“I’m interested! Let’s connect!” under a LinkedIn job post isn’t an application. It’s noise.
I learned that the hard way when I shared a job opening for a role on my own team. The instructions were one line at the bottom: “Send me an email.” Within 24 hours I had dozens of DMs and a comment section full of “Interested!” So here’s the short answer: don’t comment on the post. Instead, read the job description, apply where the post tells you to, and send the hiring manager a specific note about why this role and why you.
What hiring managers do with an “Interested!” comment
Nothing. That’s not because they’re rude. It’s because the comment gives them nothing to act on.
It doesn’t say what you do. It doesn’t say what you bring. Also, it doesn’t say why you’re the right person for this role instead of everyone else who typed the same word. In other words, it’s the professional version of walking into an interview and saying, “I’d like a job, please.”
I’ve hired for my own teams for two decades. When I’m filling a role, I’m looking for anything that makes my decision easier. A one-word comment makes it harder, because now I’ve got to go find you, figure out your background, and guess whether you even read the post.
There’s also a volume problem. Roles now pull in more than 300 applications for every hire, according to Ashby’s hiring data. As a result, anything that doesn’t stand out on its own gets skipped.
How to respond to a LinkedIn job post you actually want
If you spot a role you want, here’s the four-step sequence I give clients. It takes about an hour, and every step does something a comment can’t.
Step 1: Read the job description twice. The first read tells you what the role is. The second tells you what problem they’re hiring to solve. Pull out the two or three things they care about most, because those become the backbone of everything you send. This guide on how to read a job description walks through what to look for.
Step 2: Apply exactly where the post tells you to. If it says “email me,” email. If it links to a careers page, apply there. Following the instructions is the first test. Every one of those “Interested!” DMs on my own opening failed it, because the post asked for an email. That said, if there’s no instruction at all, go to the company’s careers page and apply directly.
Step 3: Message the hiring manager with something specific. Find the person who owns the role and send a short note. Keep it to three or four sentences: your current role, the one result that maps to their biggest need, and a clear ask. For example: “Saw your post for the Senior PM role. I led the pricing rebuild at a mid-size SaaS company that cut churn on our largest tier. Your post mentions retention as the top priority, so I applied through your careers page today. Open to a 20-minute call if it’s useful.” If you’re not connected yet, this note on writing a LinkedIn connection request covers the first touch.
Step 4: Get someone on the inside to put your name forward. A New York Fed staff report found referred candidates are more likely to be hired than other applicants. Even better, ask for an introduction to the hiring manager, not just a referral. Here’s why an introduction beats a referral and how to ask for one.
That’s it. Four steps, and none of them involve the comment section.
When commenting on a LinkedIn job post does make sense
To be fair, there’s one case where a comment helps: when the poster explicitly asks for one. If the poster writes “comment below and I’ll reach out,” do what they asked, then still apply and still send the direct note.
Even then, make the comment useful. Instead of “Interested!”, write one line with your role and your strongest relevant result. For example: “Platform PM, led two enterprise migrations, applied today.” Now the poster has something to go on.
The mistake behind the “Interested!” reflex
In my coaching practice, the people who comment “interested” aren’t lazy. They’re tired. They’ve sent dozens of applications into silence, and a comment feels like a shortcut to a human.
But it’s a shortcut that skips the part that works. The goal isn’t to get noticed. Instead, the goal is to make it easy for the hiring manager to say yes to a conversation. That takes a real application, a specific note, and ideally a person vouching for you.
So the next time you see a role you actually want, close the comment box. Then spend the hour.
FAQ
Should I comment “interested” on a LinkedIn job post?
No, unless the poster asks for comments. A one-word comment tells the hiring manager nothing about you.
Is it okay to DM the person who posted the job?
Yes, but only after you’ve applied, and only with a specific note. Name your current role, the one result that fits their need, and that you’ve already applied.
What if the LinkedIn job post has no application instructions?
Go to the company’s careers page and apply there. Then find the hiring manager and send a short, specific message.
What to do next
If your applications keep disappearing and you want to know what that’s costing you, run the job search cost assessment. It takes 90 seconds and puts a monthly dollar figure on the delay.
If finding the hiring manager behind a posting is the step you’re stuck on, read The Reverse Job Search next. It shows you how to find the people who own the role before you apply.
If you’d rather have someone look at how you’re approaching roles and tell you what to change first, book a free strategy call.