If you live on the dark side of LinkedIn (aka LinkedIn Recruiter) you are most likely familiar with the update from last fall, AI-Assisted Messaging. As with all technological advancements, there are growing pains, and we have to figure out the “do’s and don’ts” of this new tool. Our team dove headfirst into AI messaging the day it launched and I am excited to share the tips, tricks, and takeaways we have learned along the way.
Subject Lines
Whether you’re utilizing LinkedIn’s built in messaging assistance or some other form of AI assistance, subject lines are a place where AI is a game changer. The reality is, some days we all hit writer’s block, and this is where AI steps in. We’ve used AI to create fun, seasonal, creative, personal, and attention-grabbing subject lines. A word of caution, all companies utilizing this feature on LinkedIn are getting the same subject lines with their company name filled in. To make your message stand out, change it up from time to time. This could be as simple as moving the phrase around or just utilizing the subject line as inspiration to create your own. AI is here to make our lives easier. Using it for subject lines has my seal of approval!
DON’T send the message as is
I have never seen a case where the message is ready to go as soon as it populates. There are several reasons you need to make changes. Sometimes the language AI uses sounds like a robot wrote it, well… because it did! Before you hit send, make sure the message is in your company’s tone and just overall sounds like it came from a human.
The message will also likely have some glaring errors. One common error is the job title the AI populates for the opportunity that you are messaging about. LinkedIn is often taking a total guess about what job you are reaching out for. Make sure you change this field and give enough information that the prospect knows what type of opportunity you are reaching out about.
Bonus tip: You can hit the button “draft again” as many times as you want. Click through it and see what message you like most. You can also mix and match to create your own AI concoction.
About Us
A benefit of using the AI-assisted messaging is the company information it can fill in. If your company is lesser known or new, you may need to share about your company in your messaging. The AI messaging will pull information about your company, but you will want to read this over and make edits as needed. The advantage to this feature is it saves time and improves consistency across messaging. You will have an overall more consistent brand story if you use the same phrasing and verbiage when sharing about your organization.
Additional Variables!
Let me hear a collective cheer for the additional variables the AI messaging has brought to the platform! From title to current company to calling out the “open to work” preference, this definitely elevated the messaging game to create personalization and increased efficiency. Here’s my top tip: use AI messaging to fill in additional variables and then write your message utilizing them. Even if you scrap the entire AI message, you already saved time by having the AI fill in the additional variables. The prospect will be more engaged with a message that is tailored to them, and you saved time by having AI fill in the specifics. That is a win-win!
Do what works for you
Try out this new tool with different roles and with different prospects. Figure out where it makes sense for you to utilize AI messaging and where you can stick to what you know best. Maybe you will only ever use it for follow-ups or subject lines or just to fill in a prospect’s current title. There is nothing wrong with any of those! Maybe AI messaging will become as essential to messaging as your keyboard, that’s great too! The only way you’ll find out is to start using it and see what works for you and the industry you are in. Happy Messaging!
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About the Writer
Katie McBain is a sourcing professional with a knack for employer branding and recruitment marketing. She is like a detective in the complex public accounting industry, hunting down candidates with specialized backgrounds and crafting messages that will be sure to tell the company story. Her background in marketing and strong professional skillset has set her up for success on the talent attraction team at FORVIS. She loves taking on the challenge of a highly specific candidate need and competing in hackathons or other sourcing games.
When she is not busy uncovering top talent, you will find her unleashing her sourcing skills in another realm – shopping! She has a sixth sense when it comes to finding the best deals and bargains out there. It is like a thrilling treasure hunt every time! And let us not forget about her furry partner-in-crime, Cooper. He may be a crazy puppy, but he keeps her on her toes, and they love exploring the great outdoors together.