I get the same message 50 times a day

As someone who receives hundreds of messages each week from candidates on LinkedIn, I have a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn't.

And right now, most of what's landing in my inbox doesn't work.

I'm not talking about the occasional weak message. I'm talking about a pattern. The same plugin-generated template, the same opening line, the same structure - sent by hundreds of different people who all think it's unique to them.

It's not.

What’s unique to you (seeing it for the first time) is actually a shared experience across most of LinkedIn. I’m talking about the pre-built message that pops up when you reach out to someone. 

The template isn't terrible in isolation. But when you're on the receiving end of it 50 times a day, your brain stops reading. It becomes spam. I don't even finish the first line anymore.

And it's not just the plugin. It's the AI-polished introductions that all sound identical. The messages that open with "I hope this finds you well" and close with "I'd love the opportunity to discuss how my skill set aligns with your organisation's strategic vision."

Nobody talks like that. And nobody hires people who talk like that.

Similarly, I had someone email me to say our roles are fake as they hadn’t had a reply from one of our staff members over the past three months. Their outreach? 

They sent the message ‘hi’ 7 times without any context or qualifying body. 

If you’re going to go the extra mile, do it properly. 

Here's what actually gets a reply when you’re reaching out to decision makers.

1) Be specific.

Reference something real. A post they wrote. A project the company just launched. A detail from the job description that most people would skip over. Show me you've done 60 seconds of homework. That alone puts you ahead of 95% of the inbox. You’d be surprised how few go above and beyond.

2) Lead with what you've done, not what you want.

Hiring Managers don't need to hear that you're "passionate about exploring new opportunities." They need to hear that you grew revenue 40% in 18 months or managed a team of 12 across three markets. Open with a result. One sentence. Make them want to keep reading. Pitch yourself as the cure to their pain point - not someone asking for a shot.

3) Sound like a human being.

If your message could have been written by literally anyone, it won't land with anyone. Drop the corporate tone. Write the way you'd speak to someone at a coffee shop if they asked what you do. Confident, clear, direct. In our new AI-era, you’d be surprised how much this stands out. 

4) Keep it short.

Five lines. Maybe six. Assume they’re reading your message on their phone between meetings. If they have to scroll, they've already moved on.

5) Follow up.

If I haven't replied in a week, a short nudge is fine. "Just bumping this - completely understand if the timing's off." That's it. Most people would reply to that. And if they don’t, you have your answer.

Here's what I want you to understand about why this matters.

The market is competitive globally. Even in the middle of the ongoing crisis, most roles we share on LinkedIn get over a thousand applicants. The people who get through are not always the most qualified. They're the most intentional. 

They take the extra step that 98% don't bother with. And that step isn't clicking a button - it's writing something real to someone real. 

People hire people. Not templates. Not AI outputs. Not boilerplate.

Ditch the shortcuts. Write something that could only come from you. That’s the differentiator in a crowded market. 

- Charlie

Before you go:

This article is about outreach. So I'll keep this relevant.

I put together two things for premium subscribers that tie directly into what I've written above.

You can download the Outreach Script Pack here 👈🏻

Sign up for your video review here 👈🏻

In the meantime, here’s our live roles for the week…

Live Roles - APAC and MENA

For full JDs and more information, please direct CVs to [email protected] with the preferred role in the Subject Line.

Due to the volume of applicants we receive, we are only able to respond to those who match the criteria.

APAC

MENA

Please allow longer time for replies and responses while we work with our partners to establish the current status of processes in the ME.

If you think anything here might be a fit for someone in your network, please feel free to share!

Thanks for reading and see you next Thursday.

- Charlie.

Global CEO, MCG Talent.