What to send after someone ignores your LinkedIn message
One follow-up. Shorter than the first. Then let it go.
Wait about a week, then send one short follow-up that adds something new: a relevant update, or a smaller, easier ask. If that gets no reply either, move on. A second follow-up almost never helps, and silence is usually about their inbox, not about you.
Why people do not reply
- They did not see it. LinkedIn messages from people outside their network often land in a folder they rarely check.
- They saw it on their phone, meant to reply later, and forgot.
- The ask was too big for a stranger: "can you refer me" or "can we get on a call".
- They are not the right person and did not want to say so.
How long to wait
About a week. Sooner reads as pressure. Much later and the original message has scrolled out of view, so your follow-up has to stand on its own anyway.
What to add
A follow-up that only says "just bumping this" asks them to do the same work again. Add something that makes replying easier:
- A smaller ask. Swap "can we talk" for "is this the right team to ask?"
- A relevant update. "I have now applied for the role, here is the link."
- A reason it is timely. "I saw the team announced the new launch this week."
When to stop
After one follow-up. Then either try one different person at the same company, or leave that company to the application itself. Three unanswered messages to one person does real damage; one does none.
HUNT keeps your outreach in one place, with who you messaged and when a follow-up is due, and drafts messages specific enough to be worth replying to. See how HUNT handles networking.
Related: How to ask for a referral without making it weird, Who should you message before applying? and How to write a cold LinkedIn message for a job search
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