You’d network with them if you could reach them, right? Here are some hints for reaching out.
When you’re doing your job search mainly through networking, you may find the right person’s name but not the contact information that goes along with it. Asking a contact for a LinkedIn introduction to your target is a great way to do this, but sometimes, you don’t know anyone connected to them.
Since I don’t recommend cold calling a hiring manager, sending an email or snail mail is a good way to “warm up” the call. Unfortunately, you need an address to do that. Here’s where you may find them.
Find an email address
- LinkedIn: Check the Contact Info, Summary, and Additional Information sections on their LinkedIn profile.
- Google: Google their name.
- Email Format: Google their company. The company Web page may contain email addresses for company principals. If your target is one of them, great! If not, notice the format for the company emails. Use your target’s name in that format. For example, if the CEO’s email is JudyClark@CompanyName.com, then your target’s email may be firstnamelastname@CompanyName.com.
- Association: Are you members of the same professional association? Often, member listings include email addresses.
Find a snail mail address
Sometimes, you won’t be able to reach your target with an email or a phone call. Ironically, snail mail can get through when electronic messages don’t.
Deb Brown, founder of Touch your Clients Heart, offers ways to find your target’s snail mail address. She is talking mainly to business owners, so some don’t apply to job seekers, but these do. (And some of them apply to finding email addresses, too.)
- Ask someone: Who do you know who might know?
- Business card: If you have their business card or other promotional material, their work address may be listed there.
- Payment information: If they have done business with you, in the case of a vendor or consultant for example, their address may come up on a purchase order, receipt, or in a database.
- Membership list: If you are a member of the same organization, check the directory for their mailing address.
- E-newsletter: The law requires a mailing address in the footer of the email.
- Legal business listing. If they own a business, check their business listing at the Secretary of State website.
- Online search. Some Web sites and Facebook pages list a mailing address. If you know their name and state, you may have a chance to find someone’s mailing address through a site like 411.com or whitepages.com. You can even Google their name and see what comes up. Unfortunately, if their name is a common one, you might end up wading through dozens of Joe Smiths.
Find a phone number
- Phone Book: Yes, it’s analog, but what the heck? If you have one, use it.
- Google the name: Type in the person’s full name andzip code, for example, joe smith 55555. This won’t work if the phone number is unlisted or a cell phone. What you may find are sites offering to give you the number for a payment. Don’t do it. They likely don’t have more information than you can find on your own.
- Google the company: Type “800 number for company name” (with the quotes) or “contact us” company name.
- Search social media: Type the name into the search field in any social media. Start with LinkedIn and Facebook.
If your job search is making you crazy, contact me today to talk about ways I can make your life easier.
Image courtesy zirconicusso at freedigitalphotos.net.
