Do you suffer from phone phobia?

Some people are reluctant to use the telephone to conduct their job search activities. The reason for this is that most people are anxious about how the employer may react/what they will say to you/how they may reject you when you call and so a letter seems a ‘safer’ option.
What is important to remember is that it is also more difficult for an employer to say ‘no’ to you on the telephone than to throw your letter in the bin.
So why are we reluctant to use the telephone?
You want to phone an employer as you think they may have an opening for you.
However, you are worried about what to say….either because you feel you may make a mess of it…..he/she may say ‘No’ to you…and then you will feel stupid…and rejected…
The thought that this may be the outcome makes you feel worse and so you decide not to make the call now.
The end result though is that you are missing out on one of the best ways of finding jobs!
However, if you think about the situation again more rationally…..
Your calls to employers won’t always be successful……so what if you get a bit tongue tied, or the employer says he doesn’t currently have any job opportunities for you.
So what can you do to help overcome the phobia?
Writing down what you want to say and rehearsing this a few times before you make the call is a great way of overcoming those initial nerves. If you rehearse the conversation and practice having put in the relevant pauses and inflection in your voice you will feel so much more confident when you do make the call.
It is so easy to let our imagination and anxiety get the better of us – remember that when you call an employer that if they have never been unemployed and looking for a job themselves ….they know someone close to them who has.
By calling an employer you are being proactive and putting your head above the parapet as most people are too afraid to do this for all the above reasons.
The very worst that can happen is that you won’t get an interview on this occasion – but you can try again. Alternatively, you may be invited in for a chat or an interview which could lead to a job!
This is just another way in which you can beat the competition in the job market!

If you would like to chat about your own experience of contacting employers by phone then do give me a call on 07875 320793– I may be able to give you some tips!