So much is being said around campus about getting face time with recruiters and employers. Well that seems easy enough when they are coming to campus to meet with students. But there is another discussion about talking to company staff outside of these settings. Have you ever wondered how to make contact with an Employer? Well, here’s how!
There is no doubt that part of the networking challenge is getting face time with people, making an impact and being remembered when the application process eventually takes place. Many students will hear about this but few will do it well, or successfully and for some, not at all.
Here are some strategies to get you going…
1. Target the Best Person/People.
When you have identified your “target companies” and the kind of position you are hoping to begin with, you can then prepare the correct information to begin reaching out to them. Often people believe that the Human Resources Representative (HR Rep) is the best person, when this is not always the case. Of course, you will eventually need to connect with them during an application process, but the most meaningful contacts are made with managers or what I like to call “decision makers!” Richard Bolles in his book, “What Colour Is Your Parachute”, calls them, “The people that have the power to hire you.” These are the people that walk into a HR Rep’s office and say, “Please find me a “X.” It is also very worthwhile to make more than one contact at any company of interest as you never know which people may sit at the decision making table when hiring choices are being made. It is pretty powerful when more than one person involved in the selection process knows you and has had a meeting with you prior to the interview and before the final selections are made. Be sure too use a balanced approach by targeting more than one position as your target and don’t overlook decision makers!
2. When is the Best Time to Contact People?
Statistics have shown that the greatest results from company contacts have come from meetings prior to when a posting has gone public. Once a position is posted it becomes more difficult as employers and company staff want to be impartial in their selection process. So don’t limit your outreach to only companies that are currently posting. Reach out to companies simply because you have done your research and have targeted them as a preferred employer. The earlier you begin this process the better. If you are planning on contacting more than one person, then more time will be needed to connect, secure appointments and conclude your research. Then you can impact the company and staff in a much greater way when the application process begins.
3. How should I contact people?
There are many ways to reach out to people including email, social media, approach letters, direct contact at events and proactive phone calls. The last of this list has proven to be the most successful in terms of the time it takes and tangible results. Whatever avenue of contact you choose, you will require “a purpose” for your call. Then an appropriate request must be prepared and then practiced so that it rolls off the tongue with professional ease.
4. Determining the Purpose of Your Call.
The typical reasons for people to call a company staff member are varied and have similar but differing approaches. An Information Interview is an approach that has excellent results and is all about meeting for approximately 15 minutes to ask questions about an Industry, a company and a person’s personal experience in the field? Even though they know you are a job seeker, the employer knows that they can meet you face to face, listen to and respond to your questions and decide if you are a person of interest for upcoming positions. It is both good for you and for them, as long as you keep the rules of “research only!” The other attempt it to simply state you are interested in meeting them about current or future employment opportunities. Although some shy away from this form of outreach, it has great success also. Many employers are impacted by a well prepared and eager individual that shows that they are attracted to the company and not just a job posting.
5. Preparing Your Message
This is one of the most important pieces of employer contact success. Your request needs to be brief, to the point and offer the person a chance to truly understand what you are wanting. Scripting (preparing in writing) your 21 second phone request, social media or email request, or your approach letter content (much longer) will ensure that you make an impression as well as target specifically what you want. Focus is important here. Approaching companies with a general approach where job seekers ask for a meeting without purpose and without displaying focus will not impact the company staff member and will not bring the kind of results hoped for.
6. Receptionists and Administrative Assistants.
The main job of a front line person is to service your request and secondly to screen you if you are asking for something that does not fit their view of what you want. Knowing how to respond to help the receptionist refer you to the person you are asking for is another key to success. These are very important people in your process and being prepared to respond to them as they do their job should not be overlooked. They may become one of the greatest champions in your job search and could become a person you later work with and have a working relationship with. Start building the relationship early by getting their name, communicating clearly, saying hello when you call back, asking for their help to reach someone and thanking them for their help. They are often not thanked enough for the important role they play in their company. Your responses will vary depending on their reply to your request. Being ready at this moment is critical to getting through to your targeted person.
7. Be Ready for Success.
By the time you make a call or reach out to people, you should already have an idea when you have dates and times open to meet them. Be sure to give the employer the ‘right-of-way’ in choosing the date, time and place. Having your calendar ready ahead of time will save time on the phone and avoid going back and forth with written communication which takes more time. This is one of the reasons why voice to voice communication on the phone is most effective. One call = appointment done! So, why would being ready for success matter? Sometimes success comes quicker when contact is made that people realize and job seekers are caught off guard. You will not always get a yes, but you should always be ready for one. Note: If you ask to meet for coffee as your strategy, be prepared to pay the bill when the time comes.
The upcoming session in the Winter/Spring workshop series on January 24th at 5:15 pm will give more detail and allow for discussion on this very important topic. Your success during CPA recruiting or when pursuing an employer will largely be determined by your connections! Sign up for the workshop now through COOL.
Good luck!
Russell
Russell Garrett is the Owner of Protocol Business Solutions, a Certified Career Consultant and your DAP Career Coach. Russell will be delivering the Winter/Spring Career Workshop Series from January 9 – March 27 2018, as well as other workshops to prepare DAP students for 2018 Spring/Fall CPA recruiting and overall job search strategies. Russell will also be on campus for in-person coaching during the same period which can be accessed through COOL and he is also available to DAP students for online coaching appointments set up through email.
Contact Russell at dapcareersupport@sauder.ubc.ca.