Fishwife CEO explains how a targeted LinkedIn DM secured a new hire

Becca Millstein, co-founder and chief executive of Fishwife, described the difficulty of sifting through countless LinkedIn outreach messages. She recalled a recent instance where a candidate sent a brief, role-specific DM that highlighted measurable achievements, budget responsibility, and cross-functional collaboration, and also attached their résumé. The message caught her attention because it was clearly personalized and not automated.

After reviewing the résumé, Millstein passed it to the hiring manager, leading to the candidate’s successful hiring. Millstein warned job seekers to apply through official channels first and to include concrete details, as generic messages rarely get noticed. The anecdote underscores the importance of tailored communication in a crowded digital recruiting landscape.