100+ Things: Have you made any phone calls this week?

100 + Things. Learn how to make a phone call. Make them often. Make some more.

“Wait, what? You’re not just going to offer me a job?” Unfotunately, the hiring process can take weeks even up to a month depending on the department and the company. Before you even step foot in the door, chances are you will have to talk to someone on the phone to get an interview. How comfortable are you with that?

The more you talk to people, the more you will feel comfortable talking about your own design/development process to potential co-workers and employers. Why do you even want this job? Answer that question before you get on the phone. Have you made any progress making phone calls this week? If not, take an hour today, and make 5 phone calls. Don’t have a number? Send ten emails, ask for a phone conference, and lots of people will give you a few minutes of their time to chat.  Be polite, and ask what their preferred method of contact is and when a good time to call would be. Mention that you are a student, in case you didn’t already. Prepare a few questions for them and explain where your interest stems from. This is of course before you apply for a job, and an internship should be treated as such. Professionalism goes a long way.

The more you practice, the less likely you are to curse or use inappropriate language in an interview-yes, that happens.