4 Cold Calling Tips That Can Boost Your Job Search - CareerAlley

4 Cold Calling Tips That Can Boost Your Job Search - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. In a tough job market, finding want ads for your chosen field may be tough. Whether youre looking for a professional job as a lawyer or accountant, a corporate management position, a healthcare position as a respiratory therapist, or even an administrative position like a dental assistant, it can be difficult to find employers who are openly recruiting during difficult economic times. But even in a recession, there are still companies looking to hire and grow. The only difference is that the jobs are significantly harder to find, since there are fewer positions and companies are often able to fill these positions through internal referrals. After all when the job market is though, its easy to find employees who have qualified friends or relatives anxious to fill the position. Why Cold Calling Can Make The Difference While calling potential employers from out of the blue is extremely difficult, its one of the few ways you can reach the hidden job market where positions are filled through referrals. If your cold calling skills are nailed down, you also have the opportunity to impress your potential employer before the interview even begins. If youre interested in cold calling for job positions but youre not entirely sure where to start, here are some tips that will get you started. 1. Research The Potential Employer Doing your research is not only crucial for finding companies that may have openings for your position, but its also important that you can speak intelligently about the company and what they do. And in an age where Google is a verb, theres simply no excuse for not doing your homework. Its also beneficial if you can locate a contact by name this will greatly boost your cold call success rates compared to simply asking for the hiring manager. Perhaps the best place to find hiring contacts within a company these days is to use LinkedIn. Of course, you can also go to more traditional methods like doing a Google search or browsing through the company website. 2. Be Persistent But Be Polite If you manage to get a hold of a hiring manager, remember that you may be catching them at a busy time. While you want an opportunity to sell yourself, you dont want to be doing it while theyre trying to get rid of you to complete more pressing tasks. After you get their initial attention, ask them if its a convenient time to talk. If it isnt, ask them what time you can call back that day. One key point is to never leave things open ended, and dont leave it in the hiring managers hands. If you leave them your number, despite having some interest, they may simply not view the call as enough of a priority to return it. They could also simply forget that you ever called. Find out when you can call back, and set a firm time. If the hiring manager expresses some interest but indicates that the company isnt hiring, be sure to follow up on your call with an email thanking them for taking the time to talk to you, along with your cover letter and resume. While the company may not be hiring immediately, hopefully youve made a positive impression on the hiring manager, and you might be on the short list of candidates for future hires. 3. Write An Effective Script When you start cold calling, you should have a natural sounding script to guide you through your cold calls. This will allow you to make adjustments if previous calls didnt go well, and itll also help you make sure that you cover key points when youre on the phone. Its also a great way to deal with nervousness. Below are some key points that should be covered in your script. Explain why youre interested in their company Explain why you would be an asset. Here you want to highlight your relevant background and experience. If youve done your research, you will want to draw parallels and examples from your experience to the companys specific needs. Ask if there are any job openings at their company If they indicate some interest, ask them when you can make an appointment to come in and speak to them (or someone else responsible for hiring) in person. Note that the idea of the script is to help you get an idea of what to say and build your confidence. Ultimately, you should be able to converse naturally and confidently, rather than reading from your script ad verbatim. 4. Dont Give Up One of the most difficult parts of cold calling is dealing with the rejection. Without a doubt, the majority of your cold calls will end in a polite indication that the company isnt hiring. Dont treat this as a failure, but rather as an opportunity to improve your cold calling skills. Also remember that in this economy, there is a good chance that the company simply isnt hiring. Even if the cold call doesnt result in a job, youve still become more comfortable cold calling, and youve still (hopefully) made a positive impression and potentially a new contact. Remember, theres almost always someone hiring or willing to hire, even in a rough economy. If your cold calling attempts have failed so far, know that it only takes one successful call to change your life. We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+ Job Search job title, keywords, company, location jobs by