A FOOT in the DOOR

How to be in the right place at the right time

By Deirdre O'Shea

Here’s a truism that holds in any job market:

Those looking for work need to set themselves apart. Nothing does this as well as a face-to-face meeting. If they hope to be hired, jobseekers must land an interview.    

“Many people have a hard time getting out of the starting gate in their search.” That’s the view of John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a top outplacement consulting organization

Use email. Obtain the email address of the person managing the area in which you would like to work (check the company website). Send a succinct but persuasive email telling why he or she should meet with you. This is not the time for a resume. Concentrate on your qualifications and how you can help the company.
Use a cell phone. Being in the right place at the right time is easier than ever thanks to mobile communications. Call from outside the office building of the executive and explain that you are on site and would like just a few minutes of his or her time.
Wait it out. Over and over, Challenger relates stories he has heard from proactive candidates who won a job with patience and persistence. As an office opens, arrive and ask to see the action person. Tell the receptionist that you are happy to wait. It may take all day, but it’s worth it for a meeting that can lead to a job.
Join the dawn patrol. Today’s executives come to work early and leave late. Time phone calls for hours before and after the switchboard (or secretary) handles the phones. You’ll have a better chance of reaching the executive and making your pitch. Suggest meeting early or late, as well.

Wield the pen. The secretary’s job is to keep people like you away from the executive. After encountering such resistance, write a letter to the boss that praises the secretary for “the outstanding job he or she was doing screening calls so the executive could concentrate on work.” Then request an interview. This way, the secretary (who will read the letter) is more likely to come to your aid the next time you call. 

“You’d like to get in the back door,” Challenger explains. “And the back door comes from someone who knows the decision maker.”    

The message is that these action people aren’t locked away in stone towers. They’re just like everyone else – and they are going to have moments when they are more approachable. Job hunters need to work on increasing their chances of being available when the time is right. 

Globe Institute of Technology’s Career Services wants to offer you the opportunity to establish your career goals and plan accordingly in order to achieve them. A career in your field of study is not hard to obtain if you are willing to work for it. It is important to think ahead and make a list of all the steps you need to take to achieve your goals. A common strategy used by many people in order to organize themselves is writing a five-year plan. Why not use that same ideology and create a Career Five– Year Plan? Outline any jobs you see yourself doing and elaborate on how you can obtain those jobs. This may mean taking an entry level position with a company or working in a related field to gain experience while you search for a company that fits your criteria. Once you have set the plan, take action. Don’t let your dream career slip away. Use this pamphlet as a guide. If you have any questions you can stop by the Student Services office located in room 2F to work on your resume, learn about new job opportunities as well as work on your interviewing skills.

Make sure you take the right steps toward your future

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Resources on the Internet

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