Network effects always start with a small, dense network. Do you have a tight group of software developer friends? Have them sign up, share, talk to their bosses about hiring other developers. When hiring managers see that devs are there, they'll follow.
Thanks! So I see that the concept exists and is considered a sign of maturity, not rudeness. Good! I think I'll do it.
As to whether it is through my network or not -- I'll try my network, but a well-phrased email that shows I am a serious professional is usually enough to get a foot in the door, even with someone who doesn't know me.
Wow, great! And the idea of getting my resume passed on is very much secondary -- the main purpose here is informational only -- I want to learn about the company.
Employers often prefer passive candidates to actives--it's the "playing hard to get" thing.
As to the informational interview -- is that also the term used when the candidate makes contact to a peer? If so, then it's good to know that the concept exists.
The link to my personal site has the role of a resume -- it is to show that I'm not sure random person off the street, I am someone who may well be worth recruiting.
The idea is that the contact will see that a serious, experienced, front-end designer/developer just made contact and may well want to pitch their company to me.
I'm not looking for them to slag off their company, of course.
I am fine being pitched to, but I'd prefer that a fellow developer does this.
Thanks, and I think you could combine the two in a softball opener.
For example, you could say -- "Developing Augmented Reality apps fascinates me, and Example.com seems to be a leader. Do you really get to do leading-edge work in Augmented Reality there?"
Thanks, that makes sense. But if you don't know anyone, why not find some developer and their email address (a bit of Google-Fu will do it) and contact them?
To me, it seems polite enough.
Wouldn't _you_ answer such an email if it was polite and seemed to come from a serious developer?
Yes, absolutely, I specified those things and more in my FiveYearItch profile, and at least on that score it's been good -- some employers apparently don't want to contact me if they think I'm asking for too much :-) but the ones who do make offers are all quite serious.
Thanks, yes, FiveYearItch got me some other good offers. Some had significantly higher pay. But at this point, that's not my top priority. It's a choice between the comfortable job I have now and the "hot startup" in SF
Network effects always start with a small, dense network. Do you have a tight group of software developer friends? Have them sign up, share, talk to their bosses about hiring other developers. When hiring managers see that devs are there, they'll follow.