If this Doesn’t Convince You to Harness the Power of LinkedIn, I Don’t Know What Will

Be honest. If you could work at a powerhouse company like Google or Facebook, you totally would. These organizations offer all kinds of awesome perks, career advancement opportunities, and of course, serious name recognition. Landing a job at a big name corporation can give you a huge career boost. The only problem is, it’s pretty hard to do.

But what if I told you there was a way to greatly increase your chances of scoring an interview for your dream job?

I was recently working with a sales professional who only had eyes for a super well known SaaS organization. Let’s call them “Dream Company”. Despite having a stellar resume and some pretty great experience under his belt, he couldn’t get Dream Company to give him a second look. But, like any savvy job seeker, he forged ahead in his search and ultimately received a strong offer from Dream Company’s largest competitor.

Awesome, right? Well, he didn’t stop there.

One of the Recruiters at Dream Company happened to be my client's 2nd Degree Connection on LinkedIn. So, he sent her an InMail message to share the great news about his job offer:

Hi Recruiter,

I wanted to reach out to let you know that I just received an offer for an Account Executive role at your largest competitor. I’m really excited about this opportunity, as I am passionate about growing my career in software sales. That being said, I only want to work for the best, and I think Dream Company is the best.

I have three years of experience in a closing role and have consistently exceeded my quotas by 25% or more. I've also made President's Club two years in a row.  My ability to close deals and drive revenue would make me a strong asset to your organization.

Would it be possible for us to have a quick conversation this week about potential opportunities at Dream Company? I can make myself available between 11 pm – 2 pm through the end of the week.

Looking forward to connecting!
Best,
Job Seeker

And guess what? It worked! My client heard back from the Recruiter within a couple of hours and is now very happily employed at his dream company.

Why it Worked

As a long-time Recruiter and Hiring Manager, I can tell you with confidence that the candidates who proactively got in touch with me or someone at the company I worked for catapulted themselves to the top of my list. Why? Because they were proactive, resourceful, and willing to go the extra mile.

How to Pull It Off

OK, so obviously, we can’t all leverage competitive offers to score interviews (nor should we - it's a risky move!).  But, there are a few key reasons why this approach worked – and you can use them to your advantage!

1) Mine Your Network
Do you or one of your connections know anyone at the company you're targeting? Chances are, you'll be able to find somebody to reach out to. Bonus points if you can find a hiring manager, a person who works in the department you'd like to join, or a Recruiter/HR Representative. But truly, anyone will do!

2) Create a Compelling Message
Reaching out to say that you're interested in a particular role is a great start, but don't forget to ask yourself why this person should pay attention to you. Are you an industry expert? Do you have experience doing the exact thing they're looking for? Do you have an innovative idea that could increase revenue or productivity?

3) Brag a Little
What do Recruiters and Hiring Managers want to know about potential new hires more than anything? What they've accomplished. It's great that you've had lots of responsibilities throughout your career but what have you achieved?
Did you increase sales by 25%? Did you implement an innovative new system that saved your company $10,000? Take the time to brainstorm your tangible successes and include one or two of them in your message!

4) Call to Action
Don't be passive here - ask for a call, meeting, or referral. For example: "Would it be possible for us to talk tomorrow at 2 pm?" or "I will be near your office next Monday and would love to meet up for a cup of coffee to discuss this opportunity further. What time would work for you?" or "If you aren't the best person to contact about this, would you mind referring me to the person I should talk to?".

In short, take ownership of your job search. Don't just submit your resume and hope that you'll get noticed. Harness the power of LinkedIn and I guarantee that you'll be surprised at the results.