Job Search Using the Phone
The telephone revolution is here to stay! And what's more, you can use this effective communication tool to land you great jobs. Wonder how? All you need to do is master the art of telephone marketing techniques in your job search campaign. These skills are easy to learn.
Scripting: The first step is to capture the attention of these hard-to-reach people with effective communication. So keep the conversation crisp and accurate. For this, you need to have a script ready. What's a script? It's planning what you want to say. Jot down points to state your point. But don't read out. Make it sound perfectly natural with your script in front of you.
Points to remember while scripting:
The most important step in scripting is to know what the purpose of your call is. Are you seeking information? Are you presenting your qualifications? Start by introducing yourself. Make your point and grab the attention of the person at the other end. State your objective and finally close the call after you get what you want.
Basic principles of telephone communication:
Practice, practice and more practice. Remember Rome was not built in a day! Try practicing with a friend. Learn to deal with voice mails. However boring it may seem to be talking to a machine, it is important that you learn to leave polite messages on answering machines and voice mails. Make sure you call from a quiet place and call only when you are ready with your script and job search notes.
Most importantly, learn to listen. Listen carefully. If there are any objections or answers that can end the call, be a little persuasive. Be persistent and have a scheduled time for the caller to call you back or for you to call him/her back. This way you won't have to wait endlessly for a call that may not come.
