Contacting Employers by Telephone

IS THE TELEPHONE A SUITABLE WAY TO LOOK FOR WORK?

You may feel it is more correct to send a letter or to turn up in person and ask for a meeting. Yet the telephone is a valuable tool for jobseekers making a speculative approach, because it combines effectiveness with speed. Employers know this: the telephone is increasingly part of how they recruit.

Knowing how to approach an employer by telephone allows you to:

• Reach jobs where the recruitment process begins with a phone call
• Use a more direct channel than a letter, and secure an interview
• Get an answer immediately, and sometimes valuable information about the company's staffing needs

WHAT DOES THE TELEPHONE MEAN TO AN EMPLOYER?

An everyday tool with undeniable advantages

• Easy to use
• Fast
• Inexpensive (it avoids travel)
• It allows a real exchange: two people talking in real time can negotiate and decide
• Flexible: during a call nothing stops you taking notes, consulting a document or a form, or checking your screen
• Personal: the telephone allows genuine communication, because even tone of voice and a smile come across immediately

All of these reasons explain why companies use the telephone when recruiting

HOW THE TELEPHONE IS USED IN RECRUITMENT

Employers use the telephone at various stages of recruitment, in particular to:

1. Arrange meetings with the candidates they have shortlisted
2. Ask for further information from a candidate whose letter or CV looked interesting
3. Receive speculative applications
4. Make an initial, in-principle decision to hire

How are calls handled?

Calls are sometimes screened by administrative staff, because the employer has decided in advance which calls to take. The person answering may then choose to put through calls from candidates who could be of interest to the company.
Some employers answer every call without knowing who is calling. They consider it saves time, particularly when a role needs filling urgently.

HOW TO APPROACH AN EMPLOYER BY TELEPHONE

Make the most of the first twenty seconds

• Speak in a friendly, warm and energetic tone.
• Greet the person, give your name and a few brief details about yourself
  "Good morning, my name is (…), I am calling on behalf of…"
  "I understand you are looking for…"
  "We met at (a conference, an event…)"
  "Until recently I worked for Mr X, your supplier of…"
• Make sure you are speaking to the right person
  "Is that Mr X?"
  "Are you the HR manager?"
  "Are you the director of…?"
  "Do you handle recruitment?"
• Explain briefly why you are calling:
  "I would like to meet you to discuss your plans for the company's development and how I could help"
  "I would like to tell you about my experience, which I believe would interest your company"
  "You are looking for someone to… and I believe I am right for the role."

Capture the other person's interest

• Use words such as "you" and "your"
• Show that you know something about the person and their company
  "At the recent exhibition… your stand made a particular impression on me because…"
  "The advertisements you publish regularly… suggest that…"
  "In the advertisement you published… you explain that…"
• Show that you understand the company's situation, needs and problems
  "The volume of orders for X must mean…"
  "The success of product X surely requires…"
• Get the other person answering straight away. Ask questions and do not monopolise the conversation
  "Do you have exactly the staff you need?"
  "Have you already found an assistant for…?"
  "For the business to keep growing, wouldn't you need to invest in…?"
• Pay close attention to the tone of the answers you are given
• If you sense you are intruding, offer an alternative without being pushy
  "I don't want to take up your time — could we perhaps continue this conversation in person?"
  "Your time is valuable… When could I call you back? Later this week, or would next week be better?"

Put a few strong points across with energy

• Do not go into detail. Make the other person want to know more
• Give examples and situations that produced interesting results

Close the conversation by taking the initiative

• Say that you would very much welcome a meeting.
• Suggest ways a meeting could happen.
  "I will be in… in about a fortnight. Could I call you then?"
  "While we wait for a possible meeting, I am sending you my CV. I will contact you in a few days — perhaps towards the end of next week, if that suits you?"
• Thank them for their time and attention.

Before making the first call, check that:

• If necessary, I have rehearsed beforehand (recording myself, or with friends)
• I am somewhere quiet where I will not be interrupted
• It is the right time to call (or the time I was asked to call)
• I have what I need to take notes (notepad, pen) and my diary, and I know the name and role of the person I am calling
• I remember the name of the person who referred me
• I have prepared the points and phrases I may need to use
• I know specific facts about the company I am calling
• I am ready to ask for a meeting, because that is my objective
• I am ready to leave a message if it goes to voicemail

If even one of the statements above does not match what you know or what you are ready to do, it is better to postpone the call so that you have a better chance of success.

MISTAKES TO AVOID

• Being ready to hang up at the slightest obstacle or resistance
• Being rude or hostile to receptionists and administrative staff
• Talking at length without giving the other person a chance to speak
• Talking only about yourself
• Hesitating, apologising, and generally giving the impression you do not know what you want
• Using overly diffident phrases
  "I hope I'm not disturbing you!…"
  "Would you be so kind as to see me for an appointment?"
• Spending time explaining why you are calling without being sure you are speaking to the right person
• Speaking very fast, as though the call were a chore
• Hanging up without having arranged a next step

USEFUL RULES

• Call calmly, from a comfortable place, with paper and pen in front of you for notes
• Note down in advance some of the phrases you may use and your main points
• Treat it as a dialogue: speak, but get the other person speaking too. Listen carefully
• Explain to administrative staff who you are and why you are calling, briefly and politely
• Use the first moments of the conversation to build rapport. Talk to the person about their company, and prompt them to respond with specific questions or alternatives: "Would you prefer… or…?"
• State clearly what you are asking for (a meeting) and suggest how long it might be before you next make contact.