Applying through the backdoor

If a role is posted, you CAN get a foot in the door.

Don’t just rely on the front door (applying online)

Instead master the backdoor strategy of how to leverage your network to break through the noise of hundreds (if not thousands) of other candidates.

“[All highly successful people] treat life, business, and success… just like a nightclub. There are always three ways in. There’s the First Door, where 99% of people wait in line,hoping to get in. There’s the Second Door, where billionaires and royalty slip through. But then there is always, always… the Third Door. It’s the entrance where you have to jump out of line, run down the alley, climb over the dumpster, bang on the door a hundred times, crack open the window, and sneak through kitchen. But there’s always a way in. Alex Banayan

When to use the backdoor strategy

This article focuses on how to apply for posted roles.  Generally roles above director aren’t posted but if they are they will typically get thousands of applications.  You will need these strategies to stand out.   For executives focused on more senior roles, there are other powerful strategies for your job search.  

You can also use these backdoor strategies to network in to unposted roles and to start dialogs for roles that don’t exist.  It is important thought that if an unposted role is listed by a recruiter, we don’t recommend back-door applying as circumventing recruiters can damage your relationship with them and potentially put you at a disadvantage for the role.

Backdoor tactics

back-door tactics work!

The goal of applying through the backdoor is to get on the hiring manager’s radar via the best reference you can.  If you can’t reach the hiring manager, getting introduced to the internal recruiter is a great alternative.  Use the following strategies to give yourself the best shot at making the connection and getting noticed:

• Make sure you are qualified:  The backdoor strategy won’t help for posted roles if you don’t have the experience and can’t nail the interview. 

• Speed Matters: Recruiters typically work chronologically and will attack a first batch to send to the hiring manager. Don't wait weeks to navigate in the backdoor. If you can't find an advocate within 24 hours, apply and then separately keep working the backdoor.

• Do your homework:  You are putting a lot of effort in and asking a lot of your network.  Make sure you make each ask impactful by:

  • Reading all you can on the company (articles, podcasts by their execs)

  • Network in to junior folks at the company first to learn about their pain points

  • Always write a personal note

  • Submit a form on their website to understand the prospect journey

  • Research connections on LinkedIn.  Other tools include relationship mapping tools like Commsor.

• Build advocates in advance: For companies on your target company list, work to speak to folks in those companies in advance. That way you have an advocate who can submit your resume / DM the hiring manager when a role you are interested in is posted.

• Ask a broad group of people for help:  While you want to prioritize people you are close with it is a good strategy to ping 10-15 connections when you are trying to find a backdoor.  Not only is this a way to find more connection paths but it is also an excuse to rekindle a relationship,  even if they can’t make intro. 

• Make it easy for your connections to help:  Here are some ways that reduce the barriers for them to help you:

  • When you make the ask include the link to the job

  • Be concise and clear on your ask

  • Include why you are qualified for the role and highlighting your specific interest in the company

  • Send an easily forwardable note

• Know your ask: Ideally your advocate will have a relationship with the hiring manager and can slack them an endorsement. If not, you will want the advocate to submit you through their internal ATS (see screenshot from a typical one below). Ideally the advocate knows you well enough to speak to these questions but if not, getting submitted this way is better than applying via the front door.

Typical Applicant Tracking questions when advocate submits your resume

Backdoor strategies can’t help you get the job, just get the interview.  Once you get connected to the recruiter/hiring manager, the rest is up to you.  Here is how hiring managers and recruiters evaluate candidates.

“There are like 500 people applying for whatever job you are applying for.  You have got to be all over it….   If you get a meeting with that company, I would spend 10 hours prepping for that call because you have to blow them away.”  Nick Mehta (see podcast at 25:30)

Who to leverage

When you backdoor a role, prioritize people on two dimensions:

• How well they can speak to your skills:  Have you worked with them before, do you have a personal relationship with them

• How close they are to the department you are interested in:  For startups and early stage companies this is less important since everyone knows everyone.   For mid and later companies, recognize that people in engineering don’t often know people in sales for example.

Following are key contacts (in rough order) to leverage for your backdoor strategy:

• Contacts you know well at company

• Contacts you know well who used to work at company

• Investors can be powerful for early stage companies

• Talent Partners provide a powerful reference for early stage companies

• Recruiters typically work better for unposted roles or trying to build 

Finally, Invest in your network for long term success. Don’t just ask for help when you need it. It is important to build your network and brand so that when you need to network (backdoor) into a company it is an easy request.