7 Ways to Penetrate Your Target Companies
Most job seekers meet somewhere between 3-5 people at their target company during an interview process. They usually only meet these people once – on interview day.
But what is the value of meeting more people?
Well, obviously, the more people you meet the more knowledge you’ll have about how the target company works. You can meet them well in advance of your first HR contact. You can research them in advance and test them (friendly? Stuffy?) on your interview day.
But there is also the awareness campaign that you should be doing with target companies – to make yourself known to possible interviewers or HR/recruitment team. Ideally, you should be actively looking to penetrate your target companies throughout the process, during an offer negotiation as well as during your first 90 days.
The more you are known to your target company, the better your odds of finding a job there.
Just to be clear, though. To penetrate means that you create awareness of your candidacy/unique skills with as many people as possible. If others know you (or know of you), the risk in interviewing you and hiring you goes down. It especially important in a hiring market that favors the employer.
So how do you penetrate a company in advance and during your interview process?
1. LinkedIn – hopefully you are already using Linked In and using your connections to reach a much broader group of people. Many of them may work now or in the past at your target companies. You absolutely have to be actively building a strong network here and actually using it. Find out what groups people at your target companies have joined and become a member. That way you can e-mail them directly and begin to network within the group.
2. Facebook – If they have a page on Facebook, become a regular contributor there. First “like” their page and then begin providing feedback. “Share” and “Like” their content.
3. Phone/reception staff – Upbeat and friendly never hurts you. So every opportunity you have to network, should be taken. Even if only a brief few seconds, your demeanor matters. To someone who gets hammered all day with requests. A simple “how’s your day”, if it is genuine, can help someone and help you on the day you arrive for the interview. And don’t think the opinion of the phone operator or greeter is insignificant.
4. Ask to meet others – you can always ask during the interview whether you could be introduced to others. Wouldn’t you want to meet people on your team or others working at the same level? Or someone in a key cross-functional support role. All they can say is “no”. But don’t just ask HR. Ask the people you interview with if there are others at the company who would be open to a few questions. You never know, maybe you’ll get an invite to the company’s Thu night drinks!:-)
5. Blogging/Public Relations – If you have a blog. Especially if it is industry related (technology) or key function related (marketing), you could highlight your target companies. Highlight key initiatives, new products or the upcoming charity event. And then send a link to their public relations team or firm.
6. Company Website – Who runs the website at your target company? How about writing up some feedback for the webmaster? Or writing a review of their site on your blog? Offer to write a product review on Amazon. This one is endless!
7. Industry Conferences – Find out where your target companies go to show off their new products and services. While you might have to drive a few hours or get on a plane, this is a target rich environment. Since other similar companies will likely be there as well.
As you can see by trying a few of the ideas above, you can become known to your target companies in a way that should be seen as highly beneficial to both parties. Assuming your approach is a confident one and you are not appearing desperate. Sending your resume to every recruiter in the company for jobs you are not necessarily qualified for will most definitely NOT act in your favour.
Hopefully you can see how each of these work together as part of an integrated strategy to build awareness of you and the impact you could have on their company.
What are your ideas to penetrate a target company? What has worked for you? Please leave your comment below!
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About The Author
Margaret Buj
Margaret Buj is an Interview and Career Acceleration Coach who specializes in helping professionals get any job they want at their best ever salary. If you want to learn how recruiters read resumes, why you’re not getting hired, how to sell yourself successfully in an interview and how to negotiate your best salary yet, download her You’re HIRED! free video course.
What about going right to the people you want to meet?
I advise people to call the person they want to get to know or work for and invite them for a coffee. I came up with a very clever name too – the Coffee Interview!
Amazingly, if done correctly, you will get 8 or 9 people out of 10 that are happy to meet with you.
Why? This is the neat part. You know it is an interview, they know it is an interview but it is not an interview.
Hi Corey – this is a great idea and I love the Coffee Interview name! I’d also say it has to be done in the right way though. As a Sr. Recruiter for Expedia I get so many requests, that if I wanted to meet everyone, I’d need to hire someone else to do my day job:-) It is important that the person requesting this interview respects the other person’s time and makes it very clear what is it they want to talk about when requesting a meeting.
In the U.S., networking with HR is usually not productive. It’s far better to interact with the hiring decision maker, your future manager or your future manager’s boss. Short of getting their attention, then get to know an employee, usually someone that you might collaborate with, but definitely avoid anyone that might see you as a potential threat. Consultants, vendors, former employees, customers can also be good entrees.
The objective is to develop a trusting relationship and for the mutual contact to like you and know enough about your professional capabilities and future potential to offer to introduce you to the appropriate hiring manager. Having an introduction made through a company insider, someone who the hiring authority thinks is credible, you are connected by someone who already has has the decision maker’s ear. This also positions you as a fellow trusted colleague and you may become privy to information that will expedite the hiring process when the timing is right.
For the past 12 years, I have designed and established targeted networks for executives that include hiring authorities in the C-suite and on corporate boards. Having the ability to Network Purposefully means not only a shorter job search campaign, but building the right connections to be top of mind and have managers initiate conversations to recruit you directly for their teams. Being on the inside track is like career insurance for life, you never have to look for a job because employers want you and seek you out. In addition, when you have a purposeful network, you are continuously in conversations that often convert to job offers or become the starting point for active discussions about what you want to contribute to make an initiative successful. Not only does your network provide a fertile ground for sourcing new opportunities through the recruitment process, but also it’s possible to identify a desirable lead and be able to pursue it from the inside.
Hi Debra, thank you for commenting. Absolutely, having a strong targeted network is key when looking for a new job – I could not agree more. However, having done recruitment in the US myself for Expedia (in Seattle area and NYC), I still think connecting with recruiters (not HR as such) could be very productive. I have lots of candidates in Bellevue still contacting me about jobs or asking for advice, and I put them in contact with my colleagues there dealing with jobs they are interested in. Just recently, someone who was interviewed for my Bellevue based job a few months ago contacted me about another role they saw on Expedia’s website. I’ve contacted the recruiter myself, sent all the positive interview feedback from previous interviews and recommendations, which helped this person get a job with Expedia.
Directly reaching out to candidates as a recruiter has also been very beneficial for me – I’ve made lots of hires through this direct approach and I also got a lot of recommendations.
Thank you again for commenting!