Yesterday I discussed the idea of making a direct approach, or expression of interest, in working for a particular company or employer, even though they are not advertising any job vacancies, plus some of the advantages this method of finding work can have for career changers.

While targeted job searches are not usually considered “conventional” methods of finding work, compared to applying for jobs that are publicly advertised, they are nevertheless effective and certainly produce results.

While job seekers may feel such an initiative constitutes making unsolicited contact, or even being a “nuisance”, in many instances employers are happy to hear from prospective employees.

And those who aren’t will usually come back with reasonably moderate lines to the effect of “thanks but no thanks; we’re not hiring right now”, or, “thanks for your interest; but you’re not quite what we’re looking for”.

And that is all fine. After all, nothing ventured, nothing gained, as they say.

While the process of “cold calling” seems a little daunting at first, try and consider it your job to find a job, and as such regard difficult things, like making follow up phone calls, as simply part of the “job”.

Seek and study
The first step is to think about what sort of places you would like to work for, that could benefit from what you have to offer. Search around and make a list of organisations that are in, or near, your locality, or wherever you are prepared to work.

Gather the names, and email addresses if possible, of the people you will be addressing your enquiry to. In larger workplaces this will probably be the HR or recruitment manager, while in smaller organisations your point of contact could be the owner, or a director.

Swot up on the company through its website, and find out as much as you can.

Use search engines, read public financial reports where available, press releases, and anything else you can get hold of. This is something that is far easier to do today than it was ten or so years ago thanks to online avenues of research!

At this stage also find out exactly who to direct employment enquiries to. In smaller enterprises it could be the CEO, or the head of the division you wish to work in.

Double check
Once you have drawn up a list of contact names, confirm your information is correct. A quick phone call to a company’s reception, or main switchboard, should be all it takes. People resign, retire, or move on, and information is not always immediately updated on company websites, or other public sources of information.

All your effort could come undone, and make you look tardy, if the information you use is clearly out of date, or a name is misspelt.

Also be mindful of who you are talking to, particularly in smaller companies where anyone from the CEO, or owner, downwards may answer the phone when you call.

Prepare your pitch
Think about how you will word your enquiry. Be straightforward and to the point. Be upfront with the facts, and don’t overstate your knowledge or experience.

Take aim and deliver
Be personal in approach, use actual names rather than generic salutations and titles, such as “sir” or “madam”, or “to whom it may concern”. Also don’t make your enquiry look like it has been sent to 50 other people at the same time!

Remember attention to the smallest details can make all the difference.

Follow up
Phone the person you addressed your expression of interest to a week after you sent it, to ensure they received it. Allow a few extra days if you posted it.

This can be the hardest part of the exercise but making the effort will generate a positive impression. If a number of people have done the same as you, and you are the only one who makes a follow up call, it is you who will stand apart from the others!

I’ll speak to you soon
Keep in touch, even if your enquiry doesn’t result in any immediate action. If the company has no current vacancies, ask if you can follow up again after a certain number of weeks or months. Be bold without being overbearing.

Send emails, or better still, make periodic phone calls passing on information of any developments on your side, such as updates to your experience and qualifications, or to ask if any new opportunities have arisen within the company.

Try to consider this ongoing relationship as another part of your networking activities.

Finally…
As I said earlier, searching, or asking, for work in this manner may seem daunting at first, but the more you do it, the more your confidence will grow, and the easier it will all become.

And some final motivation; remember that your efforts are ultimately all about finding the sort of work of you really want.

When looking for work, or a new job, probably the first thing most people do is reach for the classified advertising section of the newspaper, or log on to a job search website.

What may surprise many people though is that there are other, possibly better, ways of finding work.

Just about every recruiter I have spoken to says only about a quarter, to possibly a third, of jobs are ever advertised publicly.

And while these figures vary, no matter how you look at them, there is no doubting that the vast majority of jobs never reach newspaper classifieds, or your favourite job search website.

So just how are all of these apparently “invisible” jobs filled then?

Many roles are only ever advertised internally, within a company. Some are advertised in publications exclusive to certain professions, such as medical journals for example. Others are filled through networks, word of mouth, and people “knocking on the door” of a workplace enquiring about job opportunities.

The last method, where people knock on the door as it were, or make a direct expression of interest in working for a particular company, was, I discovered, especially widespread in the Web/IT industry several years ago.

In fact companies were receiving so many expressions of interest from people keen to work for them, that some spent very little money advertising job vacancies as a result!

This method of hiring also applies to other industries though, and you may have noticed a number of companies on the “work for us”, or “employment opportunities” pages of their websites often state they are interested in hearing from people who would like to work for them.

While they may not necessarily have a suitable role vacant at the time someone makes an enquiry, if an employer is sufficiently interested in someone they will stay in contact with them until a role emerges.

It is also not unknown for companies to create roles for people who they have been especially impressed with, lest someone else hires them!

And this way of finding work can be particularly useful for career changers, or those with limited experience in the field in which they would like to work.

Making an expression of interest in working for a company is not the same as directly applying for an advertised role. Here there is a far greater expectation that applicants will have the required qualifications and experience, and those whose applications are not up to spec will most likely be discounted.

Applying for a role that you are not completely suitable for, in the hope of “getting a foot in the door”, is a ploy that could backfire though. And spell the end of any future prospects of finding work with that particular organisation.

Making a direct approach, or indicating a desire to work for a particular company however, allows you to introduce yourself a little more subtly to an employer. This gives you the opportunity to set out your circumstances, outline the reasons for your career change, and explain how you think you can be of value to the company.

By additionally building up some rapport and a relationship with the recruiting office of the company, you can continue to “market” yourself, and remain utmost in the minds of those you have been in contact with.

So don’t wait for possibilities to appear in the classifieds, rather get proactive, and start searching for work opportunities.

Tomorrow, in the second part of this article, I will outline some strategies for making an expression of interest, and also for developing relationships, with companies you would like to work for.