Should I Respond to an InMail About a Job I Am Not Interested In?

By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter

Good question that deserves a response.

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“Should I respond to an InMail from a recruiter about a job I’m not interested in?” The short answer is “yes,” but let me explain why.

The recruiter reached out to you to propose a situation. You’re not interested. That’s okay. But the goal is to create a relationship with people who might be able to help you. So a polite response that says “thanks, but no thanks,” or. “Thanks, but I’m not looking right now,” or “thanks, but I don’t know anyone who’d be qualified. Stay in touch,” or “thanks.  But I’m not interested,” whatever it is a quick note of response  starts the opportunity for building relationship.

Why do you want to build a relationship? So that this person feels like they want to reach out to you again.

And, before you start going, “oh, why would I want to talk to a recruiter?” Because they have job opportunities that may help you at a certain time your life or your career. And, if you are arriving cold, then they don’t really know you well enough to want to really recommend you. So, that’s reason number one.

 Reason number two is kindness. LinkedIn charge a if you do not respond to an InMail within 90 days.  So, they deduct InMails from the recruiter’s account If you don’t respond to that InMail within 90 days of it being sent. You should be on daily. and, if not daily, every second day at least checking you inbox for messages and doing a variety of things on LinkedIn to market and promote yourself .

After all, if you just lurch from job search to job search when you are desperately in need of finding a new position, you’re not doing the work of career planning and career management. You’re just getting out there and looking for a job all the time and it takes a long time to build things up so you start getting results.

So I’m encouraging you to respond. Answer. Quick things. It doesn’t have to be a big long production, but, just simply, respond so that you benefit by the relationship building and they get the second benefit of having the InMail credited back to them.

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ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER

People hire Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter to provide No BS job search coaching and career advice globally because he makes job searchJeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter and succeeding in your career easier. 

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The Billion Dollar Mistake in Hiring Part II

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