No one likes to receive a call out of the blue from a stranger. If you do get one, it’s usually to sell something, like insurance, or a magazine subscription, or a collections agency. It’s never just for a friendly, “hello, how are you doing?”

Employers are not big fans of this either. Particularly human resource departments.

So what if you do want to go work at a company, but don’t personally know anyone there for an “in?” Are there ways to get around this and build a relationship with someone in the company?

Absolutely.

There is a right way to go about cold calling a company and seamlessly navigating your way in. Here are some tips on how to do so.

Make them feel important. Don’t talk about yourself. Don’t start out saying, “I’m John, and I’m interested in working for your company because I have fabulous computer programming skills.” Nuh uh. Not going to work. When you do call, ask them questions about the company, or bring up items that may have been in the news about the company. Make them feel like you are truly interested in what THEY do, not what they can do for YOU.

Research and personalize. If you do cold call, you better do your homework. Research the background of the company. Search for the latest projects they have been working on and achievements garnered. Make sure you know exactly what they do. Also, find out a specific name of a contact person. Do not just call and ask for the human resources manager. You are likely to go straight to voicemail.

Be nice to the little guy. Executive assistants and secretaries may seem low on the totem pole, but actually these people usually know EVERYTHING about a company (especially if they are working as an assistant to a CEO or vice president). Get to know these people. They are a treasure trove of information.

Warm up via the Internet. There are tons of ways to get to know someone now, before you even talk to them in person. Connect with them on LinkedIn. Follow and interact with them on Twitter. If they blog, make sure to read it and comment when appropriate. That way when you do give them a call, you will have a wealth of knowledge about what they are about, and they may recognize you from the web.

Call Clark Personnel Service to connect with some great companies—without the cold calling!