Going in person and cold calling to inquire about job openings and meet potential employers can be intimidating. You may simply be dropping off a resume at this stage, but this is the absolute bare minimum amount of face-time you need to get.
Ideally, when you show up at the company, you’ll meet with the hiring official, deliver your elevator pitch, and leave your resume with them. If appropriate, don’t hesitate to ask for an informational interview.
Face-to-face cold calling interview appointments will allow you to get a leg up on the competition. This is an excellent job search tactic that allows you to go beyond the world of online applications and speak to employers face-to-face. By arming yourself with cold-calling scripts of what to say to the hiring authority, you will be appropriately prepared to reach out to employers in these meetings.
Dress the Part
Make sure to dress appropriately when going to meet employers. Wear professional attire: clean, pressed clothing, and practice good hygiene. Remember to smile and make lots of eye contact when speaking; it will do wonders for your appearance, make you appear confident and self-assured, and make the employer feel comfortable with you.
Check Your Attitude
Maintaining a professional attitude even as you leave your house will not only help prevent any potentially embarrassing moments before you begin your interview, it will keep you in an excellent frame of mind.
When you arrive, you may be asked to wait for a little while before meeting with the employer. Keep calm, and take the opportunity to go over your cold call script once more to ensure you know what you will say.
If there are books or pamphlets about the company in the waiting room, check them out. You’ll look enthusiastic and interested, and it may give you additional background information to discuss. Don’t waste this time listening to music or catching up on emails and texts.
Do Your Background Research
Know the name of who you will see and ask for them by name when you enter the front office. Making a good impression while you wait is just as important as when you actually meet with the employer.
The opinions of the secretaries, receptionists, and other employees often influence an employer’s judgment. A favorable or unfavorable comment by them can be a critical factor in helping the employer to decide for you and your suitability for the job. So, be friendly, polite, and courteous from the moment you walk in the door until the moment you leave.
Give a Firm Handshake
When introducing yourself to employers, shake their hand with a firm handshake, not too light nor too hard. Come to the meeting prepared with a pen and paper, as you may need to fill out application forms and write down names with the correct spelling. Don’t forget the name of the hiring manager!
Use Cold Call Scripts
When you meet a potential employer face-to-face, you need to make a stable first impression and show you would be a valuable addition to their organization.
Before you speak to the decision-maker or hiring manager, you will have to speak with a receptionist or front desk personnel who will decide whether you get to meet with the contact. It is the receptionist’s job to ensure the next contact meets with relevant people, so time is not wasted.
Demonstrate confidence and competence when meeting with the front-end staff by being prepared. Ensure you are friendly and polite to make an excellent first impression.
A possible cold calling script for speaking to one of these front-end people could be:
“Good morning. My name is <insert your name>. Is <insert contact’s name> available?”
If they ask why you are calling: “To follow up on an email I sent/a phone call.” Make sure you actually called them or sent them an email before you say this, whether you actually got to speak to them or not.
Once you get the opportunity to speak with the decision-maker, make the most of your opportunity by being prepared with a face-to-face cold call script.
A possible cold calling script for meeting an employer:
“Hi, it’s great to meet you. My name is <insert your name>, and I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me.
I’ve completed my degree in <insert degree>, and I have experience in <insert experience> and <insert experience>, which are areas I know your company specializes in.
Are there currently any openings at your company?”
If the answer is no, respond with: “Can I forward my resume to you in case any opportunities come up in the future?”
If the answer is no again, respond with: “Can I send my resume to you for some feedback and advice?”
Learn to Effectively Deal with Objections
Write down a list of objections you get and learn to overcome them. For example, if you hear, “I’m just too busy to talk.” you can respond with: “It will just take a few minutes.”
As you hear more and more rejections, you will eventually have an answer for every possible one.
Set a Time for Follow-Up
Upon leaving, set up a time frame in which to speak again. Don’t leave the office with knowledge of the next point of contact up in the air. If the employer doesn’t tell you they’re going to call you in a certain time frame to discuss possible opportunities, take the initiative and tell them you will call within the next couple of weeks to check-in.
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