Pick up a call from a recruiter

Cold calling potential employers can be a tricky, yet beneficial, job search strategy. This method can demonstrate your initiative and interest in the company. A lot of businesses don’t list their open positions, and in some cases, they may have a position that is opening up soon. All the more reason to give them a call, right? Still, you want to strike the perfect balance between putting yourself out there and coming across as too pushy. If you’re thinking about cold calling a potential employer, check out these tips.

  1. E-mail your cover letter, hold the resume

In the initial stages of a cold call, trying sending a brief cover letter stating your skills and interest in the company before you send a resume. If you send a resume, and it doesn’t reflect the qualifications HR is looking for, it might keep you from getting a foot in the door.

The best person to send your cover letter to is a potential supervisor, followed by a representative in HR. If you can’t find those contacts, send an email to their general information inbox. In your email, mention that you would like to follow up with a phone call. The Balance blog recommends doing this so that you can say you are following up on an email you sent, which will help you to get on the phone with the right person.

  1. Use your referrals

Do you know anyone that has a connection to the business you’re planning to cold? If so, reach out to them and see if they might give you some information about the company, and get their permission to use them as a referral when you reach out. Having a reference when you cold call can make a difference in whether or not you get a follow-up.

  1. Position yourself as an asset

When you reach out to companies where you would like to work, be sure to do your homework! Make sure you understand their mission and the type of employees they might be looking for. When you reach out, you want to have concrete points about what you admire about the company, where you would fit in, and what you can bring to the table. Remember, cold calling is a sales pitch. You are marketing yourself as an asset, not as someone who is desperate for a job.

  1. The art of staying in contact

Forbes suggests that you follow up with an email on your original thread to touch base if you haven’t heard back three days after you sent the first email. Keep this email down to a sentence, and ask about scheduling an appointment. Three days after that, you can give them a call. If it goes to voicemail, leave one message. If you don’t hear back, it is probably time to move on. You don’t want to come across as pushy or demanding.

  1. Always be sure to thank the individuals you contact

Enough said!

  1. Don’t give up

Not every company is going to accept cold calls, but it doesn’t hurt to try. Set a daily cold call goal. The more calls you make, the more likely you are to hear back. Even if a company isn’t hiring, reaching out will help you to stand out down the road when they are looking for employees with your qualifications. Ask if you can check back in periodically to see if there are any open positions. If they say yes, you may find some luck later!

 

While you’re cold calling, consider applying with a firm like Staffers! Through our well-established connections, we have leads on jobs that aren’t available anywhere else, and they can get your application and resume into the hands of the right person. Staffers specializes in clerical and administrative work and offers temp, temp to perm and direct hire opportunities. Give us a call today!

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