patrick.net

It's been a while...sorry don't have any specific advice, perhaps posting your field and industry would be useful...

Sometimes it is just luck. But usually it is the other way around, you go from mid level manager in large company to a Director or manager in a small company. Sometimes consulting is the way to go-the big 5 and/or smaller consultant gigs will get you in and if you havea few successful projects under your belt , then they often offer positions-assuming you are in IT?

Linked in never worked for me. But my friend was minding his own business and recruiters reached out to him on linkedin , kicked off the interview process-got a 30% hike and moved to much better weather to boot.

Sometimes just luck.

EastCoastBubbleBoy says

the new ways of reaching the proper people in order to get a fair shot at any opportunities

LinkedIn for sure. They're corporate, and I don't like their power, but they have helped me repeatedly.

When you find a firm you're interested in, find out who you know there by using LinkedIn. Get a recommendation from that person, or even better, some kind of personal introduction to the hiring manager. If you don't directly know anyone at the firm, find a second degree acquaintance and work from there.

I did this once to find a job at a small startup, and turned out my contact was the hiring manager! It was easy from there.

Also, if you have any contact at all at a place, ask them if they could perhaps get a recruiting bonus by referring you.

Win-win: they get the bonus if you get hired, and you're more likely to get hired with a referral from a current employee.

lostand confused says

assuming you are in IT?

Nope. Although I have been the "back up" IT guy everywhere I've ever worked and know some Visual Basic, I'm actual a Chemical Engineer - if anyone is interested I can give them the rest of the elevator pitch.

The consulting gig isn't a bad idea. Most of the projects I've been involved with over the years span a broad range of industries from oil and gas to semicon to pahrma.

I'm working on polishing up the linked in profile but I agree that finding a job (like finding a house) at times depends on the unpublished listings.