Who to call?

[oil198]

I want to inquire about employment and career opportunities at a company. I have the name, number and e-mail of the recruitment manager but also of the engineering manager.

The question now is, do i bypass the recruitment manager and call the engineering manager directly? Would this look bad or would it be a strategic move on my part, getting past the "gate keeper" and directly to someone who would make a decision on who to hire?

 

[COEngineeer]

I think you should do an e-mail+resume. A call would be annoying I think.

Never, but never question engineer's judgement

 

[ash9144]

EM resume to both managers. This doubles the chance that someone will think you worthy of an interview. Don't call them blindly no one has time for that.

 

[MikeHalloran]

Now that you have two email addresses, maybe you can figure out the email address for the VP who's above both.

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[zdas04]

It is one of those things that if it works, you'll always be proud of how you gamed the system. If it fails to work, you will never hear from them again, and never know why.

I always felt the risk was too great for the best possible reward. It is a personal decision.

David

 

[TheTick]

If you really want the engineering manager's attention, snail-mail a hard copy of your resume after you email. Managers are busy and get hundreds of emails. Email to a manager is basically hidden in plain sight.

 

[oil198]

when i was looking for my first job a few years ago i cold called the engineering manager and persisted until he gave me an interview...he told me the reason he hired me was for my tenacity...i guess it can go both ways...in this case the ad said to call or e-mail (the recruitment manager)..so i guess i can e-mail him my resume, if i dont hear back i can call him...

 

[ewh]

I like Tick's idea of snail-mailing the resume to the engineering manager after emailing it. If the emailed resume left any favorably impression, the mailed one will reinforce that impression, plus it will be a tangible item on his desk.

"Good to know you got shoes to wear when you find the floor." - [small]Robert Hunter[/small]

 

[MikeHalloran]

Point taken.

Also, "inquire about employment and career opportunities at a company." ... is clearly the sort of thing you should talk to the HR guy about. There may be openings of which the engineering manager is unaware... like engineering manager.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[ykee]

Find a reasonable excuse to phone the engineering manager -- mutual friends, particular interest in the field, heard him at a conference etc. Whatever you do, don't ask him about the job specifically, this will make him uncomfortable, and make him want to hang up. It is kind of s asubtle approach that you need to take.

Your objective is to make him say something like "you know, we've got an opening that might suit you, can you come in and talk to us".

If you can get this to work, it will put you miles ahead of talking to some HR flunkie.

 

[ARenko]

How did you get the engineering manager's contact info? If through networking I would use that person's name to kickoff the conversation via phone or email.

 

[Ron]

HR people are screeners, not hirers. Bypass the screening...go to the engineering manager. He's not someone who's sitting there waiting for HR to send him someone to fill a slot...he has something to do and needs someone to do it...that can be you if you want it.

 

[frv]

I don't mean to distract from the OP's question, but it is somewhat related.

Those of you in a hiring position, have you ever disqualified a candidate for calling to inquire about a position after you had interviewed said candidate?

I ask because a few months ago I had an interview that I thought went really well. I was up against the gun to make a decision about another position available and I called the company and they seemed genuinely annoyed at my "audacity" to call. I really liked the company, I thought I had made a good impression (I've gotten pretty good at determining this over the years) yet I never heard back from them. I even sent an email a couple of weeks later to inquire what happened and not even a "we went another direction" type email response.

 

[IRstuff]

Can't say that we have. Usually, I like seeing some degree of follow-through. Too much passivity is a bad thing, in my book.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[Pulpeng]

Don't call either of them at first. Send a hardcopy resume and CV to both of them. The HR guy may never pass it along but will keep it on record - the engineer will read it but will never keep it. Both work to your advantage so now the company has a copy and the engineer manager has seen your skills and knows your name. If its for a position I would then follow up shortly after with the engineering manager if there's been no PFO letter. If applying as a cold call wait a couple of weeks and then call.

 

[MikeHalloran]

I called a hiring manager once.

me:
"I hate to be pushy, but I have another opportunity, and I have to make a decision about that _today_. My friend C gave you my resume three weeks ago. Please, is there _any_ interest on your part?"

him:
<shuffle>
"Oh, here's your resume. Maybe I'll look at it tomorrow."

Right.
In a boss, this I don't need.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[csd72]

I have used the following method.

Call the company to speak to the relevant person. Ask if there is any point sending in your resume.

If they say that they are not interested then push for them to be sent a copy 'for their records'.

I am now in a position where I am involved in the hiring and firing and while I sometimes find it annoying I have no issue with people contacting me directly.

 

[jeebusmn]

If there's something weird
and it don't look good
Who ya gonna call?

 

[ewh]

Ghost Busters!
That was my very first thought at reading the thread title also.

"Good to know you got shoes to wear when you find the floor." - [small]Robert Hunter[/small]