Qualifying your Prospects

The Secrets of Cold Calling for a Job

Have you ever read about a local company?s expansion and realized that it was moving into a field in which you?re a recognized expert? Or have you ever received a tip that a company is facing a problem that you are convinced that you can help them solve? How do you approach a company when they are currently not hiring ? or should you contact them?

Cold calling is one of the four basic ways to find a job. Although it is not for the feint of heart, it is surprisingly effective in creating jobs for qualified candidates. Even though the company may not have any immediate hiring plans, a professional who can prove his immediate benefit to the company in entering a new market or solving a particularly troublesome problem can find a job created specifically for him.

Success at cold calling is usually reserved for job candidates who have significant experience and a proven, tangible record of previous successes. Since you may be creating a position where none existed before, your goal is to quantitatively and qualitatively prove the value that you alone can provide for the company.

Although cold calling is usually avoided by job seekers, you can warm up the process by internalizing two fundamental beliefs: (1) a belief in yourself and your abilities and (2) an understanding and acceptance of the fact that your efforts may be rejected. Like cold calling in a sales situation, this job search strategy has a high rejection rate ? only 10% of cold calls result in an actual employment offer. However, unlike cold calling in a sales situation, all you as a job candidate need is one sale that leads to a job.

Despite its limitations, cold calling should be a part of your job search campaign. It continues to build and develop your network, leading you to other companies who may be hiring. By using a network referral, you will need to cold call to schedule important informational interviews; not only will you build your network, but you can also speak directly with practicing professionals to develop an insider?s perspective of your target market.

By overcoming your fears of cold calling, you may not only realize the potential of a job that is custom fit to your skills and experience, but also expand your network and increase your self-confidence. Use these 5 secrets to overcome your fears of cold calling.
Secret #1: Boost your confidence by knowing what you have to offer and what you are seeking.
Cold calling demands self-confidence and knowledge builds self-confidence. Although most beneficial to experienced professionals, cold calling can be effective for lower level workers by ?being in the right place at the right time? (i.e., contacting an employer before a formal hiring announcement is made). By understanding and illustrating specifically how you can benefit the targeted organization, you will automatically build your sense of self-worth and self-confidence automatically.

Secret #2: Research the target company?s history, needs and future goals or plans.
Cold calling to simply ask for a job severely undermines the likelihood of your success. The company is unaware of your potential benefit and dismiss your inquiries as unimportant or desperate. By understanding the historical and future challenges that the company faces, you are better able to identify specific areas of need and describe in detail how you can immediately assist them in their goal achievement.

Secret #3: Speak to the decision maker.
NEVER cold call the Human Resources Department. Depending on the progressiveness of the company, HR usually does not generate hiring decisions for any department other than HR; instead, they screen candidates for openings generated by other departments. Your resume may be filed for future reference or may not be considered unless a formal application is filed. Seek to speak directly with the manager or executive who has hiring authority for your targeted department. (Hint: you should have determined this in Secret #2.) Use your network to develop an introduction to warm the cold call. Then contact that person directly. If they have budgetary control, they can create positions for a worker who is qualified to solve a perplexing problem. If a fit exists, then they will initiate the application process with HR.

Secret #4: Arrange a private, informal meeting with the decision maker.
Your comfort level will determine the method by which you initially contact the decision maker. Whether by telephone, written letter or email, concentrate on focusing on the company?s goals rather than your needs. Since your goal is to arrange a meeting NOT an interview, don?t submit a resume with your request ? a busy executive who skims the contents will more than likely immediately forward it to HR (see Secret #3). Recognize the demands on the executive?s time, but follow-up by phone within 7 to 10 days. Cold calling is an aggressive tactic that demands initiative and perseverance. If further information is request, provided it immediately. Be fanatical about following up.

Secret #5: Have a back-up plan.
Realize that, although you may be an ideal fit with the company, a tight budget may undermine the manager?s ability to offer you a position at this time. Do not discontinue contact. Realize, too, that you may in fact NOT be a good fit with the company. Do not discontinue contact. Your back-up plan is to develop this new contact into a viable part of your network. Your research and planning in Secret #5 revealed ways in which you can be mutually beneficial, so do not discontinue contact. Market and employment conditions change rapidly ? today?s rejection could be tomorrow?s job offer.

A Final Reminder
Cold calling is not for the timid, but can be a highly successful strategic tool for the tenacious and self-confident. Although your initial attempts could necessitate a strong antacid to calm your jittery stomach, cold calling is simply an extension of networking. If you can network, you can cold call. Use these 5 secrets to help you prepare and warm up to cold calling ? you may just be at the right place at the right time.

It’s a brutal and harsh world out there. This requires you to channel your scarce resources into the potential customers, that truly matter. Don’t waste your time, don’t bother to waste the other party’s time. Should salespeople qualify the prospect before going on an appointment?
There are two schools of thoughts:

(1) In theory, qualifying a prospect is a great idea. The last thing you want to do is waste your time seeing people who will never be able to buy from you. However, what goes on in the real world, far too often has nothing to do with theory.As almost any sales manager or sales executive will tell you, in the real world the biggest problem with salespeople is: they don’t see enough people. If that’s the case, what the heck do they need to qualify for?

(2) A regional sales manager told me, he makes less cold calls now, but more sales. He exceeded his sales target by 140%. Now, if his recent sales are anything as a measure, then perhaps, qualifying sure works for him. He spends more time understanding and identifying his customer’s needs. Having such targeted efforts appear to pay off for some, but not for others.
Personally, I believe the first method works well for new- comers. There are way too many instances, where new joiners use qualifying questions to talk themselves out of appointments. It gives them an excuse to not have to sell. It’s almost as if they reject the prospect before the prospect rejects them.

My feeling has always been: If you’re one of those people who doesn’t have enough appointments; JUST GO! You’re better off being in front of a prospect than sitting in your office doing nothing. Besides, let’s say you get there and the prospect says, “I’m not the person you should be seeing.” What’s the next question out of your mouth? “Who is?” Then after getting the right name, you ask, “Would you mind calling that person for me?” If they say “No,” just say, “Then would you mind if I called and used your name?” They’ll probably say, “Yes,” because you just let them off the hook.

However, if you are a self- motivated and more experienced salesperson, perhaps the latter will work better for you. When you are so busy and your appointment book is loaded, then start qualifying. Before you do however, formulate a client profile that spells out very clearly exactly the kind of clients and prospects you’re looking for. This helps not only you, but makes it easy for other people to send hot prospects your way.

But, if you’re not that busy, JUST GO! You never know where your next big client is going to come from.