Applying at companies who don't list job openings?

[feathermoon]

I come across a handful of companies which hire physics grads who do not have a job portal on their website. Does anyone have any experience applying at these types of companies? Does it generally mean they aren't hiring, or do not hire in this manner (perhaps they only recruit)? Would it be wise to just send a resume via their contact us address?

Thanks,

 

[twofish-quant]

I come across a handful of companies which hire physics grads who do not have a job portal on their website.

YMMV, but the vast majority of companies that I've worked with either do not have a job portal, or the job portal leads no where useful.

Does it generally mean they aren't hiring, or do not hire in this manner (perhaps they only recruit)?

The companies that I know hiring through campus recruiting, headhunters, or through personal introductions.

Would it be wise to just send a resume via their contact us address?

More likely than not, it's a waste of your time. If you send a resume to a random address, then it's just going to go into the trash.

 

[jk]

Try to find out who is a hiring manager at a company you're interested in and try to put your resume in front of them. Read a book called "What color is your parachute" for some of the best advice on job hunting

 

[twofish-quant]

Try to find out who is a hiring manager at a company you're interested in and try to put your resume in front of them.

I don't like the concept of "hiring manager" since it gives a very misleading idea for how hiring decisions are made in most companies. In most companies, the hiring decision is a team decision. The manager makes the final decision, but he or she is going to look at feedback from the team.

Trying to get your resume in front of specific people is usually a waste of time.

Also, the trick isn't to get your resume in front of a decision maker, but rather to do anything you can to get your resume in the system. For that you don't need to know a manager, but rather just about anyone that works for a company will do.