Taking Notes
Copy down the company name, address, phone number, size (number of employees and sales), and other relevant information (such as business type if you are not familiar with the company). Then list the names and titles of all the people you think you may want to contact.
Make note of three to five people in larger organizations who are two levels higher than you are, and perhaps the names of one or two in smaller organizations. Many people in one organization may be in a position to hire or recommend you. In larger companies, often the manager of one group has no idea that another manager may be considering developing a new position or replacing someone.
If you are uncomfortable writing to all three to five people at once, write to one or two, wait for rejection letters, and then write to a few more. People listed in general directories have a lot of people writing to them because their names are so readily available. Therefore, consider a targeted mailing, which takes more research per company but increases your response rate.
In a smaller organization, such as a company of two hundred people or less, the company head is likely to know of all potential openings. Who is in charge of the job openings? The president? Perhaps the general manager? Note both names so you can write to both at once, or one first and the other later. Although names in smaller companies are tougher to come by, these people don't get as many letters as those in large companies.
If you are able to work in many industries, get a sense of those that are growing and also fit your needs. Make a long list of the companies that interest you. Call each one for an annual report or company literature (you can easily call thirty companies in half an hour or so). Find articles on each industry or company.
Your effort is only as good as your list. Bill had a list of sixty companies, but most were out of state and he had no intention of relocating. Only eight were within his geographic target.
Make sure your list contains companies or industries you are at least somewhat interested in. Then you'll know you are contacting eight good ones not sixty that aren't worth your time. If you know the real size of your target, you may decide to make contact through a different technique, such as a targeted mailing with a follow up phone call.
Other Ways To Get A List Of Companies People In Your Target Area
You could buy the subscriber list from a trade magazine, use an industry directory or a local business publication that provides listings of companies (such as Cretin's in New York, Chicago, and other cities), contact local chambers of commerce, or research magazine articles that cover certain industries. Do not forget the Yellow Pages as a great source of companies in your local area. To investigate certain fields, consider taking a course or contacting a professor or other professional who may be an expert.
Associations
Associations are an important source of information. If you don't know anything at all about an industry, associations are often the place to start. They tend to be very helpful, and will assist you in getting the jargon down so you can use the language of the trade. The Encyclopedia of Associations lists a group for whatever field you are interested in. For instance, if you are interested in the rug business, there's a related association.
Call them. If they have lots of local chapters, chances are there's one near you, and it will be a great place to network. Call the headquarters, and ask them to send you information and the name of the person to contact in your area. Then call that person, and say you are interested in the association and would like to attend its next meeting. If there is no local chapter in your area, associations can still send you information. They are often very helpful over the phone, and they also have resources you may find useful.
Associations usually have membership directories, which they will sell you. They often publish trade magazines and newspapers that can update you on the business, such as the important issues facing the industry and notices about who's been hired and who's moving (perhaps you should talk to the people you read about). They may even have a library or research department, or a PR person you can talk to. Often they sell books related to the field.
An association's annual meeting is a very quick way to become educated in a field. These meetings are not cheap, but you will hear speakers on the urgent topics in the field, pick up literature, and meet lots of people.
Join an organization related to the field that interests you. Networking is expected. When you meet someone you think may help you, ask if you can meet on a more formal basis for about half an hour.
You can write to members, or network at meetings. If you want to contact them all, you either can continue to network or conduct a direct mail campaign.
The Press
Read newspapers with your target in mind, and you will see all kinds of information you would not have otherwise. Contact the author of an article in a trade magazine. Tell him how much you enjoyed the article and what you are trying to do, and ask to see him just to chat. I've made many friends this way.
Mailing Lists
You can rent lists from direct mail houses or magazines. For example, one job hunter contacted a computer magazine and got the names of companies that owned a specific kind of computer in his geographic area. It was then easy for him to contact all of the companies in his area that could possibly use his skills.
Chambers Of Commerce
Quasi governmental groups such as regional economic development groups and chambers of commerce have lots of information on companies in their area. If you are doing an out of town search, a chamber of commerce is often a good place to start.
How To Research Through Networking
Networking is a great research tool. Once you have tentatively selected industries or professions, do additional research through networking to find out their buzzwords and to refine your Two minute Pitch to that industry or for that field. People you meet through networking can introduce you to their customers, vendors, other companies of interest, current and former employees, competitors you name it. Networking at this point may also uncover other possible targets, which you can simply add to your list of targets or research later.
While networking you may be able to get a list of people in your targeted field perhaps an association membership list. For example, if you are interested in personnel, you may be able to get the membership list of a personnel group. Or perhaps someone will invite you to an association meeting and you can get a list that way.
Integrate your target list into your networking. That is, ask your networking contacts if they happen to be aware of the companies on your list. What are their impressions of these companies? Do they know someone you should contact there? You can also research by going to meetings where the speaker or the attendees are people who should know people in your targeted area.
Alumni Directories And Associations
Think about your old school ties. Your college may have an alumni directory with a listing of where people work or what they do for a living. It is usually considered acceptable to call people on the basis of having gone to the same school they did.
In Conclusion
Be creative when figuring out where the information might be or who may have it. Then go after it. Remember do not skip the research portion of your job hunt.
