The Proactive Way to Get Noticed by Recruiters on LinkedIn

Time to Read: 7 minutes

Let me guess – You want to get noticed by recruiters on LinkedIn so that you can find a job. But you have a serious problem. You have absolutely no idea how to start! My name is Tyler, founder of GradSimple and I’m here to help.

Whether you got here by chance or someone shared this with you, count yourself lucky! In this post, I will share with you an ultra effective way of networking and getting noticed by recruiters on LinkedIn. Considering the fact that over 80% of recruiters consider LinkedIn to be the most effective platform for screening candidates, you can maximize your chances of getting noticed by being proactive.

How to Find Recruiters on LinkedIn

Step 1: First, identify a list of industries, companies, and job positions you are interested in and have relevant education, skills, or experience for. 

Step 2: Type  “Recruiter” or “Campus Recruiter” in the LinkedIn search bar.

PRO TIP: Assuming you are a college student or recent graduate, your best bet would be to look for campus recruiters. As you’ll know for certain that the profiles you see are likely looking to fill entry-level roles.

Step 3: Filter by “People”. 

Step 4: You’ll see a filter option called “Locations”. Select the location that applies to you.

Step 5: If you already have something more specific in mind, you can click on “All filters” to filter by things like mutual “Connections”, “Current Company”, “School”, and so on. 

Step 6: Once you’re done filtering, click on “Show results”.

Step 7: Scan through the list and identify profiles that match what you’re looking for. You’ll notice a list of recruiters or campus recruiters from a variety of companies, in different industries. Note that not all of them will appreciate being contacted by you.

Here’s an example where I look up “campus recruiter” and filter by People and Vancouver, BC:

PRO TIP: Whether you looked up “Recruiter” or “Campus Recruiter“, only shortlist people from companies you are interested in that you have relevant education or work experience for. If you are non-technical, you should also avoid reaching out to technical recruiters. When unsure, you should first do some research on the company, and on the entry-level positions they are currently hiring for. 

How to Reach Out to Recruiters on LinkedIn

Step 8: Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to hit “Connect”. When you click on it, you’ll be greeted with the option to “Add a note” or “Send without a note”. Assuming you’ve never met this recruiter before, you should reach out without leaving a note. Reason being if you add a note and they accept your request, your message will pop up immediately in their inbox which can be perceived as spam. Instead, we want to play things strategically.

PRO TIP: If there is no option to connect and you only see the option to “Follow”, you can click on the person’s name to find the connect button. When you click into their profile, you’ll see a “More” option. Click on it and a drop down menu will appear with the option to “Connect” with them. Here’s an example of what I mean:

Step 9:  In our experience, the majority of campus recruiters will look at your profile after they’ve accepted your connection request. Your success rate scales based on how well you did your research earlier. If your profile is in line with the type of roles they are looking to fill, this can work miracles for you. If you’re a good fit, it’s not uncommon for recruiters to proactively reach out to you about available positions. In some cases, you may even get to skip the screening process and jump right into the first stage of the interview. 

Step 10: If 1 week has passed after they’ve accepted your connection request, you can try reaching out to them. Recruiters are extremely busy people so there’s a chance they simply forgot to reach out or just didn’t have a chance to see your profile (or they could also be ignoring you but you never know until you try). If you want more examples for that message, I’d pair this with the full LinkedIn outreach guide.

What to Say to Recruiters on LinkedIn

If you’re in the position where a recruiter has accepted your request to connect, you’ll want to proactively reach out to let them know of your interest in their company or open entry-level positions that you’re a good fit for.

For College Students, here’s an example message you can send:

For Recent Graduates, here’s an example message you can send:

As you can see, the messages are clear, concise, and right to the point. At GradSimple, we know from experience that the best way to maximize your chances of getting a response is by highlighting your upcoming graduation, relevant experiences/skills, and showing genuine interest in the company.

If you are using LinkedIn as part of a broader job search, the Getting Hired hub and the guide on whether Easy Apply is worth using are good next reads.

Bottom Line: Get Noticed By Recruiters on LinkedIn

Find the right recruiters. Reach out the right way. Stay top of mind.

Do this consistently, and you’ll give yourself a real shot at getting noticed.

But here’s the part most people miss. Getting a recruiter’s attention is one thing. Choosing the right roles, companies, and paths to pursue is a completely different game.

And that’s where most people get stuck. They apply everywhere. They follow random advice. They chase roles that sound good but lead nowhere. That’s how people end up wasting years.

If you want to avoid that, you need better context on what’s actually worth pursuing right now.

That’s exactly what we break down inside GradSimple Insiders.

Real hiring trends. What’s growing, what’s slowing down, and where entry-level opportunities actually exist.

So you’re not just getting noticed… you’re getting noticed for the right opportunities.

👉 Check out GradSimple Insiders →