Always call about a job ad

Even if you think that the company has done a good job describing the position in the advertisement, there are almost certainly some things you need to know before you can 1) finally decide whether the job is something for you 2) target your CV and cover letter. That’s why you should call and ask relevant questions.

Moreover, you can’t call the company after you’ve been called in for an interview – and this is often when job seekers realise that they don’t know exactly what the job is about.

You can use the knowledge you receive in the telephone call to write a good and targeted application, and you will also have a head start with regard to the job interview; a head start that may be decisive for you landing the job.

“The most important reason for calling is to gain knowledge so you understand the company’s most important criteria and what they are looking for in an application,” says Emilie Lindquist, career counsellor at IDA.

Ask specific questions

What questions you ask absolutely matters. If you ask questions about something that is clearly answered in the job ad, or if you call every week in the hope that the employer will remember your name, this will obviously reflect negatively on you.

The questions you ask must be specific and must be based on the job ad. Emilie Lindquist recommends these four questions:

Analyse the job ad and find specific questions

Analyse the job ad, read all sentences carefully, and use colour coding: Highlight everything you know at least a little about in green and highlight the things you know nothing about in red. Mark things that are unclear in yellow, and then make the yellow elements into questions. After the telephone call, they can then be highlighted in green/red or remain yellow if you didn’t find out more. Red elements are okay as long as they aren’t the company’s top priorities.

If they are, you should consider whether you’re wasting your time applying for this job, as you’re not a relevant candidate.

Prioritise, take notes and keep it short

Before you call the company, prioritise your list of questions. Avoid asking questions that can be answered with a “Yes/No” – they won’t give you enough information.

The best telephone call is when they do the talking and you take notes. You should also be prepared to answer the employer’s questions when you call.

It’s not unusual for them to ask about who you are, so be ready to present yourself – but keep it short! They don’t want to do the interview over the phone – they want your application. A good telephone call lasts approx. five minutes.

Use your new knowledge in your cover letter and CV

You have now learned more about the job, and this knowledge should be implemented in your CV and cover letter.

In your cover letter, mention that you have spoken to the person named in the job ad, that the person gave you some information that made you even more motivated – and remember to write why you were more motivated –  and then refer to one or two specific topics from the conversation and briefly describe how you would approach the task.

Companies want you to call them

In connection with the 2020 recruitment analysis, IDA asked companies of their opinion of calls in connection with job postings.

Here is an excerpt of the results:

• 77% believed that applicants who called had relevant questions that needed clarification
• 74% perceived sincere interest when applicants called
• 54% of candidates who called in advance were invited to a job interview