What is a Cold Job Search?

A cold job search is when you initiate contact with an employer, even though you don’t have any networking contacts. You can do this by either sending a letter or making a phone call.

Generally this method is used when:
You are really interested in working for a company (or getting an internship, or a research experience) but don’t see any openings posted.

You want to learn more about a career, and develop networking contacts (or arrange an informational interview)

You are really interested in a company (or an internship, or a research lab) and someone gives you a name of a person you have never met.

Don’t just start dialing, though. Before you make a call or send any letters, you need to do a substantial amount of research. You want the first contact you have to be polished and professional.

Before you make a cold job contact, you will need to:
Know who you are. What are your strengths and weaknesses, and what will you bring to the workplace?
Clearly identify what you are looking for. You want to present the impression of a focused, thoughtful individual looking for the right match between employer and employee. “I need a job” is not enough.
Be able to explain why you are looking for the position you want. How does it relate to your long-term goals?

Take the time to:
Develop a set of letters and resumes
Networking letter to an alumni (Adobe Acrobat required)
Networking letter, Example 2
Develop a set of pitches (mini-commercials to sell your talents)

Practice!
Try your pitch or letter on a friend or coworker. Does it sound goofy? By reading it out loud to a real person, you will get a sense of how well it is working—and how comfortable you are approaching people you don’t know.

Identify potential contacts using your current network of contacts, Career Search, and other tools.
Identify potential employers for your field by location or industry.
Identify related employers, competitors, and basic contacts within a company, association, organization or firm.

Research your target
Target employers with online tools, including news, industry news sites, and even employee web boards and web resources.

Keep a log to track your networking activity:
Dates of correspondence, follow up calls
Names of ALL contacts
Notes on timelines for hire, application processes etc.

This seems like a lot of work! Is it really worth it?

© 2004 MSU College of Natural Science; corrections and updates to CNS@ csp.msu.edu.
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