Cold calling has long been an effective method for getting a job interview. It’s no secret that many job openings are inaccessible to the general public unless you know someone from the inside. This is why you can use cold calling to get yourself inside knowledge about the job openings.

Get started with cold calling for an interview with these steps:

Make a list of companies – Gather a list of companies that you are interested in working for. Don’t worry if it’s a long list, because the longer it is, the greater your chances of getting an interview.

Get the names of those who can offer you a job – After you get your list of companies you want to work for, the next step is to start gathering the names and titles of people who can offer you a job. When calling, ask for the department head or hiring manager; don’t settle for the name of the human resources manager unless that’s where you want to work. Persistency is important, because if you don’t get the names, you won’t get your foot in the door.

Have an awesome cover letter – The next step is important: You have to write a great cover letter because this will be your first point of contact, and we all know that first impressions last. Without a good first impression, your follow-up efforts won’t be of much of use in getting an interview.

Contact – The last step is the hardest part; it’s when you start calling the people in your list. Upon reaching them, ask if there are any openings available. If not, ask for other names you can contact. Keep in mind that while it’s important to be persistent, you also want to avoid being too pushy or rude.

There are many ways to get yourself a job interview, and cold calling is one of them. When done right, this strategy is an effective method that any job seeker can use. So, if other strategies have not been working for you, this might be what you just need.