LinkedIn Recruiter Tips & Tricks

What is LinkedIn Recruiter?

In today's competitive job market, recruiters have a valuable tool: LinkedIn Recruiter. It is a premium service that is offered by LinkedIn specifically designed for recruiters for finding top candidates and building important connections, making the hiring process easier and more efficient.

Why do recruiters love LinkedIn Recruiter and rely on it so much? 

Traditional job boards often leave recruiters feeling as if their recruitment process is being dragged on. You post a job, wait for applications, and hope the right person sees it and decides to apply. This method can be slow and inefficient, especially when you're in need of high-quality talent quickly. 

According to an article written by Product London Design “97% of HR and staffing professionals use LinkedIn in their recruiting efforts.”

In contrast, LinkedIn Recruiter offers a proactive and streamlined approach. Instead of waiting for candidates to come to you, you can search through a large database of professionals, many of whom might not be actively looking but are open to new opportunities. This gives you access to a much broader and higher-quality talent pool. With so much to offer, it's no wonder that LinkedIn Recruiter has become an essential tool for recruiters across the globe!

I found this review on G2 written by Nikunj A. who is a Recruitment Manager that said “The perfect application for reaching candidates - LinkedIn Recruiter”.

Why LinkedIn Recruiter is the go to recruitment tool for recruiters

Let’s face it, finding the right candidate who checks all the boxes can feel like an endless task. Here's why mastering LinkedIn Recruiter is no longer a "nice to have," but a critical skill for any modern recruiter:

Access to a massive talent pool

Forget the limitations of traditional job boards. LinkedIn Recruiter gives you access to over 700 million professionals worldwide. That’s right, you can tap into a massive pool of passive candidates who might not be actively searching but are open to exciting opportunities. This widens your talent pool dramatically, increasing your odds of finding the perfect fit.

One review I found on G2 by Cara D. who is a recruiter was “LinkedIn Recruiter is an unmatched database of potential candidates and networking opportunities.”

Advanced search capabilities

With LinkedIn Recruiter, you can utilize advanced search filters to zero in on the exact qualifications you need. Whether you’re looking for specific skills, years of experience, industries, or even particular companies, these filters help you quickly identify the most relevant candidates. This precision saves you time and ensures you’re targeting the best talent available.

Direct communication with candidates

LinkedIn Recruiter's InMail feature lets you craft personalized messages directly to potential candidates, sparking conversations and building relationships with top talent. This proactive approach allows you to connect with hidden gems who might not be actively searching but would be interested in a perfect-fit opportunity you present.

Effective candidate management

Juggling spreadsheets and endless emails is a recipe for recruitment disaster. LinkedIn Recruiter brings order to all this madness. Manage all your recruitment activities in one centralized hub. Save candidate profiles, track interactions, collaborate seamlessly with your team – it's all there. 

Building a strong talent pipeline

Beyond filling immediate vacancies, LinkedIn Recruiter helps you build a robust talent pipeline for the future. By engaging with potential candidates now, you establish a relationship that could lead to future hires. This proactive approach ensures you have a pool of qualified candidates ready when new roles open up.

Who typically uses LinkedIn Recruiter?

Let’s breakdown who typically uses LinkedIn Recruiter:

LinkedIn Recruiter for Tech recruiters:

Tech recruiters are always on the lookout for the next coding whiz or data guru. LinkedIn Recruiter gives them a massive pool of tech talent to search through, with filters for specific skills like Java, Python, or machine learning. Plus, they can send direct messages to reach those hidden gems before anyone else.

One review I found on G2 by Seamus S. who is a Technical Recruiter said: “LinkedIn recruitment is the place where you can ask for commulative information of any candidate including his profile, location, real pictures , feedback from last company, sometime it also provide the genuity of candidates. It is the most useful tool of recruitment thats make the recruiter to recruit faster, smoother and easy.”

LinkedIn Recruiter for freelance recruiters:

Freelancers often juggle multiple clients and need to find top talent fast. LinkedIn Recruiter Lite provides them with powerful tools to find top talent without needing a massive budget. They can set up search alerts, use Boolean searches to find candidates with niche skills, and manage their candidate pipeline effectively, all from one platform.

LinkedIn Recruiter for recruiting agencies:

Agencies deal with tons of candidates, so they need a powerful tool to keep things smooth. LinkedIn Recruiter Corporate is their all-in-one solution. It lets them search for pretty much anyone on LinkedIn, not just their connections. Plus, they can share info, track interactions, and work together as a team to find the perfect fit for their clients.

LinkedIn Recruiter for inhouse recruiters:

Working in HR and need to fill those open positions?  LinkedIn Recruiter helps you keep things organized. You can store candidate profiles, send messages to great people who might not be actively looking (called passive candidates!), and use advanced filters to find exactly who you need. No more stressing about finding the right fit – LinkedIn Recruiter streamlines the whole process.

One review I found on G2 by an anonymous user who works at an enterprise said: “This platform gives complete package for sourcing/recruiting right talent for open roles in the company. It boosts engagement with prospective talent. It lets you create/share Projects with internal hiring team for better alignment, allows job posting & create Reports that can be utilized for analytical purposes to streamline hiring process. Also its Talent Insights feature is a great way to research for talent, geography, market trends etc. for a targeted approach.”

What are the two versions of LinkedIn Recruiter?

LinkedIn Recruiter offers two options, each one depending on your recruitment needs, Recruiter Lite and Recruiter Corporate.

LinkedIn Recruiter Lite: 

Think of Recruiter Lite as the stripped-down version of LinkedIn Recruiter. Recruiter Lite is perfect if you’re flying solo or have a small team. Think of it as an advanced version of basic LinkedIn, designed to help you find top candidates more efficiently.

Key features of Recruiter Lite: 

  1. Access up to 3rd-degree connections for wider candidate reach.
  2. Target candidates with over 20 search filters to find the right skills and experience.
  3. Stay updated with 10 search alerts for new talent matching your criteria.
  4. Send 30 personalized InMails per month to connect with potential hires.

Recruiter Lite pricing: 

The cost of LinkedIn Recruiter Lite isn't a one-size-fits-all proposition. Here's what you need to know:

For solo recruiters or very small teams, the cost might start around $170 per user, per month. However, as you add more users to your account, the price per user can increase to around $270 per user, per month. 

If you’re looking for a way to save money, LinkedIn often offers discounts for annual subscriptions. This can be a smart option if you're confident you'll be using the platform for a full year and it saves you 20% compared to a monthly subscription. With a year-long commitment, you get to enjoy continuous access to LinkedIn Recruiter Lite, allowing you to consistently use its features to find and connect with top talent.

Recruiter Lite is one of LinkedIn’s premium plans as shown below.

LinkedIn Recruiter Corporate:

is the all-inclusive version of LinkedIn Recruiter, tailored for large recruiting teams and agencies that handle extensive and complex hiring needs. It's packed with advanced features designed to streamline your recruitment process and make it as efficient as possible.

Key features of Recruiter Corporate: 

LinkedIn Recruiter Corporate includes all the features that LinkedIn Recruiter Lite offers along with these extra ones: 

  1. Reach out to any LinkedIn member, regardless of your network connections.
  2. Utilize over 40 filters to pinpoint candidates with precise skills and experience.
  3. Stay informed with up to 50 alerts for new candidates that match your criteria.
  4. Send up to 150 personalized InMails per month to engage potential hires effectively.
  5. Access comprehensive analytics and insights to refine your recruitment strategies.
  6. Facilitate seamless teamwork by sharing candidate profiles, notes, and strategies within the platform.
  7. Integrate with various CRMs and applicant tracking systems (ATS) to streamline your recruitment workflow.

Recruiter Corporate pricing: 

LinkedIn Recruiter Corporate is priced at approximately $1,080 per user, per month. Pricing can vary based on location and specific needs. If you’re an enterprise, big company with a large recruitment team, or an agency then Recruiter Lite can definitely help  with your extensive recruitment needs or multiple roles to fill.

How to get LinkedIn Recruiter

LinkedIn Recruiter Lite: 

As mentioned previously, Recruiter Lite has a monthly or yearly subscription and you can also get a 30 day free trial that you can cancel anytime. In order to get the free trial you must enter your credit card details and after these 30 days end, your subscription will automatically be transferred into a paid one so make sure to cancel it ahead of time. 

You also must be eligible to get the free trial, meaning that you must use the free trial only once (haven’t used one before on the same LinkedIn account).

As for the for the paid subscription, just follow these steps: 

  1. Start by logging into your LinkedIn profile and navigate to your LinkedIn homepage.
  2. Look for the "Me" icon at the top right corner of your homepage. Click on it to reveal a dropdown menu.
  3. In the dropdown menu, go to “Settings.” Then, find the “Subscriptions and payments” section.
  4. Click on “Upgrade for Free” 

  1. Select the “Recruiter Lite” option.

LinkedIn Recruiter Corporate: 

Contact LinkedIn’s Sales team in order for them to guide you through the customized pricing and subscription process.

LinkedIn Recruiter tips & tricks

Let's talk about some tips and tricks to show you how to become a true LinkedIn Recruiter master and make the most out of it. 

Master Boolean search

Get specific: Sure, you know the AND, OR, and NOT basics, but what if you could find your ideal candidate faster?  Try this magic formula: "(Java OR Python) AND (developer OR engineer) NOT (junior OR intern)".  You've just filtered out irrelevant profiles and narrowed down your search to experienced developers with the exact skills you need.

Use parentheses: Don’t forget to use parentheses to group terms and control the order of operations. For example, (Java OR Python) AND (developer OR engineer) ensures you get candidates with the right skills and titles.

Excluding specific companies in your search: Trying to exclude certain companies from your LinkedIn search and not sure how to use the “NOT” operator? Here's a quick tip: In the 'Companies' section, type the company's name. Hover your cursor over it until you see the symbol ‘Ø’, then click on it. This will ensure candidates from those companies won't appear in your search results.

Here’s a YouTube video by Recruiter Preston who shows how you can use Boolean strings to find the best talent in the market on LinkedIn Recruiter: 

Take advantage of filters

Refine your search: There may be thousands of candidates in your Talent Pool tab at first, and filters will help you refine your search. Use filters to narrow down the candidates who may be the most qualified before you begin to review them. If you have over 200 people to review, continue to refine your results by filtering for the criteria you desire.

Example filters: You can filter by skills and identify candidates who have passed skills assessments. You can search for candidates by industry, school, or employment type. Or you can find candidates who have been with their company for a certain number of years and may be ready to make a move.

Spotlight filters: Use the Spotlights filters to identify candidates who are most likely to respond to outreach. The Spotlight filters include:

  • Open to work
  • Active talent
  • Rediscovered candidates
  • Internal candidates
  • Interested in your company (follows your company or has interacted with company content, or selected "I'm interested" in future roles)
  • Have company connections

Review recommended matches daily

LinkedIn learns what you’re looking for and populates the Recommended Matches tab of your Talent Pool with profiles as you take action in your Project. This includes:

  • Saving or hiding profiles in the Project
  • Saving or rejecting applicants
  • Messaging candidates from within your Project

If you’ve taken at least one of the actions listed above every 24 hours, you’ll receive up to 25 new profiles to review every day. The more actions you take, the better LinkedIn Recruiter will get at providing relevant matches for you to review.

Here’s instructions by LinkedIn on how you can do it on both Recruiter Lite and Recruiter Corporate:

Recruiter Lite: 

Recruiter Corporate: 

Set search alerts

Are you running the same search over and over? If so, set a search alert to save yourself time and find candidates the instant they meet your criteria. For example, when a candidate updates their profile with the skill you are looking for or reaches the threshold for the desired amount of experience, they will show up in your alert results.

Leverage "Open to Work" filters

Spot active job seekers: Use the "Open to Work" filter to find candidates who are actively looking for new opportunities. They’re more likely to respond, making your outreach efforts more effective.

Personalize your messages: Mention their “Open to Work” status in your InMails. It shows you’ve done your homework and increases your chances of getting a response.

Utilize skills assessments and endorsements

Prioritize verified skills: Candidates who have passed LinkedIn Skills Assessments are a safe bet. These assessments provide an extra layer of verification for their skills.

Check endorsements: Look at who endorsed the candidate’s skills. Endorsements from respected industry professionals can be a strong indicator of their expertise.

Tap into employee connections

Leverage your network: Your current employees’ connections can be gold mines. Candidates connected to your employees might fit well into your company culture and come with easy reference checks. You can also try looking into your current employees’ endorsements. Usually, these are the people who worked or studied with them previously, so they should be good candidates.

Ask for referrals: Encourage your team to refer candidates from their LinkedIn network. Use LinkedIn Recruiter’s referral tool to streamline this process.

Use Apply Starters for follow-ups

Reach out to Apply Starters: Candidates who start but don’t finish applications are still interested. LinkedIn Recruiter’s Apply Starters feature helps you find these individuals and follow up.

Customize follow-ups: Personalize your follow-up messages. Acknowledge their initial interest and offer help with any questions they might have. This can reignite their interest.

Evaluate your InMail responses

InMail analytics: Curious about how different profiles respond to your messages and if you should send more to certain programmers? You can see the average response rate for your sent templates in order to help you understand which technical profiles are harder to attract and which messaging styles are more effective. Even if you're just comparing writing styles, this report is invaluable for optimizing your outreach.

Analyze Talent Insights

Use Talent Insights: LinkedIn Talent Insights provides data on talent pools, market trends, and competitor hiring. Use this to make informed decisions about where to focus your recruiting efforts.

Identify skill gaps: Look at the skills distribution in your target market to spot potential gaps. This can help you tailor job descriptions and outreach strategies to attract the right candidates.

Engage passive candidates

Build relationships: Passive candidates might not be looking for jobs, but they’re valuable. Engage with them by commenting on their posts and sharing relevant content. Building a relationship over time can pay off.

Highlight growth opportunities: When reaching out to passive candidates, focus on growth opportunities and unique benefits. This can catch their interest even if they’re not actively looking for a new job.

Use LinkedIn groups

Join relevant groups: LinkedIn Groups can be a treasure trove of talent. Join groups related to your industry and participate in discussions. This not only helps you find candidates but also establishes you as a thought leader.

Share job posts in groups: Don’t just lurk—actively share job posts in relevant groups. This can attract highly engaged candidates who are passionate about their field.

Tapflow: A powerful alternative to LinkedIn Recruiter

While LinkedIn Recruiter is a fantastic tool for many, it's not the only option out there for you. Tapflow offers an innovative approach to sourcing and recruiting that might just be what you need to take your hiring process to the next level.

Let’s face it, recruiters face a lot of time looking through a large number of applicants takes so much time and energy, and more often than not, it leads to a pool of unqualified candidates. Even with a powerful tool like LinkedIn Recruiter, recruiters can get bogged down by a limited pool of candidates, keyword mismatches, and matching resumes to job descriptions is a very time consuming process.

Tapflow is an AI talent sourcing co-pilot that helps recruiters analyze job descriptions, automate searches, and score and rank the best candidate profiles.

Advantages over LinkedIn Recruiter:

1. LinkedIn Recruiter is primarily a professional networking platform with manual search, while Tapflow is an AI talent sourcing co-pilot that helps recruiters analyze job descriptions, automate searches, and score and rank the best candidate profiles.

2. Unlike traditional keyword searches that can sometimes yield inaccurate results, Tapflow's search analyzes your job description and builds attributes to get you the ideal candidate profiles, resulting in much more accurate results.

3. Tapflow's system doesn't stop at finding ideal candidates. It also looks for similar profiles, broadening your pool of potential hires and ensuring you don't miss out on great talent. This feature significantly improves the accuracy of your search results.

4. LinkedIn Recruiter pricing can be quite steep, especially for smaller teams or independent recruiters. Tapflow provides a more affordable alternative without compromising on the quality of your recruitment efforts. This makes it an excellent choice for those looking to maximize their recruitment budget.

Tapflow’s pricing

Finding the right recruitment tool shouldn't break the bank. That's why Tapflow offers a transparent and flexible pricing structure. You can get a free trial to explore all its features and see how it can transform your recruitment process before you commit. 

Once you're ready to take Tapflow to the next level, you can choose a subscription plan that fits your needs. They offer both monthly and yearly options, giving you the flexibility you desire.

• Free trial available

Monthly plans

Tier 1: $49/mo

Tier 2: $149/mo

Tier 3: $399/mo

Enterprise: Custom

Yearly plans (If you decide to go with an annualsubscription/plan, you can save 25%) 

Tier 1: $37/mo

Tier 2: $122/mo

Tier 3: $299/mo

Enterprise: Custom

There are many other alternative tools to LinkedIn Recruiter including several other free talent sourcing tools that are worth exploring as well. However, among these alternatives, Tapflow stands out as a top choice.

Tapflow combines intuitive candidate management features with powerful AI-driven tools,  enhancing your ability to find and engage top talent efficiently. Its user-friendly interface, integrated analytics, and seamless collaboration tools make it a preferred option for recruiters looking to optimize their recruitment efforts without compromising on quality or efficiency.

Conclusion

In the dynamic world of recruitment, LinkedIn Recruiter stands out as a great tool for identifying and engaging top-tier talent. By offering access to a vast pool of professionals and advanced search capabilities, LinkedIn Recruiter can significantly streamline the hiring process. However, to truly unlock its potential, recruiters must master the right tips and tricks. Ultimately, success in recruitment hinges not just on the tools you use but on how adeptly you use them. 

By mastering LinkedIn Recruiter and integrating its capabilities into your workflow, you can build stronger connections, make smarter hires, and stay ahead in the competitive talent acquisition landscape. 

Beyond filling immediate vacancies, LinkedIn Recruiter helps you build a talent pipeline for the future. Engaging with potential candidates early and maintaining these relationships ensures you have a pool of qualified candidates ready when new roles open up. This proactive approach is invaluable in today’s fast-paced job market where the best candidates are often off the market quickly.

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