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Capturing Email and Phone Data from LinkedIn Recruiter for PyjamaHR: Complete Guide

Updated over 3 weeks ago

Executive Summary

PyjamaHR requires candidate email addresses (and ideally phone numbers) to uniquely identify and manage candidates in your hiring pipeline. When importing candidates from LinkedIn Recruiter—especially via PDF resumes or the Chrome Extension—missing contact details can cause upload failures and workflow disruptions. This article explains why these fields are mandatory, how to ensure you capture them, and step-by-step solutions to avoid common pitfalls, so you can seamlessly add LinkedIn candidates to PyjamaHR.

Detailed Overview

What Is This Feature and Why Does It Matter?

PyjamaHR’s candidate management system is built around unique identifiers—primarily the candidate’s email address. This ensures:
- No duplicate candidates in your database
- Reliable communication (email scheduling, interview invites, etc.)
- Efficient search and filtering across your talent pool

When sourcing candidates from LinkedIn Recruiter, you may download resumes as PDFs or use the PyjamaHR Chrome Extension. However, LinkedIn profiles and exported resumes often lack email or phone details due to privacy settings or candidate choices. This leads to upload rejections in PyjamaHR, as seen in multiple customer queries.

Integration Points:
- Manual PDF upload
- Chrome Extension import
- Candidate deduplication and communication workflows

Business Impact:
- Prevents wasted time on failed uploads
- Ensures you can reach out to candidates directly
- Maintains a clean, actionable talent database

Step-by-Step Guide: Capturing and Importing Email/Phone Data from LinkedIn Recruiter

Prerequisites

  • Access to LinkedIn Recruiter

  • PyjamaHR account with permission to add/import candidates

  • PyjamaHR Chrome Extension (if using for import)

  • Candidate consent to collect and use their contact information

1. Understand PyjamaHR’s Requirements

  • Email Address: Mandatory for every candidate. Used as the unique identifier.

  • Phone Number: Strongly recommended for communication, but not always required for upload.

2. Sourcing Candidates from LinkedIn Recruiter

A. Downloading PDF Resumes

  1. Export the candidate’s resume from LinkedIn Recruiter.
    - Note: LinkedIn-generated PDFs often do not include email or phone details.

  2. Check the PDF for contact information.
    - Open the PDF and look for an email address and phone number.
    - If missing, proceed to Step 3.

B. Using the PyjamaHR Chrome Extension

  1. Navigate to the candidate’s LinkedIn profile.

  2. Click the PyjamaHR Chrome Extension icon.

  3. Review the extracted data preview.
    - If email/phone is missing, see below for solutions.

3. Ensuring Email and Phone Data Is Captured

A. Manually Collecting Contact Information

  • If the PDF or Chrome Extension does not capture email/phone:
    1. Check the candidate’s LinkedIn profile “Contact Info” section.

    • Sometimes visible if you’re connected or have InMail privileges.
      2. Message the candidate via LinkedIn InMail.

    • Politely request their email and phone for recruitment purposes.

    • Example message:

      “Hi [Name], I’m interested in discussing a role with you. Could you please share your preferred email and phone number for further communication?”
      3. Update the PDF or your import form with the collected details.

    • Add the email/phone to the resume file or enter it during manual upload.

B. Editing the Resume Before Upload

  • Open the PDF in a PDF editor or convert to Word.

  • Add a “Contact Information” section at the top with the candidate’s email and phone.

  • Save and re-upload to PyjamaHR.

C. Entering Details During Manual Upload

  • When uploading a candidate manually in PyjamaHR:

  • If the resume is missing contact info, you can type in the email and phone fields in the upload form.

4. Uploading to PyjamaHR

  1. Go to the “Add Candidate” section in PyjamaHR.

  2. Upload the resume file.

  3. Ensure the email field is filled.
    - If not auto-extracted, enter it manually.

  4. (Optional) Enter the phone number.

  5. Submit the candidate.

  6. Check for any error messages.
    - If you see “Resume rejected due to missing email/phone,” repeat the steps above.

5. For Bulk Imports

  • All resumes in a bulk upload must contain email addresses.

  • Prepare your files in advance, ensuring each resume has the required contact info.

Advanced Usage & Best Practices

Power User Tips

  • Always verify contact info before uploading.
    Saves time and prevents failed imports.

  • Create a template for adding contact info to resumes.

  • Use LinkedIn InMail templates to request details efficiently.

  • Maintain a spreadsheet of sourced candidates with their LinkedIn URL, email, and phone for easy tracking.

  • If using the Chrome Extension, always review the preview and edit fields before finalizing the import.

Do’s and Don’ts

Do:
- Do obtain candidate consent before collecting and storing their contact info.
- Do double-check for typos in email addresses.
- Do keep a backup of original resumes and edited versions.

Don’t:
- Don’t upload resumes without email addresses—PyjamaHR will reject them.
- Don’t rely solely on LinkedIn PDFs for contact info.
- Don’t use generic or placeholder emails (e.g., [email protected])—this will cause duplicates and communication failures.

Troubleshooting & Common Issues

Common Error Messages

  • “Resume rejected due to missing email or phone number.”

  • Solution: Edit the resume or enter the details manually before uploading.

  • “Candidate already exists.”

  • Solution: Check if the email is already in your PyjamaHR database.

What If Scenarios

  • What if the candidate refuses to share their email?

  • You cannot upload them to PyjamaHR. Consider keeping them in a separate outreach list until you have their consent.

  • What if the Chrome Extension fails to extract contact info?

  • Manually copy the email/phone from LinkedIn (if visible) and enter it during upload.

  • What if you have a large batch of resumes missing emails?

  • Pause the upload, collect the missing info, and only proceed when all resumes are complete.

When to Contact Support

  • If you consistently cannot extract contact info despite following all steps.

  • If you encounter technical errors with the Chrome Extension.

  • If you believe the platform is rejecting resumes incorrectly.

Comprehensive FAQ

1. Why does PyjamaHR require an email address for every candidate?
To uniquely identify candidates, prevent duplicates, and enable communication.

2. Can I upload a candidate without an email address?
No. The email field is mandatory.

3. What if the LinkedIn PDF doesn’t have an email or phone number?
You must manually collect and add this information before uploading.

4. Can I add the email/phone during the upload process?
Yes, if uploading manually. For bulk uploads, ensure each resume file contains the info.

5. Does the Chrome Extension always capture email/phone?
No. It depends on what’s visible on the LinkedIn profile. Always review and edit before importing.

6. What happens if I use a fake or placeholder email?
This can create duplicates and block communication. Always use the candidate’s real email.

7. Can I upload candidates in bulk from LinkedIn Recruiter?
Yes, but every resume must have an email address.

8. What if I want to import candidates but only have their LinkedIn URL?
You must obtain their email and phone before uploading to PyjamaHR.

9. Why is phone number recommended but not always required?
Phone is useful for direct communication, but email is the primary unique identifier.

10. What if I get an error even after adding the email?
Double-check for typos, formatting issues, or existing duplicates in your database.

11. Can I automate the extraction of contact info from LinkedIn?
No, due to LinkedIn privacy policies. Manual collection is often necessary.

12. Is it safe and compliant to collect candidate contact info from LinkedIn?
Always obtain candidate consent and comply with data privacy laws.

Related Features & Next Steps

  • Chrome Extension for sourcing candidates (see [PyjamaHR Chrome Extension Guide])

  • Bulk resume upload (see [Bulk Importing Candidates])

  • Candidate deduplication and search

  • Automated communication and interview scheduling

  • Exporting candidate data to CSV for reporting

Recommended Next Steps:
- Set up a workflow for collecting missing contact info from LinkedIn candidates.
- Train your team on PyjamaHR’s upload requirements.
- Review related help articles for advanced sourcing and data management.

Need more help?
If you’ve followed all steps and still face issues, contact PyjamaHR Support with screenshots and details of your workflow.

Related Articles:
- [How to Use the PyjamaHR Chrome Extension for Sourcing Candidates]
- [Bulk Importing Candidates: Requirements and Best Practices]
- [Managing Duplicate Candidates in PyjamaHR]
- [Exporting and Reporting on Candidate Data]

This article is based on real customer conversations and addresses the most common pain points and scenarios for capturing email and phone data from LinkedIn Recruiter into PyjamaHR.

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