Getting Past The Gatekeepers

You find the perfect job posting at a company that you are already familiar with. You even know someone in your career network on the board of directors who agrees to put in a good word for you. Your polished resume has all the right keywords and your cover letter expresses appropriate passion for the position. Yet, somehow, you never hear back.

Does this scenario sound familiar? Even if you do everything right, from using your career network to calling people in HR, you still may not land the job you so desperately want. Sometimes another person may simply have better inroads, more panache, stronger skills or more attractive credentials. That does not mean you should give up on your quest for the perfect job. Try some of these tips to get past the gatekeepers on your road to success.

Tap into your career network to help you get a job. You already have your go-to connections, but always be on the lookout for ones you may not have noticed. If you see your cousin's spouse's best friend at a party and he wears a t-shirt with the logo of a company you're interested in on it, talk to the person and find an inroad. Discover how he knows someone at the firm and find our how you can get an introduction. Even if that company does not have any openings right away, the business will probably hire someone in less than a year.

Use LinkedIn wisely by creating a full profile. Connect with people in positions that are similar to yours, talk to former college classmates, and find new friends with whom to have conversations. Expand your career network and get to know people you trust on the site. Make a creative headline that stands out, and post a professionally taken photograph of yourself. Incorporate keywords from various job postings to get noticed by applicant tracking systems.

Drill down into company websites to find any career network opportunities you may not know about. If your uncle graduated from the same college in the same year as someone on the board of directors, try to use that connection to get a job by getting to know that board member. Befriend your contact's administrative assistant by engaging with that person. Call the assistant and ask her to print out your cover letter and resume so it lands directly on the contact person's desk. Even if the assistant fails to do so, she will at least remembers your name for later consideration.

Finally, know when to give up. For example, go with a rule of three. Try to contact your person first with an email or phone call. Wait five business days and try again. If you still do not hear anything, try one final time in another five days. Move on from there and try another gatekeeper with a different firm.

You might not make progress even after trying so hard within your career network. Remember the adage about missing 100 percent of the shots you never take. Eventually, you will break through the gate and land that all-important interview. Just be wary about the time and effort you need to dedicate to the task.

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