Help me wow them with a good first impression!

January 1, 2009 7:22 PM

I will be e-mailing my resume to a company that is hiring for an operations management position. My experience and knowledge seems to line up perfectly with what they are looking for. They included a phone number in the employment ad. I want to call shortly after I send my resume and introduce myself as I am sure they are receiving hundreds of resumes. Other than, "Hi. My name is so-and-so and I was calling to see if the position is still open," what are some ways to leave an impression and engage the HR manager in a brief conversation?
posted by ieatwords to work & money (5 comments total)

My first thought? Ring them & say "I'm so-and-so, I've just emailed my resume for such-and-such position, and I'm sure a lot of others have emailed theirs too. I'm wondering should I supply a hard copy of the resume, or something else (backup information of some sort relevant to the position)? I'm VERY interested, I know I would be a great asset to your company in this position, and I would be happy to provide anything else you might need."

Just get your name in the ear of someone who may or may not be in charge of vetting or advancing applications. Even if it's the receptionist who takes your call, an impressive display of enthusiasm might get your application put on top of the stack. It can't hurt to try, anyway.

And best of luck with the application.
posted by malibustacey9999 at 7:50 PM on January 1

Of course be sure to involve an excellent cover letter. Get your references lined up in advance but don't disclose until they ask. If you can get the name of the hiring manager then use the FedEx trick. Send your stuff to them via FedEx, in a FedEx letter envelope (not a box), attn: Jane Manager.
posted by ezekieldas at 8:02 PM on January 1 [3 favorites]

If your request for advice is referring to your phone manner, then I would have this suggestion: if you can do so without any note whatsoever of phoniness in your voice, make it sound as if it is an absolute and utter pleasure to speak with anyone you speak with on the phone, whether that be the receptionist or the person you were incorrectly transferred to or the person in charge. I have firsthand seen the significant difference that leaving a positive impression of yourself with the receptionist can make.
posted by WCityMike at 9:10 PM on January 1

It's useless to connect with the HR manager over the telephone. The only thing they care about is your resume and and covering letter and checking off little boxes so they cover their ass, mitigate risk, and don't look like an idiot when they hand over a filtered list of qualified candidates to the hiring committee or hiring manager. These guys are risk-adverse administrators (who do a great job!) who can only depend on the quantifiables, the stuff in your resume that matches the job description. HR folks generally don't have a lot of free time to waste with hundreds of applicants.

The phone number is useful leading up to submitting your resume, because it allows you to connect with the hiring manager (the person you will be reporting to) to find out more information about the position. You can use this information to tailor your resume to the specific needs of the hiring manager.

The Ops manager generally reports to the CEO or managing director. With a little persistence, you can connect with this person initially and bypass the HR manager or the receptionist (both of whom are gatekeepers and are there to make sure you never talk to the CEO at all).

That phone number also lets you connect with the sales department to find out how business is doing, or with the product management group (if they have one) to find out more about the products the company has, and where the company is going.

You can use all this stuff in your resume.
posted by KokuRyu at 11:05 PM on January 1

Also, it's more productive to network your way into a job, relying on the hidden job market and personal relationships. Responding to want ads can be like hitting a bullet with a bullet.
posted by KokuRyu at 11:07 PM on January 1