Fishwife CEO Hired a Candidate Because of This LinkedIn DM

If you feel like your messages are getting lost in the void, you may be onto something.

Executives are often bombarded with many sales pitches and introductions every day – and that makes it difficult to stand out with a cold outreach .

Becca Millstein, cofounder and CEO of the trendy tinned seafood company Fishwife, said she misses many of the messages she receives on LinkedIn.

"I don't respond to DMs because I don't see them, or it's just too much," Millstein told Business Insider.

Millstein, who cofounded the company in 2020, said it's become increasingly difficult for candidates to stand out by sending a direct message. Every so often, though, someone manages to break through. She said a prospective employee reached out several months ago. After seeing the message, she passed it on to the hiring manager, and they ultimately hired the candidate.

An anonymized version of the DM is below:

Millstein said the candidate's message got her attention because it was specific and direct. They explained which role they were interested in, summarized their relevant experience, and included numbers to make their case.

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