I. GETTING TO THE SOURCE

Experts in business communication will tell you that, next to public speaking, making a cold call strikes fear in the hearts of even the most seasoned executives. They call this phenomenon "telephone reluctance." To overcome this phobia, we've assembled a list of telephone tips. Review these points, plan your calls, practice what you are going to say and start dialing.

Note the name of person with whom you are speaking.

State your name and indicate that you would like to speak with the person responsible for hiring.

“My name is Chris May. I saw on the Internet that your firm offers wonderful entry-level sales positions. Is there a specific person who could tell me more about these positions? Good. That person's name, phone and fax number is? Does s/he have e-mail? Could you please connect me?”

or:

“Hello, my name is Chris May. I’m calling to inquire about potential or future sales associate positions. Is there a particular person to whom I could direct my resume? The correct spelling of his/her name is? Does s/he have an e-mail address? May I speak with him/her now?”

When Referred by Someone Else

It is often advantageous to be referred by someone else. If this is the case, immediately give the name of the person who suggested you call. For example, say:

"Hello, Ms. Smith. Joan Doer suggested I give you a call."

If the receptionist asks why you are calling, say:

"A friend of Ms. Doer’s suggested I give her a call."

When Calling Someone You Know

Sometimes using your telephone script will not make sense. If you were calling someone you know, you would normally begin with some friendly conversation before getting to the purpose of your call. Then, you could use your telephone script by saying something like this:

“The reason I called is to let you know that I am looking for a job, and I thought you might be able to help.”

There are many other situations where you will need to adapt your basic script. Use your own judgment. With practice, it becomes easier!

What if I get voice mail?

It is best to speak directly to the person on the initial call; however, many companies rely on the voice mail system. If it is apparent that voice mail is the only way you are likely to contact the employer, leave a short message detailing the purpose of your call and follow-up with a mailed resume.

II. THE SELL

The primary goal of a phone contact is to get an interview.

Be prepared to briefly sell yourself. A good formula to use is P.E.S.T.

P Previous Experience

E Education and Training

S Skills

T Transferable Skills

Stay focused and know what you want before you call. Goal-oriented conversations get the best results. Be realistic about what can be achieved with each call.

III. TAKE ACTION

Ask, ask, ask

To succeed, you must be ready to get past the first and even the second rejection. You must practice asking for the interview! Here is an example:

You: Would it be possible to meet with you about potential job openings?

Employer: I don't have any positions open now...

You: That's OK. I’m still very interested in employment with your firm. Perhaps I could come in to talk to you about the possibility of future openings.

Employer: I really don't plan on hiring within the next few months.

You: I understand. I thank you very much for your time. Would it be possible to send a resume for your files?

Although this approach does not always work, being persistent works more often than most people would believe! It is important to learn how to do this, since overcoming initial rejections is a very important part of getting to "Yes." However, please keep in mind that there is a fine line between assertive, polite persistence and aggressive hard sells!

IV. PLAN B

Sometimes you will decide not to ask for an interview. The person may not seem helpful or you may have caught him or her at a busy time. If so, you can take another approach:

Get a Referral: Ask for names of other people who might be able to help you, or other similar companies which may be hiring. Find out how to contact them. Then add these new contacts to your job search network!

Ask to Call Back: If your contact is busy when you call, ask if you can call back. Get a specific time and day to do this, and add the call to your to-do list for that day. If you do call back, the employer will be impressed and she may give you an interview for just that reason.

Ask to Call Back From Time to Time: Ask if you can keep in touch. Maybe the employer will hear of an opening or have some other information for you. Many job seekers get their best leads from a person they have checked back with several times.

V. FOLLOW-UP

One to three weeks after your initial contact phone back to assess the status of your candidacy. Confirm whether your fax or mailed documents were received and focus on identifying appropriate next steps. Ask if there is any additional information that you could furnish. Request an appointment for a job or informational interview or reiterate your interest in future employment.

COLD CALLING TEMPLATE

I. GETTING TO THE SOURCE

Introduce yourself.

Indicate purpose of call & determine who is the best person to speak to.

Get spelling etc. and ask to be connected.

II. THE SELL (P.E.S.T.)

Previous Experience

Education & Training

Skills

Transferable Skills

III. TAKE ACTION

Set up an appointment for an interview.

OR

If the employer has no positions, ask to send your resume.

OR

IV. PLAN B

Get a referral.

Ask to call back.