There are natural periods when hiring is slower because people are not in the office – summer (especially if it’s a European firm in August) and the holidays.
Beyond these periods, before you make contacts into a company that does not have an opening, learn what you can about their hiring practices, yearend (read: new budgets) and busy times.
This is where LinkedIn or your network comes in very handy to find former employees who can give you the insight needed.
There are two reasons why I encourage you to learn this information:
1) Effective use of your time – I worked like mad to get into a firm to learn they only hired people in finance with MBA from a handful of schools. My result was not only no potential role but all the lost hours in making those contacts.
2) Timing your pitch for maximum effect – A strong referral may get you into a company during the busiest time. The problem is that it may be literally a few months until your contact can do something with your information. Once your information goes into a drawer ‘until later’ – its likely going to stay there.
Of course, if there is an opening, then get in quick. Strike that, get in now!
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