Recruiter Intros
Bypass the ATS. Get directly to the hiring manager.
The Black Hole of Job Applications
Applying through a company's career page is a low-probability game. The highest leverage action you can take in a job search is getting a warm introduction directly to the hiring manager or an internal recruiter.
The Referral Ask
When asking a connection (a current employee at the target company) for a referral, your forwardable needs to make it dead simple for them to endorse you internally.
Target Role: Senior Product Manager (Link to JD)
Why me: Spent the last 4 years at [Competitor] managing the exact same product line. Led the team that shipped [Feature], increasing retention by 15%.
The Ask: Would you be open to flagging my resume for the hiring manager for this specific req?
Resume attached as PDF.
Note: This is one of the rare exceptions where attaching a PDF (your resume) to the forwardable is acceptable and preferred.