Why is it that I'm always the one reaching out to perspective job seekers? Yes, I am the recruiter and yes, it is my job to find talent to fill open positions. But allow me to turn the tables for a moment. Why do I not ever hear from you? I don't bite, really. Did you know I literally live in my LinkedIn and Twitter accounts all day long? I'm waiting for you to engage me.

In an increasingly competitive job market, candidates feel they get lost in the masses, which is a real and validate point. The question is: What are you going to do about it? That's right; I'm tired of hearing the complaining. You have more power than you think. You want to work for a brand? Show them.

There are so many things you can o but today I'm going to mention LinkedIn. Aside from a personal referral, LinkedIn is an easy tool for setting yourself apart. Corporate recruiters and hiring manager understand it is a business net working tool. They should expect to get inquiries. The key? Be professional, respectful and to the point.

Two scenarios come to mind:
1. The company has an open position
2. No opening is available

In scenario #1, apply through the company ATS first. Then, if no response, send a request to connect as a follow-up. State you have applied online and look forward to hearing from him/her shortly. When candidate have done this with me, I double check the ATS and respond directly even if (s)he is not qualified.

In scenario #2, if you are looking to establish some report with the contact send a request to connect and state you'd like to connect for networking. This will give you visibility to the contact and company. In turn, they now have visibility to you. This simple act of reaching out directly (and hopefully diplomatically) demonstrates assertiveness.

So job-seekers I challenge you to connect with me and others. I'm waiting for a candidate just like you to do something different.