Make sure that your CV and covering letter are of the highest possible standard. There Is often room for improvement. The Careers Center has plenty of information on CV design.
	Target your CV carefully. It's better to send out ten carefully targeted CVs than to send out a hundred at random. Try to find out the name of the relevant manager from brochures or by telephoning the company switchboard. Research will show If companies have the type of work you're looking for.
	Individualize your covering letter. Don't send exactly the same one to different companies.
	Some people use a shortened, single-sided CV for speculative applications. This could be worth considering.
	If you haven't heard anything after a week or so, follow up your letter with a telephone call.

in writing

the most traditional approach, and the best method If you get tongue-tied or nervous over the 'phone or face-to-face. Most job seekers send a CV and a tailored covering letter. Employers prefer to have written material before they consider your enquiry valid. If you plan to use the bulk-mail approach and send hundreds of letters, remember that mailing alone won't be sufficient. If you haven't heard anything after about ten days follow up your letter with a 'phone call.

by telephone

This is certainly the most time-efficient method. Getting past the secretaries can be difficult and many employers will tell you just to send a CV. If you attempt this method, think through your 'phone call carefully and thoroughly in advance. The person you call may well be very busy. Your call must be effective and positive. A 'phone call Is always an interruption. Give your listener a few moments to adjust from what they were doing or thinking about to what you are saying. Your first two or three words may be missed, so say something like 'Good morning. This Is.......' It is good manners, and a sensible way to get the wholehearted attention of your listener, to ask, 'Have I called at a convenient moment or would you rather I called back?'.

doorstepping

This method requires some courage. Dress smartly. Aim for the personnel department or the main reception desk. In the personnel office you may leave a CV and ask for an interview. Save time by mapping a route round several employers using a street plan.

The video 'Can I have a few minutes of your time?' is well worth watching. It is available at the Careers Centre if you can get here.

If you are making speculative applications for jobs, or want to try networking then there are three main methods of approaching employers: in writing; by telephone; and by walking in to an organisation and asking to be seen. We call this latter approach 'doorstepping'. You must choose the method you feel most comfortable with. Some people write very good letters, whereas outgoing individuals with a chatty nature might prefer doorstepping. Why not try telephoning and doorstepping local employers and writing to those further away? Some pros and cons of each method are:

in writing

the most traditional approach, and the best method If you get tongue-tied or nervous over the 'phone or face-to-face. Most job seekers send a CV and a tailored covering letter. Employers prefer to have written material before they consider your enquiry valid. If you plan to use the bulk-mail approach and send hundreds of letters, remember that mailing alone won't be sufficient. If you haven't heard anything after about ten days follow up your letter with a 'phone call.

by telephone

This is certainly the most time-efficient method. Getting past the secretaries can be difficult and many employers will tell you just to send a CV. If you attempt this method, think through your 'phone call carefully and thoroughly in advance. The person you call may well be very busy. Your call must be effective and positive. A 'phone call Is always an interruption. Give your listener a few moments to adjust from what they were doing or thinking about to what you are saying. Your first two or three words may be missed, so say something like 'Good morning. This Is.......' It is good manners, and a sensible way to get the wholehearted attention of your listener, to ask, 'Have I called at a convenient moment or would you rather I called back?'.

doorstepping

This method requires some courage. Dress smartly. Aim for the personnel department or the main reception desk. In the personnel office you may leave a CV and ask for an interview. Save time by mapping a route round several employers using a street plan.

Information Interviewing

Information Interviewing Is talking to people about the work they do. This can be an great help In making career decisions and can be a source of vacancies. It will enable you to:

	gather information about various careers by speaking to practitioners.
	learn what types of job opportunities/career paths exist in a given occupation or organisation.
	begin to develop contacts with key people who either do the hiring or who know those who do.
	enhance your confidence and improve your interview skills by speaking to a variety of professionals in a non-threatening, open-ended situation.
	visit people in a variety of settings to get an idea of different work environments.

Remember, you are not asking the person for a job, You are gathering information on which to base some decisions. Make sure your contacts understand this.

 

 

Here are books which may be of interest and use from Amazon.com.

Click on the cover image to go to more detail about each book.