W. P. Carey Alumni Share 6 Tips for Getting Your Foot in the Door at Well-Known Companies

We asked W. P. Carey Alumni: How can students get their foot in the door at well-known companies?

Here are the 6 tips they shared:

  • There’s No Shame in “Starting from the Bottom”
  • Make Those Who’ve Done it Before You Mentors
  • Become an Expert on the Company You Want to Join
  • Tap into Unconventional Ways to Meet Recruiters
  • Get Curious and Reach Out
  • Use LinkedIn to its Full Potential

There’s No Shame in “Starting from the Bottom”

You have an impressive degree, killed it academically, and may even have some work experience – so you might shy away from applying for that unsexy entry-level position. My advice is to resist the urge to overlook that role and see it for what it actually is: an opportunity to gain experience, prove your competence, and lay the ground for catapulting yourself up your career ladder.

If you’ve found your dream company, but not your dream job, find out what career development resources they offer. Many large companies not only want to maximize every employees’ potential but actually offer benefits to help you do so. Some of the most accomplished colleagues I’ve worked with rose up quickly from entry-level support positions who I know picked up their charm & confidence, technical expertise, and strategic insights from their experience working on the front lines. So instead of thinking of this as selling yourself short, think of it as an investment in the framework of your future success.

Mindy Rose, Masters of Science in Business Analytics ‘14, HubSpot

Make Mentors of Those Who’ve Done It Before You

The simplest advice I can give you for breaking into a role or company that interests you is to find people with similar backgrounds as you who are at the job or doing the role you want, and ask them how they got there. Then ask them how they would do it again today if they knew what they know now. Aim for people who aren’t too senior, so that their experiences of ‘breaking through’ are still fresh for them and relevant for you.

The ideal outcome is that you’re able to cultivate these people into mentors who can also help you with the more tactical feedback in the application process (looking at your resume, helping with your ‘elevator pitch’, and referring you to recruiters and hiring managers).

The more of these people you talk to, the more you’ll notice shared strategies that helped them break through, which will make it easier for you to devise your own plan of attack.

Andrew Thomae, BS Finance & Marketing ‘11, Instagram

Become an Expert on the Company You Want to Join

It is critical to do your research when you want to get your foot in the door to a well-known and highly sought after company or organization. I would start by understanding the history of the company, goals and vision to assure you feel that it is in alignment with your own. I would then explore if the company or organization offers roles that are aligned with your career aspirations. Follow that with some research on people that work in those roles now and request an informational interview to understand the expectations as it relates to experience for the role you are looking for and what their individual journey was to get their foot in the door. Their insight is incredibly important as you embark on your own journey. Gaining that expertise will set you on the path to have a solid understanding of if this is a place you truly want to be a part of, the skills and experience required to be a strong candidate and ultimately get your foot in the door.

Susana Carranza, MBA ‘10, The Walt Disney Company

Tap into Unconventional Ways to Meet Recruiters

Maybe it’s just me, but I always found the career fair to be a bit daunting. With a school as large and as vast as W. P. Carey, recruiters for well-known companies had lines longer than the campus Starbucks, and oftentimes you only had 30 seconds to make an impression.

In my junior year, I served as Vice President of Professional Development for Business School Council and pitched an idea of an invite-only meet and greet with recruiters and top students the night before the career fair. This way, recruiters from out of town had something to do the night before and students could establish rapport with them in a more intimate setting–a win-win for all!

All this to say, don’t feel compelled to stick to the traditional recruiting mechanisms–find or create your own opportunities to be in front of the decision-makers!

Casey Zanowicz, BS Marketing & Business Communications ‘16, Deloitte

Get Curious and Reach Out

Research the company to understand who might be doing work that is innovative, compelling or speaks to the reason you are most interested in this organization. Get curious. Reach out with a couple of smart questions for the individual that’s doing the type of work you found in your investigation. I know that I have talked with a lot of people about the work that I do. That conversation might have led to another connection which could be the one that opens the door to your next opportunity.

Mylynn Tufte, MBA & MSIM ‘01, Optum

Use LinkedIn to Its Full Potential

LinkedIn is a vital resource when looking to get your foot in the door at a well-known company. It’s a one-stop-shop for creating a personal brand, sharing a portfolio, and building connections. Make sure that your profile is complete with a photo, banner, headline, and up-to-date work experience.

Interact with companies’ and recruiters’ posts and keep up to date with your industry by following relevant hashtags, and publications. Most importantly, take the time to build genuine connections with people who work at the company. Reach out to people within your network and those immediately outside your network with whom you share a commonality. 

Amira Braddy, BS Marketing & Business Law ‘17, The Walt Disney Company

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By W. P. Carey Career Services Center
W. P. Carey Career Services Center