Probably the most difficult task for job seekers is to penetrate the armor of a company when they have no internal leads or contacts. The dreaded "cold call"-phoning someone and asking for time on their calendar-can seem like an insurmountable barrier.Getting through to a key contact should not be a practice in generating raw numbers. It should be pure quality. It doesn't matter how many arrows you shoot if none of them hit the mark. After all of your preparation, you don't want to waste it by aiming for the wrong target.
Aiming for the Right Target
Your main contact within the company will depend greatly on the size and structure of the company and your personal timing. For those companies with large, well-established entry-level hiring programs, there may be one or more persons focused solely on hiring you. Companies seeking specialized software-development skills, for instance, often have technical recruiters with skills similar to those being sought. If you are a graduating college student, on the other hand, many companies have a college recruiter or college relations representative who is part of the Personnel or Human Resources Department. This person's job is to screen out and disqualify-to pare down the long list into the short list.
Your main objective in making any contact should be to secure an in-person interview. You cannot accomplish this if you are screened out. Why would you be? For recent college grads looking for entry-level positions, it is often the school you attend ("It is not on our list"), your GPA ("Too low for our standards"), or timing ("We have done all our entry-level hiring for this year"). Admittedly cold, but it's the reality of typical college recruitment. You may get nothing more than "what is on the board" of current entry-level needs to be filled. Typically, it is a very short board. But do not consider this the end of the line. The true bottom line decision-maker is the hiring manager or line manager. Establish the college recruiter as your target contact only as it serves your needs. Once it becomes a dead end, you should be willing to immediately move on to the hiring manager as your target contact.
While it is almost always more difficult to locate and contact the hiring manager than to simply make contact with someone in Human Resources, in the long run, it pays to put forth the extra effort. Contacting HR is what everyone does. So if you join the party, you merely join the competition in targeting a department whose primary task is to screen you out-your odds for success will likely be quite low. But direct contact with the hiring manager is golden. You are actually talking to a person who can hire you.
Hiring managers determine hiring needs. Hiring managers have the most latitude in determining what background will adequately fill the company's needs. And it is hiring managers who have the actual authority to hire.
Make the hiring manager your target contact. Do not give up easily.
The Two-Step Targeted Contact Process
You should follow a two-step process in making contact. In the first step, you should do all of your research and information gathering, including identifying your target contact at a particular company. The second step is the actual direct contact with your target contact.
In that first step, it may be required to actually call the company to gather the needed information such as the name and title of the target contact. Even if the receptionist or other contact person offers to immediately connect you with your target contact, you should refuse:
Thank you, but this is the only information I need at this time.
Speaking to your target contact should always be a separate step. It may seem rather futile to waste a phone call just to find out who your target contact is, so let me explain the reason.
Think about what happens on the other end of the line. You have made an inquiry as to the name of the hiring manager, your target contact. As the person on the other end of the phone, I might give you the information on the person, then offer to put you through to that person's phone. You say that would be fine. Now I ask (if I have not already) who you are and what the call is regarding. You have just been screened. Not just for this call, but for all future calls. I tell the manager that there is someone on the phone asking about titles and names and that the person is looking for entry-level employment. The manager tells me to take a message. I do. And your chances of ever getting through to the hiring manager are greatly diminished.
Why is it so different doing it in two steps? Because when you use a second, separate step in calling your target contact, you can ask for the person by name, which puts your call at a different level from the information gathering call. You have a great deal more leverage in getting through to the person and past the "guardian of the gate" who might have otherwise screened you out.
How to Find your Target Contact
Before you can expect to locate your target contact, you will need to have a target title to focus on.
Once you have established the target title, you need to find out the specific name and exact title of your target contact at your target company. If you have already received this information either via your research or through a contact referral, you are ready to go on to the next step.
If you are still in school, your starting point for researching the name of this contact should always be at the Career Placement Office on campus. If the desired information is not available there and your other research sources also fail your needs, you will need to make direct contact with the company.
The Mailing List Update Technique
An excellent way to establish both the name and title of the hiring manager is the Mailing List Update Technique. Simply call the company switchboard and say:
Hi, I am updating my mailing list. Are you still at 123 North Main Street? And your zip code is still 54321? And what is the name of the manager of your -- department? Could you please spell it? And what is that person's title? And is there a direct extension? Thank you for your time.
If the switchboard operator asks who is calling, just give your name and nothing else. If the operator asks what the call is in reference to or what you are gathering this information for, you should respond with:
I am updating my mailing list for sending correspondence to this person, and I would like to make sure the name and spelling are correct.
About 50 percent of the time this simple approach will get you all the basic information you need. But you will also find some professional screeners out there who will make their best effort to keep you from stealing the company secrets. So if the Mailing List Update Technique doesn't work for you, read on.
More Ways to Find Out Who Your Target Contact Is
If you can't get the information you need directly through the switchboard, try the following additional methods:
Oh, I'm sorry, I was trying to get through to the switchboard and got lost in your telephone system. Can you please tell me the name of the manager of the _____ department?
You get the idea. Keep trying until you find a responsive human. There is bound to be at least one in every company.
If you have gotten this far and still have not received the basic information you are seeking, you are likely up against a screener who is attempting to keep you out. But never fear! We still have at least nine more ways to get through.
How to Get Past Fräulein Frieda, Guardian Of The Gate
Every company has its Guardian of the Gate-a person who rises to the level of mythological beast when you are trying to get through on the other end of the phone. As hard as we may try to get inside, this person keeps cutting us off. "Who is calling?" "What is this regarding?" "I'm sorry, but we don't have any openings at this time." "Just send your information to Personnel, and they will call you if there are any openings." Whew! The Fräulein Friedas of the world can be a true pain when you are trying to get to the hiring manager. Do not give up easily. Here are nine nifty ways to get past Fräulein Frieda:
The 7:30/12:30/5:30 Rule Technique. The best way to get past the Guardian of the Gate is to avoid her altogether. The 7:30/12:30/5:30 Rule states that if you call early in the morning, during lunch, or late in the afternoon, you will likely get someone who is not nearly as good at screening as the person who normally screens the calls. You can often gather all the information you need, since this person is not a true Guardian of the Gate. If you are calling a different time zone, make sure to adjust your timing accordingly.
Remember that extension number you asked for? Many companies now have automated call-forwarding that allows you to enter a person's extension during the off hours. That extension number can usually put you through directly to the manager's office.
This is also an excellent approach in reaching a hiring manager who has been hitherto inaccessible. Why? Because if you are in management, you likely start early, work through lunch, or work late (or all three). Many managers end up answering their own phone at those times. For all they know, it's their spouse calling to ask them to pick up something on the way home.
(P.S. This is also a great way to reach a vice president or even the president of the company. Keep The 7:30/12:30/5:30 Rule handy for future reference-you may need it later in your career when you find yourself reaching higher within a company.)
The Everyone Loves to Hear Their Own Name Technique. If, per chance, the Guardian of the Gate uses her own name in answering the phone, reply, "Oh, hello, ---, this is ---. May I speak with ---?" The sound of her own name is disarming and will often send you through to your target contact.
The Ad Infinitum Call-Waiting Technique. If you are told that your target contact is on the phone, simply reply, "Oh, that's fine. Will you please put me through as soon as that call is completed?"
If the Guardian of the Gate says it may be awhile or that she already has other calls waiting, reply, "Oh, that's okay-I don't mind holding. I'll be working on some papers while I'm on hold."
The Importance of this Call Technique. The classic screening line from the Guardian of the Gate is: "May I ask what this call is regarding?"
If you are calling based on a referral, you can either reply: "--- asked me to call ---" or "This is a personal call" (if the referral is personal, not professional).
Otherwise, the best overall reply is: "I was informed that I needed to get in touch with --- directly."
The reply may sound nebulous at best-but amazingly, it often works. A truly astute Guardian of the Gate, however, will follow with "Regarding what?" to which you reply, "I was advised to only discuss this matter directly with ---."
How true! Who advised you to do this? I did. You have read it, so consider yourself advised. Stick to your guns, even during that uncomfortable long pause that you may be forced to endure. Sure, it all sounds like a game, and in a way, that is exactly what it is. Whoever has the most marbles in the end wins. You have just been loaded up with some tiger eyes, so take care to shoot them straight and fast.
The Unanswerable Question Technique. Another way to get past the "May I say what your call is regarding?" screen is to ask a technical question that Frieda will not be able to answer. If you have done your homework, you should have access to the industry buzzwords that can make this a very valid inquiry, one which the Guardian of the Gate would not know the answer to.
The best way to do this is to ask a question that would further qualify your potential interest in the company. An example question for a computer-science grad seeking to reach the telecommunications manager about networking positions might be:
I needed to ask -- whether your company is currently using either Token Ring or Ethernet LANs. Can you help me?
Probably not. Once you get through to the telecom manager, you should still ask that question, then follow with how your background can benefit them. For example:
I recently received my Novell CNE certification and have been working with Ethernet and Token Ring configurations for the last two years. Is this the type of experience your company would usually look for in the area of LAN administration?
This technique is something of a gamble. If your question is merely a ruse to get by Fräulein Frieda, you may end up with your foot in your mouth. But if used intelligently, it can launch you through to the hiring manager.
The Instant Best Friends Technique. If you are someone who has a gift for making friends with the friendless or have been known to strike up conversations with total strangers, feel free to reach out and make an instant friend. Even Fräulein Frieda is open to gabbing now and then. An especially effective tactic is to ask for her advice on how to reach the hiring manager. If you are sincere in your approach, you may gain an ally in the very person who was previously considered your greatest roadblock.
The Better than Leaving a Message Technique. Instead of leaving a message with a hiring manager (who may have no idea who you are), it may be better to reply:
I may be difficult to reach today. Could you give me a time when it would be best to reach --?
Then let the person know you will call back and ask if they would please let the hiring manager know you will be calling at that time. You are much more likely to get through.
The Best Time to Call Technique. This is closely related to the previous technique. If the Guardian of the Gate tells you that your target contact is in a meeting, out of the office, or otherwise unavailable, reply:
When do you think -- would be available to take a call?
If they say the target contact is busy, ask for an approximate time. Tell them your name (only) and let them know you will call at that time. Then make sure you do.
The Voicemail Messaging Technique. With the proliferation of phonemail/voicemail (automated messaging systems) in most U.S. corporations, the odds are great that you will find yourself leaving messages with this type of voice retrieval system. The good news is that almost all line managers review their messages personally (versus having a secretary review them), so you have an excellent opportunity to plant the seed for a future connection. Here is the best message:
Hi, (target's first name), this is (your first name/last name). I can be reached at (your phone number) between -- and -- today. I look forward to talking with you then.
The only modification of this is when you are calling based on a direct referral. Your message would then be:
Hi, (target's first name), this is (your first name/last name). (Referral name) asked me to call you. I can be reached at (your phone number) between -- and -- today. I look forward to talking with you then.
Then hang up. Short and sweet. This is not the time to give your full life story from the birth canal to present. You merely need to set the hook for a callback, nothing more, nothing less. If you make the mistake of making your "pitch" on phonemail, you will lose your chance to respond to their specific needs. With minimal information given, the manager will feel obligated to return the call. Who knows? You may be a customer or supplier phoning them. Chances are good that they will at least attempt to return the phone call.
When you leave your name and phone number on voicemail, speak slowly, as if you were expecting the person on the other end to be taking down the information. Spell your first and last name. Repeat the phone number. Not as if you are talking to a second grader, but as a matter of courtesy to make sure the recipient is able to write down the key information from the message. This raises the perceived level of importance attached to returning your call.
Another quick and easy response to the Guardian of the Gate who wants to take a message is to ask whether the manager has voicemail. If so, asked to be put through to it. You dictate what goes into your message rather than the scribe at the other end of the line. Voicemail is always better than a scribbled note and has greater professional obligation for action.
If you get no response to your initial voicemail message after at least three days, call again and leave a more detailed message. Give a quick synopsis of who you are and what you can provide to a potential employer. Ask for a return phone call to further discuss the employer's needs. And keep trying until you do get through.
Three Strikes and You're Out
And please, please, please remember that you definitely need an answering machine to field calls when you are not in. Most managers will give up after three failed attempts. Even if they do get through to you on the second or third try, days or even weeks may have passed since the first attempt. Almost all managers have grown accustomed to "phone tag" and will gladly pass the baton back to you, possibly even giving you their direct line and the best time to reach them.
DDJ