Messaging the Hiring Manager? - Chinn Up - May 22, 2024

Hi everyone! Welcome to another edition of Chinn Up!, your one-stop shop for actionable career advice. Here, we'll tackle the roadblocks that hold you back – from navigating the ever-changing job market to conquering tricky workplace dynamics.

Be sure to subscribe so you can get real-world strategies delivered straight to your inbox, along with a dose of empathy to keep you motivated.

Today's question:

Hi Brett,

When applying for jobs on LinkedIn, I've noticed that some postings allow you to send a message to the hiring manager for the role. Do you think that I should spend time crafting a compelling note or should I just go ahead and apply and hope for the best? I appreciate any advice you could share.

Thanks,

T.J.

Dear T.J.,

Thank you for your question. I am a longtime user - and evangelist - of LinkedIn, but I have to keep it real: sending an InMail to the hiring manager is not the most effective use of your time and energy.

Why? Because when it's that easy to identify the hiring manager (or recruiter) for a role, you can be sure that they're receiving hundreds, if not thousands of emails from other applicants just like you.

So while a compelling message can't hurt, it's unlikely that to get read or responded to. Here's how you can be more strategic in your approach:

1. Focus on building connections: Find employees at your target company, preferably at the management level or above. Then start to narrow that group down to people who are in the same or adjacent department as the one you're targeting. Send connection requests. I don't advise adding a note with this - it can come across as spammy.
2. Idenfity a potential champion: Once you've connected with a few relevant individuals, consider reaching out to one who seems like a good fit to be your internal champion. This is likely someone with whom you have something in common, but I would specifically target someone in a leadership position who is not the hiring manger for the role you're apply to. It could be someone who would be your peer, or even your boss' boss. Before you reach out, do some research. How long have they been at the company? What do you have in common?
3. Reach out and ask for an informational interview: I've written about this before. Informational interviews are an excellent way to gather insider info, establish credibility, and start building key relationships in your industry. Don't just send a message saying, "I applied to such-and-such job at your company, can you help me?" Instead, try somethign like the following:

Hi [Name], thank you for accepting my invite to connect. I was hoping you might be able to help me. I noticed that you have been in [marketing] at [Company] for the past 10 years following a career in [sales]. I am currently looking to make a similar transition and would love to learn from your success. Would you be open to a virtual coffee so I can hear your perspective on the industry and any advice you might have for someone like me? I understand you must be incredibly busy, but I would be grateful for even 10-15 minutes of your time.

Did you notice how I didn't once mention working at their company or asking to be referred for a job? That's because, if you come across as someone just looking for a foot in the door, there's a good chance this person will push you to their company's career page. Get personal and make it clear that you really ant to talk to them. (P.S. Don't be afraid to follow up if you don't get a response right away!)

If you follow the above steps and correctly leverage the informational interview, this person will likely become a champion for you within their company as well as their larger network.

Building relationships takes more time and effort than sending LinkedIn notes, but if you're persistent and provide value to your connections, your ROI will be exponentially greater. Chinn Up and good luck, T.J.! If you have any additional questions about crafting informational interview requests or following up with connections, feel free to reach out!

Want me to answer your question in a future edition? Drop your conundrum in the comments, send it to me via DM, or email it to [email protected] . Interested in my 1:1 coaching services? Book a (free) intro call here .