How to Offer Yourself to a Potential Employer
I only got two of the best performing jobs, each of which opened up a number of other opportunities because I got in touch with the right person at the right time. One job was in the genetics lab and the other was in writing, and none of them had previously been advertised; I got both of them after I sent out a huge number of letters to a lot of people explaining who I am and why I want to work for them. (In the case of the second, they even created a new position especially for me.)
I’ve always thought of these two jobs as fortunate accidents, but according to a recent Harvard Business Review article by Seattle news anchor Starla Sampako , the approach to dealing with potential bosses you would like to work for, even if they are not currently hiring a specific one. The position is well worth the time and will likely give you an edge over other candidates.
According to Sampako, who gathered information through interviews with aspiring professionals , here are some of the steps you should consider when looking for a job this way:
Choose the right time
Both jobs that I have described arose because I got in touch with my future boss right now – after they thought about hiring someone, but before they started looking. In doing so, I presented myself as an active person looking to get a job, which is usually a good sign for a potential employee. I also made it easier for them to work by reducing the time it takes them to find a qualified candidate.
Timing is, of course, tricky, so in many cases you need to reach out to someone who you think might need your skills, while realizing that you will miss a lot before you hit the mark. Generally speaking, I have noticed that determining the right timing tends to involve determining when a company and / or project is in a state of change, whether a new initiative is starting, a previous circle of employees has recently been promoted or fired. for another job or during the annual trainee hiring season.
As I also learned from freelancing, periodically helps to monitor the situation. Just because they don’t need you right now doesn’t mean they won’t need them in the future. You don’t want to be overly aggressive; Emailing a potential employer who says they might need your skills in the future several times a year is usually helpful, but emailing them a couple of times a month is too much.
As difficult as it gets to deal with rejection, remember that this will likely end up in an email to a bunch of potential bosses who may appreciate your skills but simply can’t hire someone at the moment. Getting many answers or just not hearing at all is difficult, until the moment when you finally contact the right person.
Identify key players in the company
Usually, when we think about hiring, we think about human resources. In practical terms, while all hiring decisions ultimately have to be made by the HR department, the person who actually reviews applications and makes decisions about who to interview or hire is usually someone else – the hiring manager.
What you really want to do is identify the hiring manager’s boss , as he often has a lot of power in terms of shaping the jobs created and prioritizing hiring. In small companies, this is usually the founder or leader, and in larger companies, this is the director or senior manager.
As Sampako notes ,
“Your goal is to get these employees to be your advocates and ultimately refer you to hiring managers for the teams that interest you. Key players have the ability to tie you up, and if they do, you are much more likely to get an answer than if you held out your hand coldly. “
Key players also have a broader range of knowledge about the organization and future plans of the company than lower-level employees. The work that a unit does on paper can be very different from what they actually do , while plans for the future may require a different set of skills than you might predict. The right person will have a more accurate idea of where your skills can come in handy.
Conduct an informational interview
An informational interview is an informal meeting between a job seeker and a hired specialist, usually so that the job seeker can learn as much as possible about topics related to career options as well as the culture of the company. This is an opportunity to find out what the culture and expectations are in the company, as well as what the day-to-day realities of a particular job might look like.
If you ask a potential boss for an informational interview, this is an opportunity to learn about the company and what the job might be like. During this meeting, Sampako advises , it is important to express interest in their line of work, ask questions about their experience with the company, ask how the job you are looking for can fit into it, and ask for advice on applying. Then, if the interview is successful, ask if there are other people in the company you should talk to.
Contact hiring manager
Once you have a better understanding of the culture of the company, the types of vacancies available, and the upcoming positions they will be hiring for, it’s time to finally get in touch with a hiring manager.
When you speak to them, you will want to introduce yourself, give a brief description of your skills and how they can be useful to the company, and also give a clear description of why you want to talk to them and what you are about. re-hoping to get out of the conversation.
In the freelancing world, we call these letters of recommendation, the purpose of which is to contact the hiring manager, let them know that you exist and are good at what you do. Also, make it clear why your hiring will make their life easier – if one thing bosses love, it is an employee who can make things smoother day in and day out, and also make the boss look good in the process.
It is important to remember at this stage that job search and hiring decisions can be flexible, so instead of asking to be considered for a specific position, it’s better to explain why your skills will be so important to them, and also ask about any future opportunities. Sometimes the job you are actually hired for can be very different from the job you thought you would be considered for, which might be good. The strangest and most wonderful thing about a career is that you never know what opportunities are available or what you are capable of until you ask. So make sure you ask.