Editor’s note: Donald Asher has created an ingenious way for college students to
gather information that they can use in a targeted job search. By planning a legitimate
research project to write up or present in a class, extracurricular organization or your
school’s career center, you can survey employers and gather inside information that
will guide you in exactly how to target your preferred employers when it comes time
for your job search. Through diligent research efforts and persistence in finding the
right people to survey, you can obtain information that your peer graduates won’t have.
This survey form works best with smaller organizations or with specific
departments within larger ones, and won’t work at all if you send it to VPs of
HR at Fortune 500 companies. With larger organizations you can still find someone
interested in this survey by calling and asking for the name and address of the
“College Relations Manager” serving your region. Fortune 500 companies
will tell you who this is.
You can also conduct the survey by phone. Used correctly, this survey will work for
undergraduate and graduate students in any major. “Hi. My name is George Plimpton
and I am in a graduate seminar in journalism at Columbia University. I’m going to be
giving a presentation on the country’s top sports journalists, and I was wondering if
you could take a moment and tell me how you got into the business.” Of course they
can!
If you use this technique, be sure that you actually write the paper or give the presentation
or do whatever it was you said you were going to do. You may very well be calling this
person again in a few months to ask about concrete job opportunities, and she will almost
certainly ask to see the paper or inquire how the presentation went.
Never tell a lie in a career-related setting. If you discuss this project with the
appropriate professor in advance, you should have no trouble getting him or her to endorse it.
You may have to do some sophisticated telephone work to reach these people, but the
most effective technique is exceedingly simple: persistence. Fewer than seven attempts
to complete an unsolicited telephone contact is simply not enough. Learn to call
strangers fearlessly and you gain one more key to success. Students too frequently
hide behind emails and powerful intermediaries. Learning telephone techniques will
serve you well when launching a career and in advancing that career later.
Date
Maureen Bigshot [do your best to identify exact person by name]
President or Owner or Managing Partner or VP of a Department of Interest
Company
Street Address
City, State Zip
Dear Ms. Bigshot:
I am a senior at [name your school], and I am conducting a research project to survey
employers in [targeted field here]. My goal is to improve the match between employer's
needs and student expectations. The result of my survey will be presented to [a study
group sponsored by the career center or, alternately, any specific, senior-level class].
Would you please take just a moment to help me? If you would fill out the following
questionnaire and return it in the enclosed postage-paid envelope, I would be very
appreciative.
Does your company ever hire new college graduates? [ ] Yes [ ] No
If yes, for what positions or types of positions?
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Which of the following skills, talents, traits, and abilities are very
important to you in a new hire?
[ ] A positive attitude and a good nature.
[ ] The ability to answer the phone in a professional manner.
[ ] The ability to take direction and follow instructions.
[ ] The ability to work directly with clients.
[ ] Punctuality.
[ ] Knowledge of standard office suites, including word processing applications.
[ ] Knowledge of standard office suites, including spreadsheet applications.
[ ] Computer skills in general.
[ ] The ability to learn new computer skills without formal training.
[ ] Programming experience.
[ ] Skills in financial and statistical analysis.
[ ] Professional dress.
[ ] Customer service skills, including the ability to take a complaint.
[ ] The ability to make a presentation to a group.
[ ] The ability to write well.
[ ] Sales talent, in the sense of managing existing relationships.
[ ] Sales talent, in the sense of cold-calling for new relationships.
[ ] The ability to do practical research, to “find things out” on one’s own.
[ ] The ability to perform formal, library, database, and Internet research.
[ ] Foreign languages, especially __________________________.
[ ] Honesty and trustworthiness.
[ ] The ability to make decisions with incomplete information.
[ ] The ability to function on a team, and resolve minor interpersonal issues independently.
[ ] Willingness to work overtime as needed.
[ ] Negotiating talent.
[ ] Ability to un-jam a printer, copier, or fax without running for help.
[ ] Ability to organize and plan work, including projects.
[ ] Ability to train and motivate others.
Which of the above or other skills, talents, traits, and abilities are most important to you in a new hire?
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
What, in your opinion, are the best reasons to hire a less experienced person?
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
What do you find least appealing about new hires? What could they do better?
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
What is your “hiring cycle”? When do you first begin to look at student
resumes for hiring each year’s new crop of college graduates?
[ ] Sep-Nov
[ ] Dec-Jan
[ ] Feb-Mar
[ ] Apr-May
[ ] Anytime
To which person and/or to what office do you prefer entry-level candidates apply?
Name_________________________________________________
Title__________________________________________________
Department____________________________________________
Address_______________________________________________
Do you have any advice for me and my fellow students about to launch careers this year?
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
May we call you to discuss your hiring needs and processes further?
[ ] Yes, call me at this number _________________________.
[ ] It's better if you call
Be sure and take advantage of all of Donald Asher’s terrific material for
college students and new grads, as well as all of our Quintessential Careers
resources for those seeking entry-level jobs.
This material is from 