Get Your Foot in the Door at a Digital Marketing Company

“If I could just get my foot in the door…” is a complaint I hear a lot from job seekers (usually who don’t have any experience within the online marketing industry and are trying to break into it). With such a barrier to entry, how do you play down your lack of industry swagger, and get the ear of hiring managers?

Actually, there are multiple ways to do exactly that. Let’s take a look at five.

1. Apply For Open Positions
This isn’t the most effective way to get your foot in the door at most companies, but it does still work for some. So that you have the best chance for an interview, make sure you customize your resume and cover letter by adding key words from the job posting. Translate duties and skills you garnered at other jobs to how they can be effective in the online marketing world.

2. Follow The Company On Social Media & Interact Online
Most employers offer many ways to interact with them online – Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Twitter, and one or more company blogs. If you’re targeting specific companies, make sure you follow them via social media. More importantly, interact with them through that media. “Like” them on Facebook and comment on their news and posts. Review their LinkedIn profile every so often and “like” their updates. Retweet their Twitter posts and share their blog posts. Be seen to be interested in them as an employer.

3. Request A LinkedIn Introduction
When you come across a hiring manager on LinkedIn that you want to connect with, find another LinkedIn member who knows him or her and request an introduction. When you stop by the profile of someone you want to connect with LinkedIn shows you who you know in common. If you leverage these specific connections into an introduction request, you’re essentially getting a “warm” referral.
Make your case to the connection you want the introduction from – sell them on the reason you want the introduction and assure them your request is serious. I strongly recommend leveraging a “netserving” approach that involves offering something of value before you make a request of any networking contact.

4. Build Connections In The Company On LinkedIn
LinkedIn also tells you how you’re connected to companies when you visit a firm’s profile. Take advantage of this feature to help you deepen your connections with the company. Request introductions to other folks in the same firm and issue invitations to others in the department you’re targeting. Identify key employees in the company relevant to your search and review the groups to which each one belongs. Find an industry group they’re a part of that you are eligible to join and do so – this establishes a third-level connection without you having to tip your hand or approach the contact.
Best of all, once you achieve this third-level connection, you can message that contact directly without requiring an introduction.

5. Research External Recruiter(s) & Build Relationships
As you build connection inroads to a target company, try messaging those contacts to find out which external recruiting firms they use for the types of positions you’ll be pursuing with them. Once you identify one or more external recruiters, build connections with them as well. I believe it’s critical to leverage a “give to get” strategy with recruiters since they are inundated by e-mails, voice mails, and LinkedIn messages/invites from candidates. If you approach them in the same way you’ll have to battle to stand out. Why not approach them differently from the start? Offer them something of value and allow your candidacy to prove itself over time. You’ll stand head and shoulders above the crowd as a result.

Do all these things, and you come that much closer to getting those tootsies through the door of online marketing land!