This document provides tips for proactively finding and contacting hiring managers at target companies. It advises researching companies of interest and collecting contact information for hiring managers. It then discusses polite and direct ways to contact receptionists, HR departments, sales teams, executives, and others within a company to obtain a hiring manager's name and contact details. The document stresses persistence, courtesy, and following up with thank you notes to make a positive impression.

2. #2
HIRING
MANAGERS
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3. O
nce you have completed your research, you will have a list of companies
you want to work for. Then the work begins on collecting the contact
information for the hiring managers. Remember that contacting a hiring
manager will increase your visibility.
Applying for jobs the normal way is not going to get you into the job that you want. By
picking the companies that you want to work for you are taking a role in the process to
finding the job that you are qualified for. Instead of applying for every opening that you can
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4. find you are creating the opening by picking who you want to work for. Taking charge of
your career will help you reap the rewards generated by your hard work.
By being proactive instead of reactive in your job search you are changing up the
percentages of landing the job that is meant for you. By using the tools and techniques that
Headhunters and Recruiters use you will locate the position that you want. By putting
yourself out there you will show the hiring manager that you have what it takes to get the
job done. Management likes to see people that take a vested interest in themselves.
To locate the contact information of the hiring manger will take some leg work and lots of
calls to the companies that you have on your list. To start off sometimes the simplest way
to get something is the most direct approach. You just need to pick up the phone and
speak to the receptionist. Be direct and introduce yourself and explain what information
you are trying to get and why you are asking for the information. If the receptionist will
not help you then ask to be transferred to the Human
Resource Department. Again, introduce yourself and explain the purpose of your phone
call.
They may not give you the information that you want. You will find that most companies
are protective of their employees and their contact information. In some cases they may
just direct you to their website that has their job openings posted.
They may even tell you that they are not hiring in that department.
If they redirect you to apply online, politely agree to do that, but also ask for the hiring
manager’s name and title.
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5. Explain that you would like to address the cover letter directly to that person. In some cases
they may offer the information that you are looking for. No matter how they respond to
your request, always be polite and thank them for their help.
Here are some helpful ways to approach the people to get the hiring manager’s information.
Let’s say you are a software engineer, so you ask for the head of this department. Explain
that you want to make a positive impression and want to verify that you have the correct
contact information. Try to get them to transfer you to the person that you are trying to
reach. If you do reach the person explain that you are software engineer and that you are
interested in any senior positions that they may have in development and you would like to
send them your resume.
Remember that you may not get connected to the correct person the first time that you try.
Be persistent, but polite. You want to make sure that you leave every person that you speak
to in the company with a positive impression of you. Use the name of the last contact you
spoke to and work your way to the proper person. Eventually you will get the name and
contact information of the hiring manager.
Another approach is to contact the sales department of the company. Sales departments
are a great resource of information. Always be polite and explain why you are calling.
Remember this is a company that you want to work for so you do not want to leave a bad
impression.
If you are not successful with these approaches then you can always start at the top. It is
very easy to find the CIO, Head of IT or other heads of departments by searching on the
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6. internet. You can call and ask to be
transferred to the assistant of the
CIO/CEO. Always introduce yourself first
before you ask for the name of the hiring
manager. If you get resistance, then ask
if they will give you the title of the hiring
manger. This will help you look for them
online.
CIO’s are usually responsible for sourcing and finding that ‘go getter’ help for their
departments. So if you are lucky you may impress the assistant with your skill level and
they may ask you to send your information directly to them. Have a brief script prepared
that you can share that describes your credentials and work history. Remember that this is
not a job interview you just want to give them enough information that will let them know
you are qualified for the position. You want to peak their interest so that they want to bring
you in for an interview.
There is nothing wrong with going through your personal contacts and friends, relatives or
colleagues that may know people in the companies that you are interested in working for.
See if they can get you an introduction to the hiring manager or at least get you the contact
information that you need. Always remember to return the favor if approached.
Do not forget that you can search Social Media (like Facebook and LinkedIn), alumni
directories, forums, chat rooms, meet up groups, user groups and professional networking
sites. These sites will usually identify past and present employees that you can contact to
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7. see if they can help you with getting the hiring manager’s contact information.
In turn these Social Media forums are ways that employers can check on you. In some
large companies there are sub groups of the Human Resource Department that their only
duty is to do ‘Google’ searches on applicants and even on existing employees. It is
becoming common place for applicants to be rejected because of information that is on
their social media sites. You want to make sure that you put your contact information on
your cover letter and your resume. You do not want the potential employer to do a search
and get the wrong person and decide not to interview you because of the wrong
information that they have located.
The internet is an incredible source of
information. Companies list contact
information on their websites, Social
Media outlets and so on. There are
also professional networking sites like
ZoomInfo, Hoovers and Spokeo that list
all the key hiring managers by the
company and the location that they
work. These powerful sources have all
the information for millions of companies. These services have professional subscriptions
restrictions and they also have large monetary subscription cost. This can make access to
these services prohibitive, so you will want to see if you can find someone that has an
account that will let you use it or if they will let you pay a nominal fee for temporary use of
their account. Professional Headhunters and Recruiters use these sites to find job openings
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8. that they can offer to their client base.
Trade publications and trade associations are also a good resource for locating the hiring
manager’s information. You should still call the company and verify the information. Simply
call the company and ask the receptionist if they could confirm the hiring manager’s name
and title. It is also easy to verify the contact information using a company’s online phone
directory.
We would like to add these final hints and tips to your search:
• Always try to avoid the being dumped into a voicemail or being passed off to an assistant
gatekeeper. You can do this by calling the company before starting time or after hours. You
can reach people that are coming in early or working late and they may be a lot more
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9. amenable to helping you.
• Remember that you may not get the name hiring manager in the department that you were
originally looking for. Be open in your quest for information. You never know when you
may uncover an unadvertised position or finding out about future opportunities that you
may not have found or known about.
• Always send thank you notes to everyone that has helped you through the process. You
never know when you may need their help in the future or if the connection can lead to
other leads. If you are sending a thank you note to a CIO or executive always attach a copy
of your resume.
• When sending thank you notes you can reply in the same format of communication with the
people that you have been talking to. If you have been emailing your communications then
you can send your thank you in an email. If the people you have been corresponding with
have been by phone or by mail, then your thank you note should be mailed. No matter what
type communication form you have been engaged in, always, always type your thank you
note and make it look as professional as your cover letter, resume and report. The
exception would be if a group of people at the company like the receptionist, administrative
assistant, or other key personnel took you to lunch or met with you to help you with the
interview process a handwritten note can be used. Things that you should highlight in a
thank you note. Thank the person for the opportunity for the interview. Recap key parts of
the conversation. Clarify any information that the interviewer asked you to check on. Last
by not least, plug your skills. In the last part of the thank you note hit on your key skill levels
and explain why you would be a great fit because or your experiences with XYZ and ABS
companies.
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10. • A thank you note is essential. Hiring managers have to keep reviewing and hiring people and
it is easy for the applicants to start blending together. A well written thank you note with
key information will keep you fresh in their mind and will help you stand out from the other
applicants.
• Remember that this part of the quest takes a lot of time and energy, but it will be worth it.
Your persistence in uncovering the names of the hiring managers and their contact
information will help you get a leg up on the other applicants. Spending the time and energy
upfront is better than leaving your future to the fate of a computer generated application
process or a human resources department that is over worked and understaffed. It is your
goal to create your own opportunities, not to wait for others to make them for you.
You will need to start a flow chart like the one below to help organize theinformation
that you have accumulated:
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11. The flow chart will help you keep track of the when you sent the information, the responses
back from the companies and when to follow up with the contacts. Even if you do not get an
interview or a job offer always send follow up correspondences that thank the people that you
have come in contact with. This whole process is about networking and making the
connection with the people at the companies that you want to work for. Think of this process
as seeding a garden. You are planting your information in companies. By doing so you are
hoping that it will grow so you can reap the benefits of your work.
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