Getting passed the secretary when cold calling?

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FrankArabia

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why not focus first on getting to the secretary by aiming at her heart. I love office secretary babes!

charm them with compliments and act like Johnny Depp in Public Enemies.
 
Call before or after normal business hours. You'll almost almost always get the automated system that will let you lookup the VP's extension and connect you directly. You'll be amazed at how many senior execs answer their line after the admin has gone home. Worst case, you'll get their voicemail which is 100x better than the admin taking a message.
 
I would never recommend cold calling someone for a job. The best way to do it is to find someone who actually knows said VP and have them call him on your behalf.
 
Redox Wrote:
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> akanska --> You are not being rude. I appreciate
> the honesty and would accept any more advice you
> might have.
>
> 1morelevel --> Thank you for your advice but I'm
> not sure if it is applicable to me.
>
>
> I should have clarified in my opening post that I
> am not a telemarketer, nor do I work in sales. I
> am trying to cold call midmarket investment banks
> (and possibly some ER firms) to secure an
> interview for a summer internship. I would also be
> open to doing this internship for free.

You should go another direction - based on your communication skills in this post, you will only detract from your opportunities through this approach.
 
jcole21 Wrote:
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> You should go another direction - based on your
> communication skills in this post, you will only
> detract from your opportunities through this
> approach.

What's wrong with the post?
 
Redox Wrote:
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> jcole21 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > You should go another direction - based on your
> > communication skills in this post, you will
> only
> > detract from your opportunities through this
> > approach.
>
> What's wrong with the post?

There is nothing wrong- just a bit (a lot) na�ve. See the VP of an IB or other large firm had absolutely nothing to do with contracting interns. These firms surely have a set of recruiting channels and HR department so you best bet is to get a response unless you have some personal tie to anyone else in the company. I know the movie storylines where you keep diligently calling the president till he gives you a �break� but honestly I think 99% of the time it would do nothing more than make you seem na�ve and unprofessional. Maybe different if it were a smaller firm.

Every community has industry related associations that host events. I would go to one of those. Its different there as you are not invading someone�s work. Perhaps that�s how I see it- but if I were a higher up and you snuck through over the phone I�d be like �don�t waste my time� but if it was at an industry function I�d be more than happy to offer advice or an informational interview that may lead to more opportunities. This is the type of networking you need to so. Networking is SOCIAL so do it in social settings.
 
Akanska,

I have been targeting smaller investment banks that do not have HR departments. The people I'm calling are who I believe to be the final decision makers on hiring. The rest of your post is still good advice. The cold calling is just one piece of a multipronged attack that includes networking via my schools alumni network and information sessions offered at my school.
 
SMIRK Wrote:
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> I would never recommend cold calling someone for a
> job. The best way to do it is to find someone who
> actually knows said VP and have them call him on
> your behalf.

For God's sake listen to this. Do not cold call for an interview, especially given the current job market.

Network the old fashioned way. Meet people, by a mid-level dude a beer, learn how to play racketball, whatever. But if you get a MD or VP on the phone you better have one hell of a good elevator speach ready because when your 30 seconds are up there's a good chance the call will turn very unpleasent. If you're lucky you'll just get hung up on and the guy will forget your name.
 
If you keep getting gatekeepers either call before 830 or after 6pm
 
SMIRK Wrote:
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> Bring a box of cuban cigars and tell her it's for
> the VP's birthday, that they were expensive, and
> very hard to get. Then tell her that she better go
> him a present too.

Lol... then look in the mirror and tell yourself life comes down to a few moments and this is one of them.
 
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