Don't like to call? Get over it.

"Clients tell me, 'I'm so excited. I applied to 50 places today,' " says career consultant Bradford Agry. "You're better off having lunch with one person in your network and going to the gym."  (Source:  www.fortune.com)

While watching The Today Show this morning, I listened to a broadcast by Suzanne Choney about the "death of the phone".  The content made me heart rate go up learning about how "...a growing number of adults who will  "go to great lengths to avoid a telephone conversation," she said. "Adults say that they are so pressed with the amount of messages they have at work that they don't have time for the luxury of  'real time' conversation.""

Give me a break.

In my business, the phone is one of the best ways to set myself apart from the rest of the prospecting pack.  Why?  Because I have learned that a conversation is the next best thing to a face to face meeting.  When I talk directly and confidently with decision makers, I gather more useful information about their needs and goals then I ever could via email, text, tweets, or from reviewing fan pages on Facebook.

At LeadSource, LLC our clients are personable, love interacting with people, and would rather talk with or shake someone's hand rather than friend them on Facebook.  So why are so many of them afraid of calling prospective employers?  Fear of rejection.  How do they get over it?  Practice.  And after they practice, their confidence, communications skills, ability to overcome objections, and "yes's" sky rocket.

Check out these stats:

• Number of applicants per job opening in 2010:  over 200 (Source:  www.workforce.com)
• Percentage of jobs filled via online job boards:  5% (average from various sources)
• Percentage of jobs not filled via online job boards:  95%  (Source:  my mathematical brain)
• For every 10 people who apply for a job, about 20% or 2 of the candidates are referrals. (Source:  www.ere.net)

Lets say you apply for a job with 99 other applicants.  You're now 1 out of 100 seemingly qualified job seekers.  A few things happen (1) resume readers need about 5-10 applicants to make the short list.  If they have enough referrals, you're out.  (2)  resume readers will read only enough resumes to get enough candidates.  Your luck depends on where you fall in the pile.  When you "do different and do better", you can become a referral fairly quickly.

MY POINT?  The #1 way to get on the short list for a job is to connect with a major player in the hiring process.  A successful job search is a numbers game.  Would you rather be one of 100?  Or would you rather be 1 of 5?  Reach out and touch someone!

Don't know how to manage a phone call?  "The Get-Back-To-Work Book" devotes over 20 pages of content to blueprinting companies, dialing decision makers, scripting, overcoming objections, and qualifying your prospect.  Get your copy today!