Nonprofit HR’s Blog

All job seekers know that in today’s economy an open position can attract dozens if not hundreds of job seekers. When you finally get a leg-up on your competition and obtain a phone number for a hiring manager or HR professional with a possible job opening, don’t lose the opportunity with a poor phone call. Do it right and it may just help you get your foot in the door.

Peter Post has five tips for job seekers that can help you get past the phone call and to an in-person interview.

1. When to call. Just what is the best time of day to call? Certainly you don’t want to interrupt someone when they are in the middle of their workday. Likewise hitting them up first thing in the morning may catch them before they are ready to consider your request. No, the best time to call is between 11:30 and noon. Meetings have drawn to a close, and lunch hasn’t yet started, but your contact is starting to get mentally prepared for a break. An alternative time to call is after 4:00 PM as the day winds down.
2. Have the right attitude. People notice your tone and they will form a mental picture of you from the quality of your voice. To project a good attitude, employ this trick: Smile before you start talking and then keep a friendly upbeat tone while you are speaking. Even if the person you wish to speak to has been difficult to reach and scarcely acknowledged you when you got through, make sure you stay positive and engaged. Remember to be cognizant of the person’s time, so be direct, brief, and courteous.
3. Think of voice mail as your friend. Getting by a gatekeeper can be difficult. If that seems to be the case, consider calling your contact early in the morning, before work hours, so you can go directly to voice mail and leave a message.
4. The call-screener. If you do encounter the gatekeeper, be careful about being overly friendly in an attempt to sweet-talk your way past him or her. Likewise, being too aggressive can boomerang on your attempts to get through. Let them know you are aware the person you want to talk to is busy and then ask when would be a convenient time for you to call back.
5. The person in charge of hiring. Now that you’ve gotten through to your contact, be efficient: introduce yourself, say who suggested you call, offer a brief description of your relevant experience and your current job (if applicable) and explain you are interested in learning about openings. Offer to send a resume and cover letter. And finally be sure to say “Thank you”.