I receive many pitches from businesses and companies. Most of the time, people want me to advertise or market their product or service. My response depends on their pitch. My inclination is to delete and move on, but if something catches my eye, if the note includes a specific reference to something I have done or said and if it appears the person is making a true attempt to connect with me, I always read it.

Today, I received this pitch:

My name is _____ with XXX.com, I was doing some research and came across your postings. I would love to have the opportunity to speak with you about helping you fill those positions you have with low cost postings as well as face to face recruiting events.

That’s about as far as I got. If this person actually “came across” my postings (and actually read them!), she would know that I don’t have any positions to fill! She is selling something, but I am not a buyer; I’m the wrong target.

Job hunting is no different than selling, but you are selling your ability to get the job done. You are marketing your skills and experiences. Are you thinking about making sure you are sending your pitch to the right person?

Yesterday, during a Voice of Careers webinar, one of the panelists, Heather McGough, a staffing consultant/recruiter at Microsoft, explained that authentic flattery may be a good way to help a job seeker connect with a decision maker. For example, a job seeker may make a point to comment on something the recruiter or hiring manager has written or said. Social media tools make it easy to find a commonality (even a hobby) and to be authentic, intentional and thoughtful when reaching out.

However, she further described a situation when even that type of connection would not compel her to go the extra mile for an applicant. The difference? The correct target. Heather related a time when a job seeker wrote her to apply for an internship opportunity. As Heather explained, it is very clear on all of her own profiles that she was not the correct contact person for this student. The job seeker did not do the correct research, which is readily available, and did not ask the right questions — such as, “Can you please pass along my information to the internship recruiting team?”

I always remind clients that the vast amount of information that is readily available is both a blessing and a curse. Heather knew that the person writing to her could have easily done a little extra research and asked the right questions when contacting her. Not taking that step made the applicant seem lazy, which did not inspire Heather, a recruiter with a tendency to go the extra mile for applicants, to want to take the time to redirect her.

Identify the right targets for your pitch. Do your research; make a connection. It will pay off in the long run to make sure you are not barking up the wrong tree.

photo by Grant MacDonald