PICK UP THE 800-POUND PHONE
Your dream job — working for your ideal employer — is out there. Once you find it, what can you do to ensure that they find YOU?
Unfortunately, many job seekers skim the surface of their job search by sending their resume out in droves, waiting and hoping for a response. A successful job search strategy is far more in-depth than that. It demands effort. It requires thoughtful follow-up. And it can be fun, too!
Jordan* was “doing everything right” in his job search, or so he thought. He set a lofty goal to apply to at least 30 job notices per week — and reached it. Week after week, he diligently worked to get his resume in front as many hiring managers as possible.
The more resumes he sent, the more frustrated he became at the lack of response he got. When he reached out to us for help with his job search, we told him to pump the brakes.
At first, he was skeptical. Wasn’t it a numbers game, he asked? Couldn’t he increase his chances of at least being invited for an interview by responding to more and more online job listings?
Perhaps. But that strategy wasn’t working.
We recommended that he follow up on one of the resumes he had recently sent with a phone call. It was for a position with a company he had targeted in his search. He knew he was a strong candidate for the role. What he didn’t know was how to make sure his resume got noticed.
Related: Target Your Resume, Target Your Success
After working up his confidence, he followed our advice and picked up the phone.
Expecting to get the hiring manager’s voice mail, Jordan was prepared with a well-rehearsed message. Much to his surprise, the hiring manager answered the call, and proceeded to tell him how timely it was. The company had just completed a complicated reorganization and was now ready to fill the position.
They hit it off, and their conversation flowed easily. It ended with an invitation to interview for the job.
“Thank you so much for picking up the phone,” the hiring manager told him. “People don’t do that anymore, and it’s been such a pleasure speaking with you.”
Jordan’s “brave” act of picking up the phone helped him get noticed. Ultimately, it led to him getting hired.
Powering Through Phone Phobia
The phone has become a communication vehicle of last resort for many people who prefer emailing, texting or direct messaging on social media. These alternatives can be faster and less intimidating, but they’re also less personal.
Hiring managers hire people — especially people they like. A phone call can be a small-but-powerful first step in building that fundamental rapport.
If you’ve set your sights on a specific position, create your best strategy to get noticed. Submitting your resume is a good start, but don’t let it end there. Be proactive. See if any of your connections knows someone at the company and ask them to put in a good word for you. Wait a week or so, then pick up the phone and call the hiring manager or someone in human resources.
People come up with a multitude of reasons for not picking up the phone. Do any of these excuses sound familiar? If so, here’s why you could benefit by pushing through the discomfort:
“I’ve already sent my resume. I don’t want to be a bother.”
At this early stage, you’re not asking for an interview, but you are reiterating interest in the position. You’re also making an important personal connection. Keep the conversation brief and to-the-point. Ask the hiring manager if they’ve received your resume, and if there are any other materials they’d like you to send.
When Maribeth* applied for a public relations job with a large municipality, she followed up with a phone call one week after submitting her resume. Because of that call, the human resources rep pulled her resume, and put it on top of the pile.
The hiring manager was impressed that Maribeth took that “bold” move by picking up the phone, saying it demonstrated initiative. Soon after, Maribeth was hired for the job.
“I don’t know who to call.”
If the job listing includes a contact name, you’re in luck. If not, it’s time to put on your detective cap.
If you’re applying for a position with a small organization, you might be calling a one-person human resource department, who screens resumes while handling payroll and a variety of other tasks. At a larger corporation, you might need to contact an in-house recruiter or specific member of an HR department. You may want to call the main office and ask for the name of the contact person for the position.
Search LinkedIn to see if you know anyone at the company who can steer you in the right direction. They can also help you learn more about the company, it’s management and what it’s like to work there.
Related: Cracking the Code on Company Culture
Again, you’re not asking for the job; in this case, you’re simply asking for a contact name. If you know the person well, ask if they’d be willing to personally hand your resume to the hiring manager or the right member of the human resources team. Since many companies offer referral bonuses, they could also reap a financial benefit if you’re ultimately hired.
Tip: You’ll increase your chances of reaching a hiring manager or anyone at the management level if you call early in the morning, before an administrative assistant gets to the office and starts screening their calls.
“Isn’t it more efficient to send an email?”
Sending an email, especially if you’re copying and pasting the same basic message as a follow-up to every resume you submit, may be more efficient than picking up the phone. But it won’t have the same impact.
If everyone else is sending emails and you’re picking up the phone, guess who’s more likely to be noticed? (Hint: you!)
Emails can get lost in spam filters. Inboxes are often monitored by assistants armed with strict “handle” or “delete” instructions. If your email goes unanswered, how will you know if it ever reached its intended target? And what will separate you from all the other candidates doing the exact same thing?
Stand Out from the Crowd of Candidates
What should you do if you reach someone in the HR department who confirms that they’ve received your resume — along with a thousand others? (This is a pretty typical response.)
Let that be your motivation to do something to help you stand out.
When Laurel* followed up on sending her resume with a phone call to the recruiter listed on the job notice, she learned that a new internal recruiter had been assigned to fill the position. She immediately contacted the new recruiter, who told her that they had received over twice the number of resumes they had expected, and that “they’d be in touch.” It didn’t sound encouraging.
We suggested that Laurel put together an email with three or four bullet points highlighting the value she could bring to the position. Within an hour of hitting the “send” button, she heard back from the recruiter, who wanted to set up a time for her to meet the hiring manager.
Another strategy we recommend is to send a friendly email to the hiring manager, acting “as if” you were already colleagues. Either before or after an interview, look for a timely article about a topic of mutual interest. Send them an email with the link to the article, along with a brief note saying you were thinking of them and thought they’d enjoy it. You’re not asking for anything; you’re just keeping in touch and cultivating a professional connection.
Picking up the phone adds a human element to your communication with a prospective employer. When you’re applying for a job, you’re offering to provide solutions to a company’s challenges. It’s less about you, and more about how you can add value to the team. While that connection may be clear to you, it’s up to you to help them see it, too.
*All client names and identities have been changed to preserve confidentiality.
Note: We heard the phrase “800-pound phone” from Dr. Linda Brennan, Business & Executive Coach with Focal Point Coaching, and fell in love with it.
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