6 Steps to Find an “In” at Your Dream Company with LinkedIn

By Jenny Foss

You’ve heard the reports. Employers today are leaning more heavily than ever on their own employees to help them find and recruit exceptional talent. Why? Because in many instances, it’s faster, cheaper and, at least in theory, more likely to result in a hire who excels in the job and aligns well with the culture of the hiring company.

This is promising and cool news for those among us who seem to know everyone and aren’t afraid to ask our people to serve as an “in” for a dream job. But what about those of us who don’t know many people? Who are moving to a new city, changing careers, or just, well, aren’t dazzling extroverts?
How do you get in that pool of people who, in all likelihood, will be considered first, instead of having to tromp your way in with the herd of others via an online application?

Strap on your gumption, folks, we’re about to get down with a little networking here. You want to be in the “in” club? Well, then, you’ve got show up for the game. You’ve got to find someone at that company you adore, and quickly (and non-offensively) endear yourself to him or her.
Here are six steps to cultivating your “in” at a company of interest.

Step 1: Race Over to the Search Box on LinkedIn

We have no better tool available to us to help us find people working for the very companies we’d like to join than LinkedIn. So, take advantage of it!
Key the company of interest’s name into the search box and, when the results come up, refine the search by checking the box that only shows you people currently working at that company.
If you have a 1st degree connection, you’re in business. Contact your person and ask for an introduction. (Here’s how.)

Step 2: Assuming You Don’t Have a 1st Degree Connection, Try For a 2nd

If you don’t have a 1st degree connection, that's OK: Your 2nd degree connections can be equally valuable. When you discover that you’ve got a 2nd degree connection to someone working at your dream company, simply contact you shared connection (your 1st degree connection), ask him how well he knows this person, and see if he’d be willing to introduce you. (And here’s how you do that!)

Steps 3-6 and the complete TheMuse post