In today's job search linkIN or linkOUT..

When job searching there are an elusive few people that are difficult to find but are like Willy Wonka's golden tickets in your quest for work; they are the recruiting and HR people. When applying for jobs at face value (no contact and no reference) it is like sending your resume into outer space--forever floating into oblivion. The problem with online career search engines are the impersonal aspect of them. I found some great entry-level positions to apply for but I cringe whenever I have to address my cover letter as 'Dear Sir of Madam.' The fact is that nothing says 'throw me away!' like a generic salutation and that is the downfall of these career sites--no names just directions to e-mail said company@hr.com. Yet tonight I have rediscovered a source that unveils the hiding place of these sought after HR connections, which proves that in today's job search you either have to linkIN or linkOUT.

It's just about 2am here and I'm cutting it close to insomnia as I'm scouring the online job market for potential future positions. During my scavenger hunt I strayed to my neglected Linkedin profile and stumbled upon the HR treasure chest. The best part is that in my relatively small connection pool of 67 people, I have at least one connection that I am able to reference to each HR person I contact. For positions I'm applying to I now search Linkedin for an HR contact from that company. My 300 word max invitation to them to join my network concisely tells them how I found their profile, if they have post-grad job searching advice and above all lets them know I have just submitted my resume to their company.

Perhaps my new edge is about as obvious as the color of the sky but I have to imagine that between a company getting an online submission and someone getting a personalized message there has to be an advantage. Well, before I officially join the ranks of insomniacs everywhere, I will call it a night.

--The Post-Grad