Finding Connections at Companies to Help Your Job Search

[Reyed Mia (Apprentice, DIU)]

Finding Connections at Companies to Help Your Job Search

LinkedIn
Start by searching your LinkedIn Connections to see who you know at a company. Search by keyword or click on Companies to see a list of companies where you have contacts.
Next, click on the Companies section of LinkedIn. Then you'll be able to search by company name. Scroll down to see who you are connected with at the company.
Also, search the Groups Directory by keyword. Many companies have Groups you can join. Once you're a member you will be able to interact with the other group members.

SimplyHired: LinkedIn and Facebook
Job search engine SimplyHired's Who Do I Know Feature allows job seekers to connect directly from a SimplyHired.com job listing to their LinkedIn network to find out if they have contacts at a company.
Clicking on the Who Do I Know button at the top of the search results will give you an in-line view of your connections without having to leave Simply Hired.
SimplyHired also has a way for job seekers to see Facebook Friends at companies. To get started, simply click on Log On to Facebook when you visit SimplyHired.com.

College Career Networking
Check with your college Career Services and Alumni Affairs to see if there is an online Career Network you can access to search for alumni at a company. Your university may also have LinkedIn and Facebook Groups you can use to connect.

In-Person Networking
Networking in person is really important, too. You can't beat that one-on-one interaction, especially when you're seeking help. If you belong to a professional association, attend a meeting or a mixer. You'll find that many of the participants have the same goals you do, and may have contacts at the companies you're interested in.

Networking the Old Fashioned Way
Just because so much networking is handled online or at professional functions, it doesn't mean that old-fashioned networking is out of style. It's simple and it works. All it entails is asking everyone you know - via email, phone, or in a personal conversation - if they know anyone at the companies you'd like to work for.

It makes sense to use a combination of methods to find connections. Don't limit yourself to one way or another, instead, when you have a job opportunity you're interested in, check right away to see who you know at the company. You never know who might be able to give your candidacy a boost.

Networking Resources
The importance of career networking, how to develop contacts and how ​job search networking can help you find a job.

Source: https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-find-contacts-at-a-company-2062589