When a recruiter contacts you, it’s to ask if you’re interested in having a conversation about a specific position. No recruiter expects that every person they reach out to will be a great fit, but something they learned about you—your resume, LinkedIn profile, portfolio, website, etc.—matched the skills and experience for the role.

We get it. If you’re receiving a constant barrage of outreach emails and LinkedIn messages from recruiters, responding nicely might be the last thing on your mind. But you don’t want to miss a future opportunity by responding rudely or ignoring the outreach.

Getting a lot of outreach means that your skills and experience are in high demand. The recruiter may work for multiple clients in your field or functional area, so even if you’re not interested in that particular role, a simple reply will keep you on their active list. And if you’re responding to a recruiter’s LinkedIn message, replying can boost your visibility in LinkedIn’s algorithm. (If you’re curious about the things recruiters typically look for in LinkedIn profiles, read this.)

Your responses don’t need to be long. Most recruiters prefer short and sweet. Here are a few ways to politely decline recruiter outreach that won’t hurt your future chances.

I’m Not Interested in Travel

  • Thank you for the email for the [position] at [company]. While the position looks very interesting, and the responsibilities are a good fit with my background, I’m not that interested in the amount of travel required. I do quite a bit of business travel now, but I’m not interested in increasing it.
  • Thanks for reaching out about this opportunity. I read this a few times and looked at the full description on their website. Parts of it are very appealing to me, but after some thought, I’m not up to as much travel as this position will need.

It Doesn’t Match My Career Path

  • My strengths are primarily in information technology.  It looks like an exciting position, but not in my area of expertise.
  • Thanks for thinking of me, but it’s not a great fit.

I’m Happy Where I Am 

  • I’m flattered, but I am very happy where I am. Thank you!
  • Thank you for reaching out. At this time, I am not interested in the position personally. However, if you would like I can certainly forward the position to any colleagues I think may be interested. At this time, I do not have anyone in mind specifically.
  • Thanks for the info. Not interested in this position but please keep me in mind for others that might come your way.
  • Thank you for reaching out regarding the opportunity at [company]. I am currently happy with my employment at [company], but thank you again for considering me.
  • Thank you for reaching out to me, I appreciate the inquiry. I would normally be very interested in exploring this particular opportunity further. However, I recently accepted a senior leadership role with [company].

I’m Not Interested in Making a Move

  • Thanks for reaching out, but this position is not of interest to me. 
  • Thanks for reaching out to me. I am currently not in the market but feel free to send me anything you think may be of interest. If I know someone who would be a good fit, I’ll happily send them along to you.
  • Thanks for the email. I appreciate the thought. I am very happy where I am, and I’ll see if I know anyone who might be a good fit for the role.
  • I am not interested in making a move at this time.
  • Thank you for thinking of me for this interesting position—I truly appreciate it. However, I am very happy in my current job and do not have any plans to leave or relocate. I will gladly keep my eyes and ears open for a candidate that might satisfy the requirements and skill set outlined in the position description.

Keep Reading

When you are ready to start actively looking for a new role, how you position yourself in a competitive market can make all the difference. Here are some of Staffing Advisors’ most popular articles to help you pursue and land a new job that will drive your career forward.

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