InMail is LinkedIn’s paid direct message that lets you contact members you are not connected with. It comes with LinkedIn Recruiter and some premium plans, usually as a monthly allowance of credits, and is a core channel for reaching passive candidates.
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LinkedIn's paid direct message to people you are not connected with, included in LinkedIn Recruiter and some premium plans.
Normal LinkedIn messages only go to first degree connections. InMail skips that limit, so a recruiter can reach a passive candidate directly without sending a connection request first. Messages land in the member’s inbox and they can reply, decline or ignore. LinkedIn has historically credited back InMails that receive a response within a set period, which rewards relevant, well targeted messages and penalizes mass sends. Check LinkedIn’s current help pages for the exact rules on your plan, since they change.
InMail is one channel in a wider outreach plan. Many recruiters pair it with email and a phone call, because a candidate who does not check LinkedIn often may answer an email first. Check reply rates by template each month and retire the weak ones. Recruiters who send fewer, better targeted InMails usually get more replies per credit than those who send in bulk.
Why it matters to recruiters
For many passive candidates, InMail is the most direct way to reach them, especially when you have no email address. But credits are limited, and generic messages get ignored and teach candidates to tune you out. Writing short, specific InMails and tracking reply rates by template helps you get more conversations from the same allowance.
An example from a recruiting desk
A technical recruiter sends 50 InMails a week with a long generic template and gets about four replies. She rewrites it to three sentences: the actual role and pay range, why this person’s recent work fits, and a simple question. Over the next month her replies roughly double, and more of the credits come back to her account.
Tips that help
Keep InMails short and mention something specific from the person’s profile.
Include the pay range or level so candidates can judge fit fast.
End with an easy question, not a request for a resume.
Follow up by email if you can find a verified address.
Save your best performing InMail templates and share them with the team.
Mistakes to avoid
Sending the same long template to every profile in a search result.
Using all your credits early in the month on weak matches.
Frequently asked questions
How many InMails do you get with LinkedIn Recruiter?
It depends on the plan and contract, and LinkedIn changes allowances over time. Check your account settings or LinkedIn’s help center for the current number on your plan.
Do unanswered InMails cost credits?
LinkedIn has credited back InMails that get a response within a set window, so unanswered ones use up credits. Confirm the current policy on LinkedIn’s help pages, as terms can change.
Is InMail better than email for recruiting?
Neither is always better. InMail reaches people without an email address and carries your LinkedIn profile, while email often gets noticed by people who rarely log in. Many recruiters use both in one sequence.
