‘I told you not to call me here’: Reaching out over the phone to potential employers still possible

Sure, the tagline at the end of the job listing says “No phone calls, please” but really, do recruiters and HR managers really mean it?

It depends, says Janet Ellen, a recruiter in Boston. “For some companies, it’s dogma. They don’t take phone calls at all, but with certain companies, it’s just a potential warning, not a deal breaker,” Ellen says.

Making a phone call to a person in human resources who actually has little say in the hiring process is to be avoided, however. Job seekers must be creative in tracking down specific contacts within the company who will be doing the interviewing and making the hiring decisions.

Ring ’em up

In addition to making sure the hiring manager received your resume, it’s important to be prepared to dive into an impromptu interview. If you get the right person on the phone, they will be more receptive to specific and relevant information they want to know about you, so within five minutes of quick discovery, you may find a common ground, and next thing you know you are in a full-blown interview, either online or in person.

The best way to ensure this happens is to use your network to make a direct contact within the company. If a contact on LinkedIn happens to work at the company you like, use that network to establish a connection to the hiring manager.

Once the proper person has been identified, it’s time to prepare a stump speech. Have your pitch written down, with the opening lines typed out, word for word, and the rest in bullet points. Begin with a statement that is memorable and a short sentence that the person on the other end is not likely to forget or get mixed up with someone else — something interesting, useful or amusing to discuss.

Vocal authority

Being prepared to talk about the industry and your place in it is important but so is making sure your voice exudes confidence. Clear your throat and get your voice warmed up. Look around your office at your achievements and give yourself a compliment. And stand up, as it will enable your voice to carry more energy and authority.

Finally, choosing the right time to call is important. Some experts recommend calling early or late to catch the hiring manager before they’ve gotten too busy or while they’re winding down for the day. Others see calling early as an intrusion into the hiring manager’s personal time.

Consider that hiring managers may have a flood of work that came in over the weekend that they have to do on Monday and that they’re using Friday to frantically finish any last-minute deadlines for the week. Calling midweek at a time that is traditionally not as busy in your industry will ensure the greatest chance of being heard.