How to keep track of candidate conversations on LinkedIn
By Tirth Shah, founder of Bub · Updated
LinkedIn's regular inbox has no labels or reminders, so candidate conversations get buried fast. Recruiters keep track by giving every candidate chat a label for the role and stage, splitting the inbox by role, setting a reminder on every chat that needs a follow-up, and saving their best messages as reusable snippets. LinkedIn Recruiter does this inside its own pipeline; if you recruit from your regular LinkedIn inbox, the Bub inbox adds labels, split inboxes, reminders and snippets to it.
Add Bub to Chrome, it's freeA simple system for candidate conversations
| Stage label | What it means | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Sourced | You reached out, no reply yet | Reminder in 4 days |
| Interested | They replied and want to hear more | Send details, book a call |
| Screening | Call booked or done | Notes on the person, decision |
| Submitted | Sent to the hiring manager | Reminder to chase feedback |
| Not now | Good fit, wrong time | Reminder in 3 to 6 months |
Pair each stage with a role label, like "Backend Berlin", and give each role its own split inbox, so every list only shows that search.
How to set it up with the Bub inbox
- Add Bub to Chrome. Install the free extension; the inbox talks to LinkedIn through it, in your browser.
- Open the Bub inbox. Go to heybub.so/inbox. Your LinkedIn conversations load straight from LinkedIn.
- Label every candidate. Press L on a chat to add a role and a stage. A chat can have several labels.
- Split by role. Turn each role label into its own inbox, and Tab between them.
- Never miss a follow-up. Press H to set a reminder. If the candidate replies first, the chat comes straight back.
- Keep notes. Press N to add notes on the person, right next to the chat: salary, notice period, what they want.
Messages candidates actually answer
- Lead with why them: a project, a talk, a repo, a post.
- Name the role, the team and one honest selling point.
- Ask one easy question, not for a call.
- Save your best openers as snippets with {{first_name}} and {{job_title}}, then personalize the first line.
- Once connected, a 30 second voice note feels personal in a way no InMail can. Bub lets you send it from your laptop.
Questions
How do recruiters organize LinkedIn messages?
With labels for role and stage, a split inbox per role, reminders for every follow-up and notes on each candidate. LinkedIn's regular inbox lacks these; LinkedIn Recruiter and inboxes like Bub add them.
Can I label LinkedIn messages?
Not in LinkedIn's regular inbox. In the Bub inbox you can add labels to any conversation with L and turn each label into its own inbox.
Do I need LinkedIn Recruiter?
If you run high-volume searches and pipelines, Recruiter or Recruiter Lite is built for that. If you mainly recruit through your own LinkedIn inbox and network, a better inbox may be all you need.
Can my whole recruiting team use it?
Yes. In Bub, teammates are free and you pay per LinkedIn inbox; snippets can be shared across the workspace.
Checked October 9, 2026. LinkedIn changes its features and limits from time to time.