how to find the hiring manager

How can you get a hiring manager's name? Job listings posted all over the place simply read "no phone calls" and "direct resume to BD," or some other letter combination at some post office box or no-reply email address. Getting a name is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

We won't lie. Finding a hiring manager's name is tough, very tough. It can be done, though! It takes work and a bit of sleuthing. Anything that is worth something is worth working for—right?

So, here are seven effective ways to find a hiring manager's name.

1. Call The Receptionist

Man calls a company to find the hiring manager's name

Try calling the receptionist at the company where you are applying. You can ask him or her for the name of a person in human resources.

If you are nice and engage the person on the phone, you will likely come away with a name. It sounds easy, and sometimes it is as easy as making a phone call and asking for what you're looking for.

2. Ask To Be Directed To The HR Department

Woman asks to be directed to the HR department to find the hiring manager's name

When calling a company, ask to be directed to the human resources department. You will likely get the voicemail of a person within the department.

Even if he or she is not the right person, when your resume shows up, they will pass it along to the appropriate counterpart in the department.

3. Use Social Media

Man uses social media to try to find the name of a hiring manager

Looking for the name of a hiring manager after having no luck with the tips above? This takes more digging.

Use LinkedIn and Facebook to find people. If you are on LinkedIn, you will need to do a lot of looking to identify people that are associated with the company you are targeting. Join affiliated groups so that you can write to those people directly without an introduction.

Is that sneaky? No. LinkedIn is a tool like any other. You need to know how to use it.

From there, you can introduce yourself to a person at your targeted company, network with them, and obtain a name. Facebook takes a little more work, because you need to introduce yourself and be added as a friend. We recommend sticking with LinkedIn if you can.

4. Find A Listing Of Senior Management

Job seeker finds the name of the hiring manager at her dream company

Traditional research also works. When doing research on a company, oftentimes the company will have a listing of senior management. You can start there.

Send a letter or email to one of those people. You never know, you might get a response asking you to send your resume to them directly, or they might even give you the name of someone to reach out to within the company.

Your best bet at receiving a response is by writing your disruptive cover letter in the body of the email. That is, tell a compelling story about why you're passionate about the company and the problem you think you can help them solve.

Never underestimate the power of storytelling!

5. Network With Everyone You Know

Unemployed man networks to find the name of a hiring manager

The rule of six degrees of separation is what LinkedIn is all about. Everyone is six or fewer connections away from each other. Therefore, you should step up your networking efforts.

You can find the name of a hiring manager from friends, friends of friends, acquaintances, and many, many others.

6. Use Hunter.io

Woman finds the name of a hiring manager during her job search

Hunter.io is a site that can help you track down emails of people at a specific company. This is an incredibly useful tool to have in your job search. Use it to find the name of a hiring manager in seconds!

7. Get A Trade Publication

Man looks in a trade publication to find the name of a hiring manager

The trades publish newsworthy information about what is going on in a specific industry and continuously publish the names of people and companies. It is a great way to maintain abreast of industry happenings, too.

When people are promoted or move to a different company, a name is often published. This can help you find the name of a hiring manager in a direct or indirect way.

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There is no such thing as anonymity anymore. If you want to find someone, you most certainly can. Use these seven tips to find that hiring manager's name you're looking for. Happy hunting!

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This post was originally published at an earlier date.