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Few things seem as challenging as picking up the phone and contacting an organization you don’t know to see if there are any job openings. But in this day and economy, it certainly can’t hurt to try a new and different way of finding employ. While it may be tempting to just pick up the phone and start calling, a systematic, reasoned approach might garner the best results.
Make a list
Start out by making three lists: companies you really want to work for, companies you wouldn’t mind working for, and places you don’t want to work but they’re in the field you work in. Social media sites like LinkedIn, industry association websites and online job search hubs can help you with names, and even provide you with direct phone numbers and/or email addresses for the people you should be talking to.
No scripts required
It’s usually ineffective to work from a script; it sounds stilted and unnatural to your target. But it is a good idea to write down a few key points that you want to stress to your would-be boss.
Throw logic to the wind and start with the last group first. The HR people you deal with will probably ask you questions you are not prepared for, will raise issues you have not thought about and mention working conditions you were not expecting. Maybe you called at an inconvenient time. You may be nervous and rattled by the roadblocks they have thrown up. You probably won’t be offered a job.
Who cares? You didn’t want to work there to begin with.
Review and regroup
After each interview, review the process. How could you have answered difficult questions differently? What did you forget to mention about your experience or education? What questions should you have asked about the company you were applying to?
Your research has given you a good understanding of the industry in general and this company in particular. Your poise and self-assurance impresses the interviewer.
Armed with that knowledge, proceed to the middle list. These organizations are better places to work. You’ve been asked some of the questions before, so you are prepared with good answers. You ask relevant questions about the firm itself.
But you still don’t make the cut. Once again, review the process. Were there new hypothetical situations offered up that you weren’t prepared for? Should you have mentioned that volunteer work you did back when you were in university? Should you have researched more about the company?
Go in for the kill
By now, you’re ready to start phoning people on your first list. You have the confidence to anticipate what they are going to ask. You may even raise some points before they get a chance to ask the questions. Your research has given you a good understanding of the industry in general and this company in particular. Your poise and self-assurance impresses the interviewer.
Congratulations. You’re hired.
Paul Park is a freelance writer based in Ottawa. His work has appeared in most of the major media outlets in North America, including People magazine, the CBC and the Village Voice.
Have you ever tried the cold calling method to finding work? Did you have any success? We’d like to hear from you! Leave us a comment in the section below.