Employers like to find new recruits without the intervention of costly third parties. Whether that comes through their applicant tracking system, as a recommendation from a member of staff, or a friend, as long as they are not paying fees to a third-party agency, and the application is relevant, they probably won’t care.

Your aim is to avoid the online application, where you so easily can get lost, and be referred to HR by a member of internal staff, in an ideal scenario the hiring manager him or herself.

How do you achieve this?

1. Develop a network of personal contacts which can help you bypass the computerised system. The larger your network the better the chance that you will either know the hiring manager, or know someone who can direct you to them. Chose a business network, currently I recommend LinkedIn, and every time you meet someone and it’s appropriate, request to connect with them on your network of choice. Please always do this with a personalised message
2. Try and find a name and a telephone number allowing you to contact the hiring manager. When you find this contact, telephone them, because this will make you stand out from other potential candidates. How do you find the number and the person to contact?
   1. If you’re lucky it’s on the job job advert
   2. OR You could look for the position on other job boards or networking sites, see if you can find a contact to call
   3. OR you could telephone the company (Google for the number) and ask to speak to the named person (if you know it), or someone in the department who are recruiting, ask for their help with a direct application and have relevant questions ready
   4. Look for contacts on business networks like LinkedIn who could help you to find or indeed be, the hiring manager. Make contact and explain your situation and see if they can help. If you ask for help, as long as you are rational and respectful, people tend to respond positively

Once you’ve done your research, found the hiring manager or someone who has a working relationship with the hiring manager, made personal contact with them and received some feedback which suggests your candidature is interesting, take the bull by the horns and take action. Send your application documents, with a cover email or letter which refers to the conversations you’ve had.

Like I said companies are looking for candidates who don’t come to them through third-party, expensive sources. They will welcome your CV as long as you’ve done your research and your CV is relevant.

Companies are looking out for candidates who stand out and are enthusiastic . Taking the initiative should give you the advantage. At the end of the day what have you lost by taking this direct approach? Nothing,. What have you gained? Potentially a new job and an increase in your business network, which will pay off in the future.

If you have thoughts or questions, please contact me.