The best candidates aren’t going to fall into your inbox by accident. To reach them, you need to show up where they already spend time—on LinkedIn.
A growing business brings new clients, bigger projects, and serious momentum. But growth also brings a challenge most teams underestimate: hiring.
You post the job. A few applications come in, but none are a match. The issue isn’t a weak job post or lack of visibility. It’s that your listing is buried beneath hundreds of others. Relying on job boards like Indeed or passive organic reach limits your chances of connecting with the right people.
Even a polished job description can lead to a stack of unqualified resumes. The strongest candidates often aren’t scanning job sites or following your company closely. To reach them, you need to show up where they already spend time—on LinkedIn.
This post breaks down how to use LinkedIn ads for recruitment. You’ll learn when they make sense, what to consider before launching, and how to use them effectively.
Why LinkedIn Works for Recruitment Marketing
Many of the best candidates aren’t actively job hunting, but they’re still on LinkedIn. They’re tracking industry trends, staying in touch, and keeping an eye out for the right opportunity. LinkedIn ads help you reach both active job seekers and experienced professionals who may be ready to make a move. It’s a way to put your opening in front of people who are qualified, curious, and open to what’s next.
Here’s why LinkedIn works as a great recruitment tool:
- People are already job-hunting (or job-curious). Unlike other social platforms where career content feels out of place, LinkedIn users expect to see job opportunities. When someone’s scrolling, they’re already thinking about work, career advancement, and what’s next. That mindset makes it easier to reach the right candidates at the right moment.
- LinkedIn functions like a built-in filtering system. LinkedIn profiles show work history, skills, endorsements, and how someone presents themselves professionally. That visibility acts as a natural pre-screening tool, helping you focus on stronger candidates from the start.
- Credibility is built into the platform. Just like Glassdoor reviews shape how candidates view your company, your LinkedIn presence sends a message. Running a recruitment campaign on LinkedIn shows you’re legitimate, established, and serious about hiring. It gives potential candidates a clearer picture of who you are, what you stand for, and whether they can see themselves on your team.
- You can do ultra-precise targeting. Need JavaScript developers with startup experience who’ve been in their current role for 2 to 4 years? LinkedIn’s Recruiter tools let you target by skills, job titles, industry, company size, seniority level, education, and location. Because you can target so precisely, every click is more likely to come from someone who’s qualified and genuinely open to new opportunities.
Two caveats to keep in mind:
- LinkedIn ads typically cost more than platforms like Meta or Google, but that higher price reflects the platform’s precision and targeting power. In the long run, you’ll likely spend less by reaching better-fit candidates and filling roles more efficiently.
- Update your ad creative. Professional audiences scroll quickly and lose interest in repetitive messaging. If you’re running a campaign, plan to refresh your visuals and copy at least once a month to keep things fresh and relevant. Frequent updates help you avoid fatigue and maintain performance. Remember, you’re investing in quality, not just volume.
Four Smart Ways to Use LinkedIn Ads for Hiring
If your company only hires once or twice a year, LinkedIn’s free tools might be all you need. You can post a job, tap your network, and reach out directly to people already in your circle.
But if you’re hiring regularly or trying to attract high-skill candidates, investing in paid tools like LinkedIn Recruiter and LinkedIn Talent Insights can give you a real advantage. These tools offer advanced filters for searches, access to premium messaging, and valuable data about your talent pool and competitors.
To get the most out of your budget, it’s important to be strategic about the type of ad you run. What sets LinkedIn apart from other platforms is its ability to target based on job title, seniority, skills, education, years of experience, and even professional connections.
Here’s a breakdown of the different types of LinkedIn ads and what they’re best suited for:
- Awareness Ads are paid campaigns that promote your company to a broader audience, keeping your brand top of mind. Even if candidates aren’t actively job hunting, they’ll know who you are when the time comes.
Great for: Long-term talent pipeline building. - Job Post Boosting starts with a standard LinkedIn job post, which gets some organic reach. Boosting it with paid promotion ensures it shows up in front of the right people based on skills, industry, and experience level. It also increases the chances of your post being shared within relevant networks.
Great for: Hires with specific industry skill requirements. - Sponsored Content and Thought Leadership are promoted posts featuring text, images, or videos that highlight your culture, employee stories, or industry insights. They help candidates connect with your mission, get a sense of what it’s like to work on your team, and see your company as a leader in the field.
Great for: Humanizing your brand and positioning your company as a great place to work. - LinkedIn InMail Campaigns lets you send personalized messages directly to candidates who aren’t actively job hunting. You don’t need to know their names or be connected. Use demographic and professional targeting to reach top talent with a more direct, personal approach.
Great for: Starting one-on-one conversations with high-value candidates.
Make Every Job Post Count
A well-placed ad is only as effective as the strategy behind it. Before you spend on LinkedIn ads, take a step back and get clear on a few key things:
- What’s your goal? Are you trying to fill a role quickly, build a long-term talent pipeline, or boost your employer brand? Your objective should guide everything: format, messaging, targeting, and metrics.
- Who are you targeting? Be specific. The more refined your audience filters, such as skills, seniority level, or job titles, the more relevant your applications will be. Precision saves time and money.
- What will people see? Skip the generic stock photo of two people high-fiving in an empty conference room. Use real images, video clips, or stories from your team. Authentic content grabs attention and attracts candidates who actually want to work for you.
- Where does the click lead? Where your ad leads matters just as much as the ad itself. Whether it’s a job post or your careers page, the landing experience should match the tone and clarity of your ad. Keep it clean, focused, and as friction-free as possible to make applying easy.
Before You Hit Launch, Ask Yourself These Questions
The best candidates aren’t going to fall into your inbox by accident. You have to go find them.
If you’re serious about growing your team, it’s time to get intentional about how you show up. LinkedIn ads are a smart, strategic way to reach professionals who might never discover you on their own.
Need help building a campaign that actually works? Let’s talk. We’ll help you get the right message in front of the right people so you can get back to what you do best: growing your business with the right team behind you.