Is it risky to submit a resume to someone you know from someone that you do not know. Duh! Of course that is risky, but it does not mean that the candidate is not viable. No, it just means that the person asked to submit is not sure. However, there are things the job seeker can do to overcome the hesitancy.
LinkedIn is not the best for what is essentially a blind response to a job posting. You talk about having someone present your resume and you do not know the person. Another perspective is asking someone you do not know to present your resume; how do you know what the relationship is between that person and your target. It can be just as risky.
In fact you should read my ezine article on Networking Referrals and Recommendations for more insights on questions to ask if you are requesting a referral, asked to give a referral, or are the target of a referral.
LinkedIn offers many tools for the job seeker beyond the process of getting a referral.
Here are things the job seeker should be doing to establish credibility, reliability, and trust.
1. Get referrals from previous supervisors and managers, co-workers, and subordinates. You want these coming from all of your previous experiences so that they tell a story of accomplishment.
2. Referrals and recommendations should have meat to them. Do not get the “Tom is a great guy and I would not hesitate to hire him or work with him in the future.” This is balderdash! What did Tom do and how did Tom contribute; that is what you need in a good recommendation and you want those comments throughout your work experience. If you cannot get it, forget it!
3. Complete your profile, let it tell your story. Do not hide things, do not leave things out, make it talk and work for you. This is a sales piece, one of your brochures.
4. Use keywords and make sure that you use them consistently. If you are looking for a Sales Manager position and you were a sales manager; incorporate Sales Manager into your current and previous position titles. Put it into your summary as well. When a recruiter goes searching for a Sales Manager you want to show up at the top of the list. Do not put sales manager for one entry, manager of sales for another, and something else for the third; BE CONSISTENT!
5. Recruiters and hiring managers are searching LinkedIn daily. You want to be FOUND! You also want to tell your story such that those recruiters and hiring managers are pursuing you. Put yourself in the driver’s seat.
6. Get lots of connections. If someone invites you to connect; DO IT! It is not that you are going to necessarily create some great relationship with these individuals, wobb jobs but it expands your sphere of influence for the searches. The more people you connect with the more second level connections you will have. The larger the network, the bigger your net to become one of the search results. You never know from which connection your next opportunity will develop.
7. Join groups that are relevant to where the people that will hire you, hang out. Do not spend your time where the people are all your peers or subordinates. Be predatory in the process. If you know someone who hires for your position find out what groups that individual is in and go there; immediately!