Forum - Ask the Hiring Manager

QUESTION:

Hi Mr. Krueger,

I recently purchased your book and found it to be very informative and helpful in my current job serach.

One question: Should I be addressing my cover letters to my contact (in sales for me) or to the HR director? I know most companies have some procedure where HR usually gets the resumes first and I would not want to actually hurt my chances more by skirting protocol. Let me know when you have a chance.

From: Charles Stier, University of Rochester


ANSWER FROM BRIAN KRUEGER:

Hi Charles -

An excellent question. The definitive answer is: It depends. It depends on whether your initial contact with the company was through the hiring manager (that person should usually be your target and your first contact). If so, send there. If you were introduced to HR via a network friend/contact, it would be most appropriate there.

In my book I tend to take a hard line against HR. Typically their involvement will only slow (or prematurely end) the process if there are no stated openings for entry level hires. But if they are actively seeking entry level candidates, they can be your greatest resource and ally.

Bottom line--always shoot for the hiring manager as your primary contact. If you get redirected to HR, you can always copy ("cc:") to the hiring manager. Very few companies will shoot you down for "skirting protocol" unless you are instructed specifically NOT to send your resume anywhere but HR. And yes, there are a few HR control-everything-types out there that want the entire process under their thumb. But usually HR is overworked, underpaid, and not particularly tuned in to the future needs of deparments. If there's not a personnel requisition in place, they're not aware of it. And most personnel requisitions are put in at the very last moment--typically very litte advanced resource planning.

Hiring managers hire. Human resources screens. If you play the HR route, you have to get past the screen before meeting with the person that can actually hire you.

Do you have a question that you would like to have answered here in this forum? Send your question direct to Brian Krueger.

All job search information at this forum is provided by Brian Krueger, author of the book College Grad Job Hunter, the definitive guide for college grad job search. Used by permission of the author.