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# Don’t Ask for the Job. Be a Spark.
- URL: https://unhired.blog/dont-ask-for-the-job-be-a-spark/
- Published: 2025-05-20T11:53:09.000Z
- Updated: 2026-05-29T01:41:36.000Z
- Description: A Love Letter to the InMail You Send.
- Author: Ken Persel
- Tags: Newsletter, #Migrated-1780018866479, #Import 2026-05-29 01:41

You sent a few InMails last week.

*“Hi Joe, I admire your company and would love to be considered for any opportunities.*”

It was polished. Professional.  
You even read it twice before hitting send.

And… crickets.

## **Now flip it.**

You’re hiring.  
It’s 3:17 PM.  
You’ve had seven meetings, one last-minute escalation, and your budget tab is still open.  
You check LinkedIn.

There it is. InMail #297 of the week.  
Subject: *“Excited to Explore Opportunities”*  
Body: *“I’d love to be considered for any roles.”*

You squint.  
You sigh.  
You close the tab.

## **Why You’re Not Getting a Reply (Even as a Perfect Fit)**

Here’s what you don’t know:  
You’re InMail #**297** this week.

The hiring leader you messaged?  
They’re underwater handling their actual job, juggling a million internal tasks…  
and also trying to hire.

(And yes, hiring **always** comes second to the fires they’re already putting out.)

Everyone says, *“*I’d love to work with your team.”

> ***So why should they stop, click, and reply to you?***

Especially when your message reads like everyone else’s.

And honestly?

> ***They shouldn’t have to work to figure out why you’re worth responding to.***

### Want the InMail odds to be in your favor?

### Start here 👇👇👇

## **🔥 Five InMail Shifts That Get Noticed**

### **1\. Warm the lead, before you hit send.**

Hiring leaders check their own notifications. Show up where they’re looking.

- Engage with a recent post
- Leave a thoughtful comment
- Tag them in a relevant share

You're building familiarity. This is networking.

### **2\. Offer insight, not an ask.**

Instead of:

“I’d love to be considered.”

Try:

“Hi JackieO, I saw your post about scaling post-Series B. I’ve led a few bumpy rides there. Sharing a few takeaways here.”

You’re signaling strategic thinking.  
Adding value, not more work.

### **3\. Make it frictionless.**

Most execs are drowning in cold outreach. If your ask requires much thinking or effort, you lose.

❌ “Let’s connect for 30 minutes so I can share my background.”  
✅ “Here’s a 2-min voice note on X. Pls DM back for part II.”

It’s low-lift. Plus it builds curiosity.

### **4\. Message active people.**

Don’t pitch to a LinkedIn ghost.

You’re 2–3x more likely to get a reply from someone who’s:  
• Posted recently  
• Commented on shared topics  
• Viewed your profile in the last 14 days  
• Active in your niche

Use your good digital instinct – or Sales Navigator. Pick another person to message who’s active.

### **5\. Be the hook.**

Skip the resume (They have your profile). Lead with a spark.

“Caught your webinar on next level legal ops powered with AI. I’ve worked in federal capture, the legal side. Virtual coffee? or may I share here?”  

“Your post on burnout in product teams hit home. I tried something last quarter that worked. It’s a new check-in app called xyz.”

These are conversation starters.

## **TL;DR**

❌ If your InMail screams “please hire me,” it gets ignored.  
✅ If it sparks relevance, it gets a reply.

So offer a spark. Create a conversation.

That’s what we do.  
🎯 Drop a comment or message me “spark” and I’ll share more.

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