Cold Calls

Smart job seekers know that they don't know everything, or everyone. As your networking progresses, contacts will recommend that you call others who may be able to help your search. That's right, cold calls. They're not called "cold" for nothing—the thought of calling a stranger sends chills down the spine of many people, women especially.

Your initial goal in a cold call is to keep the other person on the phone, so the first few moments are crucial. And even more crucial is your attitude about the calling itself. Good salespeople know that every call can't be a winner, so take it in stride when you speak to unhelpful, or even rude, people.

Have clear goals in your mind of what you hope to accomplish from a cold call. Are you seeking advice about where to look next in your search, an informational interview, more contact names? Don't call without a very specific goal in mind. Most people are happy to answer a few questions from a genuine, polite person, but only if the questions are direct and appropriate.

Perfecting Your Phone Personality

Before you dial, do your homework. Know as much as you can before you cold call anyone you plan to ask for an informational interview, networking contact, or general advice and information. Write down all of this information and have the paper in front you when calling. Don't leave anything to chance.

• The name (and pronunciation) of the person you are calling and their title. Don't you hang up the phone when a telemarketer pronounces your name incorrectly?
• The correct name and acronym of the company—you'll have to refer to it in the call, so don't make a mistake.
• A focused description of the job or situation you're seeking
• Any current news in your industry or at the company of the person you're calling.

Be Polished

• Write a script if you're nervous. Tailor it to your personality and to the company you are approaching. Keep it short: less than 30 seconds to introduce yourself and get them hooked on hearing more about you, then just a few minutes to let him or her get to know the real you. Nobody has the time or interest to listen to your life story at this point.
• Practice, practice, practice. Use a friend to play the employer. Repeat your script until you have it perfect. Record it, listen, and improve it.

Anatomy of a Cold Call

• Refer to the person by name and err on the side of formality. Use "Mr." or "Ms." rather than a first name.
• Introduce yourself using your full name and immediately drop the name of the person who referred you. "Hello, my name is Lara Hall, and Tory Johnson recommended that I call you.
• Always say please and thank you, especially at the end of the call thanking the interviewer for his or her time.
• Never keep a potential employer waiting. If you have call waiting on your phone, disable it before calling. Don't run to answer the door or put the phone down while conversing with an interviewer.
• If you've left a phone number on an answering machine or voice mail, be prepared to talk when the call is returned. If that is impossible, be prepared to politely suggest another time for calling.
• Listen. If the person you're calling sounds busy or stressed, ask if this is a good time to talk or whether you can schedule a better time to chat. The simple question, "Am I catching you at a good time?" will win major points.
• Tell them that you are looking for a new position or making a move in your career and you're looking for some advice or information. You don't need to directly say you're a job seeker if you don't want to. This can put people on the defensive, especially if their company is not hiring at the moment.
• Clearly state the career change or new job you're looking for, and then ask a specific question: "Can you offer some advice or contacts based on your experience in the industry?" "Can you tell me a bit about your company and what opportunities might exist in the near future?" "Can you recommend some organizations I might look into to help with my job search?"
• Stop and listen. Let the person take over and offer their advice, ask you questions, or refer you to someone else. Don't do all the talking; it's important to show that you respect and appreciate the expertise of the person you're calling.
• Close the deal. Remember, good networking results in more networking. Ask for a referral to a colleague, client, or acquaintance who might also be able to help you. Ask for an informational interview. Ask if you can remain in touch and would it be convenient for you to reconnect.

Be Positive

• Sit up straight when you speak, and smile. There is a clear difference in tonal quality when you're slouching from when you're upright and projecting. People will judge your telephone personality in three seconds flat. Smile when you talk.
• Let the interviewer know how excited you are about the prospect of working for his or her company or for your career in general.
• Keep the conversation short. State your purpose. Answer questions. Ask for a follow up.
• Speak clearly and concisely. Don't eat, drink, or chew gum while you're on this call. Eating candy is a definitive don't. The phone amplifies background noise. If you have to cough or sneeze, cover the mouthpiece and excuse yourself afterwards.
• No slang or profanity, ever. Sound like somebody they'll want to have representing their company.
• If you have an answering machine, make sure your outgoing message is professional. No cute jokes, music, or canned impressions will do for job seekers.
• Take notes of what you say and what they say for future reference. But do it quietly with a pen and paper, not on your computer.

Bad Cold Calls

Here's an introduction that is guaranteed not to work. This may sound silly, but many people get nervous and become too casual in a cold call. Avoid sounding like this at all costs:
"Hey there. Remember me? I want to apply for the job you advertised in the paper a couple of weeks ago. I couldn't call then, but I sent my résumé a few days ago. Did you see it? I've never worked in advertising, but all my friends say I'm smart and creative. Anyways…"
Why is this so awful? The goal of a cold call is to make it convenient and enjoyable for the person to help you. They should feel as good about the call as you do.

• Never make anyone guess who you are. No games or cutesy casual intros.
• No negatives—telling then you meant to call or couldn't call earlier puts up a red flag—why couldn't you call sooner? What was wrong?
• Don't point to lack of experience or knowledge. Rather than saying you have no direct experience, talk about your passion for your field and what you've done to become involved and informed about it.
• If you are calling to follow up a résumé you sent, don't say "I'm calling to follow up a resume I sent—did you receive it?" This adds work for the person on the phone. Make their life easy. Instead, say that you are calling "to reiterate my interest in the position" or "to ask a few additional questions." This will score points for you without annoying a recruiter with hundreds of résumés on her desk.