Job hunting is overwhelming, and oftentimes feels impossible. Most students “spray and pray,” as we say: apply to hundreds of job postings, and wait. Not surprisingly, most companies never respond to the applicant.. The reality is that by the time a company posts a position online, it’s often too late. Either the company has already started the process or maybe even filled the role; otherwise, now you are still competing against millions of other job seekers who can see the open position.
Studies show that as much as 70% of current job openings are not posted online. It feels like you have to know someone to get a job – but if you don’t have connections, what do you do?
It takes some work, and you can’t simply spray and pray. One of the best job search tactics is to find growing companies and form a connection with a current employee. Here’s a simple guide:
Step 1: Identify companies that will be hiring tomorrow, today.
Utilize websites like Crunchbase to find growing companies. Specifically, search for companies that have raised 10 million+ recently. Add in the filters: search past 90 days, enter minimum amount raised as $10 million.
You now have a list of companies to focus your job search on! Companies that raise large sums of money are going to spend a significant portion on hiring – and the more money they raise, the likelier it is that they will hire for entry level roles.
While these companies may not have publicly listed jobs yet, they soon will. And this is the optimal time to get your foot in the door. By the time the jobs are posted, many of them will already be filled through referrals and networking – and you want to be one of those early birds!
Research these companies and create a list of the ones that interest you most.
Step 2: Reach Out to People!
Use Linkedin to make connections at the companies on your list. On Crunchbase, you see, for example, that Epic Games recently raised $1 billion (wow), and you’re interested in gaming. Now go to Linkedin and find the Epic Games company page and click on “People.”
Filter based on your school (to identify alumni who are employees), a company department you’re interested in, or mutual connection.
Once you’ve found someone to reach out to, click on their profile. Instead of selecting “Message” on their page (this will send your message as InMail), send this person a connection request.
Here is a template you can use:
Hi (name), I’m a recent grad from (school). Congrats on the company raise – very exciting! I would love to speak with you when convenient about entry level opportunities at (company). Do you have some time in the coming days to talk for 15 minutes?”
Now repeat this same process for all of the companies you found that sparked your interest.
Step 3: Network – Find More People!
Once you’ve set up a call, or hopefully multiple calls, be sure you prepare! Do your research on the company on everything from what product/services they provide to what the company culture is like. Prepare a few specific questions about the company and growth plans. You also want to research your new friend – review their linkedin profile and their connections. Find any common ground.
Ultimately it does not matter whether this person can help you get a job directly today. It’s about the relationship and the connection. , Be sure to follow up and send a thank you note. And stay in touch! Networking is powerful, and learning how to build and leverage a network will continue to help you throughout your career. And if that’s not reason enough, remember that as much as 85% of all jobs are filled via networking.
Step 4: Rinse, Wash, Repeat!
Every day more companies are raising capital. You should go back to step 1 and repeat the above process at least monthly so that you can stay current with your job search. Remember, good things come to those [job seekers] who hustle…not those who wait [spray and pray].
