Never Apply for a Job Again!: Break the Rules, Cut the Line, Beat the Rest (21 page)

CareerGuy Tip: William isn’t always Bill, Richard isn’t always Dick, and Catherine isn’t always Cathy.

Sure, you may still get a “What’s this call regarding?” from the assistant, to which you can
casually
respond, “Just following up on some research I contacted him about. Is he available to speak?” If you’re relaxed and easy, either the simple initial question, “Is Tom in?” or the short answer may get you straight to Tom or at least his voicemail…and his voicemail is always way better than leaving a message with someone else, because he hears
your
voice and you start to become a real person for him.

3. Make friends along the way.

Get to know the assistant’s name so that you can relate to her more personally now and in the future. If treated with respect and a bit of basic psychology, right-hand assistants can be your biggest helpers in reaching your target.

“I’m wondering if you can help me, [Assistant’s Name]?” will go farther than trying to bulldoze or fib your way past her, which will bite you in the end. Never be rude or dismissive to a target’s assistant (or anyone for that matter)! Never discount the sway she has with the boss when the boss doesn’t know you from Adam!

4. Be truthful.

Again, if you’re asked, “What is this regarding?” never say anything that could later be misinterpreted as untrue. The simple response, “Just following up on some research I contacted him about. Is he available to speak?” is true, and never say more if you don’t need to.

If you’ve truly designed an authentic research project and are authentically seeking information, you’ll always come out okay. If the assistant wants to dig in deeper, then you can go to another level in your answer, but always wait at each
level of questioning before saying too much. Here’s a simple scenario:

Assistant: What research project?

You: I’m doing a study of the new green technologies being applied in the Central Valley. Is he in today?

Assistant: Exactly what is it you need?

You: I sent in a letter last week describing my research. Do you know if he received it?

Assistant: I don’t remember that letter. Tell me more about what you need.

You: You know, how about this—what’s your name?

Assistant: Mary.

You: Okay, Mary, what if I send it again, and I could even address it to you? Would you be able to help me get it in front of him? I’m sure he’s busy, but I am only asking for five to 10 minutes of his time. Should I e-mail or send it by postal mail again?

(Notice that you always offer a bit more information when requested, but then have an immediate follow-up question to get you closer to your goal.)

The conversation could go in many directions, but try to avoid getting into details over the phone because there’s just too much room for misinterpretation. If the target or assistant is not familiar with your letter, don’t try to explain its contents. Just offer to send it again. If she says, “Well, why don’t you explain to me what you need,” just respond
politely that it’s pretty detailed and you don’t mind resending. What you lose in terms of a couple days you will more than gain back in terms of relationship-building.

If you try to explain the reason for the letter or its contents right then, in the moment, the assistant may make a quick assumption—before getting all the info that a
noninteractive
letter can give—that you want a job, and just cut you off or send you to HR. That’s what you
don’t want to happen!
If the assistant or target hasn’t seen the letter, always quickly opt to send it again rather than explain.

5. Focus on a meeting, not immediate conversation.

When you speak directly with the target, or leave a voice-mail, keep your conversation short of detail, and simply ask if she received your letter (never call it an Approach Letter!) and when she would be available to meet you for five to 10 minutes.

If the target asks for more detail, then be as authentic, friendly, and compelling in briefly describing your research project and asking, again, to meet for five to 10 minutes when he or she is least busy. If she wants to help you but tries to give you your research answers over the phone, refer to Point 6: Meet in the Office. Turn that conversation into a face-to-face meeting
whatever it takes!

6. Meet in the Office

You want a face-to-face meeting, and you want it in your target’s office. Your target will rarely suggest meeting outside of the office for coffee or a meal when she doesn’t know you. That’s great…because you don’t want that!

Perhaps you’ve heard the phrases “never eat alone” or “take a millionaire to lunch”? These are great ideas for further developing a relationship once it has been established. But for many reasons, you want your first meeting to be in your target’s place of work. Even if you are connecting with someone you already know but in a new way (as part of your research), you still want to have that first stealth meeting in her office. Here’s why:

You want your target operating in her business mind, not her relaxed and casual mind. When folks get out of the office, it’s easy to put their professional world aside and kick back. Again, this is a good goal to have for the relationship down the road, but initially, you want your target thinking with a professional/business mind within her standard business setting—even if it’s a
home office!

When having coffee or lunch, there are interruptions, wait staff running around, tabletops full of glasses and plates so you can’t sit anything down, and so on. Your target’s place of work, however, is a controlled setting in which your target is most comfortable and at home. True, there is the chance of work distractions, but you’ll still come out better in the long run. Plus, you can better manage that environment in a specific way to produce the desired results of the meeting.

You’ll often be right next door to your targets’ coworkers and, depending on how your contacts
respond to your request for connections, it might be as simple as them walking you next door and introducing you to some of those coworkers.

You’re there to conduct research, not to get a job. However, it is always smart to get a sense of different work settings, organizational environments, and so on. Any time you can get an opportunity to explore different office and work settings, you expand your knowledge of the various options that exist in the world. It’s good for research!

Most importantly, meeting with your target in her place of work means she also has quick access to the contacts-management system…what we used to call a Rolodex. Following The 5 Stages of a Stealth Interview, you’ll want your target to have ready access to those contacts. When you’re out to lunch, your target doesn’t always have those contacts on hand. Her PDA may have some, but having your target in close proximity to her e-mail database, files, and other business records is a smart move.

This point can’t be emphasized enough:
Never, ever allow yourself to get sucked into conducting your stealth interview over the phone!
If you do, you will lose all the benefits, personal nuances, and even chemical reactions that occur when two people meet face to face.

If a targeted contact says, “I’m really busy. Let’s just take a moment to talk now,” your response should be, “I truly appreciate your time and need very little of it. However, I find
there are certain elements to the information I am obtaining that I don’t capture as well over the phone. Plus, I’m gaining so much additional value through the exposure to various environments. How about you tell me the absolute best time in your day when you could take only five to 10 minutes to chat with me and I’ll drop by for a moment then.” Keep asking for what you want and need.

7. Follow up, follow up, follow up.

Be persistent about fulfilling your research project. Continue to patiently check in with your target until you speak to her and set a meeting.

Often, people give up far too soon in reaching the people or objectives they have set for themselves. Look folks: people are
busy!
Just because they haven’t responded to you yet doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be interested in talking to you. They’ve just got a lot on their plates. A patient, steady, and undauntable persistence often pays off. You have to press past ideas of rejection or being a bother and, unless and until you connect, keep focused and dedicated to gaining the information and relationship you desire.