easily. Depending on your profile, activity, role and market demand, you could be attracting the attention of recruiters and this is a common situation you are finding yourself in, particularly if you have your profile set to “open to hearing about opportunities”.

Typically, in a message, you will be asked if you are interested in discussing an opportunity to find out more about your availability, learning a bit more about you, where you are at in your career, how open you are to this particular opportunity, or others, and whether you would be a good role currently on the table.

The question is…. what do you do now?

Are You Ready?

Did you really mean you were “open to hearing about opportunities”, or was that from ages ago? If you are really happy in your current role and circumstances, it might be best to change the status for now, so you are not approached.

Let the recruiter know that whilst you are not looking for opportunities at the moment and if there is a timeframe that they can contact you in the future to check in. Whilst you aren’t looking now, you may want their help in the future and you don’t want to cut your ties.

If You Are Ready

Reply to the message as soon as possible and ask for the job specifications by email or a phone call so that you can have an exploratory conversation. Make sure you book a time where you can talk freely. Refresh your mind by reading or updating your CV and be ready to talk through it. Be prepared with questions about the role, the organisation, the fit with your progression aspirations, desired culture etc.

After the conversation, both you and the recruiter will know if this is a good fit for you and if it fits with your career aspirations, and if yes, you will need to consider being put forward for the job.

If you need more time to think about the opportunity, just ask. Draw up a list of the benefits and risks about the opportunity compared to your current role and take the time to research the prospective employer, their website and any employee review sites. 

Give the recruiter a clear indication of when you will get back to me, and generally, this would be within 24 hours.

Yes, I’d Like To Progress

If you decide you are interested in the opportunity, then let the recruiter know as soon as possible. From here you will need to provide your CV. A great tip is to customise your CV for this particular role by reviewing the job description, highlight keywords and phrases, aligning your content to your employer research about what is important to them as an organisation.. 

The recruiter will inform you of the process so that they can pass your information and CV to their client for interview consideration.

Don’t delay in your actions, opportunities close quickly these days and if this is a yes for you, you don’t want to miss out.

If You are Open to Opportunities but not this particular one

If you feel that this opportunity is not right for you, just reach out to the recruiter and let them know with a thank you for reaching out.

Explain why this opportunity is not right for you and send them your up to date CV so that they can consider further opportunities that do match your aspirations. You never know what jobs they might be working on next week they may be ab le to place you in. Connect with the recruiter on LinkedIn and if they offer it, sign up to their Newsletters to find out what future opportunities they are working on that may be aligned to you.

Enjoy The Compliment

Being contacted on LinkedIn by a recruiter is a compliment to you – it means you have a strong profile and your skills and expertise are currently needed in the market. Regardless of whether you are interested in the opportunity or not, making connections with other professionals that work in the industry like a recruiter helps you build your professional network and future career partnerships.

RELATED POSTS

The Pulse of the Construction Industry

Where Did All The Candidates Go?

10 Positives in Construction Now Mood Lifters

CONNECT with us via our contact page or booking links on our website if you are looking to recruit for or land the ideal construction job in 2022.

#constructionrecruitment #construction-recruitment #successtogether #constructionjobsbrisbane #top20recruiters