When I was job searching in Canada, do you know what my secret weapon was?
Posting my resumé.
Not a blog post, not a social media post. It was the good old-fashioned, snail-mail, envelope-licking, stamp-sticking post.
This ensured the hiring executives were actually receiving my resumé, rather than relying on online software to do it for me.
And it worked – one of my job offers happened through a call I received from a recruiter who specifically called out my snail mail.
But you don’t have to limit your snail mail to jobs that are advertised.
As you may know by know, the vast majority of the Canadian job market is hidden. This means a couple of things:
The job is not advertised
The job is advertised but the hiring manager already knows who will fill it
If you want to end your job search sooner, don’t wait for a job to be posted online. Reach out to hiring managers at companies you want to target, who manage the department you want to work for.
Of course, during uncertain times like these where everyone is working from home, snail mail won’t work right now, as no one is receiving their mails at the office.
Email will do.
Use a filtered search on LinkedIn to find the hiring manager, and Google for the company’s email address format. If you’re sending snail mail, Google their postal address.
You will definitely need a killer cover letter that impresses the hiring manager, and not just boring text that states “I’m looking for a job. Attached is my resumé. Looking forward to your response.”
That e/mail will get discarded faster than it was opened.
Personalize your message and make the reader say to themselves “Hmmm, this person has done their homework, and they are really passionate about what they do. They seem really interested in working for this company.”
That’s what the reader should feel when they read your cover letter. And then, they will be compelled to open your resumé.
Remember, if you see a job posting, especially if it’s from a 3rd party agency, it’s likely the manager:
Had a need for this position several months ago and only now has the budget for it
Was unable to find someone in their network, and resorted to paying an agency to find a candidate for them
By proactively reaching out to hiring managers this way, you cut ahead of your competition, and fill their need before-hand.
Even if they don’t have a position for you right now, you’ve added someone to your network. Stay in touch! It’s only by staying in touch do they remember you when they do have an opening.
