A good LinkedIn recruiting message is short, refers to something specific in the candidate's profile, describes the role in one sentence and ends with an easy question. Below you'll find ten templates for every stage, from the connection note to the last follow-up, plus the limits LinkedIn sets on length and the rules that keep templates from sounding like templates.
As of September 23, 2026. Details about LinkedIn limits come from the LinkedIn Help pages linked in the text.
What makes a recruiting message work
Sought-after profiles get a lot of recruiter messages. The ones that get answered share five traits:
- A real hook. Mention one thing that only applies to this person: a project, a switch in their career, a talk they gave. "Your profile impressed me" is not a hook.
- The role in one sentence. Title, team, what's special about it. Details belong in the conversation.
- Transparency. Say who you are, who you're hiring for and where you found them. A link to your candidate privacy notice in the first message rounds it off.
- One small question. "Would that be interesting in principle?" is easier to answer than a request for a 45-minute call.
- Brevity. LinkedIn's own Recruiter Help puts it plainly: "Candidates are more likely to respond to shorter messages" (InMail character limits).
LinkedIn's limits you need to know
Message type | Limit according to LinkedIn |
|---|---|
Note on a connection request | up to 200 characters; without Premium you can add a note to up to three requests per month |
InMail (Recruiter, Recruiter Lite) | subject up to 200 characters (required), body up to 1,900 characters |
Message templates in Recruiter and Recruiter Lite | up to 500 templates, with variables such as {firstName} and {projectJobTitle} |
Sources: Personalize invitations to connect, InMail character limits, Create message templates in Recruiter and Recruiter Lite. Because of the three-notes-per-month limit on free accounts, many recruiters send the connection request without a note and write the real message after it's accepted. We compare both approaches in LinkedIn connections with or without a message.
10 LinkedIn recruiting message templates
Replace everything in square brackets. If a bracket stays generic, the message stays generic.
1. Connection request note (under 200 characters)
Hi [First name], I'm hiring a [role] for [company] and your work on [specific project] caught my eye. Happy to connect and share details if you're open to it.
2. First message after the request is accepted
Thanks for connecting, [First name]. Your move from [previous field] to [current field] at [current company] is exactly the path we look for. We're hiring a [role] for a [team size] team in [location/remote setup]. Would that be interesting in principle? If not, no problem at all.
3. InMail to a passive candidate
Subject: [Role] at [company], your [skill] background
Hi [First name], I came across your profile while looking for people with hands-on [skill] experience. I noticed [specific detail]. We're building [short description of the team or product] and are hiring a [role]. I know you're not necessarily looking, so just one question: would a 15-minute call to hear more be worth your time?
4. Candidate with Open to Work
Hi [First name], I saw you're open to new roles. Your experience with [skill or industry] fits a [role] position we're filling at [company]: [one sentence on what makes it attractive]. Here's the job post: [link]. Shall I send you more details?
More on how the Open to Work setting works is in Open to Work on LinkedIn.
5. Asking for a referral
Hi [First name], you probably aren't looking yourself, but you know the [field] scene well. We're hiring a [role] for [team]. Is there someone in your network I should talk to? A name or a quick intro would already help a lot.
6. First follow-up (after a few days)
Hi [First name], just bringing my message back to the top of your inbox. In case it helps: the role is [remote/hybrid], and the team works on [concrete topic]. Would you like the full job description?
7. Final follow-up
Hi [First name], I won't keep filling your inbox, so this is my last message about the [role] position. If the timing isn't right now, I'd be glad to stay in touch for later.
8. Re-engaging a former applicant
Hi [First name], we spoke about the [previous role] position in [month/year]. It didn't work out back then, but you left a strong impression. We now have a [new role] opening that fits your [skill] experience even better. Interested in a quick update?
9. Shared context (event, group, alumni)
Hi [First name], we were both at [event] / are both members of [group]. I enjoyed [specific talk or post]. I'm currently hiring a [role] at [company] and thought of you. Would you be open to a short chat?
10. Closing the loop after a "no"
Thanks for letting me know, [First name], I appreciate the quick answer. Good luck with [current project]. If anything changes, you know where to find me.
How to personalize templates without losing time
Templates save time, but only if the personal part stays personal. A simple routine helps:
- Write the hook last. Keep the role sentence and the question fixed, and spend your time on the one line about the person.
- Group candidates by angle. Career changers, specialists, team leads: each group gets its own version of the template.
- Match the tone to the audience. In German-speaking markets, choosing between the informal "Du" and the formal "Sie" matters as much as the content.
- Test two versions. Send version A to one group and version B to a similar group, then compare the reply rates. Change only one thing at a time.
Sending recruiting messages at scale with CompLeadly
If you're filling several roles at once, CompLeadly takes over the repetitive part while you keep control of targeting and wording. The desktop app offers:
- Target audiences from your searches: from the regular LinkedIn people search, from Sales Navigator or, if you use Recruiter Lite, from Recruiter Lite searches, pipelines and saved searches.
- Sequences: profile visit, connection request, a first message after acceptance and follow-ups that only go out once your message has gone unanswered for a number of days you set.
- Templates with placeholders: message templates and placeholders, with a live preview for each step.
- AI features from Premium Plus: the AI optimizes texts and, for German-speaking contacts, detects from the previous chat history whether the informal "Du" or the formal "Sie" fits.
- Comparable versions: run texts and audiences side by side and compare the statistics per workflow (from Premium).
- Transparency: more than 260 documented reasons why a profile gets skipped, checked in every plan. The table of skipped profiles, with the reason for each one, comes with Premium.
After the 10-day trial with every feature, CompLeadly stays free with its basic functions and a daily limit, for example 2 connection requests, 1 first message and 1 follow-up per day, each step started on its own; whole workflows come with Basic. Paid plans are on the pricing page, and recruiting examples on CompLeadly for recruiters.
Keep volumes small and every message relevant.
The same templates for sales and job hunting
Swap the recipient and most of these templates still work. Sales teams use the same structure (short note, first message after acceptance, two follow-ups) to reach decision-makers, with an audience built from the people search or, with your own licence, Sales Navigator (CompLeadly for sales teams). Job seekers turn it around: filter the people search for hiring managers and recruiters at the companies you want to join, and rewrite template 2 so it introduces you instead of a role. CompLeadly runs the profile visit, connection request, first message and follow-ups for that too: in the free version as basic functions with a daily limit, started one step at a time, and as a full workflow from Basic. For the profile side, read 10 common LinkedIn mistakes when job hunting.
FAQ: LinkedIn recruiting messages
How long should a LinkedIn recruiting message be?
As short as possible. A connection note can have up to 200 characters, an InMail body up to 1,900. LinkedIn's Recruiter Help notes that candidates are more likely to respond to shorter messages.
Should I send a note with my connection request?
It depends. Without Premium, LinkedIn only lets you add a note to three connection requests per month. Many recruiters therefore connect without a note and send the real message once the request is accepted.
How many follow-ups should I send?
One or two. A first follow-up after a few days with a new detail, then a friendly final message. After that, stop.
Can I use templates in LinkedIn Recruiter Lite?
Yes. LinkedIn lets you create up to 500 message templates in Recruiter and Recruiter Lite and use variables such as {firstName} or {projectJobTitle}.
What should the first sentence be?
Something that only fits this person: a project, a career step or a post. That's the part candidates use to decide whether you actually read their profile.
