Finding the contact of the person or company you would like to apply for may seem steep at first, but it will undoubtedly be an essential step if you want to succeed in finding a job that matches you in Canada.
Here are, step by step, two strategies to get there: contacting someone through LinkedIn or by email.
LinkedIn is your friend
First of all, it is essential that you read our articles about LinkedIn to understand how powerful a networking tool it is in Canada, how to create an impressive LinkedIn profile and how to build an effective LinkedIn strategy.
Before starting, you need to know why you need to contact someone you don’t know. Don’t forget that everyone you meet in your entire career can have the power to change your life.
Regularly interacting with new people will allow you to discover incredible opportunities, learn more about a theme, or expand your network.
LinkedIn mail is often less overloaded than email classic boxes, and finding a contact person is easier. However, you will also have to build a strategy, and adding the person to your network will not be enough to start a dialogue. You have several strategies to choose from:
Use the company page
The company page is your best ally. You can find the employee’s list, job offers, and company activities - the perfect tool to find the right person to contact and enjoy the hidden market.
Having a LinkedIn connection with a company and employees of this company makes a huge difference.
Interact with their publications
Before contacting these people, you can show interest in their areas of expertise, with a simple “like” to begin with if you are not inspired. The best move would be to comment by adding value to the publication. Building on current events can be a solution.
Think about follow-ups and ambassadors. You can learn more about these concepts.
Use Groups
They allow you to connect with some recruiters and specialists in a field.
From the moment you are in a group, you can more easily engage the conversation. The group will give you ideas of specific topics. It will also increase your credibility when making contact.
Try to exchange on the group’s posts, create relevant content to support the group; this is the concept of networking!
Send the first message directly
Through a LinkedIn messaging tool with a simple and a quick presentation, customize the request and mention the name, links and skills. Use A.I.D.A (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) to write a convincing and personalized message, you can learn more about this technique.
You can then send other messages to develop the relationship, by quoting shared articles, or by exchanging on a mutual theme.
Use InMails
They are free for 30 days. Use them wisely, with a clear title, introduce yourself (be concise), then explain your approach and personalize your request. Finally, you need a call to action, propose a call or face-to-face meeting; Canadians prefer to meet in person. It will allow you to contact the person directly, without necessarily having prior contact.
If you don't have a return following your message, do not bother your interlocutor, patience will be your best ally! Wait for 3 to 5 days before sending a follow-up. Everyone is not necessarily daily active on LinkedIn, find the e-mail of the person do you want to contact can also be a good way.
Find the e-mail contact
It is essential before starting to find a means of communication for the person you want to talk to. There are applications to find an e-mail address, such as Hunter, VoilaNorbert, Emailhippo.
On the company’s website, you will be able to find email addresses: at worst, a primary email address (contact@domainname.ca), at best, an address of one of the company’s employees. It will later allow you to identify the construction of the company’s e-mails and contact someone whose e-mail address you do not have directly. You can then use the above tools to verify it.
Note that most of the company’s email addresses are composed of the name and first name of the person followed by the company’s domain name (ex: carteralex@domainname.ca). It’s okay you got an email address? Do you think that you have to send your resume as an attachment? Hm, not really.
Build your mailing strategy
Once you obtain the e-mail address, you will have to stand out. The email boxes are often overloaded, and you are probably contacting employers who already have a hectic schedule and not necessarily the time to read on each e-mail.
You have to think like for creating an e-mail marketing, the mails of classic commercials tend to be ignored, while the emails where no one tries to sell you a product directly have more chances of being seen! Think about what makes you want to read an e-mail?
The principle of reciprocity suggests giving something back (ex: “Please let me know how I can be helpful to you, either now or in the future”). From the subject to the content, you will have to build a strategy and know how to sell yourself in a few lines:
The subject
It is the most critical part as it will affect the reader's decision to open the mail. It needs to be responsive for mobile (6-8 words), straight to the point, focused on the main subject. It would be best if you described directly what you are looking for. Consider writing the subject after you finish the body of the email. It should be short and contain important points.
Include your recommendation if you have one, or the name of a networking event where you could exchange.
Make it clear
Simplifying the comprehension and reading of the mail, as for your resume, the person does not have time to read your e-mail, it is up to you to make it easier for him by aerating your text with paragraphs. You could separate the body of the email into 3 parts containing the different points presented in this article: the first part for introduction, the second part for the development of your request and the third part for the contact/call to action.
Introduce yourself and value your interlocutor
In a few lines, try to highlight your experience, your skills, your assets, you can use your LinkedIn summary, for example.
Value your interlocutor. Start by asking for advice on a topic in their area of expertise. Then, dive into their passion or experiences.
Call them to action
Straight to the point, ask for a face-to-face meeting, but consider presenting an alternative by phone, for example. Remember! Never solicit a position directly if you are not replying to a job post: it is against Canadian culture and would not make a good impression.
Even if you have no response for the first time, don’t give up, try again and keep in your mind the most crucial step: stay focused on your objective! Canadians are very open to connection requests and professional exchanges.
We never have twice the opportunity to make a good first impression. The best way to meet professionals and to be able to network is at professional events. Meet us at one of the CONNECTWorking organized by Canada Talents, every first Tuesday of the month.