Career Marketplace Blog

In this article for U.S. News & World Report, Heather Huhman explains How to Find a Hiring Manager’s Contact Information.

Below is an excerpt of Huhman’s article. Read Full Article 

You’ve applied for a job opening through a job board, corporate careers site, or to anonymous email address in hopes of getting a call back and maybe even landing an interview. But a week or so passes by, and you’re still waiting to hear about your application.

How do you follow up when the initial job advertisement didn’t list any contact information? It’s time to start researching. Here’s how:

Scour the company website for a name. Look through the “About us” section of the organization’s website to determine the name of the hiring manager. You might even be lucky enough to find a company directory of employees with names and email addresses.

Call the receptionist. Even if the job ad says, “No calls,” you can still call the front desk in hopes of getting a name of the right person. Depending upon the company’s policies, this person may or may not be able to give you the individual’s contact information, but being polite and friendly to the secretary can go a long way.

Read On

In this clip for CBS hit sitcom The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon tries to make things right when he ruins a friend’s background check.

The Big Bang Theory: You Never Said No Backsies

USAToday article, Demystifying the rules of networking, Denise Kersten gives you great advice on how to make networking a little less intimidating.

Below is an excerpt of Kersten’s article. Read Full Article Here

Networking is not a spectator sport.

Face-to-face interactions make networking an effective job-search strategy. Unfortunately, they’re also what make it so scary.

True, when you send a resume, you don’t have to deal with potential rejection up front. But you won’t get the results you could with some one-on-one networking.

“I think everybody knows where most of those resumes go,” Fisher says. “But we pretend. We still want to do it that way because it just feels safe and comfortable.”

But that’s not going to get you a new job. Neither is simply meeting new people.

When you make a new acquaintance, have a clear focus in presenting yourself and requesting their help. Tell them what you’re good at, what you like to do and what you’re looking for — without scaring them off by asking for a job. Include concrete details that make you memorable, like an award you won or a problem you solved at work.

Most importantly, ask for more contacts. It’s this ‘second generation’ of networking — two or more degrees of separation — where people make connections that lead to job offers, Baber says.

In informational interviews, aim to get three new names from each person you meet. If you succeed in building rapport and presenting yourself as an asset, they may offer to make a phone call or arrange an introduction on your behalf.

Most importantly, always show appreciation for the favors you receive.

“Anybody along the way that does the slightest bit of help should be thanked, preferably with a thank-you note,” Hansen says.

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Rich Alexander from SellYourSmarts.com explains why networking works.

3 Reasons from this video:

• Get You in Front of People
• People Want to Help
• You Gain Valuable Information About Yourself and the Job Market

Why Network to Find Your Next Job

In his article for the Wall Street Journal’s Marketwatch, Marty Orgel reports how the religious community has helped to promote job search success.

In the article, Need a Job? Your church may be able to  help*, Orgel finds that many church groups have opened their doors to help the unemployed find job search success. This new twist on the job network offers participants job search training, employments leads, resume & interview advice and more.

Read more in this article about job network programs and how they encourage job seekers to succeed.

*Click the link to read full article