Are you tired of waiting to hear back after submitting your resume through a job board? Have you wondered if there’s anything else you can do to move the process along?
I’ve got good news for you: there is one simple step you can take to significantly improve your chances of getting noticed, and you will stand out because most other people aren’t doing it.
Identify the most likely recipient for your application and reach out to them via LinkedIn.
Actually, it would be good to plan for this step before you even submit your resume through a job board, especially if you can submit a cover letter.
Sometimes, the job description tells you who you’ll be reporting to you. If it does, the person who wrote that description just gave you a gift. Look up the person listed on LinkedIn and address your cover letter directly to them.
- How to find someone with a specific title on LinkedIn:
- Type the company name in the search bar.
- Click on the company name when it comes up.
- Click on the “(some number) Employees” link.
- Click on “All Filters.”
- Scroll down to “Keywords” and type the job title in the “Title” box.
- Click “Show Results.”
If the job description doesn’t list the person you’ll be reporting to, you have two choices. You can look up the most likely department manager and address the letter to them, or you can look up someone in talent acquisition and address the letter to them. (Title keywords you might try include “Talent Acquisition” or “Recruiter.”)
Write the cover letter to the most likely person to receive it and send it off into the ether along with your resume.
Now, it’s time to follow up with a personal message on LinkedIn.
Go to their profile and click on the “Message” link. Here’s a template for what to say:
Dear (name),
I hope you’re having a great day. I’m writing because I saw your posting for a (job title) online and believe I’m a great fit. First, I love your brand. (Write a sentence about something you love about the company.) Second, I possess (how many years?) of experience (doing something important for the job). Additionally, I understand your culture is founded on (what?), and I share these values.
I submitted my resume online but wanted to reach out personally to ensure you received it. Is there a chance to schedule a quick conversation to further understand your needs and discuss my qualifications?
Warm regards,
(Name)
Of course, be sure to attach your resume and cover letter to your message.
BONUS:
After the first sentence of the second paragraph, you could win points by adding a personal line about the person you’re writing to. For example, “I also wanted to congratulate you on your recent promotion. (Company name) is lucky to have you!”
How do you know the person was promoted? You reviewed the person’s LinkedIn profile and saw they posted it in their feed.
With this strategy, you may not always get a response. Still, your tenacity will eventually pay off, and you may be able to build new connections for the future even if the result isn’t immediate.
NOTES:
You need LinkedIn Premium to execute this strategy for some people. Usually, LinkedIn will offer you a free month, so take advantage of that. If you don’t want to pay for it, you can also search Google for the person’s name and the word “email” to see if you can send the person an email instead.
The prerequisite to utilizing this strategy is to have a solid LinkedIn profile. If you reach out to someone on LinkedIn, surely the first thing they’ll do is click on your name and look at your profile to find out who you are.
