Why Sending a Stranger a DM Helps Your Career
Create a spreadsheet of the companies you want to work for to keep yourself organized
Break it down by categories 1. Prestige 2. Pay 3. Purpose 4. People / Culture
Find the managers of the company that have posted positions on social media i.e. LinkedIn
Watch their activity on LinkedIn. If they are NOT active they won’t see your DM
Search for people who do the job you are currently doing and reach out
“Hi Susan I see you’re a growth engineering manager at xyz, I’m in the same position at xyz,. If you have a free 8 minutes I would love a chance to chat with you to learn more about your team”.
Set your DM’s up with 1. Admiration 2. Flattery 3. Specific question 4. Specific amount of time
How do you end the conversation? Be thankful for their time, reiterate how much you appreciate their time and taking time out of their day to connect and pick their brain.
Be prepared with questions and include topics of conversation
Know who you are talking to, do your research and ask them about the content they have posted
Be a good listener, be curious
Continue to watch their postings, stay connected
Don’t hesitate to apply for a position you are interested in. If you feel confident you can learn it, apply for it.