How do you handle responding to recruiters that reach out via email or LinkedIn and have clearly not read your profile or resume?

18 Comments

1. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistJanuary 20,2023 at 5:38PM UTC

   It's ok to ignore but since you don't want to burn bridges, it would be most appreciated if you just decline - if you give a response, the sender is credited back for that InMail.

2. Peggie Arvidson * Career Consultant | Adoptee Advocate | RecruiterJanuary 20,2023 at 6:09PM UTC

   I'm a recruiter - and I agree with Joan -with this caveat: if they are way out of line - i.e., you're a data analyst and they are messaging you about a sales manager role - ignore them (they are paying a price to inbox you and when you don't reply it affects their numbers, negatively) and if they have enough dings and they work for a reputable company their recruiting leadership will coach them on better targeting. If they are just hacks hoping to hit a target - let them languish.

   If the recruiter is close -i.e., you are a data analyst in web analytics and they reach out about a financial analytics role - I'd probably reply with some feedback - hoping they are coachable and wanting to get better at their job. "Thanks for reaching out, I specialize in web analytics, not finance, though so I'm not a fit."

   NO recruiter is an expert at everything they recruit for so learning is important.

   Also, check your settings on LI - you can tighten them up so you don't receive unsolicited INmails. (just change it back to more open if you ever are looking passively for a new job).

3. Julie HumbirdJanuary 20,2023 at 6:12PM UTC

   I feel this. I had 9 recruiters email on Tuesday for the same job description with the same typos for a job I am way over qualified for. I have no time to respond to that level of laziness. Any time I have the option to opt-out of this type of recruiting, I do.

4. AnonymousJanuary 23,2023 at 2:45PM UTC

   When this happens, I have written their boss or I send a group email to all of them with the same letter and tell them to get their act together.

5. AnonymousJanuary 20,2023 at 6:27PM UTC

   In that case they probably don't have a real job available either and I stay clear of these types. It's a waste of time.

6. AnonymousJanuary 22,2023 at 1:08AM UTC

   Craft a generic polite response for these letters, and use it repeatedly.

7. AnonymousJanuary 23,2023 at 2:07PM UTC

   I don't reply

8. GirlBossanova934974January 23,2023 at 2:20PM UTC

   One thing to consider is that many of these "recruiters" on LinkedIn and Monster and Indeed may not have ANY DIRECT CONTACT with the hiring company. They are what I call "gatherers". They are paid by the actual recruiter to gather up candidates

   and get them to sign a "Right to Represent" form. Upon getting the "Right to Represent" form signed, their job is done and they will get paid their commission. The actual recruiter may or MAY NOT present ALL of the "Rights to Represent" to the hiring manager. The "gatherer" is not very particular on whom they contact etc.. It is all just a game of large numbers to them. X number of contacts, Y number of responders, etc etc.

9. Beth DangJanuary 23,2023 at 5:32PM UTC

   I've been in recruiting for 17 years and 11 of those years was agency based recruiting. It's very unfortunate, but there are some really bad recruiters out there that have been trained in really bad ways, but this is a really interesting perspective. I've never heard of anyone in the agency side of recruiting getting commission just for gathering a right to represent? Most commission based recruiting roles mirror that of other sales based commission roles. You don't get paid if you don't make the sale...meaning, the company doesn't select the person you had the right to represent, you don't make the placement/sale and you don't get paid commission. I just wanted to course correct there, but as another commenter said, if they are way off and annoying you, you don't need to respond and you can adjust your settings on LI if you don't want to hear about any opportunities.

10. GirlBossanova934974January 23,2023 at 9:47PM UTC

    I have seen this "gatherer" recruiter practice go on for more than a decade. I get a lot of LinkedIn and Monster emails from "gatherers". I would estimate the daily take is 2-3 per day. I have spoken to the actual recruiters themselves who told me that they had other agencies out there canvassing for candidates and supplying those candidates emails to the main recruiter. As I far as I know, the gatherer will also get paid much more $ if the person who signs the RTR gets the job.

11. Evelyn LivantJanuary 23,2023 at 2:23PM UTC

    I've created templates in my email titled "not my skills", "not my location", etc. I thank them for reaching out and let them know it's not my skills and attach my current resume.

12. Krystin MorganJanuary 23,2023 at 6:10PM UTC

    It's okay not to reply. I'm a recruiter and if recruiters are contacting you about roles that are totally outside of what you do, they're not doing their job well (for example, I've gotten messages trying to recruit me to be an engineer - trust me, NO ONE wants me to do that!).

    That said, if you want to build a relationship and feel like taking the extra time, you could always respond thanking them for the outreach, letting them know that isn't a job that you're interested in and that if you were looking, you'd be interested in XYZ instead.

13. Rita PalanjianJanuary 23,2023 at 6:52PM UTC

    I literally just take the language from one of these scripts from Forbes Magazine: https://www-forbes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2017/05/18/5-email-templates-to-respond-to-recruiters-no-matter-where-you-are-in-your-search/amp/

14. Kathy LeskiJanuary 23,2023 at 7:02PM UTC

    I always take the position of never wanting to burn any bridges. So while the recruiter may not have done their homework, I would still reply. Something along the lines of "Unfortunately, that's not a role I'm currently interested.. but do keep me in mind for XXX roles, or I'm currently very happy in my position. You never know when you may need those connections.

15. AnonymousJanuary 24,2023 at 1:28AM UTC

    Happens to me all the time. I just ignore them. They do massive emails hoping they will find someone. There are a ton of recruiters doing this. I had one call me early on a Sunday morning I didn’t pick up he left a voice mail was rude and mad I didn’t pick. The position was not one that match my resume. He said he called the next day. I did not hear my phone ring it went voice mail. He was swearing and saying I told you call you today. He never said what time. I want to do with a person like that I blocked his number. It’s amazing how they are now.

16. AyianJanuary 24,2023 at 3:57AM UTC

    I reply and redirect them. Without negative feedback, people who are behaving inappropriately are unlikely to change their behavior. They may still not change it, but by responding with a correction, they have at least a chance at realizing they are doing recruiting wrong.

17. Lisa MarieJanuary 24,2023 at 12:05PM UTC

    Be cordial.

    As annoying as it may seem, simply state what you're interested in doing, and, you may even suggest they reach out to other colleagues you may know who may be in the career field they're recruiting for.

    You never know who knows who, so you may/could need them or someone they know in the future.

18. AnonymousJanuary 24,2023 at 1:21PM UTC

    These comments are all good. I am a recruiter as well. I would either ignore them or just reach back out and say I'm not interested in blank but keep me in mind if you have any blank openings. Love this advice because I really do take a note if someone says not for this position but for something else. LinkedIn is for networking and it doesn't hurt to network with a recruiter. Best of luck to you!