Thread: Cold calling to get a job

Anybody out there ever successfully find a company they wanted to work for, that wasn't advertising for an opening, and yet make a cold call and get a job regardless?

One time I did get as far as receiving an interview in this manner, but didn't land a position. I'm currently interested in a possible company and am working on my pitch...

Any stories, tactics, experience out there?

Originally Posted by Seraphim

Anybody out there ever successfully find a company they wanted to work for, that wasn't advertising for an opening, and yet make a cold call and get a job regardless?

One time I did get as far as receiving an interview in this manner, but didn't land a position. I'm currently interested in a possible company and am working on my pitch...

Any stories, tactics, experience out there?

Although cold calling can work, it should be a last resort.

If you're interested in this company, network all around it. Find somebody who knows somebody. It's not always possible, but it's not often impossible. Ask for informational interviews. Even if your contacts can't introduce you to the person doing the hiring, they may be able to give you inside information that can be invaluable if you get an interview.

Heck, ask the forum if they know anybody. You never know. Are we not part of your network?

If you can't find a contact and absolutely must make a cold call, at least research the company. Look at the website and read the annual report. Find out who the decision makers are. That way, if you get an interview, you'll at least know if you're talking to a decision-maker or a drone.

j

Does this company have an SEM, and can you land time one it? If not, then keep your current job. We need it to settle the "Fin: Fact or Fiction" debate

Originally Posted by Ben325e

Does this company have an SEM, and can you land time one it? If not, then keep your current job. We need it to settle the "Fin: Fact or Fiction" debate

Maybe I'll just do contract research work for SRP?

SEM???
Scanning Electron Microscope?

Cold calling? To whom? the HR department. That's next to useless unless they will transfer you to a hiring manager. Start searching for a contact within the company. The hiring manager or their manager. If you can get a name you can get a number and call them. Next would be someone within that can directly forward your information. So... cold calling, yes. Cold calling to the front desk is useless.

Barring a good networking stratagy:

Research, research research. Find out who the top guy is at the location at which you would like to work.

Write him a personal letter detailing why (specifically and based on your research) you want to work for the company. Include all the information you can (in relevant context) to show your depth of research ("...I understand that you are a graduate of _________, I genuinely appreciate working with good leadership and the program at _________ has consistently produced great leaders.)

The best thing to do with the phone is call the front desk and find out the name you need to send the letter to and anything else that you can from the receptionist. I have asked and been honest about what I am doing and they have always been more than helpful.

Best case scenario, he reads your letter and is impressed. Worst case: it ends up in the trash. My experience has been that 8 times out of ten, the letter gets skimmed, the resume gets noticed and the whole thing gets a sticky note and handed to the HR person. The difference in this case is it came from the HR person's boss and not the US mail.

Good luck.

-Rob

Thanks sicboater. That about sums up my strategy. Actually I have often referenced the book "Interview for Success" that has all sorts of ways of going about doing things, and it has been a great help over the years.

I found out the name of the CTO (Chief Technical Officer), who is also the VP of the corporation. Since I work in a technical field (lasers) I feel that he is probably the best qualified to evaluate possible fit for me in their operation.

I'll send him a letter and resume and see what happens.

I think having the resume end up on HR coming from his hand with a comment such as "let's take a look at this joker" is a whole lot better than coming from the US mail unnanounced.

It all depends on who you know. And don't be afraid to ask people. I'd assume if you work on lasers that it is relatively niche type market. Those are hard to get your foot in the door. But who knows maybe the guy you buy your donuts from knows the guy who owns the place... I work in the oil business, and it is a good ol boy system. And who you know is as important as what you know.

My wife paints, and she works in a framing shop (picture frames) so she has this regular customer, who does beautiful texas landscapes in a monet type style. He just does this as a hobby, to let off steam since he is some high end corporate lawyer. So next time he comes in, she is going to offer him a trade, and trade paintings, and get him to stick her card in the corner. To hopefully drum up exposure.

You have to look for off the wall type opportunities.

Originally Posted by sicboater

("...I understand that you are a graduate of _________, I genuinely appreciate working with good leadership and the program at _________ has consistently produced great leaders.)
-Rob

Does that type of kissing ass really work?

Over here it doesn't. Trying to work a pitch like that is viewed by most technical decision makers are being insecure, and having no confidence in your own technical abilities. Opening your letter like that is a gamble that is a significant chance of making you look unworthy.

Some schools are more prestigious than others, but anyone can enroll in any school. So in the end, noone really cares about school, and especially not for such ethereal qualities as 'leadership'.