The grass is always greener, but how to get over the fence to see?
October 15, 2013 4:40 PM Subscribe
A little over a year into a post-PhD, non-academic research job, I am starting to look for greener pastures. There's a company that I've had my eye on who has one a "submit your resume" link but is not actively advertising any positions. How can I best approach them?
After my (humanities) PhD, I found work at a local research firm. I've been there a year and done well--my work has always been reviewed very favourably-- but, without getting into details, the direction the company seems to be going, as well as a few other internal factors, have me thinking about starting to seriously look elsewhere.
There's another research firm in town that I had my eye on before I started the job I have now. I'm interested in part because the kind of research they focus on is a subject I'm far more interested in than what I work on now. They're not advertising any positions, but they do have a link on their website that says "Submit Your Resume" that seems to go to a real person (in that I can triangulate it back to an actual person elsewhere on their website). I am thinking about throwing my hat in the ring and seeing if they might be interested in me.
I have some weak connections to the company. A friend of a friend works there in a different role than one that I would be interested in, and I've already asked my friend to reach out on my behalf. Weaker than that, I'm connected on LinkedIn with two people in management there. One added me after I viewed her profile; the other accepted my request to connect though I have not been in touch with her yet. (I am fully aware that these kind of "connections" are practically meaningless.)
There's also the complicating factor that as far as my current employer knows, I'm a happy, productive employee who loves his job--and I'd like to keep it that way for now. There's also the separate issue that I'm worried this is just "the grass is always greener" syndrome and that I might be better off sticking with the devil I know, even if I am unsatisfied with what I'm doing.
How should I play this? Should I reach out to someone before submitting a cover letter? Should I say in the cover letter why I want to move (i.e. because I'm more excited about the kind of research they do)? Is there anything else I need to remember to say or anything I should avoid saying? Will trying to move after just a little over a year at once place make me look like a risk? Or am I wasting my time right now?
After my (humanities) PhD, I found work at a local research firm. I've been there a year and done well--my work has always been reviewed very favourably-- but, without getting into details, the direction the company seems to be going, as well as a few other internal factors, have me thinking about starting to seriously look elsewhere.
There's another research firm in town that I had my eye on before I started the job I have now. I'm interested in part because the kind of research they focus on is a subject I'm far more interested in than what I work on now. They're not advertising any positions, but they do have a link on their website that says "Submit Your Resume" that seems to go to a real person (in that I can triangulate it back to an actual person elsewhere on their website). I am thinking about throwing my hat in the ring and seeing if they might be interested in me.
I have some weak connections to the company. A friend of a friend works there in a different role than one that I would be interested in, and I've already asked my friend to reach out on my behalf. Weaker than that, I'm connected on LinkedIn with two people in management there. One added me after I viewed her profile; the other accepted my request to connect though I have not been in touch with her yet. (I am fully aware that these kind of "connections" are practically meaningless.)
There's also the complicating factor that as far as my current employer knows, I'm a happy, productive employee who loves his job--and I'd like to keep it that way for now. There's also the separate issue that I'm worried this is just "the grass is always greener" syndrome and that I might be better off sticking with the devil I know, even if I am unsatisfied with what I'm doing.
How should I play this? Should I reach out to someone before submitting a cover letter? Should I say in the cover letter why I want to move (i.e. because I'm more excited about the kind of research they do)? Is there anything else I need to remember to say or anything I should avoid saying? Will trying to move after just a little over a year at once place make me look like a risk? Or am I wasting my time right now?
I would do a follow-up phone call and email. Don't mention anything about why you want to leave your current job at all. Just talk about how excited you are about their company.
Don't be shy about approaching anybody in the company - people are more likely to be flattered and to value your assertiveness than to think you're out of line. If you're approaching the wrong person, they'll probably route you to a more appropriate person.
The way to get desirable jobs is to go beyond the "normal" accepted way of applying like clicking the "submit" button.
A long time ago I wanted a certain kind of job and wasn't getting anywhere via the usual channels. So I looked up the managers of the departments and cold-called. After about 15 "we're not hiring now"'s I reached a manager who said they just happened to need somebody with my credentials, and a week later I had the job I wanted. oh also around the same time a friend of mine wanted a job writing for a newspaper. There were no jobs -- very hard to get that sort of thing -- she called the editor of the paper every single week. I thought it was a bit much, but guess what...after several months she actually got a reporter job.
So be persistent. Also a year is enough at your current job. You're looking for a better fit, period.
good luck
posted by DMelanogaster at 7:23 PM on October 15, 2013
Don't be shy about approaching anybody in the company - people are more likely to be flattered and to value your assertiveness than to think you're out of line. If you're approaching the wrong person, they'll probably route you to a more appropriate person.
The way to get desirable jobs is to go beyond the "normal" accepted way of applying like clicking the "submit" button.
A long time ago I wanted a certain kind of job and wasn't getting anywhere via the usual channels. So I looked up the managers of the departments and cold-called. After about 15 "we're not hiring now"'s I reached a manager who said they just happened to need somebody with my credentials, and a week later I had the job I wanted. oh also around the same time a friend of mine wanted a job writing for a newspaper. There were no jobs -- very hard to get that sort of thing -- she called the editor of the paper every single week. I thought it was a bit much, but guess what...after several months she actually got a reporter job.
So be persistent. Also a year is enough at your current job. You're looking for a better fit, period.
good luck
posted by DMelanogaster at 7:23 PM on October 15, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by oceanjesse at 5:49 PM on October 15, 2013