Career Changers Week 5 Episode 3 – Super Purposes Online Courses

Your Progress

Week 5: Target Where You Want to Work

Episode 3

Reaching Out to the Ground – level Companies

Play Video

Video Time: X Minutes Action Time: X Minutes

Super Steps – Reaching Out to Employees Who Work at Your Target

Companies

Search for the company’s page on LinkedIn.

In the search bar at the top of the page, type in the name of the company you want to find. On the search
results page, locate the company you’re searching for and click on their name to view their LinkedIn page.

Follow the

company’s

LinkedIn page.

At the top of the page, there is a Follow button. If you haven’t already, click that button to start following the

company.

Click on the list of employees.

On the right hand side of the top bar, click on the See, all [number] employees on the LinkedIn link.

Give them ONE offering you can deliver on.

DO try to personalize your thank you note/gift. Doing so will show that you not only value your reference as a colleague. You also value them as a person and a friend. Are they a film buff? Get them a gift card for the movies. A coffee connoisseur? Buy them something from their favorite coffee shop. A huge fan of the [insert local sports team name here]? Send them some gear! Your references have taken the time and effort to help you get where you want to be. Show your appreciation by helping them pursue their interests.

Add a personalized note.

A small pop up window will appear. Click on Add a note. Because the goal is establishing relationships, you
should send a brief personalized message to each connection. A good connection request note includes why
you want to connect with them and a call to action. You can bring up their work and accomplishments, and tie
in wanting to add them to your network.

This is the moment you’ve been waiting for!

After you’ve finished writing your message in the text box, click Send. Congratulations, you’ve just established
relationships within the company before even starting to work there!

LinkedIn Messaging is Like Speed Dating

LinkedIn messaging is a lot like work speed dating! The more people you get to know, the more dates you will go on, leading to more job opportunities. Also, the more you practice, the better you get at it. Once you overcome the awkwardness of the first few attempts at connecting, you will feel much more confident. Don’t let a few stumbles and missteps discourage you. Turn these moments into valuable learning experiences so you can improve the next time.

Hot Tips!

Hot Tip #1

Use “The 3rd Person Effect In the dating world, single people will often use a friend as a wingman to get an introduction to someone they’re interested in meeting. In a networking situation, a professional can also have a friend introduce them to another professional. Your credibility goes through the roof when another person introduces you. This phenomenon is called the 3rd person effect. By learning this concept effectively, you’ll be able to land jobs that seemed impossible and discover opportunities you didn’t even know about. The next time you go to a networking event, bring a friend and team up. Tell your friend whom you would like to meet at the conference and vice versa. Approach your friend’s desired connections. After a lovely conversation, offer to introduce them to your amazing friend!
The conversation might sound something like this:

You: Have you met Alex St. John?The Marketing Director of XYZ Company: No.You: OMG, hold on, you must meet him…

You can also use the 3rd person effect if you’re networking online through LinkedIn.
Message someone who is a 1st person LinkedIn connection to introduce you to your 2nd person connection.

Hot Tip #2

Use a Split Test Perform an experiment. Test 10 people using direct messages and test 10 people through the “3rd person effect. See which gets you the best results! Whichever gets you farther ahead is what you should implement in the future.

Do:

1. Use a personalized, simple message
that connects with whomever you are
messaging. For example:

Hi Carlos!

Please connect with me. I’m an aspiring
screenwriter and would like to expand
my network of people in the
entertainment industry.

Thanks! Maddie

Don’t:

1. Use a standard, canned message.
Everyone hates those! If your message is too
generic, it will look like spam. Don’t be the
person who does the thing everyone hates. It
leaves a negative first impression

2. Misspell their name or get their basic info
wrong.

3. Ask them to give you a job.

Lifesaving Links

Super Purposes Career Docuseries Episode 5: Targeting Your Top Companies