Cold Calling Tips to Land a Job Interview and Employment Offer

People who work within the company you’re interested in can be valuable sources of information for your job hunt. However, it can be daunting to contact people with whom you have no prior ties. The best way to approach this is to jump in with both feet by getting a job through cold calling.

What is cold calling?

Cold calling can take on many different forms, from a phone call to completing an informational interview in person. One important cold calling tip is to prepare for anything when making contact. At any point in the process, you could find yourself dealing directly with the person responsible for hiring. Be ready to sell yourself and your skills by having an elevator speech or introduction prepared. Make the dialog concise and on point.

How to Get Started

One place to begin your cold calls is by using your personal network. This can be a great starting point as the most difficult cold calls to make are often to contacts and company representatives you have never spoken to before. By starting with your personal network, you’ll begin the process with people you already know, which makes it a great starting point.

One way to find new people and contacts is through directories. You can also use internet searches to lookup certain company websites as many important contacts are often listed. This information is critical when you begin your cold calling. Professional networking websites, including LinkedIn, are handy job search tools to find names of potential contacts working within important companies you might be interested in.

Prepare an Introduction

To make sure that you’re not left speechless on the phone, take the time to prepare your introduction. Your introduction or “elevator pitch” should market your skills and abilities while still coming across as personable and non-boasting. You don’t want to waste the person’s time, so thank them for taking your call and quickly get to the point of your phone call.

When you are introducing yourself to a potential employer, there are five things you need to include:

1.    Introduce yourself
2.    Tell them why you are contacting them
3.    Communicate three skills or experiences you possess that are pertinent to the job you’re inquiring about
4.    Ask them if you may send or leave a copy of your resume
5.    Arrange a follow-up contact

Tailor Introductions

You can make up different introductions to meet the objectives of different types of positions. As every position and company will desire different skills and experiences, you will need to tailor your introduction to each company.

Once you write your introduction, you should practice speaking it many times to become comfortable saying it. This will also ensure you don’t sound like you are reading it when you speak to your contact.

Need additional help? Reach out to Candace to learn more!