Finding Job Leads from Business Directories

Most job seekers use the telephone only occasionally, but the Job-Club method relies on it heavily.

Phoning up versus dropping in


Job openings that are announced in help-wanted ads allow interested job seekers to apply for a definite opening. But only about 13 percent of all jobs are obtained that way. Many companies don't advertise their openings so directly but wait for people to come to them and apply.

One remedy is to "drop in" on the companies to determine whether they have openings. However, this method makes very inefficient use of time—you can make only two or three such visits each day, and of these, only one may result in an interview.

The Job-Club solution is to use the telephone to contact the companies and to arrange interviews. This way, you'll have an interview at every place you actually visit. In a given day, you may be able to contact up to 100 companies by phone, whereas making contact by dropping in on them would require a month or two. Further, it is usually easier to arrange an interview over the phone than by dropping in.

Employers and department heads are busy working and are likely to be occupied with other activities. If you just drop in at a busy time, you may have to wait for hours until they are free. On the other hand, if you phone them you are more likely to make contact—people usually will answer the phone at almost any time and spend a few seconds to arrange an interview at a later time when they can see you. So the rule is: use the phone to prospect for possible employers.

The Yellow Pages and Business Directories

Once you are ready to use the phone to get in touch with employers who might have jobs open but haven't advertised them, the question is which companies to contact.

The traditional method is to try thinking of which companies might use your skills and maybe ask some friends.

The Job-Club strategy is to contact as many of these companies as possible. Fortunately, every city or town has a book that lists all businesses, conveniently arranges them by type, and even provides their telephone number and address. This is the standard telephone directory—specifically, the Yellow Pages—which the telephone company supplies to everyone with a telephone.

Although this book is meant to be used by customers, you will use it to locate businesses that may desire your services as an employee. Even in small towns, the Yellow Pages contain thousands of business listings; in large cities, they include tens of thousands. Consequently, the Yellow Pages offer an almost unlimited source of job leads.

The same thing with online business directories.

However, there is one caveat, you have to spend money on phone bills, and some would be wasted, as many of the listed numbers may not be currently in use.

How to use the Yellow Pages and business directories

If you want a job as a medical technician, nurse, or medical secretary, look in the Yellow Pages under "Hospitals" or "Physicians." If you want to be an auto mechanic, you could start with "Garages" and "Automobile Dealers," but you could also contact "Trucking Companies" and any listing of companies that might do their own auto repair, such as "Truck Rental" or "Moving." For a job as a waiter, cook, hostess, or busboy, the first place to look would be "Restaurants," of course—but there's also "Hotels" and "Motels," since these often have dining facilities. If you want to try a sales job, first decide what type of selling you are interested in doing. If you have strong interest or experience in sports, you could look under "Sporting Goods—Dealers," "Sporting Goods —Mfrs. and Wholesalers," "Skiing Equipment—Retail," "Skin-Diving Equipment," "Tennis Supplies—Retail," "Tennis Supplies—Whsle. and Mfrs," and so on.

To find out which categories might include your job type, refer to the index of categories (usually listed at the end of the Yellow Pages). This index lists the categories in alphabetical order, such as "CB Radios," "Cabanas," "Cabarets," "Cabinet Hardware," "Cabinet Makers," and so on. Reading these through quickly may well remind you of businesses that could possibly use your special combination of interests and skills. Another method is simply to start at the first page of the Yellow Pages and skim each page in succession, looking for types of businesses you can call. Once you have found them, call all the businesses listed under those types.

Say that you've decided that florists could use your interest and skill in arranging flowers. First, locate all companies listed under "Florists." Then, on your Leads Form, write down the pertinent information—the name of the company, its address, and its telephone number. But don't make any calls yet; wait until you have a long list of these companies. One of your first and major tasks each morning will be to make up this list from the Yellow Pages. Collect at least ten of these listings a day. Then call them.