Contrary to popular belief, pitching yourself directly to employers can give you an advantage over other applicants. Here’s how to do it:
- Step 1: Get your timing right. Plan to pitch yourself to the employers you want to work for as early as possible in your job search. By the time a role is posted online, it’s already been publicized internally.
- Step 2: Identify key players at the company, or employees who have decision-making power at the company and who can influence hiring decisions. Your goal is to get an information interview with them, as they can connect you to hiring managers (and their recommendations will not be ignored).
- Step 3: Nail your informational interview. Ask questions about their experience at the company and how the job you are targeting fits into it all. As the conversation wraps up, ask if they will introduce you to a hiring manager
- Step 4: Connect with the hiring manager. Send an email introducing yourself, expressing interest in their company, explaining the value you can bring to their team, and requesting a meeting.
- Step 5: Follow up … but don’t overdo it. Wait at least a week before reaching out again, and when you do, keep it short.
- Step 6: Sell yourself. Assuming you do land a meeting with the hiring manager, use this time discuss your skills and experience and how you could provide value to the company.
- Step 7: Don’t be put off by a “no.” Rejection is unavoidable, but don’t mistake it for failure. Sometimes, “no” really means “not now.”
Before becoming a news anchor, I received hundreds of rejection emails. There was one particular news station in Seattle that I wanted to intern for, and every summer, I dutifully filled out an online application and emailed my resume to their HR department only to be met with radio silence. When I realized this job-search strategy wasn’t working, I followed the popular internet advice and took more initiative, emailing individual reporters at the company to inquire about open roles.
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