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Cold Calling: A Time-Tested Method of Job-Hunting
by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
There are many avenues of job-hunting for job-seekers looking for
full-time employment to follow. Certainly job-hunting on the Net
is one method that has been receiving the most attention lately,
but there is a traditional method of job-hunting that can be quite
effective for you if you simply follow all the steps outlined in
this article. The method? Cold calling potential employers.
Cold calling, or uninvited job-hunting, is a proven method of finding
employment. When you consider that four-fifths of the job market
is "closed," meaning you can’t find out about available
job openings unless you dig for them, this method of job-hunting
takes on great importance. That digging, as well as all aspects
of the process that follows, is what this article is all about.
The first step in this process is compiling at list of all companies
that you might be interested in working for -- and don’t worry
if the list is a long one. In fact, it is better to have a longer
list than a shorter one since your odds increase as your list gets
longer. You could gather this list of companies by focusing on a
specific geographic area, a specific industry, a ranking of the
best companies to work for, or any other method. Check out our
Quintessential Directory of Company Career Centers -- or our
Guide
to Researching Companies for more help. The point of this step
is gathering a list of companies that you are interested in working
for.
The second step in the process is gathering the names of the people
who have the power to offer you a job. This step is accomplished
by calling each company’s main number and asking the receptionist
(or department assistant) for the name and title of the hiring manager
in your field of expertise. Don’t let them give you the name
of the Human Resources manager (unless that is the department where
you are trying to get a job) because your first point of contact
should be with the hiring manager in your field. This step is essential
-- you must get a name and title. Many hiring managers have said
they throw away any letter that is not addressed to them by name.
Do you open your junk mail? Be persistent.
The third step in the process is writing a dynamic
cover letter. While you may be sending out a great many letters,
make sure that each letter is individualized by addressing each
to a named individual, and, if possible, saying something about
the company to showcase that you’ve done some homework about
the company. Remember that your cover letter is extremely important
since it serves as the point of first contact with the employer.
If you don't have much experience writing cover letters, then spend
some time with our free cover
letter tutorial -- or our other cover
letter resources. Enclose a clean copy of your resume
with each letter you mail. We have two different resume
tutorials if you need a little help with your resume.
The fourth step in the process is contacting the people you wrote
to in the third step. For many people, this step is the hardest.
It means getting on the phone and contacting these people and asking
for a job interview. Be persistent, even if the potential employer
says there are no current job openings, but do not be rude or too
pushy. If the person is unwilling to grant you a job interview,
you should request an informational
interview, where you can gain more knowledge of the field --
and perhaps get the names of more people to contact. Your goal should
be to get as many interviews with potential employers as possible.
Even if the majority of them say there are no current openings,
interviewing with them gives you the opportunity to dazzle them
-- and then ask for referrals to other employers who might have
job openings available. Make sure you are best prepared for these
interviews by checking out some of our job
interviewing resources, including our job
interviewing tutorial.
If you follow all these steps -- along with all the other rules
of job-hunting (the Domino
Effect, phone manners, dress
for success, and thank-you
letters) -- you’ll find cold calling to be a successful
tool in your overall job-hunting strategy.
Copyright by Quintessential Careers. The original article can be
found at: http://www.quintcareers.com/cold_calling.html.
Reprinted with permission.
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