How to Connect with Hiring Managers

 Should you connect with a hiring manager, and if so, how you should go about it? If you’re well qualified for the opening, then connecting with the hiring manager is a natural next step. But how do you go about it, and is there more that can be done to ensure you land your perfect-fit position faster?

The hiring manager role is to find qualified candidates, so it’s OK to connect. But if a job posting explicitly states to only contact via a certain channel and advises not to use other channels, then follow directions. You can network with employees and decision-makers, connect with the recruiters on LinkedIn, or get a referral for the job. You just can’t apply any other way.

See a discussion on contacting Hiring Managers here.

Salary Negotiation Tips

If starting a new job or going for a promotion at the current one, you should be negotiating the salary. Salary negotiation can be scary. But what’s even scarier is not doing it. 37% of employees always negotiate their salaries—while 44% have never bring up the subject.

About 7% of women attempted to negotiate their first salary, while 57% of men did. Of those people who negotiated, they were able to increase their salary by over 7%. Whether you’re male or female, in your first job or your fifth, it’s time to learn how to negotiate

See a roundup of 37 expert tips here.

Questions to ask in your interview

You’ve passed the initial applicant screening process and made it through the toughest bits of a job interview: details about your work history, maybe even uncomfortable discussions around salary and compensation.

But when the exchange is turned over to you, do you have good questions to ask the interviewer about the job? Asking the right questions can not only leave a hiring manager with a stronger impression, but also help you identify whether the role you are chasing and the team is a good fit. Be ready with insightful questions.

See sample questions and topics here.

Waiting Long for an Interview Response?

In a competitive job market it may take longer than usual to get a reply from an interview. In an employer's market waiting for the perfect candidate can extend the response time.

Additionally there are more applicants for open positions, requiring time for reviewing. There is a surplus of talent available, companies can wait and pick and choose.

See a more detailed explanation of delays here.