Applying, step by step · 5 min read
Should I message the hiring manager about a job?
A short, specific note can help, before or after you apply. Name the role, one relevant result and one question. Send it once and follow up once.
The short answer
A short message to the hiring manager or someone on the team can help, especially for roles that get many applicants. Keep it under 100 words: name the role, one result from your experience that matches what they need, and one specific question or an offer of a short call. You can send it just before or just after applying. Message once and follow up once. If there's no reply, the application still stands on its own.
On this page 4 sections
A message that works
Hi Sam, I've just applied for the Operations Analyst role. In my current job I built the weekly forecast our warehouse runs on, which cut late orders by about a fifth. I'd love to know which of the post's priorities matters most in the first three months. Thanks, Priya.
- It names the role.
- It gives one result that matches the post.
- It asks one question that's easy to answer.
- It's short enough to read on a phone.
What to avoid
- 'I'd love to pick your brain.' Ask a specific question instead.
- Pasting your whole cover letter.
- Messaging several people on the same team at once.
- Following up more than once.
If they reply
Answer quickly and briefly. If they offer a call, prepare two questions about the role and one example from your CV. Treat it as a short conversation, not an interview.
OffLadder CV, our free Chrome extension, helps you find who's hiring for the post you have open and say hello, before or after you apply. You edit the note and send it yourself.
Questions people ask
- Is it annoying to message a hiring manager?
- One short, relevant message usually isn't. Several messages, long messages or asking them to look at your CV as a favour can be.
- How do I find the hiring manager?
- The post sometimes names the team or the manager. Otherwise search the company on LinkedIn for the team lead in that function, or look at the company's own site for the team.
- Before or after I apply?
- Either. Before, you can ask a question that shapes your application. After, you can say you've applied and add one thing that isn't obvious from your CV.
- What if I can't find who's hiring?
- Message a recruiter at the company, or someone in the team who can point you to the right person. Or skip it; a strong application is enough on its own.
- Should I attach my CV?
- Not in a first message on LinkedIn. Say you've applied, or offer to send it.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
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