4 Old-School Job Hunt Techniques You Need to Know About

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If you told your relatives about your job search over this past holiday season, you probably heard these great pieces of advice, at every meal: “Just go to the office and ask to meet with the hiring manager,” “Why don’t you just call and ask if they are hiring?”

These “old-school” job hunting tactics may sound ridiculous, now that technology and social media have changed the job search landscape, but several old school tactics can still be very effective in a modern-day job hunting.

The Phone Call

While it may not be as easy as calling and asking if a company is hiring, using the phone can still be an effective job hunting strategy. Whether it’s speaking with established connections or trying to make new ones, speaking on the phone helps people connect on a more personal level than digital communication.

Once you’ve connected on LinkedIn or found someone in the department you want to work in at a company, try to set up phone conversation that provides opportunities to show what you know about the industry. Establish what value you can bring to their company, and mention that you would love to hear about any potential opportunities that may come up.

Think of each call as a shortened informational interview. The goal is not necessarily to find a job with each phone call, but to nurture a relationship that will make your connections want to help you when positions become available.

The Follow-Up

The follow-up is another great old-school technique that puts the phone to work for you. Yes, you can email your follow up, just like every other job searcher, but a follow-up phone call gives you the opportunity to make a personal connection with the hiring manager, resume reviewer or other decision-maker for that position.

Terri A. Deem, career coach and co-author of “Make Job Loss Work for You” suggests following up via phone two to three days after a hiring manager would have received your materials. Your call should focus on getting your name on the mind of the decision maker, gathering information about the status of your application and, if possible, asking questions about the position that only the decision maker can answer.

This strategy will help you illustrate your interest in the position and, if done properly, could lead to an interview before you hang up the phone.

The Thank-You Note

In addition to your phone or digital follow-up, the old-school handwritten thank-you note will help you stand out during the interview process. This old-school touch could help you edge out other applicants when push comes to shove, and a decision needs to be made.

After an interview, take the time to sit down and write a few sentences thanking your interviewer and mentioning one or two of the topics you discussed. When you get home, put a stamp on your thank you card and send it out.

By mentioning the discussion you had or providing extra information on a topic you discussed in the interview, you’re helping the interviewer draw a personal connection to your application. Now, instead of just being one of the many sets of interview notes the interviewer has, you’ve created a more personal relationship that can help you stand out.

Nurturing Good Relationships

By now you’ve realized that all of these old-school techniques revolve around creating opportunities through relationships. According to research, networking is still the number one way to find a new position in today’s job market, with 60 percent of positions being filled based on referrals. But networking is not just about meeting people and connecting online, it’s about nurturing meaningful relationships with the online and offline connections you make.

Use the tips above to keep in touch with all of your connections and be sure to contribute to the relationships you’ve worked so hard to create. Send a note, make a phone call and offer your help, where you can to build strong ties that may benefit you in the future.