LinkedIn users, a question

[Benny Profane]

Cross post:

How much do I have to spend to just contact somebody out of the blue? Is this possible? Say, I get word that so and so company is in need of my services, or, even not, just a cold call, how do I contact some people in a certain department?

[mfa81]

I think you can just send a message! Specially if it's a company that wanna be contacted if there is a fee they are probably paying already! Not sure if headhunters pay anything though.

[Kevo]

I think you only get a few free inmail messages to non connections that you can send, pending the recipients' privacy settings, before you have to pay for Linkedin Premium. The dirtbag way around this is to send a connection request first, which is kinda bad form and will likely get you ignored.

I get 5+ prospecting inmail and connection requests per week. I ignore almost everyone, but definitely the people I don't know who ad me as a connection.

Can't you just expense a membership to LinkedIn premium?

Edit to add- there is some feature where you can ask for an introduction to the person you need to connect with through a mutual connection. That might be your best bet in this case.

[jesski]

Or, if you are into cold calling, call (as in with the telephone) the company and ask for the person?

^is this excessively rude? thoughts?

[Kevo]

Or, if you are into cold calling, call (as in with the telephone) the company and ask for the person?

^is this excessively rude? thoughts?

Not necessarily rude, but definitely ineffective. It would take me 20 hours a week to field all the sales emails/ calls/ linkedin requests I get, so I ignore almost everyone. I know how many engineering and programming resources are available to take on new projects, so I have to be realistic and stick with what will have the most impact.

I've answered my work phone exactly zero times in the past year for unscheduled calls. Our office manager does a great job screening and sending people strait to my voice mail if they call our general number and ask for me.

People I need to talk to can email me or gchat me and those I really need to talk to know my Skype name.

If someone else in the industry in a similar position I'm in tells me I should talk to someone, there is a 99% chance I'm going to talk to them. I think this is the best way to stand out and have your pitch heard.

[concretejungle]

I can drop your resume off at the Papa John's here in town if you want. They're hiring.