When dealing with high-level positions, the barrier of entry for reaching the appropriate contacts is practically iron-clad thanks to gatekeepers. You may also notice the HR department is of little help in these cases.
Use these tips to help work around HR gatekeepers and get in front of important contacts:
Leverage Relationships with Recruiters
Recruiters are always on the lookout for the best talent for their clients. You can also bet that at this level, the company has handed the task of finding candidates to external recruiters (which would explain why HR can’t help you).
As such, it’s important to maintain and develop your relationships with recruiters. Take their calls and listen to what they have to say. Connect with them on LinkedIn. Let them know you are available and help them with applicable leads.
Remember that recruiters are in direct contact with the company, so if anyone is going to to be able to set up a meeting, it’s them.
Join Local Boards
Joining local boards is a great way to network and meet with your area’s top executives. You can offer to become the head of local chapters for your professional organization, join community boards or join business networking organizations.
The important part here is not to just be a member of an organization, but to take an active part in leading it. This is where you will meet other execs, not at happy hour events. (Tweet this thought.)
Start With Your Personal Network
If you don’t know where to start in terms of getting to the right people, look no further than your own personal network. Send emails and ask to see if anyone has any leads or ins.
You can also take it a step further by using LinkedIn’s “How You’re Connected” feature. You’d be surprised by how many contacts you can meet just through your personal network.
Start with Hiring Managers
If the executive assistant won’t budge and HR is of no use to you, you can still work with other contacts within the company to get what you need. One thing you can do is start by connecting with the lower levels of management and then work your way up the ladder.
It’s much easier to get a hold of a hiring manager than it is to get a hold of a top executive. Each connection can then open the door to the next level.
Go on LinkedIn
From seeing how you’re connected to people to using groups to leverage your expertise, LinkedIn is a great place to find high-level contacts without having to deal with their gatekeepers Why? Because chances are, their assistant doesn’t manage their LinkedIn profile.
Just follow some simple etiquette rules and you’ll be well on your way to making the connections you need on LinkedIn.
Getting past the gatekeeper may be an obstacle, but with these tips, you’ll be able to overcome it.
How have you found your way past a gatekeeper? Let us know your strategy!
This post originally appeared on Chameleon Resumes.
Image: Flickr
