Getting Interviews

Warm calling, i.e. getting interviews through contacts, is still the best way. But there is another method which has proven successful for a great many job seekers. It is the in-person call, with a twist. Here, step by step, is how you go about it:

• Find out who makes the hiring decisions before you make your visit. Do your research and find out the full name of the hiring authority.

• Prepare your cover letter and resume in advance. Address the envelope to the hiring authority and seal it.

• Dress as if you were going to an interview. Be prepared with extra resumes, references, your appointment book and extra pens.

• Plan your visits geographically so you can cover as many prospects as possible in a short period of time.

• Make your visits on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday between 9:30 and 3:30pm.

• When you arrive, greet the receptionist with a smile and ask for her/his name. You will need it later.

• Give the receptionist your letter and say, "I hope you can help me... would you please hand-deliver this to Mr./Ms. Employer right away and tell him/her that I will call him/her between 4:00 and 4:30 this afternoon?"

• Thank the receptionist for the help, then leave. Don't hang around to talk, or explain your letter. You've made your pitch. Move on to your next prospect.

• As soon as you can, write down the receptionist's name. You will use it when you call back in the afternoon.

• Make the rest of your calls. Then go home and prepare to make your follow-up phone calls. Your objective is to get in-person interviews - you do not want to get interviewed over the telephone. So be prepared. Verify that your resume was received, then ask for the interview, suggesting the next morning at around 10, or the following afternoon. Avoid answering interview questions over the phone.

This method has worked well. But be prepared for the possibility that you may be interviewed on the spot. Your conversation with the receptionist may be overheard by the employer and you may be invited in for the interview right then. If you are prepared, you'll welcome the opportunity.

(Adapted from an article by Marvin Walberg, author of GETTING HIRED: The Job Search)