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Author:
Public Health Hiring Help
NOTE: This article was
originally published on July 11, 2025 by
Public Health Hiring Help on Substack.
“Who are even getting these jobs?!”, a
subscriber remarked in my LinkedIn DMs. He had applied for dozens of
jobs and had received rejection after rejection, despite meeting the
posted qualifications.
It’s a valid question, and one I’ve
grappled with too. How can you meet all the qualifications—maybe even
be OVERqualified—and still receive an auto-rejection? You cast a wide
net, you got your resume and cover letter reviewed and tailored them
for the kinds of jobs you apply to, you added folks on LinkedIn
nonstop and commented on posts about openings—what more could you be
doing?
Wait. Rethink that last one. ‘You
added folks on LinkedIn nonstop.’ And?
I can’t remember who asked me this simple
question to challenge this strategy, but thank goodness for them.
What are you doing with those connections?
Just adding them isn’t enough. Recall that LinkedIn, before becoming
the professional social media it is today, was a networking platform
first. Networking isn’t just amassing connections or followers or
dropping one-off comments declaring “interest”; it involves direct
conversation and interpersonal exchange. See where I’m going with
this?
Just adding connections on LinkedIn and
commenting on posts here and there, more often than not, will not lead
to much—you just become one of many faces on someone’s feed. So how do
you stand out?
It’s time to bolster your LinkedIn
strategy.
Like I often say, I practice what I preach
and beefing up my approach has yielded more interviews. Those I’ve
networked with also say it shows intention, initiative, and
confidence—three things employers ADORE! I’m not a professional career
counselor by any means, but those I look to for mentorship also swear
by this approach.
Let me be clear—this approach isn’t novel.
In fact, it’s actually putting together pieces of networking advice
you’ve probably gotten over the years and making it into an actionable
set of steps.
Without further ado…
-
Apply to a job you are 1) actually
interested in and 2) a strong fit for—maybe you have a lot of
relevant experience, maybe your academic background aligns with the
skillset needed, maybe you have coursework or projects directly
connected to the topic—whatever the reason/s, this job wouldn’t be a
reach. It’s on target.
-
NOTE: I still believe you should cast
a wide net, but, realistically, the time needed for this strategy
likely means you can’t do it for every single job you apply to.
Like I’ve always said, be discerning! Pick your best ones!
-
Go to the company’s LinkedIn page, then
go to the People tab. Buckle up—we’re using our resources and the
tech skills being Gen Z/Millenials gave us!
- You’re looking for folks who fit any
of the following:
- You’re already connected to them
(IDEAL!)
- You have mutual connections
(designated with ‘2nd’ on LinkedIn)
- You have something in common.
Think same city, same educational institution, same past employer,
same core interests, SOMETHING!
-
NOTE: Why prioritize folks fitting
into any of these three buckets? They are more likely to respond
to someone they don’t deem as a random stranger, or someone they
actually have a CONNECTION to. With LinkedIn, it’s crucial to
put the literal definition of “connection” into practice and
treat it less like a replacement for “follower”!
-
Send an invite to these folks. Bonus
points if they are either a recruiter/talent acquisition specialist,
hold a high title (Director, VP, etc), or have the same/similar job
title to the one you are applying for. You can send a personalized
message if you want, but, when you only have a few on the Free Plan,
it isn’t entirely necessary here.
- NOTE: Why these individuals?
-
Think of recruiters/talent
acquisition specialists as the keeper of the keys. They are the
first ones who see your application and move you on to a hiring
manager. This would give them a face to a name and an
opportunity for you to make a good impression!
-
Directors, VPs, other “higher-ups”
have influence. You make a meaningful connection with them, you
might have someone to advocate for you in the recruitment
process.
-
Folks with similar job titles are
likely the ones who would work alongside the new hire. They want
the hiring manager to pick someone they can get along with.
Similar idea as above—you want someone who will advocate for
you. This would also be an enriching conversation for you, as
they can give you a vivid picture of what the job actually
entails!
-
When you have connected with these folks
(sometimes you can actually message recruiters without connecting),
you’re going to send them a nice message like this. Be sure to
modify this script and make it your own to stand out!
-
Greeting + name + identifier (ex:
recent MPH graduate in Epidemiology from XYZ University)
-
Reference commonality mentioned in
Step 4 (ex: I was looking to expand my public health network and
noticed you also know Dr. Smith! Small world!)
-
Mention your job hunt (ex: I also saw
you work for DEF. I actually just applied for Position 123945 with
them, as it matches my interest in JKL)
-
The Ask. NOTE: you are not asking
about the position or asking for their help with getting the
job—you are demonstrating interest. (Ex: I’ve always been
interested in the organization, and I would love to learn more
about it as I pursue my options. I would particularly love to hear
more about your experience with DEF and the company culture. Would
you be willing to meet on Zoom or Teams for a brief informal chat
[whenever]?
- Be sure to say thank you!
- Wait and follow through when
possible!
-
NOTE: Acknowledge that some folks
aren’t active on LinkedIn, some don’t have the capacity to help
out, etc. Sometimes the strategy works and sometimes it doesn’t.
If you do get a response and they are willing to
chat with you, prepare! Write questions! Know what you want out of
the chat and how to kindly ask for their help
after learning more about the organization—whether it be putting
in a good word, sending other opportunities they know of, etc.
Then, maintain the connection and follow up—ask how they are, give
updates, etc.
Someone once told me that most public
health hiring processes come down to who knows who. For early-career
professionals, it’s easy to think that this could put us at an
inherent disadvantage, but maybe it doesn’t’ have to. We’re tech savvy
and have tools, like LinkedIn, at our disposal to change that—we just
have to know how to use them to our greatest advantage!
So make those connections! Send messages!
Schedule informational calls! Make LinkedIn work for you! Cold
messaging can be daunting—it’s scary to put yourself out there—but who
knows? It could lead to something good :)
***
Have another LinkedIn tip you think more
people should know? Submit it
here!
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