Over 17 years of hiring talent in the media business have made me aware just how overwhelming the interview process can be for many women. They simply haven’t been taught useful and easy hiring tips that can make all the difference in an interview and help them get hired at their dream company.

Inspired by the questions I often get from friends and acquaintances on how to get hired, I’ve compiled my top 10 tips for this How To Get Hired blog series, where I’ll explore—in detail—one tip at a time.

Let’s help you get in front of the hiring manager!

Tip 3: Connect.

You can never—and I repeat, NEVER!—send a resume with a cover letter to a hiring manager and expect a response.

Managers are receiving hundreds, or possibly thousands of candidates via email every day.  When it’s you who is in charge of hiring, it’s a daunting and tedious task to have to review the dredge of standard resumes that overload your inbox. In my experience, there are always a few people that stand out and get my attention. These are often the very people who get hired.

First, find a shared connection.

The standouts are the candidates that find someone in my circle who knows me. They have done their homework to see who we have in common, and they’ve applied pressure to ask someone for an intro.

Second, ask for favors.

I have never had someone ask me to do them a favor and interview so-and-so and not done it.  It’s good business to do favors for people. I do them, and so does the hiring manager that you are trying to hunt down. You will be able to see on LinkedIn and Facebook who you have for mutual friends. Once you discover the people you have in common, pursue those people and ask them to get you a meeting. This works like a charm!

Networking can make all the difference in keeping you top-of-mind and getting you hired for your dream job!