By Patrina Pellett, PhD (Follow me on LinkedIn)

We are like a broken record over here about how important it is to network for your job search. It is absolutely one of the best ways to get your resume in front of hiring managers. 

Here are some great resources to improve your networking skills:

• Overlooked Important Networking Tip - The Follow-Up
• Easy Trick to Network And Build Meaningful Relationships
• Examples of How to Network
• One MSL Outreach Mistake That Immediately Scares Off New KOLs
• Avoid Resting Murder Face to Build Better Relationships

A pro move is to figure out who the hiring manager is for the position you are applying to and then leverage your network to get an introduction to that person. 

Recently this has been happening to me a lot. Someone will ask me to introduce them to the person they have identified as the hiring manager. Making connections is one of my favorite things to do and I love doing this. However, I have been noticing a common mistake that candidates make after I introduce them to the hiring manager. So you get an intro to a hiring manager, what should you say? Let's dive into what the common mistake is and what you should be doing instead.

You Get an Intro to a Hiring Manager, What Should You NOT Do?

Here's the mistake most people are making. They immediately make the conversation about them instead of the hiring manager's needs! The first thing people do is write a huge paragraph on their background. They go on and on about their experience. 

Why is this a mistake? Because they haven't taken the time to figure out what the hiring manager actually cares about. 

You Get an Intro to a Hiring Manager, What Should You Say?

If you want to seal the deal with a hiring manager, make it about them. Figure out what they are looking for in a candidate and then write a paragraph about how your experience is related to that. 

Here's an example. 

I made the introduction between a candidate and the hiring manager. The candidate immediately lists her experience. The hiring manager is looking for something really specific and doesn't care about all this other info.

Imagine if the conversation went like this instead:

Candidate: "Thanks for the intro Patrina. Hiring manager, what are you looking for when considering people for this role?"

Hiring manager lists what he/she cares about. 

Candidate crafts a nice little paragraph about his/her relevant experience. 

Hiring manager is now really interested and wants a meeting ASAP.

Do you see the difference? Share your thoughts on this different approach by reaching out to me on LinkedIn or on the MSL Mastery LinkedIn Page. What do you think?

Conclusion: What You Should Say When Introduced to A Hiring Manager

The bottom line is to make it about them and their specific needs, not you. Before dumping a bunch of info on them about all your experience and career aspirations, ask what their priorities are. It's a huge difference!

Plus if you are looking for an MSL role, understanding the other person's need is something you will need to do all the time. Especially when it comes to figuring out how to add value to KOLs/HCPs. Why not show how good you are at this with the hiring manager?

What do you think? Share your thoughts with me on LinkedIn and/or comment on the MSL Mastery LinkedIn page!

Are You Bad at Networking?

That's ok. We are here to help and focus on helping you build this skill in the Aspire MSL program. We give you a blueprint for how to effectively network.