Should You Reach Out to the Company Before Applying?

You just found your perfect match for a potential employer. The company has multiple job openings, and you want to submit your credentials as soon as possible. Then you decide you need more information before applying. Do you reach out and contact the hiring manager ahead of sending in your resume? As unorthodox as that may sound, there are actually three circumstances in which contacting the employer first is a relevant decision.

1. You Applied in the Past

Employers keep databases full of information on previous candidates. If you put your name in for consideration within one year of your current opportunity, chances are extremely high that your name is still in the employer's system, because federal law requires employers to keep applications on file for that long. Reach out before applying, and explain to the recruiter, HR representative or hiring manager that your name is already in the computer.

Give the firm a call, and ask someone to find your file. If the person has time, he might even submit a quick update into the system right then and there. At worst, the person can say that you're still not the right fit. At best, the person schedules your interview before you even apply or submit your resume.

2. You've Met Your Future Boss Before

Perhaps you had a chance encounter with the hiring manager through a mutual friend or at a networking event. Maybe someone contacted you through LinkedIn or social media wondering if you were interested in a position. When someone asks to talk to you — and not the other way around — it's OK to contact your future boss before applying. Clearly, the person took to the time to say, "We want you working for us." Therefore, you have a green light for communication.

3. You Landed an Internal Reference

Maybe you really like a certain company and connected with someone from the firm while attending a networking event. You engaged with your contact over several months while you discussed industry trends, the workplace environment at the firm and what it's like to go through major projects there. An even better scenario occurs when you have a friend who works for an employer and suggests you apply for a position.

That's when you compose an introductory cover letter before applying. Send a few simple sentences to the hiring manager in an email that says your contact suggested you and that you're eager to join the firm and hit the ground running.

Contacting a prospective employer before applying for a job is a bold strategy that gets you noticed, but only under appropriate circumstances. Otherwise, HR could consider you as someone who isn't a team player or someone who doesn't follow the rules.

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