How to find contact information for a department head or hiring manager
So, you've done some research and narrowed down your job search to a specific company you want to for work. Armed with this information, you can look for people in your social network who either work for the company or who know about any new job openings they might have. Once you have that information, all you need to get your foot in the door is the contact information of the head of the department. But, how do you find out who or where to send your resume and cover letter?
First, let me say that sending out "cold" copies of your resume rarely gets you the job, but when you are looking for a job or have been out of work for awhile, you don't have much to lose. If you are certain that you are a great fit for the company and you have the skills and experience to make you a desirable addition to their team, then it is worth a shot.
If you can't find a listing for the job opening or don't know the name of the hiring manager, here are some ways that you can use your computer to do a little investigative work:
Take a look at their website - Sometimes you can visit their website and find a corporate directory, even if there isn't a link for it, you can always try searching the site.
Call their main number after office hours - If you know the name of the person you are trying to get contact information for, this should be a piece of cake. Most companies use a phone service that takes you directly to their corporate directory if you call when their offices are closed. From there, search for the person and you can leave a message.
So, you've done some research and narrowed down your job search to a specific company you want to for work. Armed with this information, you can look for people in your social network who either work for the company or who know about any new job openings they might have. Once you have that information, all you need to get your foot in the door is the contact information of the head of the department. But, how do you find out who or where to send your resume and cover letter?
First, let me say that sending out "cold" copies of your resume rarely gets you the job, but when you are looking for a job or have been out of work for awhile, you don't have much to lose. If you are certain that you are a great fit for the company and you have the skills and experience to make you a desirable addition to their team, then it is worth a shot.
If you can't find a listing for the job opening or don't know the name of the hiring manager, here are some ways that you can use your computer to do a little investigative work:
Take a look at their website - Sometimes you can visit their website and find a corporate directory, even if there isn't a link for it, you can always try searching the site.
Call their main number after office hours - If you know the name of the person you are trying to get contact information for, this should be a piece of cake. Most companies use a phone service that takes you directly to their corporate directory if you call when their offices are closed. From there, search for the person and you can leave a message.
- Look at social networking sites - Sites like Linkedin are great ways to find key employees of specific companies. Even if you can't find the hiring manager for a specific department, you can get acquainted with other people who work in that department and ask them.
- Google is your friend - Do a web search on the company and the department you want to work for. Sometimes, you can find out the name of the managers in articles about the company or other website. With the hiring manager's name in your hand, you can then search for their contact information. You'd be surprised at how much information is available with a good Google search.
- Always be polite - If you call after hours or contact a current employee through a social networking site, make sure that you are as polite as possible. Most of the time, people want to be helpful and if you show them that you respect them and that you realize that they are doing you a favor, they will be happy to help you out.
- Beware of people locator sites - When you take your search online, you will probably find many sites that promise to give you contact information for a small subscription. Be very careful about these. Most of the time, they are a scam and will take your money without ever giving you any accurate information.
If you do your research correctly, you should be able to find an email address or a phone number for the person who is in charge of the department. Keep in mind that when you are sending out these types of unsolicited resumes, you have to be very certain that your cover letter will grab their attention. The last thing you want is to go through all of this trouble and have your resume thrown out without even being read.
Have you ever sent out cold copies of your resume? Did it help or was it a waste of time? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for LogisticsJobsiteBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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