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Industry News and Information

The dreaded cold calling

matthew nelson Avatarmatthew nelson
June 28, 2006


So if networking and informational interviewing are the best ways to find jobs, how do you identify people to network with? Perhaps you aren’t as outgoing as some people, and the very thought of introducing yourself to random people you meet scares the jeepers out of you. Start with your parents, your friends, your parents’ friends, and your friends’ parents (they’re usually unintimidating, right?). Do they know anyone doing ______? Then turn to your hairdresser, pastor, professor, and even the person next to you in the check-out line (I’ve seen it work!). Depending upon how much effort you are will to put in (and yes, it does take effort), there are opportunities for networking virtually everywhere you go.
If all else fails, start cold-calling people to ask for career advice (which is usually the most intimidating part). Use your school’s alumni office; they often have great contacts. Check out the professional associations on the fields you are trying to break into; they often have directories, or lists of their officers to get names. We’re not calling these people to say, “Hi, I’m Joe, do you have a job opening at your organization?” We’re calling to say, “Hi, I’m Joe, and I’m exploring different career options available. I’m really interested in the ________ field and the work you do at _________. I was wondering if you have 15-20 minutes sometime when I could call back or stop in to ask you a few questions about your job and how people get into the field.” If they say they’re busy, ask if there’s someone else they know of who might have some time. Like I said before, it can take some effort (it can be scary!), but can really pay off, and you can really enjoy meeting people and learning more about them.
Most college students (and to a certain extent, recent graduates) have a wonderful trump card that they can use when contacting others for informational interviews. It’s called, “I’m a student at….” Seriously, it can work wonders on some people. Even better, I used to teach a job searching course where one of the assignments was to conduct an informational interview. Come on, how many people would turn down a student, much less if it’s for a class. It worked great! We even had several students secure internships and jobs through this “assignment.”
Will you get turned down from some people you contact? Absolutely! People are busy, and finding an extra 15-30 minutes to sit down with someone can be tough. But be flexible and persistent, and you just might find someone who is willing to share their wealth of expertise with you and help you in your career.

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