There are many ways to find contacts inside a company. If you’ve ever been frustrated that you didn’t know people who work for a company you are interested in (or want to apply to) then check out these six simple ways to sleuth insiders!
Before you apply to a job, talk with someone who works inside the company to get the inside scoop on what it is like to work there. Always!
You may or may not know the name of anyone, but it doesn’t matter. These solutions will help you find the name of contacts inside companies you are interested in.
It is best to start reaching out to people you know. They are more likely to help you than someone you don’t know.
Search LinkedIn
Of course, LinkedIn is the go-to tool to find contacts by company.
Basic and Advanced Search
From the top search menu, type in the name of the person or company you want to search for. You may want to start with a company search to see who you know inside the company first. Those are your strongest allies.
LinkedIn’s advanced search allows you to search for users (and more). You can search by connection level, location, or current company. But there’s more
The advanced search filters give you more options to search for.
Scroll down and you can search by current company, past company or industry…
You can search by profile language, schools and contact interests…
Or service providers, name, title, company or school.
When you find the person or people you would like to reach out to, check their profile to see if you can find their email address. It may be in their “contact” section or in their “About” section.
It’s almost always better to email someone than to try and connect on LinkedIn since not everyone regularly monitors their LinkedIn invitations.
Google Their Name
Who would have thought that a simple Google search might uncover someone’s email address? Well, it’s worth a try! Just type in the person’s name and the word email [Jane Smith email] and see what shows up! They may list a personal website or social media accounts.
If you want tools that are designed to lookup email addresses, you’re in luck. Later in this article, I link to a resource to help you find email addresses for free!
Hunt on FaceBook
You’re thinking “but Facebook isn’t professional.” We all know this. But when push comes to shove, who are the people most willing to help? Your friends and family. So try searching Facebook to find contacts you want to talk with. Type the name in the search bar and select “people.” You will see your mutual friends listed.
Email your mutual friend and ask if they can introduce you.
Try Twitter
Twitter is an open network and I’ve said before, people using Twitter are generally pretty open to networking, otherwise, they wouldn’t be there. There are at least two options for searching for people on Twitter.
First, use the search box. Note: look down below to see the option to “Search for all people for Sally”
If this doesn’t work, you can try Twitter’s Advanced Search (it isn’t easy to find it, so I linked it there for you). For best results, enter the person’s name in the “this exact phrase” box. If or when you find someone, send them a tweet which may look like this: “Would love to talk with you about XYZ company @Sally S”
Check The Company Website
It’s possible the company may have a directory or may have a press page or articles written about employees. Scour their website for “press” or “about us”.
No email Address, No Problem
It’s hard to contact someone if you don’t have their email address. And FYI, everyone checks email. So once you have the contact name, here’s a list of research tools to find email addresses- all free. 8 Actionable Ways To Find Anyone’s Email Address
As you can see, there are many ways to find contact information!
So if I ever hear you say, “I don’t know anyone inside a company” again, I’m going to scream! Find them, ask for an introduction via email and call them! Voila, you’re connected!
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.
