Accessing the informal job market - Direct approaches

• Identify likely target companies and who your boss would be.
• Avoid the Personnel Department.
• Write letters with your CV or Resume and follow up with a phone call, but don't ask for a job in the letter. Ask for a meeting for a no-obligation discussion.
• When changing industries, emphasize your desire to learn about their industry as a reason for meeting.
• If it is the same industry, emphasise a mutual exchange of views on how the industry is likely to develop and meeting for future reference, i.e. mutual networking benefits.
• Position the purpose of the meeting as an exploratory chat to give the employer a chance to assess you on face saving basis without having to acknowledge that they have a definite need for your services at this time.
• Be prepared to ask networking questions as well as to be interviewed, i.e. who else they can think of that you could talk to in similar companies.
• Only ask networking questions if there appears to be no interest with the employer you are meeting.