How to ask for a job over the phone.....

Learn to use every contact with potential employers to your advantage. In other words, when you call an employer to inquire about possible positions or to follow up on a resume, be prepared to sell yourself.

An effective strategy includes preparing a "script" for each employer. Be sure to practice the script with friends before trying it on an employer. Be prepared to expand on many of the mentioned points after you've delivered your initial statements. Be persistent! It may take many recitations of the script, even at the same organization, before you achieve success. As necessary, change your script if some statements seem to work better than others.

Typical scripts include the following information:

YOUR NAME

Hello, my name is......

YOUR DEGREE & MAJOR

I will receive my BS degree from Virginia Tech in May and am majoring in Computer Science.

REFERRAL

Sandra Birch, our career advisor, recommended that I call you.

POSITION YOU SEEK & EMPLOYER NAME

I am seeking an entry-level programming position with American Management Systems.

YOUR SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

I have been an undergraduate consultant in the department of computer science for two years and had a summer intern experience with Systems Research & Applications.

INTERVIEW REQUEST

I would like to meet with you to discuss potential positions that AMS may have now or in the future.