When I first started working as a headhunter and reached out to C-level candidates for the assignments I was working on, I began to wonder why so many C-level executives are generally so poor at showcasing their own skills and value.

Don't get me wrong—Most of these executives are genuinely great at what they do. They have plenty of experience and lead large, successful teams and organizations. Yet when it comes to positioning themselves to headhunters and key decision-makers, the vast majority are surprisingly bad at showcasing their own strengths.

Getting recruiters to contact you on LinkedIn takes a strategic, intentional approach. Despite its importance, I rarely see proven methods for this approach discussed among high-level executives.

Honestly? I'm not surprised.

Up to 80% of all C-level roles are filled without ever being advertised. With so many of C-level positions filled through the hidden job market, one thing is clear:

If you're not capitalizing on the potential of your LinkedIn to proactively showcase your value to recruiters, you're likely missing out on the best job opportunities.

It's not that you lack the experience or qualifications. It's just that recruiters can't see them on your LinkedIn profile. So, they scroll to the next candidate without ever reaching out.

If you want to learn how to get the recruiters and hiring managers to contact you on LinkedIn and to understand why most LinkedIn users don't get contacted (and what to do about it to tap into that hidden job market) then read on.

Why You’re Not Getting Noticed by Headhunters

Recruiters and hiring managers can't reach out to people they can't find. And, they won't reach out to those they don't understand at a quick glance. For recruiters and headhunters, time is money when seeking the right job candidates. These recruiters get paid when they fill the roles they're working on. It makes sense that they want to spend as little time as possible finding the right candidates, and even less time trying to decode an executive's confusing LinkedIn profile. Time is money.

Over the years, I've identified five common blockers that trip up most C-level candidates on LinkedIn:

1. You are invisible on LinkedIn

2. You are unclear in your LinkedIn profile

3. Your LinkedIn profile makes you appear unapproachable

4. Your LinkedIn profile looks like everyone else's (even if you have 10x the experience)

5. You're active on LinkedIn, but still not visible to the right people

These five blocks are the reason you're not getting noticed by headhunters. Ready to do something about it to get those recruiters to contact you on Linkedn? Let's dive in.

How To Get The Recruiters to Contact You on LinkedIn

You're used to selecting people for your own team. But be totally honest for a moment:

When you look at your own LinkedIn profile, would you reach out to yourself?

Spiffing up your LinkedIn presence isn't about exposing yourself, becoming an influencer, or bragging about your accomplishments. It's about building a profile that is searchable, magnetic, trustworthy, credible, and crystal clear about the value you bring.

The most successful executives I work with who go on to land better roles don't treat their LinkedIn profile like a passive business card (that no one wants to read or learn about). They bring it to life with intentional effort and strategic action.

First, you need to master attracting recruiters on LinkedIn. From this step, we can progess to how to get more recruiters to reach out on LinkedIn.

Optimize LinkedIn Profile for Recruiters

Optimizing your LinkedIn profile all starts with positioning. Think strategy, not history.

Positioning is not about where you have been or what you've done in your career. It's about what you can contribute in your next role. This involves core features like your Executive Narrative, which should be woven throughout every part of your LinkedIn profile.

Remember: Recruiters need to be able to quickly read, understand and decode who you are and the value you can bring to your next role.

To optimize your LinkedIn profile for recruiters, draft your Executive Narrative by using relvant keywords in your headline, summary and job titles. This creates clear connecting themes throughout your profile, aligning every section with the story you want to tell recruiters.

It's also important that your Executive Narrative shows your career interests and the job titles you desire in your next role. LinkedIn recruiters can see these titles, so they serve as flags alerting them to your potential.

I recommend all of my clients use bullets points throughout their LinkedIn profile where it makes sense. Bullet points give your profile a clean, easy-to-read layout to help recruiters scan your info quickly. Afterall, time is money. No recruiter wants to spend 10 minutes deciphering your profile!

Make sure to complete every available section in your LinkedIn profile. Empty LinkedIn sections create a sense of inconsistency and disengagement—which can be enough to send recruiters off to the next candidate in their search.

Though it shouldn't have to be said, it is incredibly important to have a well-composed, professional profile image.

In your LinkedIn profile image, avoid:

• Vacation or leisure pictures

• Picture with sunglasses (or anything obscuring your face)

• Casual shots that don't match your value or the message you want to convey

Your profile photo should reflect who you are as a leader and the level you operate on.

Doing these steps will allow you to optimize your LinkedIn profile to attract and grab recruiters' attention.

Turn On the 'Open to Work' Feature on Linkedin

Should I turn on the "open to work" or not?

Its a question I get daily from C-level leaders who are either between roles or sense a change coming.

My answer is always the same for LinkedIn job seekers:

Yes, you should turn on your "open to work" feature, but only visible to the recruiters to show that you are a potential candidate. Not publicly.

Why?

The public "open to work" badge signals that you're actively looking, which is not the most strategic positioning for a senior executive.

At your level, this public open to work badge devalues your market worth by making it appear as though you've got your "hat in hand," rather than someone who brings real value to the table.

We don't want you to come across as available or needy. Instead, you should position yourself as attractive and in demand, no matter what your current situation.

Write a Strong LinkedIn Summary That Sells You

Your LinkedIn profile summary should speak to your next dream job, not your past experience. This is because recruiters and hiring managers want to see what you can bring to the table. These key decision-makers are not actually as interested in what you have done in the past.

In your LinkedIn summary, use the keywords that you would like to be associated with. Highlight your skills, values, and results to show that you are a top candidate.

And, don't forget to weave your Executive Narrative throughout to make your profile stand out from the crowd.

Use a Professional Profile Photo and Banner

Follow these tips when choosing a professional profile photo and banner image for your LinkedIn profile:

• Choose a high-quality, well-lit headshot (no vacation photos allowed!)

• Dress and pose to match your industry and leadership level

• Your profile photo should signal trust and professionalism

• Use a custom LinkedIn banner to reinforce your brand

• Avoid clutter: Keep it clean, relevant, and visually aligned

• Use keywords in image files names and ALTfile text for SEO (search engine optimization)

• First impressions matter, so make your profile stand out instantly

• A strong photo increases connection acceptance and recruiter engagement

Create a Scroll-Stopping Headline

Together with your profile photo and your banner, your LinkedIn profile headline is one of the most important tools you have to catch recruiters' attention.

You need to create a scroll-stopping headline that grabs the recruiter's attention.

Don't just write your job title as your headline. Instead, say who you help and how you provide value.

Here's an example of a strong LinkedIn headline that instantly shows how this candidate will bring value to their next role:

• VP of Sales | Scaling SaaS Growth | Driving Revenue for B2B Companies

Get Endorsements and Recommendations

You've met many people in your career journey and in your industry who liked you and who would be happy to help you in your search for new job opportunities. Don't overlook these connections in your network!

It's an excellent practice to reach out to former colleagues and ask them to write a recommendation for you.

The focus here should be on the giver's gain: Offer to write a recommendation for them as well. Write a stellar recommendation highlighting their strengths and the value they provide.

To make it easier for them, you can offer to draft a recommendation with the right keywords they can simply review and approve before posting. Focus on the right keywords will positioning your Executive Narrative in your LinkedIn recommendations section as well.

LinkedIn recruiters often spend time reading through recommendations because this gives them a deeper impression of you as a person. Social proof is weighted heavily by both recruiters and hiring managers, so don't skimp on this section!

FAQs

What Is the Best Way to Reach Out to Recruiters on LinkedIn?

I love receiving personalized messages on LinkedIn, the kind of message where you can tell someone actually took the time to write it.

This only happens when I can feel the person behind the message or sense a genuine interest in what I do.

On the other hand, what I can't stand are the messages that start with a pitch about themselves, attach a cv, and end with: "Do you have a job for me?"

I bet you feel the same way. That's why when you reach out to recruiters, take a moment to learn about their career before you send a connection request. Comment on something you noticed, and start a genuine conversation. Once again, think in terms of giver's gain.

Here's a step-by-step LinkedIn outreach strategy to get you started:

1. Send the right recruiter a connection request on the recruiter's profile (Click on "More," then click "Connect")

2. When the recruiter accepts your connection, write a personalized LinkedIn message. Keep this message short, precise and value-driven. Here's an example:
    
   Hi (name), I noticed your role at (company) and became curious about how you approach recruitment within (field/role).
   I'm currently speaking with selected decision-makers in the field and calibrating my next step.
   If it makes sense, iId be happy to have a brief conversation to understand how you currently think about leadship and talent.
   Best regards, leadership
   Your name

Is It Better to Apply for Jobs or Wait for Recruiters to Reach Out?

Sitting around and just hoping for recruiters to make the first move is a fast track to disappointment. Instead of waiting, use the strategies in this post to position yourself as an ideal candidate before recruiters come to you.

To see whether your current endeavors are serving your career goals (or turning recruiters away) take the Executive Blindspot Assessment here.

Do Recruiters Only Use LinkedIn Recruiter Search to Find Candidates?

No, LinkedIn Recruiter is just one of several tools used for talent acquisition. While it's a powerful platform, it's by no means the only one.

When recruiters go on a search for C-level professionals, they often use LinkedIn Recruiter in combination with a variety of advanced search techniques to identify potential candidates - especially at the executive level.

What most executives don't realize is that recruiters use Boolean search within LinkedIn, both in the standard search bar and inside LinkedIn Recruiter itself.

Boolean Search allows recruiters to combine keywords, exctypicallude certain terms, and find highly specific matches.

A typically search string from a recruiter might look something like this:

("CFO" OR "Chief Financial Officer") AND SaaS AND Copenhagen NOT interim.

So, if your profile headline, job titles, skills section, or summary don't include the right keywords, you simply won't show up in their results.

Recruiters also scan:

• People who engage with relevant content

• Profiles viewed by their mutual connections

• Professionals who are consistently active and visible in their industry

Recruiters are not just checking profiles. They are looking for clear signals like clarity, confidence, and positioning. If your LinkedIn profile lacks those, you'll be filtered out even if you're perfect for the role.

The bottom line:

If you want to appear in recruiters searches, you need to think like a recruiter.

Can I Connect with Recruiters Without Seeming Desperate?

Making an intentional effort to connect with recruiters does not make you appear desperate. On the contrary, reaching out with clear value (instead of awkwardly pitching) positions you as a confident, empathetic leader in your field.

And that is exactly the type of executive headhunters will be most excited to connect with. As long as you follow the strategies outlined here, you have nothing to worry about.

For an in-depth look at how your LinkedIn strategy measures up, take the free Executive Blindspot Assessment here.

Final Thoughts: Let Recruiters Come to You

You are talented, experienced, and passionate—everything recruiters want to see in an executive candidate. The only pieces missing from your LinkedIn profile?

The intentional strategies and hands-on, active tactics to get you in front of those headhunters. In today's workplace, it's no longer enough to be qualified, you have to show up for your the role of your dreams long before the interview.

Curious how well your current efforts are positioning you? Take the free Executive Blindspot Assessment to find out where your LinkedIn networking efforts are lacking. Plus, I'll show you how to refine your efforts to get in front of headhunters.