“Can you please keep me in mind for future opportunities with [Company Name]?”
Many job seekers make the mistake of sending recruiters messages like this, only to fade into silence afterward.
While this approach is well-intended, it seldom leads to recruiters circling back. This is a missed opportunity to nurture the relationship and remain top of mind when a relevant role crosses the recruiter’s desk.
Given that recruiters are often inundated with applications, it’s up to you, the job seeker, to proactively check in if you want them to extend the same courtesy.
In other words, a one-off email asking to be considered for future roles simply isn’t enough when recruiters are sorting through thousands of applications. You need to take an extra step (or two) if you want to stand out and be remembered.
Fortunately, the strategies for staying top of mind are simple once you know what they are.
Keep reading to discover the benefits of maintaining contact with recruiters, effective methods for doing so, and how often you should reach out. I also provide example scripts for requesting that recruiters keep you in mind for future opportunities, as this is an often challenging aspect of the process.
Does Keeping In Touch With Recruiters Really Work?
If you want to make your job search easier, then yes, remaining in contact with recruiters definitely works. These individuals often stand between you and the hiring manager.
Building a great relationship with a recruiter can facilitate a warm handoff to the hiring team. Conversely, entering your job search without these valuable connections can make the process unnecessarily challenging and prolonged.
Even if you’re not actively looking for a new position, it makes sense to stay in touch with recruiters. They can provide you with significant support when you’re ready to explore new opportunities.
[Read: “Can I Hire Someone To Find Me A Job?” Answered]
Benefits Of Staying In Contact With Recruiters
Maintaining contact with recruiters and headhunters offers numerous advantages, even when you’re not actively job searching. These benefits include:
- Access to additional job opportunities: Stay informed about roles that may not be posted on popular job boards, which will allow you to tap into “the hidden job market.”
- Enhanced application-to-interview conversion rates: Increase your chances of converting applications into interviews by making sure recruiters are already familiar with you and your qualifications before you submit a formal application.
- Valuable market insights: Keep abreast of industry trends, as recruiters typically have a strong sense of the market.
- Expanded industry connections: Build meaningful relationships with fellow professionals. Recruiters are often fabulous networkers who can help you connect with key industry peers.
[Read: Reverse Recruiting: What You Need To Know]
How To Stay In Contact With Recruiters: 5 Ways To Remain Top Of Mind
While many job seekers recognize the benefits of staying in touch with recruiters and headhunters, they often struggle with how to do it effectively. Here are 5 strategies you can use to remain top of mind:
1. Send a check-in email.
Email is one of the best ways to stay connected with recruiters. I recommend reaching out to them via email when possible, so that your message can easily be forwarded to relevant contacts such as hiring managers or other headhunters.
Keep your message concise and include a clear call-to-action (CTA), which might simply be a request for them to continue keeping you in mind for specific roles.
Before hitting send, ensure that the recruiter can easily identify the types of positions you’re interested in, that you’ve attached an updated copy of your resume, and that they actually recruit for those roles.
2. Send a LinkedIn message.
LinkedIn is another excellent platform for staying in contact with recruiters and ensuring you’re top of mind when new positions become available. A quick update via LinkedIn message can remind recruiters that you’re open to job opportunities and keep them informed about your availability.
Additionally, LinkedIn allows recruiters to quickly view your profile and review your background and skills, making it easier for them to match you with current or upcoming roles.
3. Engage with them on LinkedIn (and other social media platforms).
Beyond direct messaging, engaging with the recruiter’s content on LinkedIn (liking, commenting, and sharing) is a more passive way to remain top of mind.
Important: Many career coaches suggest spending 20 to 30 (or more) minutes daily on LinkedIn engaging with recruiters and other professionals. However, if you’re a busy executive (which is the clientele I serve), this is simply unrealistic. Instead, aim to engage with the right recruiters, headhunters, and industry peers for 10 to 20 minutes every week (or even every few weeks), and you’ll be in great shape.
While LinkedIn is often the best platform for this, it’s not the only one. Several of my clients have successfully engaged with recruiters and hiring managers on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Discord, and other online communities.
[Read: How To Get More Recruiters To Contact You On LinkedIn]
4. Check the company’s Careers page.
While it’s nice to hope that recruiters will keep you in mind when a role opens, they often juggle dozens of requisitions and can’t remember every candidate.
Make it a habit to check the company’s Careers page regularly and follow up with an email or LinkedIn message when you see positions that interest you.
5. Ask the recruiter the best way to stay in touch.
Finally, don’t hesitate to ask your recruiter and headhunter contacts how they prefer to stay updated. While the methods mentioned above will likely work for most talent acquisition professionals, some will have their own communication preferences.
For example, one of my executive clients works closely with a headhunter who sends her a list of open roles every few months and asks for her feedback on whether any of them would entice her to leave her current position.
How Often To Check In With Recruiters
So, how often should you check in with recruiters? The frequency largely depends on the aggressiveness of your job search.
If you’re passively job searching, you can touch base with your recruiter contacts every 3 to 6 months. On the other hand, if you want to launch your job search sooner, consider checking in every 1 to 2 months.
You can also ask recruiters how often they would like you to reach out and update them on your job search interests.
[Read: How To Best Ask A Recruiter For An Update (With Example)]
How To Ask A Recruiter To Keep You In Mind For Future Opportunities
You can use email or LinkedIn to stay in touch with recruiters and ask them to keep you in mind for future opportunities.
Expert Tips For Checking In With Recruiters
Now, let’s explore best practices for checking in with a recruiter to make the process as simple and straightforward as possible.
- Keep a list of your go-to recruiters: Create a list of your favorite recruiters and headhunters. While there are fancy software options available for doing this, focus on maintaining genuine connections rather than getting bogged down by tools.
- Set reminders to follow up: Establish a reminder system to check in with your contacts. This might look like allocating 30 minutes on your calendar every few weeks or months.
- Leverage habit stacking: Consider habit stacking by updating your contacts after specific events such as skip-level meetings, which typically occur bi-monthly or quarterly.
- Don’t fear silence: Recruiter ghosting is part of the job search process. Don’t be surprised if some of your messages go unanswered; it’s just part of life. Keep checking in with recruiters regardless.
- Pace yourself: Remember that recruiters are exceptionally busy professionals. Avoid overwhelming them with frequent messages. While it’s important to stay in touch, you want to come across as respectful and helpful, not desperate or needy.
What’s most important is developing a thoughtful system that keeps you top of mind with relevant recruiters in your industry. This way, they can reach out to you as soon as appropriate opportunities arise, perhaps before they’re even posted publicly.
Example Email: Asking A Recruiter To Keep You In Mind For Future Opportunities
When checking in with a recruiter to ask them to keep you in mind for future opportunities, you want to craft a concise and informative message. Here’s a sample email to inspire your own:
Subject Line: Update from [Your Name]: ABC Startup Receives $10M in Series B Funding
Hello [Their Name],
I hope this message finds you fabulous.
I’m writing to share some exciting news: Since we last spoke, ABC Startup has raised $10M in Series B funding, with lead investors including DEF Investors and GHI Seed Funding. I’ve attached my updated resume with these details.
My current plan is to remain with ABC Startup through at least the next 3 months as I establish the product team and launch V2 of our app. After that, I’ll be ready to explore new opportunities.
As a reminder, I’m targeting CPO or CEO roles at U.S.-based SaaS startups in SF, Seattle, Austin (new addition based on recent discussions with my partner), or remote, with approximately $5M–10M ARR.
Thank you for continuing to keep me in mind as you come across roles that align with my profile.
Kind regards,
[Your Name]
Of course, you’ll need to tailor the message to fit your specific recipient, relationship, and situation. The key is to keep the message straightforward while achieving your goal: having the recruiter keep you in mind for future roles that match your qualifications.
Example LinkedIn Message: Asking A Recruiter To Keep You In Mind For Future Opportunities
You can also choose to send your message via LinkedIn. Here’s an example of how that message might look on the platform:
Hi [Their Name],
I hope you are doing fabulously.
I’m writing to share some exciting news: Since we last spoke, ABC Startup has raised $10M in Series B funding, with lead investors including DEF Investors and GHI Seed Funding. I’ve attached my updated resume with these details.
My current plan is to remain with ABC Startup through at least the next 3 months as I establish the product team and launch V2 of our app. After that, I’ll be ready to explore new opportunities.
As a reminder, I’m targeting CPO or CEO roles at U.S.-based SaaS startups in SF, Seattle, Austin (new addition based on recent discussions with my partner), or remote, with approximately $5M–10M ARR.
Thank you for continuing to keep me in mind as you come across roles that align with my profile.
[Your Name]
Again, remember to customize your message based on the recipient, your relationship, and the situation. You want to be professional, concise, and provide clear context about your career goals.
Conclusion
Staying in contact with recruiters and headhunters can feel a bit intimidating or overwhelming at first, especially if you’ve never done it before. However, once you understand the benefits to your job search and career, develop a simple system for tracking your outreach, and refine your messaging, you’ll quickly become a pro.
With time and consistent effort, you’ll be building a pipeline of job opportunities, even when you’re not actively searching. You’ll also strengthen your network and keep a steady eye on the pulse of the market. You’ve got this!
