困难的时期需要强硬的策略。如果你发现你的网络求职前景不妙，可能就是需要想想新的办法来开拓工作市场的时候了。打陌生电话是销售中采用的一项基本技术，如果使用得当，就可能给你带来新的机会。
  
　　任何一个专业推销员都会告诉你销售是一个数字游戏。和你交谈的人越多，你成功出售的几率就越高。一个好的推销员还会告诉你成功的关键是向人们证明你有他们需要的东西——你能解决他们的问题，你能帮助他们。但是首先你要拿起听筒打电话。
  
　　如果你对打电话给陌生人推销你自己感到畏缩的话，这么想的并不只是你一个人。大多数人都不是天生的推销员，都要推动自己去打那些电话。但是如果你能开始认为你是在帮助别人解决问题，那些电话会好打一些，你成功的几率也会高一些。
  
　　《无敌面试》的作者Marky Stein认为，打电话已被证实能够在希望最渺茫的情况下获得成功。Stein建议事先准备好一份书面稿，打电话的时候照着念。Stein认为，稿子本身必须有吸引力，能够引起招聘经理对你的成就、工作的年限、取得的成功、有时甚至是你的教育的兴趣。她的建议十分具体：稿子中必要的因素是这个关键短语：“我能去面试吗？”这话是那么的简单，一开始你可能会觉得说起来有些愚蠢，但它们能得到结果。对“我能去面试吗”进行修饰反而不如它本身有效。事实上，我敢说那些结果有不成功的。
  
　　动笔写书面稿是你通向成功的第一步。这要求你估计一下在陈述中如何取舍。想一下你必须提供什么。这个雇主为什么会对你感兴趣？从调查这个公司、找出它正在做的项目和交易开始。你如何使用这些信息来推销你自己？
  
　　•以问候开始——听起来有热情（但不是虚伪的）会更好一些。
  
　　•介绍自己，说明自己的专业以及在自己的领域里工作了多少年。
  
　　•谈谈自己的专长或是与公司的需要有关的两道三个强项。例如，有能力达成交易，谈判杀手，或是最近刚为公司谈成的一个项目节省了35%的成本。
  
　　•询问对方，我什么时候能去面试？
  
　　书面稿写完之后，你会想直接同决定者交谈。你可以从两个地方找到这些人的信息。Hoover在线提供执行官们的免费或低价的信息。在那里你能发现公司及其核心人物大量的信息。另一个免费资源是公共图书馆里的Richs指南。
  
　　销售专业人员会告诉你，并不是所有的人都对你卖的东西感兴趣。做好被拒绝的准备，三分之二的电话都不会产生什么新的前景。但是成功出自尝试。运动员们是坚持的最好的例子。Michael Jordan在比赛中经常有投不中的球，但是他的伟大之处就在于他仍然愿意并且渴望在比赛进入倒计时且双方陷入僵局的时候成为那个决定性的投手。你的职业将会从类似的决定中获益。
  
　　不懈的努力也是重要的。即使在面对一次又一次的拒绝和听到的全是“不”的时候，也要坚持练习和尝试。你的目标是继续打电话直到听到“行”。那时候你就会感到抓住机会的悸动。
  

Warm Up to Cold Calling

  
Tough times call for tough strategies. If you find that your networking prospects are drying up, it may be time to think of new ways to penetrate the job market. The cold call is a basic technique used in selling, and when done properly, it can provide new opportunities for you.
  
Any professional salesperson will tell you that sales is a numbers game. The more people you talk to, the better your chances of making a sale. A good salesperson will also tell you that one key to success is proving to people you have something they need -- that you have the solution to their problem, that you can help them. But first youve got to pick up the phone and make some calls.
  
If the very thought of calling a stranger and selling yourself makes you cringe, you are not alone. Most people are not natural-born salespeople and have to push themselves to make that call. But if you can begin to think about helping someone by providing solutions, the call will become easier, and youll have a better chance of success.
  
According to Marky Stein, author of Fearless Interviewing, cold calling has had proven success for even the most faint-of-heart. Stein suggests preparing a script to read from before making the call. The script itself has to have a hook, something extremely enticing to the hiring manager about your accomplishments, your years of experience, the successes youve had, and in some cases, your education,according to Stein. Her advice is very specific: necessary element of the script is the key phrase: When can I come in for an interview?These words are so simple that you may feel foolish saying them at first, but they get results. Modifying the phrase to, Can I come in for an interview? wont be as effective. In fact, I would venture to say that the results have been unsuccessful.
  
Writing your script will be the first step toward success with the cold call. This will require you to evaluate how you want to focus your statement. Think about what you have to offer. Why would this employer be interested in you? Begin by researching the company and finding out about the projects and business deals its working on. How can you use this information to sell yourself?
  
•Begin with a greeting -- sounding enthusiastic (but not phony) will be a plus.
  
•Introduce yourself and say what your specialty is and how many years of experience you have in your field.
  
•Talk about your specialty or two or three key strengths you have that are relevant to the companys needs. Example: I have the ability to close sales, and negotiate killer deals.Or, I recently negotiated a 35 percent savings on project costs for my company.
  
•Ask the magic question, When can I come in for an interview
  
Once you get your script written, youll want to talk directly to the decision makers. You can find these people listed in a couple of sources. For free or low-cost information on executives, go to Hoovers Online. There you will discover a wealth of information on companies and the key players. Another source available at no cost is Richs Guide at your public library.
  
Sales professionals will tell you that not everyone you call will be interested in what youre selling. Expect rejection; two out of every three calls will not lead to new prospects. But success is the result of trying. Athletes provide a good example of persistence. Michael Jordan has missed many shots with the game on the line, but what makes him great is that hes still willing and eager to be the one to take the decisive shot when the game is tied and the clock is ticking down. Your career will benefit from the same type of determination.
  
Consistent efforts are important. Keep practicing and trying, even when you face repeated rejection and it seems that all you hear is no.Your goal is to continue calling until you get a yes.Thats when you will feel the thrill of making the clutch shot.