Yay or Nay? Should I contact a recruiter on LinkedIn before applying for a job? (interview, unemployed)

[fernweh]

I was going to make a LinkedIn account solely to message a recruiter, however, I'm not sure if that's appropriate. Does anyone have good/bad experience in doing this?

[Suburban_Guy]

Yup, you should.

Unless you know someone at a particular company, or have some spectacular credentials/job history, like a masters from MIT or something, then you have a 1 in 5 million chance of getting a random job you apply to.

In fact my past 5 jobs have all been due to referrals. Without those referrals I would have had zero chance since so many others apply. As a matter of fact, my current job, I applied to the company several times in the past and never heard back. But then I knew someone that worked there from a previous job, and he forwarded my resume to the hiring manager with a strong recommendation. Not long after I got a phone screen, in person interview, and then the job.

[fernweh]

Originally Posted by Suburban_Guy

Yup, you should.

Unless you know someone at a particular company, or have some spectacular credentials/job history, like a masters from MIT or something, then you have a 1 in 5 million chance of getting a random job you apply to.

In fact my past 5 jobs have all been due to referrals. Without those referrals I would have had zero chance since so many others apply. As a matter of fact, my current job, I applied to the company several times in the past and never heard back. But then I knew someone that worked there from a previous job, and he forwarded my resume to the hiring manager with a strong recommendation. Not long after I got a phone screen, in person interview, and then the job.

Oh I know how difficult it is trying to get into a big corporation. Most jobs I have had were made possibles due to referrals. It's all about who you know.

[Humanista]

Originally Posted by fernweh

I was going to make a LinkedIn account solely to message a recruiter, however, I'm not sure if that's appropriate. Does anyone have good/bad experience in doing this?

I would not do this as a brand new LinkedIn profile is pretty suspect. If I had an existing LinkedIn profile with connections and recommendations, then I definitely would message a recruiter. In fact, I have done this in the past with good results.

[nicet4]

Depends on the skill set needed and, more importantly, how many people have the qualifications to fill it.

This job in Sioux Falls, SD for example Fire Protection Division Manager in Sioux Falls, SD

posted: Friday, July 28, 2017
Location Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Industry Construction, Trades & Mining
Job Type Full-Time
Salary US $ 80,000 - US$ 85,000 per year

Skills:
Requirements:

--High School Diploma or equivalent
--Prior management experience of fire sprinkler projects
--Prior field experience in the fire sprinkler trade
--At least 3 years of fire sprinkler design and project management experience
--Knowledge of NFPA Standards, International Fire Code, International Building Code, and UL & FM directories
--Must possess N.I.C.E.T. Level III certification in Fire Sprinkler Systems

Obviously it is not education that matters. What it all comes down to is that single certification, nothing else matters and if you call it is a guaranteed interview as soon as you can get there.

Problem is in numbers of certificate holders and looking at the registry there are 18 Level III Certificate Holders and 5 Level IV Certificate holders for a total of 23 people holding the minimum qualifications in the entire state. Nobody is unemployed looking for a job so what employers have to do is poach from another company.

This is the kind of job where you could literally bang on their door unannounced Monday morning and they will talk to you.

Nobody is going to fake their way in because you either know it or you don't and we can tell if you are fake or not inside of 60 seconds.

These jobs are becoming nearly impossible to fill and I am starting to see more and more jobs offered at the six figure level.

[goodlife36]

I tried it and she did not reply.