HBR Staff/Getty Images/Maria Petrishina
Summary. Contrary to popular belief, pitching yourself directly to employers can give you an advantage over other applicants. Here’s how to do it:
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Before becoming a news anchor, I received hundreds of rejection emails. There was one particular news station in Seattle that I wanted to intern for, and every summer, I dutifully filled out an online application and emailed my resume to their HR department only to be met with radio silence. When I realized this job-search strategy wasn’t working, I followed the popular internet advice and took more initiative, emailing individual reporters at the company to inquire about open roles.