How to land a dream job by going straight to the CEO

If you are looking for a new job now, you need to be your own headhunter – and this is how you can do it.

If you are looking for a new job, you need to be your own headhunter.

Tap into the untapped job market by building relationships and contacting businesses you want to work with but that haven’t yet advertised a job.

A lot of chief executives and hiring managers will be planning ahead and already know the roles that need filling.

Usually, if there is an ad out there, it’s a last resort – they haven’t been able to hire internally or headhunt anyone.

Amanda Rose says jobseekers need to be their own headhunter. Picture: John Feder/The Australian.

Connect with chief executives and hiring managers on LinkedIn and tell them who you are and about your passion in the industry, then ask them if there is a role available now or in the future.

They might not have a role for six months but they have now got you on file.

They will be very impressed that you reached out.

You don’t want to tell everyone that you are looking for a job, though – be strategic about it.

If you have a friend in the industry and they are not going to see you as a threat, go for it.

But if they are at the same level, they are not going to recommend you.

You will seem desperate if you are putting it all over social media: “Help me I need a job”.

If someone is doing that, it’s not a good look.

Instead, set up your LinkedIn and applications to show people you know exactly what you want and are going for it.

Rather than ask your whole Facebook network for a job, concentrate on a strong LinkedIn presence. Picture: iStock

You won’t seem desperate if you are strategic.

Whether you enjoy your current role or not, you should always be looking for other opportunities.

Once a week, be looking at what’s out there and, if there is a job that jumps out at you, apply for it.

If you do it once a month, that’s only 12 in a year so do it once a week.

At the very least, you can get your interview practice up, but it also means you won’t be leaving a job because you hate it but because you are moving up in your career.

If you are offered a role, you can also use that to negotiate a pay rise where you currently are. People forget: this is business.

Amanda Rose is a business consultant, workplace trainer, LinkedIn influencer and founder of six organisations. Now, she is tackling your career questions for SMART Daily every Monday.

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Originally published as How to land a dream job by going straight to the CEO