Cold Calling is Still a Great Way of Finding Jobs

There are many ways of finding jobs, but how many of them target the “hidden” job market? Some estimates say that up to 80% of jobs never get advertised, because the positions are filled either in-house or because someone in the company “knows someone who’d be perfect”. The existence of the hidden job market is one important reason why cold calling potential employers is still a very effective method of finding jobs. There are four important steps in the process of cold calling.

Step One

Start by creating a list of companies that you’d like to work for. If your list turns out to be fairly long, don’t worry—the more companies you contact, the better your prospects.

Step Two

For each company on your list, find out the name of the hiring manager of the position you are interested in. This is particularly important with cold calling, as an unsolicited letter that is not personally addressed to a hiring manager is likely to be thrown away unread. In most cases you’ll be able to get this information by calling the company and asking the receptionist for the name.

Step Three

The third step is writing a cover letter for each hiring manager. You might end up sending a large number of cover letters, but even so it’s important to make sure each letter is specifically tailored to the company—do some research about each company so that you can add specific information in your letter. If you’re targeting similar positions in each company, you’ll be able to write one letter template then add specific company information, and the name of the hiring manager, to personalize each letter you send. Each letter should include a sentence or two stating that you will follow up the letter with a phone call to the hiring manager. Don’t forget to include a copy of your resume with each letter.

Step Four

The next step is following up on your letters. Your goal here is to get as many interviews as possible. Call each hiring manager and ask for a job interview—be persistent, but not pushy. If you cannot persuade them to give you a job interview, ask for an informational interview instead. Even if the company has no open positions, an informational interview gives you the chance to create a new contact, learn more about the field, and perhaps ask if they know other companies that are hiring.

Also, please review our Tools to Find a Job section.