| Here's a common scenario (and complaint) for job | | | | This is where social networks come into play. You |
| seekers: "I spend all day long applying to jobs online | | | | can use LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to identify the |
| through Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, or niche job | | | | hiring manager for that job and then go directly to him |
| boards—and I never get a response. Have I lost | | | | because—guess what? It takes a lot of effort to |
| the understanding of how this job search works?" | | | | do that. So not all of those 1000 folks who sent in |
| If this is happening to you, you've got to understand | | | | that application will contact the hiring manager. In fact, |
| that the job search has totally changed from what it | | | | my guess would be that out of the 1000 people who |
| was 15 years ago, or even 5 years ago. Today's job | | | | would apply online, less than 10 will seek out the hiring |
| search is different. It's flooded with job seekers in this | | | | manager. Out of those 10, at least 5 will fail with a |
| terrible economy, and jobs are posted online, so that | | | | typo, a misspelled word, bad email syntax, or they just |
| everyone and their dogs can apply, with just a click of | | | | do an overall crummy job with their note, so really, it's 5 |
| the mouse. So some of these jobs you're seeing on | | | | out of 1000—and you could be one of those 5. |
| Monster or Career Builder or some of the bigger niche | | | | Why is it so important to get to the hiring manager? |
| sites are getting a thousand or more applicants—and | | | | He's the one who's carrying the budget, and who has |
| I don't care how good you are, it's hard to shine in a | | | | the problem he's got to solve, so he's super-interested |
| room of 1000 people. | | | | in someone like you. You have to help him find you. |
| What should you do? Step away from sites like | | | | So, stop applying online. It just won't work in our |
| those, other than looking at the job to find out who it's | | | | current climate. There are too many applicants, and |
| with. Once you find out which company is hiring, find | | | | not enough jobs. Find the job, find the hiring manager, |
| out who the hiring manager for that job is. | | | | and go directly to him for the job. |