1. Scour the individual’s personal, academic, and professional background to identify someone you might know who could have influence with your target. Have your intermediary make an advance call.

2. Find out whom this individual has mentored in the past and see if you know any proteges. Call your target and ask if he would be willing to offer fifteen minutes of career counseling because of his remarkable reputation for management wisdom.

3. Find out your target’s favorite charity and pledge to contribute $100 to it if she returns your phone call.

4. Learn the individual’s #1 not-for-profit community organization and offer him twenty-five hours of pro bono work in exchange for a job interview.

5. Investigate if the person Twitters or blogs and initiate some clever input on her Internet presence.

Learn more in my book Use Your Head To Get Your Foot In The Door – Job Search Secrets No One Else Will Tell You.