Research and Contact Employers
Use Research occupations, industries, and companies (pdf) to target your job search.
Contacting Employers
Once you know a bit about your target employers, you can call them. Know what you are going to say before you call. Use the Employer Contact Script (pdf) to help plan your conversation. If you feel like you have a good connection, offer to send a cover letter and résumé.
| Tips for Calling Employers |
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| Write down what you want to say. This is important if you are not used to calling employers. Don't read your script; your conversation should be natural. |
| Smile while you are talking on the phone. It makes your voice sound cheerful and relaxed. |
| Your outgoing voicemail message should not have music, jokes, political or religious messages on it. Just say your name and ask the caller to leave a message in a positive voice. |
| Tell anyone else you live with that employers will be calling. Ask them to take clear messages and give them to you right away. |
| Call back all employers who call you, even if you no longer want the job. |
| Return all phone calls within 24 hours. |
| How to E-Mail Employers |
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| Use a simple e-mail address with your name or initials for your job search. Don't use inappropriate nicknames or jokes like "cutiepie@email.com." |
| Start the e-mail with something of interest to the reader. Let them know right away why you are writing and how you can help their business. |
| Write the e-mail the same way you would a letter. Don't use online acronyms such as OMG, LOL, etc. |
| Have a subject line that is clear and interesting. |
| At the end of your message, tell the employer you plan to follow-up. Give them another way to contact you such as your phone number. If you sent the e-mail without them knowing, ask if they want you to keep in touch with them in another way. |
| Check for the correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation. |
| If the employer does not contact you and you really want an interview, call them. |
