JOB SEARCH MANUAL
The telephone can be just as scary as appearing in person and
rejection over the phone can seem even worse because it is so
impersonal and final. And yet, the telephone is a very effective
way to tap the hidden job market, establish new contacts and leads,
and re-establish connections with the past ones. For your calls
to be successful, you must assume a confident attitude and have
a relevant presentation. Be genuine, brief, open and informative
as to who you are and what your objectives are.
The issues you will be dealing with are:
Before making any phone calls:
Develop a one minute capsule on:
Whom will you be calling:
You can not rely on eye contact over the phone, and your good
looks do not mean anything. You must pay close attention to your:
It is impossible to anticipate the many forms a telephone call can take--so please remember that a positive mental attitude, coupled with good counsel and your own research of your market are the most important factors contributing to your success at this stage.
Be polite, considerate, persistent and firm. You will get through. Remember, in general, most people are successful in getting a meeting from eight out of ten phone calls. You can do it too!
Appendix F provides a flowchart for a telephone call to an employer as well as a sample conversation. This can greatly reduce the natural tension of phone calls, as well as put each call into perspective. Rather than being a life-or-death event, each phone call is just a part of a bigger process--the job search process. A refusal is not the end of the world and even the coldest response may pay off with a lead to a job.
Your best approach is to write a letter to prepare the way, but cold-calling employers is also very effective, even if you haven't done any prior research.
Activity Twenty-seven - Phoning Employers
Ask your facilitator or another student to role play the part of an employer. Sit so that the employer can see your face, but keep your eyes averted. The employer will then be able to give you feedback about your facial expressions and body language. Smiling on the phone is very important!
Role play a situation where the employer agrees to an interview and another one where the employer refuses. Follow the flow chart in Appendix F and try to get the most you can out of the employer. Remember to write out a short description of yourself. You may decide on some details about the employer, such as the type of industry, department, etc.
Check off the activity on your summary sheet.
SunRaye Enterprises